How to Make Incense Sticks
Purchase a pack of blank, or unscented, incense sticks., Find your favorite essential oils, mixing and matching if desired., In a small, shallow dish, mix 20 drops of your essential oils for each stick you're making., Place your sticks in the...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Purchase a pack of blank
You can purchase these online, or at some specialty shops.
They may be marketed as either blank or unscented, and are usually exceptionally cheap
-- under $3-4 for an entire pack.
The thick, gummy-like coating on the outside is essential to absorb the scent.
Don't just try to use a regular old bamboo stick! -
Step 2: or unscented
Essential oils, often sold in the health section of many large supermarkets, are strongly concentrated liquid scents that can soak into the incense sticks.
You can use just one for a stronger flavor, or buy a few to mix and match.
Some common scents for incense include:
Wood Scents:
Sandalwood, pine, cedar, juniper, pinion pine Herbal Scents:
Sage, thyme, lemongrass, rosemary, star anise Floral Scents:
Lavender, iris, rose, saffron, hibiscus Other:
Orange flower, cinnamon, calamus root, frankincense, vanilla, myrrh, If you only want one at a time, 20 drops will do, otherwise, you should generally stick to batches of no more than 4-5 at a time.
If you want to do 5 sticks at once, you would need 100 drops of essential oil, or roughly 4ml.
If you're mixing scents, start with only a few drops at a time until you get a combination you enjoy.
There are very few combinations that will smell "bad," but you should still experiment to find what you like best. , If the sticks don't fit, transfer your essential oils to a sheet of aluminum foil, partially folded into a V to ensure none leaks out.
Make sure all the sides of the stick soak up the essential oils. , This shouldn't take long, but you may need to move things around a bit to be sure it is all coated.
When the oil has disappeared from the pan, you can move on. , The sticks need roughly 12-15 hours to dry out before they can be burned.
However, as they dry the sticks will emit a wonderful smell as well, meaning they will "work" for a day even if you can't burn them yet! , This chemical sounds crazy, but it is easily purchased online in the same stores where blank sticks are sold.
Still using 20 drops per stick, mix it with DPG in a long, thin tube, enough that at least 3 A "Refresher Oil Base" can be used in place of DPG, as they both thin out and spread your fragrance. -
Step 3: incense sticks.
-
Step 4: Find your favorite essential oils
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Step 5: mixing and matching if desired.
-
Step 6: In a small
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Step 7: shallow dish
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Step 8: mix 20 drops of your essential oils for each stick you're making.
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Step 9: Place your sticks in the shallow dish and turn to coat.
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Step 10: Turn and gently press the sticks in the oil until it is all absorbed.
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Step 11: Place the sticks incense end up in a mug to dry overnight.
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Step 12: Alternatively
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Step 13: mix your scents with Di-propylene Glycol (DPG) and soak overnight in test-tubes for an extra-strength stick.
Detailed Guide
You can purchase these online, or at some specialty shops.
They may be marketed as either blank or unscented, and are usually exceptionally cheap
-- under $3-4 for an entire pack.
The thick, gummy-like coating on the outside is essential to absorb the scent.
Don't just try to use a regular old bamboo stick!
Essential oils, often sold in the health section of many large supermarkets, are strongly concentrated liquid scents that can soak into the incense sticks.
You can use just one for a stronger flavor, or buy a few to mix and match.
Some common scents for incense include:
Wood Scents:
Sandalwood, pine, cedar, juniper, pinion pine Herbal Scents:
Sage, thyme, lemongrass, rosemary, star anise Floral Scents:
Lavender, iris, rose, saffron, hibiscus Other:
Orange flower, cinnamon, calamus root, frankincense, vanilla, myrrh, If you only want one at a time, 20 drops will do, otherwise, you should generally stick to batches of no more than 4-5 at a time.
If you want to do 5 sticks at once, you would need 100 drops of essential oil, or roughly 4ml.
If you're mixing scents, start with only a few drops at a time until you get a combination you enjoy.
There are very few combinations that will smell "bad," but you should still experiment to find what you like best. , If the sticks don't fit, transfer your essential oils to a sheet of aluminum foil, partially folded into a V to ensure none leaks out.
Make sure all the sides of the stick soak up the essential oils. , This shouldn't take long, but you may need to move things around a bit to be sure it is all coated.
When the oil has disappeared from the pan, you can move on. , The sticks need roughly 12-15 hours to dry out before they can be burned.
However, as they dry the sticks will emit a wonderful smell as well, meaning they will "work" for a day even if you can't burn them yet! , This chemical sounds crazy, but it is easily purchased online in the same stores where blank sticks are sold.
Still using 20 drops per stick, mix it with DPG in a long, thin tube, enough that at least 3 A "Refresher Oil Base" can be used in place of DPG, as they both thin out and spread your fragrance.
About the Author
Gerald Anderson
A seasoned expert in technology and innovation, Gerald Anderson combines 16 years of experience with a passion for teaching. Gerald's guides are known for their clarity and practical value.
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