Guide to Incense: Famous Incense from Across the World

Incense burning has been an important part of cultures of of various countries across the world, Where earlier, incense was burnt to get rid of bad odors, it came to be widely used to get rid of demonic spirits and appease the gods with its soothing aroma. 

Incense is derived from Latin word ‘incendere’ which means ‘to burn’. Further, a host of materials are used to make incense like sage, cedar, typically used by the local people of North Amercia. These materials are further divided into ‘direct burning’ and ‘indirect burning’ categories. 

Now, the choice for the type of material entirely depends on and varies with personal preference, culture, and tradition. 

Likewise, various techniques have been used across the world to manufacture incense. These include direct-burning and indirect-burning incense. Direct -Burning burns directly by a flame as it is combustible incense. The common types of direct-burning incense include some of the best incense sticks, coils, cones, incense paper, powder, incense rope, etc. 

On the other hand,  indirect-burning incense are the type of incense made of aromatic ingredients that are not suitable for direct combustion. Thus, you need a separate heat source such as charcoal or glowing embers as it is incapable of burning itself. The common types of indirect-burning incense materials  include frankincense and myrrh. These are either burnt raw, or in granulated and paste forms. 

This article covers some of the best incense fragrances that you can buy for increased calm and focus and purifying your space. 

1. Cedar Incense Ropes From Nepal

These Nepali incense ropes are made out of the best Himalyan Cedar. The Cedar used is derived from the cedar trees that grow in the Himalyan Regions of Nepal. 

In Nepal, this Himalyan Cedar is localled called as Dhup. Unlike the conventional incense sticks and cones, incense ropes are burnt differently. You can either burn it in a heat resistant bowl, let them burn on their own, or burn them on a berth of sand or ashes. 

In addition to this, incense ropes are manufactured by hand using the bundling technique. And when it comes to aroma, its simply a divine fragrance and last long even after burning.  

https://blessiah.co.uk/products/nepali-incense-ropes-10-pack-cedar-spikenard-or-sandalwood

2. Incense Paper From France

The next best incense that makes to the list in the Blue Arménie  incense paper from Papier d’Arménie. Made of  myrrh, sage, cedarwood, and lavender, it makes up for a soothing oriental fragrance. 

Armenian paper is a form of incense that is produced since ages and is originally made out of Benzonion Resin derived from an Armenian tree. Further, it is oldest paper form room fresheners, handmade in France since 1885. 

You can either burn a strip and blow off gently to ventilate your space and create a soothing atmosphere. Or, you can even use it without burning by simply tearing off sheets and putting them in your wardrobes, books, etc and let them ooze out the subtle fragrance. 

3. Shoyeido Plum blossoms Solid Stick Incense from Japan

Shoyeido is a legacy brand that is run by the Hata family, twelve generations after Rokubei Moritsune Hata, an employee of the Kyoto’s Imperial Palace first started implementing incense-making techniques he learnt in the palace. 

Manufactured in Kyoto, Japan from the past 300 years, this is pure incense which blends only high quality natural ingredients and binds them together with Tabu-koh and water. This mixture is squeezed out like spaghetti and then dried to come out as  a solid stick of oure incense. Plum Blossoms is a soothing fragrance that creates a fresh aura, pretty much similar to a forest during springtime. It is a blend of sandalwood, cinnamon, and benzoin. 

4. India Temple Incense by Song of India Cored Stick Incense from India  

This is a cred incense stick that smells of temples of India. The aroma is light, fresh, and original, reminding you your temple visits in India. 

India is known for producing cored incense sticks which have a core of baboo on which the thich layer of incense material is coated. This what burns off with the core, which is either bamboo or sandalwood. 

Song of India incense are made out of wood and blend a host of high quality spices, herbs, perfume oils, resins, and fragrant wood powders. Its aroma is sweet and is long-lasting. 

5. Holy Smoke Incense Indonesia

Holy Smoke incense are short, fat incesne sticks that are handmade in Bali, Indonesia. These are a perfect blend of natural Indonesian flowers, roots, barks, nuts, and spices. 

Its components are taken from nine different farmers which are hand rolled, layer-by-layer, with a gap of a few days between each layer. 

These fat sticks can clear the negative energy around, are perfect for religious ceremonies, simply fill your space with its soothing aroma. 

6. Luna Sundara Palo Santo from Peru

  Palo Santo is a solid wood that comes from the Palo Santo trees in Ecuadorian and Peruvian reserves. Palo Santo wood is harvested only once it falls naturally and is left for certain days to dry. The resin in the wood becomes a solid, giving Palo Santo its unique scent, not found in any other material. 

Its also called a magical wood for its various therapeutic properties like the ability to boost energy, uplift the mood, warding off negative energy and connecting to the Earth. 

These last long and serve as ideal smudging tools. 

7. Dukhni Oud Bakhoor from UAE

Bakhoor is nothing but wooden chips or bricks that are immersed in fragrant oils and blended with natural ingredients. These ingredients typically include resin, sandalwood, essentials oils, and others. 

Dukhni Oud Bakhoor Sandal is all you need for an exotic and comforting experience. Its got the sandalwood aroma which has a top note of sandalwood flower which further releases the scent of spicy cinnamon , clove , and then again gets back to the sandalwood base. 

It is made from the traditional ingredients like essential oils, aromatic and botanical extracts, resins, spices, and woods.

8. Alt Naturals White Sage Smudge

White Sage is a herb that is native to the Southwestern United States. Also known as the sacred sage, this herb has been used by the local Americans for healing and cleansing purposes since centuries. 

Sage is a word that comes from the Latin word salvere meaning ‘to heal’. Burning sage is also called smudging which involves burning raw whole herbs that are typically packed in a wand-like bundle. 

The smoke that comes out the bundle is fanned a little using hands so that the sage bundle burns properly. This white sage by Alt Naturals has a strong, earthy aroma.