Some type of herb or flower can be a secondary powder. These can be common ingredients in your food/tea cabinet, like rosemary, mint, lavender Throughout history, various types of incense have been created using different wood powders. The names of these incense were often derived from their origin or source, which identifies the specific wood used. Makko powder has remained a consistent element in these incense compositions, allowing the aromatic ingredients to bind together and creating a lovely, even burn during use.

In Japan a similar censer called a egōro ( 柄香炉) is used by several Buddhist sects. The egōro is usually made of brass, with a long handle and no chain. Instead of charcoal, makkō powder is poured into a depression made in a bed of ash. The makkō is lit and the incense mixture is burned on top. This method is known as sonae-kō (religious burning). [38] The pictureto the rightis a machine used by Japanese incense companies to powder ingredients. It pulverizes the materials instead of grinding them in an electric powder mill. This keeps the material from being overheated and losing aromatic integrity. This is very important because materials like Sandalwood will lose some ranges of aroma entirely, as well as generally weakening the overall aroma. For over two thousand years, the Chinese have used incense in religious ceremonies, ancestor veneration, traditional Chinese medicine, and daily life. Agarwood ( 沉香; chénxiāng) and sandalwood ( 檀香; tánxiāng) are the two most important ingredients in Chinese incense.

Burning incense is calming and aromatically pleasing. It is important to note that you should only burn incense in well-ventilated areas, as long-term exposure has been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular complications. [1] X Research source Further, you should never leave incense unattended, and make sure your incense is fully extinguished when you're done using it. Of course, people have been burning incense for thousands of years, all across the globe, and you can easily and safely do so in your own home as well. [2] X Expert Source Karina Klimtchuk, L.Ac., DACM, Dipl. OM First, gather all the ingredients required for your incense mixture. This typically includes aromatic herbs, essential oils, and of course, the Makko powder. Begin by grinding all the dry ingredients into a fine powder using a mortar and pestle or an electric grinder. Make sure the consistency is as fine as possible so the incense burns evenly. B. Sudhakara Reddy (1 Jan 1998). Urban Energy Systems. Concept Publishing Company. p.84. ISBN 9788170226819 . Retrieved 5 August 2013. For direct-burning incense, the tip or end of the incense is ignited with a flame or other heat source until the incense begins to turn into ash at the burning end. The flame is then fanned or blown out, leaving the incense to smolder. When you browse for Makko powder, be mindful of the different grades you might encounter. The most common distinctions found in the market include the following:

We recommend pulverizing your ingredients by "class": by grinding woods first, then herbs and saving the resins for last. Resins, if young and soft, will make a mess of your mortar and pestle and its best to keep freezing them to get them powdered. We also recommend saving them for grinding last, which allows you to grind everything in your recipe before you have to clean the mortar and pestle. We weigh each ingredient in our recipe after grinding, then keep one bowl for all our dry ingredients and another for all our resins. A survey of risk factors for lung cancer, also conducted in Taiwan, noted an inverse association between incense burning and adenocarcinoma of the lung, though the finding was not deemed significant. [60]

A variety of materials have been used in making incense. Historically there has been a preference for using locally available ingredients. For example, sage and cedar were used by the indigenous peoples of North America. [20] Trading in incense materials comprised a major part of commerce along the Silk Road and other trade routes, one notably called the Incense Route. [21] Any incense cones with 100% resin ingredients will not burn. As I mentioned in the article, you need to keep the amount of resin ingredients fairly low as they are not easily flammable. I would suggest you try to follow the sample structure I gave in the article above, and start with 10% resin, 65% wood powders (try sandalwood), and 25% makko powder. Makko powder is what will bind everything together so it doesn’t all fall apart. If this burns well, you can increase the % of resin gradually, by 5-10% increments. I do not recommend reducing the % of Makko to below 15%. Place a cone in the center of a heat-proof bowl (an incense bowl is preferable) and light the tip of the cone. After several seconds, blow out the flame. The cone should continue to emit smoke until there’s nothing left but ash. Incense Safety Tips

The use of a wood-based binder (vs Xanthan gum, or gum Arabica) is particularly helpful for beginners. Wood helps with the burning process, as opposed to gum, which hinders the process at certain quantities. non-combustible incense (loose ingredients or pellets): usually a cup, bowl or saucer shaped vessel filled with ash or sand is ideal (can be made of wood, metal or pottery). Large sea shells, such as abalone, work well too. Facial mask: Mix one teaspoon of Makko powder with enough water to form a paste. Apply this paste to your face, avoiding the eye area, and let it sit for ten minutes before rinsing off with lukewarm water.

Oil content: an excess of oils may prevent incense from smoldering effectively. [ citation needed] Resinous materials such as myrrh and frankincense are typically balanced with "dry" materials such as wood, bark and leaf powders. Always shop for pure incense that is scented naturally. [7] X Expert Source Karina Klimtchuk, L.Ac., DACM, Dipl. OM The most convenient substitute is Joss powder because it has a two-in-one property, similar to makko. Joss powder is obtained from the bark of a tree called litsea glutinosa. Combustible bouquets were used by the ancient Egyptians, who employed incense in both pragmatic and mystical capacities. Incense was burnt to counteract or obscure malodorous products of human habitation, but was widely perceived to also deter malevolent demons and appease the gods with its pleasant aroma. [3] Resin balls were found in many prehistoric Egyptian tombs in El Mahasna, giving evidence for the prominence of incense and related compounds in Egyptian antiquity. [8] One of the oldest extant incense burners originates from the 5th dynasty. [8] The Temple of Deir-el-Bahari in Egypt contains a series of carvings that depict an expedition for incense. [9] Lin JM, Wang LH (September 1994). "Gaseous aliphatic aldehydes in Chinese incense smoke" (PDF). Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. 53 (3): 374–381. doi: 10.1007/bf00197229. PMID 7919714. S2CID 33588092.