Alternative to insense?

Tauriosiris

• #1

Hi guys. When I bought my carved wooden box for my first tarot set it had this gorgeous insense smell but gradually this is starting to fade. I can't tell you what it smells of, nothing in particular that I recognise. But I want to get that smell back. Unfortunately, I'm not allowed candles or insense (anything that burns basically) in my flat. Does anyone have any alternative to get this insensey smell?

 

Grizabella

• #2

You might try some of the scented wax beads they sell for making certain kinds of candles. Tie them into a little piece of cloth and tuck them into the box or bag with the cards. You could just throw the wick away if you had to buy them in a candle kit. There are scented oils you can get that also might work, provided you could figure out a way to keep the oil from coming in contact with the actual cards and leaving an oily blotch.

 

tarotbear

• #3

If it was the box that had the teriffic aroma, if was possible carved from sandlewood or cedar. If the inside is unfinished, sanding it lightly with fine sandpaper will restore some of the scent by removing the dry wood and exposing some of the oil to the air.

You don't have to burn incense - just break a stick or two in half and put them in the box with your cards.

You can buy some essential oils at a shop and put a drop or two inside the box.

 

sharpchick

• #4

tarotbear said:

You can buy some essential oils at a shop and put a drop or two inside the box.

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You can also use some essential oils (just a drop or two) on your hands, rubbed together, as you shuffle the cards. Just be aware that some essential oils should not be used on the skin at all, and some only when mixed with a carrier oil. One of my favorites is sage - for its cleansing properties.

 

raeanne

• #5

Hi Tauriosiris,
If you bought the box from a "New Age" shop, the smell is probably a collected smell of several different types of insense. I love the smell of things I buy at my favorite shop. But, like you have noticed, the smell doesn't last. A stick of insense in the box would be nice. I would be careful with oils. Most oils are very strong. You might try putting just a very small amount on a cotton ball and see what happens. Be careful not to get the oil on the cards, it will leave an oily spot.

 

Sulis

• #6

Some incense comes in crystal resin form, it's meant for burning on charcoal.
You could put a bit of that in the box with your cards or as reanne has suggested, an incense stick in the box would work ok - just make sure it's got a good strong smell as some of them are a bit weak.

love Sulis xx

 

Reed

• #7

I break up my incense and put it in a small muslin bag. That way the oil won't get on the cards.

 

northsea

• #8

I bought a deck from a nurse on Ebay, and it still has a really nice incense-type scent. Also, a couple of my US Games decks (Tarot of the Spirit and Moongarden) have a very slight incense or perfume type scent when I sniff them. They were like that out of the factory wrapper. Does US Games apply a scent to some of their cards or what?

 

WoodSorrel

• #9

I'd suggest cedar (preferably yellow cedar, to my knowledge, not being familiar with too many foreign species)

A box made of cedar wood, or just some shavings adds a warm and delicious aroma to all it encounters.

 

psychicbody

• #10

If the inside of the box is not polished, then a drop or two if essential/essence oil will do the trick, like other's are saying. I've done this, which lasts a long time. The second suggestion about placing some insence sticks inside is another good idea.