What are the Different Types of Incense?

For centuries, people have been using incense for religious or spiritual, aesthetic and therapeutic reasons. Today, incense is still used for these purposes, as well as for creating a pleasant atmosphere and scent to enhance the ambiance of a home. Because of its long history, incense has evolved into many different types and forms, from its scent, to its shape, to the way it burns. Stick incense is probably the most common form of incense. The gum or resin from which the incense is made coats a long thin stick that burns slowly, releasing the particular fragrance that it contains. Stick incense can also be solid so there is no stick center or core, only a solid chunk of incense material. Spiral incense is similar to the stick incense, but it is shaped in a coil. Spiral incense burns very slowly, lasting for hours or days depending on its composition. This type offers an interesting form in addition to its fragrant properties. Cone incense is a chunk of the same gum or resin used in ...  more