Incense & Oils--Brand Snob?

[dannyboy8406]

So lets face it...not all incense is created equal...sometimes it doesn't have the scent its supposed to and sometimes it just plain STINKS!

What I'd like to know is is there a particular brand of incense and/or essential oils you buy or do you just pick up whatever is available to you when you shop? As someone who is relatively new to the world of such things (and as someone who never really has enjoyed incense) any recommendations for quality would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Amsonia]

Incense-I buy only two stick types any more after many years of trying all kinds. My favorite is Nag Champa. I love it!!!! hubby likes jasmine from morning star.


Last year I bought a selection of pure resin incense... myrrh, frankincense, church blends, just to see what they were like and for some nostalgia of the holidays at church when I was little. Not something for everyday but something special for a holiday.

Essential oils I buy mostly aura casa brand. I've grown quite a collection!

 

[miro]

when it comes to incense I really like the mt. athos/greek orthodox resin style burned on charcoal, I get it from the legacy icons website. my favorite is called "inner court." I can't do the stick or cone incense anymore after knowing what's in it. blech.

 

[Zephyros]

I don't really know of any special brands but there are some scents I definitely avoid. The "fruity" and flowery types of incense all smell like public bathrooms. I recently made the mistake of buying lemon-scented incense and it smelled exactly like an industrial air-freshener. Same with the rose or pine scents. Maybe I'm just connecting it to bathrooms since that's where those scents are used the most, but to me they smelled awful.

I'm a sandalwood person, myself. It is the most "traditional" incense smell, at least for me. Musky and heavy, it creates a rich, warm atmosphere. As for brands, I have no idea. The open-air market here in the city sells four packs for like two dollars, so what I use can't be all that snooty, but I'm not a connoisseur so it's fine for me. I think the most popular kind is Darshan, that's the brand I have and I've seen it around.

 

[RiverRunsDeep]

Another vote for Nag Champa incense! I have tried a few brands, but I posted a pic of the brand I "must" have. I haven't found anything that compares with it.

I also like Egyptian Musk incense, no particular brand. In fact, I love this scent so much, I own what is possibly a lifetime supply of the stuff.

If you are looking for a pure, high grade essential oil, I recommend the ones made by Young Living. They are quite pricey, but the quality is excellent. My favorite brand of "non-pricey" essential oils is TheraPro. (I use these in my massage therapy practice, and my clients love them).

 

[Disa]

I get all my incense from Wood, Willow, and Whatknots http://www.woodwillow.com/

They are long burning, leave a wonderful scent. Every scent I've tried there is great and they have a huge variety. Our favorite is the Frangiapani. The oils are nice, too. I haven't tried the soaps or lotions. The potpourri wasn't very fragrant, to me.

My husband likes those Triloka brand you can get in the stores. The Patchouli ones are our fave in this brand.

 

[PathWalker]

You are in the States right? Take a look at these two places:

http://www.essenceoftheages.com/

http://www.mermadearts.com/index.php

These folks stock such good stuff I have bought from the UK!
My tips are I don't use anything with a stick up the middle - I don't want the scent of burning stick added to my incense. I don't use charcoal with added whatever-it-is that makes it "easy lighting". That stuff crackles and gives off a black smoke and a smell - use Japanese bamboo charcoal, much cleaner burn. Consider making your own loose incense or self-burning sticks - have fun and know exactly what goes in them - would recommend the Carl Neal book for a starting place

http://www.amazon.com/Incense-Crafting-Use-Magickal-Scents/dp/0738703362

Enjoy

PathWalker

 

[Dee Ell]

I did a lot of research on essential oils to find a company that has high quality, therapeutic oils at the best price and in my extensive research discovered Rocky Mountain Oils - they're not an MLM company like YL or DoTerra and coincidentally they're having a big summer sale today through Thursday!
http://www.rockymountainoils.com/sizzling-hot-summer-sale/

 

[Padma]

Used to love Nag Champa when I could still tolerate incense - then allergy kicked in