1. Choose your herbs carefully
Not all herbs are alike. In fact, different herbs will have significantly different effects on your mind and emotions. So when creating your own herbal incense, it's crucial to know how different herbs will affect you differently. The function of the incense should have a key impact on which herbs you choose. Do you want to give your mood a boost? Are you preparing for a romantic candlelight dinner? Will you be performing a religious ceremony? By first determining the function of the herbal incense, you'll be better prepared to choose the right herbs. Besides doing research to create a blend of herbs, you should also do some experimentation.
2. Use fresh herbs
As when choosing plants for other applications, it's crucial that the herbs are as fresh as possible. This will maximize the fullness of the Herbal Incense aromas. To ensure the freshness of the herbs, you could consider growing them yourself. However, if you don't live in an ideal environment for growing certain herbs, then you'll have to buy your herbs from a supplier. If you need to do that, then verify that the herbs supplied are as fresh as possible.
3. Use the right tools to pulverize the herbs
The best option is a mortar and pestle. This will help to crush the herbs, while allowing them to maintain their aromatic properties. Ultimately, it will help to maximize the effectiveness of the herbs as incense. On the other hand, you should definitely avoid using tools such as electric coffee grinders. The ultra-fast speed creates heat that causes the herbs to lose some of their aromas. Save those grinders for woods and of course-coffee.
4. Consider adding some essential oils
Although essential oils aren't essential for your herbal incense, a few drops of them can certainly enhance them. By definition, essential oils contain the essence of a particular plant. However, they're in a concentrated form, so you can use a few drops of the oils instead of pounds of plants. Like the herbs themselves, several varieties of essential oils are available on the market. So it's important to shop around and do your homework before making your selection.
5. Allow your herbs to cure
Sometimes curing doesn't involve healing. When creating a blend of different herbs for your Herbal Incense, curing is a crucial step. Place the herbs in an airtight container. Then place that container in a place that's dark, dry, and cool. The curing should last for a couple of weeks.
Regardless of why you're planning to use herbal incense, it's crucial to prepare the herbs properly. These above tips will help you to accomplish that mission.
Alexandru Chiuariu, Web Content Copywriter for Dragon Spice USA, providing webcopy and articles on the company's wholesale herbal incenses and special aromatherapy product offers.