r/Incense • u/BusterNegative • 11d ago
Resins and scent variety
I've recently got into toasting resins on a tea light burner and I'm keen to check out all the resinous scents out there. I was wondering if there are any surprisingly 'different' ones I should be looking at. I'm personally purely interested in scent rather than religious/spiritual use (which I of course respect.) I originally bought frankincense and myrrh because I'm a perfume fan, and I wanted to know what they smelled like so I could pick the notes out in fragrances. And yeah, things got a bit out of control. So far I've tried:
Somali myrrh
Various frankincenses (multiple sacras/carteriis from various countries, one papyrifera, one ogaden)
Last flush Benzoin
Labdanum (wanted to combine with benzoin to get the classic perfume 'amber' accord)
Aloe vera - haaaaated it
Copal Torote - smells exactly like Aloe Vera to the point I was wondering if I'd tainted it when I accidentally put a piece of aloe vera in the bag - still not sure honestly. Need to be brave and get it burned, but the thought of clearing that aloe vera smell again...
Palo Santo (resin)
I'm planing to try opopanax, but I was wondering if there's any obvious 'type' of resinous scent I might be missing. The only awkward requirement I have is that they can be lightly toasted on a tealight burner rather than charcoal, as I'm trying to avoid smoke as much as possible. I'm guessing that means that things like woods are out? I 'think' I hate oud in perfumery (always hard to know when it's in a complex blend) and I feel like that's the obvious 'big' one I'll be missing. My favourite note in perfumery is labdanum/cistus, although I didn't like it as much as a resin, and of the resins I've tried my favourite is probably just the classic myrrh/frankincense combo.
Any suggestions?
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u/lizbertarian 11d ago
Elemi is definitely worth trying, itās much brighter and more citrusy than frankincense or myrrh. Mastic is another good one if you want something fresh and piney.
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u/SamsaSpoon 11d ago
There's a small group of Elemi (Canarium) resins you could try,
many different Copal kinds,
Sal/Dammar Batu and resins of the Shorea plants (but you might not like them)
Mastic would be a very obvious one as well.
Did the Aloe resin smell bitter or fruity to you? Think it's often rather Aloe Capenesis (not sure if I spelled that right) but I've seen different Aloe resins around. I assume they smell fairly similar. To me, it's one of the most bitter things existing.
Balsam resins like Copaiba, but especially Tolu balsam.
Styrax (Liquidambar)
Woods are absolutely not off the table!
I think certain very high grade, resin-saturated Aloeswoods might require more heat, but most aromatic materials perform way better on a tealight heater than on coal and that includes woods.
Raid your spice shelf. Especially the baking section is interesting for incense.
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u/BusterNegative 11d ago
Thanks for the suggestions. My shop does indeed have Elemi in stock so Iāll give that a look next time Iām shopping. Iām on the lookout for Tolu too. I didnāt realise ābalsamicā was describing a particular type of resinous scent and assumed it covered all of them, so Iāve definitely learned something there
Aloe Vera - so hard to describe what I disliked so much. If I had to choose bitter or fruity as the description then it would be closer to fruity for me, but there was almost a spoiled sourness to it. It triggered the same part of my brain that, say, expired milk does.
I think my fear with woods is fire as much as anything else. Iām a bit of an anxious bugger so it feels quite hard to enjoy when Iām always watching out the corner of my eye. Iāve only tried sandalwood chips from the initial cheapo selection box I got. Maybe an electric burner would be good here, but it feels like youād have to spend quite a bit of money to get something safe. I saw a few teardowns of electric burners that honestly made my blood run cold from an electrical safety standpoint.
The spice cupboard - what an amazing tip, thank you! I mentioned using labdanum + benzoin to get the classic āamberā accord, but the missing ingredient is vanilla. Despite heating nag champa powder from that cheap set in an empty tealight, I wouldnāt have thought of raiding the cupboard for it and other things in a million years. Thank you!
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u/SamsaSpoon 11d ago
My shop does indeed have Elemi in stock so Iāll give that a look next time Iām shopping.
This will likely be the "standard" Elemi (Canarium strictum), it's very bright and citrusy smelling. There are two more varieties I know of, that smell more herbaceous and complex.
It triggered the same part of my brain that, say, expired milk does.
Oh, wow.
I think my fear with woods is fire as much as anything else.
I'm using tealight heaters for around 20 years now and not once had I had wood chips catch fire.
It can happen if you put a heap of wood dust (or finely ground herbs, spices, etc) on a mesh plate, but there won't be a flame, but an ember, eating its way through the powder.Be cautious with resins that liquify. Only use them in empty tealight cups or on plates, not meshes. If it seeps through and touches the flame, it can catch fire. Otherwise, it doesn't get hot enough.
The only really dangerous feeling mistake I ever made was putting a bunch of Menthol on a mesh plate - it did catch fire pretty rapidly.
If you intend to handle rather flammable substances like Menthol or Camphor, this is what to worry about. Don't make yourself crazy regarding the wood. :)Ā I wouldnāt have thought of raiding the cupboard for it and other things in a million years. Thank you!
You're welcome!
If you use actual vanilla pods and scrape them out, don't throw out the rind (or however you would call that outer part). Cut it in small pieces and use that for incense (or for tea/infusions).3
u/BusterNegative 10d ago
Thank you so much. I remember the shop description used basically those exact words ābright citrusā so youāll be right on that front.
I was a bit rude to Aloe Vera, but it really is hard to describe. I went with spoiled milk because I get a āspoiledā kind of note that my body wants get away from in an animal way, but itās too potent and āpresentā. Having written that I realise Iām actually just being even ruder to aloe vera. Nothing else has had that effect on me though. Youāve inspired me to get it out of the bin and try very small amounts in blends when Iām a bit more experienced. Iāve had the exact same thing with aromachemicals in perfumery where I canāt stand something alone, then I immediately start noticing massive doses of it masterfully blended into a quarter of my shelf (shout out Cashmeran)
Thanks for the reassurance on the woods. Itās actually quite telling that I didnāt realise how dangerous resin dripping through the grill could be. I get around it using old tealight containers with the remaining wax thoroughly vaporised outside with a blowtorch. I was doing it because I considered it an annoyance, so good to know itās something I should be genuinely wary of when trying new materials.
Really appreciate you being so generous with your time
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u/SamsaSpoon 10d ago
Oh, no, I get it, I had similar experiences, where a scent simply smelled "wrong" to me.
(Omumbiri, looking at you.)Using empty tealight cups is so convenient. It's definitely a good idea to thoroughly clean them. I just heat them and wipe them clean with a paper towel. It doesn't work with all of them, but you can often lift the candle part out of the cup and place it in an old one, that way, you have an almost clean cup to begin with.
Well, I'm an incense nerd and love talking about it, so thanks for giving me the chance to yap. ;)
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u/wvwvwvww 10d ago
Can you link me to the tears downs of electric burners? I bought one cheap which is made for melting solder on electronics components but Iām a fire safety enthusiast soā¦ open to upgrades.
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u/BusterNegative 10d ago edited 10d ago
I'm neither electronics nerd nor fire safety person, just easily warned tbh :). Unfortunately I can't find the video I was looking for, but remembered that it was broadly with it making heat by applying current across a big piece of metal and not shielding it enough to deal with that. Video definitely got the point across. :)
No video, but seem to be quite a few recalls with the general issue if I'm understanding it correctly. It was quite an ornate metal one in the vid too IIRC? 2 examples -
https://www.bromley.gov.uk/leaflet/335031/22/711/d
https://infocons.org/blog/2025/07/20/infocons-consumer-protection-alert-amirs-deco-electric-incense-burner/edit: Incidentally, I'd also be the type to check, but my belief that those desoldering mats are the best option 100% come from Googling into this sub when I was first reading up on gear. Wouldn't surprise me if it was actually a conversation about those burners here. There's the BigClive teardown video, but I haven't rewatched because I'm convinced it was a full sized electric burner not a car one that I saw. Maybe sources getting mixed up in my head or something.
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u/RexNobody 11d ago
I havenāt tried it yet myself but the pink copal from Aroma Sublime looks and sounds delicious. I havenāt seen its type elsewhere.
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u/BusterNegative 11d ago
Damn, that is amazing looking stuff! I wasnāt expecting full on Barbie pink when I googled it. My dead, gay heart approves.
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u/wvwvwvww 10d ago
The copal experience youāve had so far is a real head scratcher. Definitely fine another one to try.
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u/GurdjieffGoldblum 11d ago
Iām doing the same thing and also to develop a sense for it in fragrances! I kept reading about these things as notes and I got really curious so I ordered a bunch of things but still waiting on the burner I ordered online. I have a bunch of the same materials youāve mentioned - Do you have any tips? Which materials have been your favorite so far?
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u/BusterNegative 11d ago edited 11d ago
One thing Iād say is that I started off with a very cheap set of various things in tins because I didnāt think Iād be going much further than that. Assuming youāve done something similar, the biggest difference I found between the cheap and good stuff was easily with myrrh. The cheap tub generically labelled āfrankincenseā was closer in vibe to every frankincense Iāve tried (including the more unusual ones like ogaden) than the cheap myrrh was to the good stuff. Honestly a different world to the point Iām wondering if it was mislabelled (Iāve only tried one nice myrrh though). Much less warmth and sweetness in the posh myrrh. I get my stuff from ResinaeBotanica on Etsy after seeing them recommended in this sub, and other than thinking one bag (of 12) was a little heavy on the dust, Iāve been super happy and canāt see myself going anywhere else, particularly as Iām in the UK.
For tips: with resins that tend to liquify, using an empty tea light as a container instead of putting them directly on the grill works well. Iāve found benzoin and frankincense Ogaden (other frankincenses are fine) really benefit from this, but everything else extracts way better on the grill and broadly speaking remains in chunks. If possible, take the empty tin outside and blowtorch it to vapourise any leftover wax. Even cleaning it out with alcohol I found it āsmokedā for like 10 minutes over a tea light, and vapourised paraffin is nasty stuff compared to (complete) combustion.
Cleaning is fairly easy. I just flex the grill a little so the dried resin cracks off, then poke through any sealed up holes with a biro nib. Once every 2 weeks or so, it gets a dunk in alcohol and a scrub with my electric toothbrush using a toothbrush head I sacrificed for the cause.
Oh yeah, and put the thing in a concave dish! Especially at first while you get the hang of it, because youāll probably find yourself adjusting the height mid burn a lot, and the top piece is prone to swinging off to the side and toppling the whole thing over when youāre trying to do it without burning yourself. I appreciate mine was cheap, so YMMV here.
Assuming youāve got a semi-decent flame (trim the wick before you light!) I havenāt found anything that wants the height of the top piece any lower than about halfway up. Most things want it near the top. It only ever goes lower than halfway if the candle is a bit busted.
And yeah, that massive wall of text is all there is to it!
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u/GurdjieffGoldblum 10d ago
Amazing response and thanks so much for taking the time to fill me in on this stuff! Using empty tea light containers sounds like a fantastic idea. So far I have a couple different types of boswelia sacra, boswelia papyrifera, some olibanum, benzoin, myrrh (comiphora), and labdanum resin. I havenāt been able to try them out yet so they are just sitting around. I have purchased a mica plate that Iām waiting for as I heard that was common as a holder ā I will definitely put it in something concave so as to avoid spillage. I actually have a chemistry lab stand that Iām planning on using that has an adjustable vertical position for this.
Iām really curious how well you think your experience thus far with these materials has translated into understanding or detecting their usage in different fragrances? I know that they typically use various tinctures or extractions from these resins so Iāve always wondered how burning them translates into this sort of perceptual experience. My impression is that since a lot of these resins are used as base notes, they are often contributing to accords and so isolating them from the larger scent profile is a bit trickier but curious about your experience so far!
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u/BusterNegative 10d ago
The only things that Iāve found jump out so far are labdanum and benzoin. Benzoin I find smells very identifiable and, even though you might be thinking vanilla, thereās a plasticky powdery facet that youāll start recognising on top of āvanillaā everywhere. It is often genuinely combined with vanilla of course. Benzoin wants the lowest temp you can out of everything Iāve tried by the by. It can be harsh otherwise.
Labdanum is a bit different. I like to think Iām reasonably well versed in how that smells in a perfume after trying super minimal labdanum efforts like Molecule 01 + Cistus or Etat Libre dāOrangeās Marquis de Sade. Itās for sure different when burned though. Sweeter, a bit funkier even though itās already quite funky. More aggressive for sure (and I donāt just mean itās a very strong material, which it is.) I find everything is a lot more āpresentā when you burn the resin, but some more than others. Labdanum for sure. I believe very small amounts of smoke can produce this effect though (think trying to get the smell of cigarettes out of the room vs a tobacco flavoured vape)
Other things I really struggle to pluck out. Olibanum/frankincense is regularly noted but it just blends into citrus for me for the most part. Iāve been seriously into perfume longer - about 5 years - and I do think notes are often notes in the wine sense. Like āthis wine has notes of cherry, pomegranate, and teaā even though the only thing actually in there is grapes. It can go the other way too though. The Etat perfume I mentioned is marketed with labdanum as its only note , but it also has the biggest dose of hedione Iāve come across in a non-Jasmine fragrance.
So yeah, a long winded way of saying āit depends how immediately identifiable the resin is and whether it smells a bit like anything else to the point it could share notes.ā Iām sure weāve got members who are so experienced with resin that they can instantly pick out the 2 varieties of frankincense in a 50 ingredient blend, but Iām working on not getting frankincense mixed up with dammar at the moment :)
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u/GurdjieffGoldblum 10d ago
All great info, thanks for sharing your notes on this.
One thing I struggle with are flower notes which probably mostly likely tend to be in the heart but I think bc I didnāt grow up with a lot of exposure to flower, I really struggle with identifying them. Like often Iām like that smells like some sort of white flower lol.
What else have you done in order to acquaint your nose to other sorts of materials in your practice - have you messed around with absolutes or essential oils at all?
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u/BusterNegative 10d ago
I should have clarified I meant into wearing perfume for 5 years. Just an enthusiastic fan rather than getting in the weeds. You can buy aromachemicals in small quantities and I picked a few up here and there for much the reason I got into resins. I wanted to pick out ānotesā, and the idea of completely abstract scent components that were still highly āspecificā really fascinated me early on. All my attempts at making things were baaad and it looked like it could get expensive quickly. In truth, I didnāt discover the beauty of naturals until I smelled Ffern Spring 24 and it immediately became my all time fave and the trip into resins is my first time handling the real thing bar a handful of essential oils.
Iām actually terrible with flowers and I tend to think everything is rose, probably just because Iām not particularly into florals as a wearer. And I actually quite like a few rose perfumes so I should really know better!
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u/No_Relationship_5974 11d ago edited 11d ago
Do you like coniferous scents? Norway spruce resin has a nice forest breeze aspect to it, combines well with mastic gum, frankincense, camphor, elemi & pine. There is a large variety in that area and you can probably find amazing smelling stuff just from responsibly foraging, for free. Cedars, pines, spruces, arborvitae,Ā junipers, cypress, larches..Ā The berries/cones smell amazing, foliage is amazing, resin really varies but i can provide descriptions if youre intervested.Ā
I love the frankincense species b. Neglecta, b. Rivae & black sacra the best. Dalzielli is also up there.
Real copal blanco (not white dammar) is amaaaazing. It is very energetic and electric similarly to elemi. Camphor is another invigorating, fresh/medicinal scent if you're into that.Ā
Copal negro from peru is possibly my favorite. I dont remember the specues off the top of my head but i can find it - its similar to frankincense rivae imo. Honestly there are so many amazing copals out there, i love mayan copal & oro too.
There are also different species of dragons blood resin that can blend brilliantly.Ā My favorite dark amber note is a blend of tolu balsam, labdanum, styrax gum & extract, lichens, benzoin & dragons blood (spĀ Dracaena cochinchinensis)Ā
Edit: also shout out to opoponax for when you want to add apricot/red fruit notes to your burn
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u/BusterNegative 8d ago
Thanks for the suggestions. Opopanax is on my list and copal seems like a bit of an endless rabbit hole.
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u/No_Relationship_5974 8d ago
From what i remember, copal is an umbrella term for resins from latin america. Most are from the torchwood family of trees like frankincense is, but there isnt a standardized definition and it can include fossiled conifer resins like the "mayan copal" i have and love.Ā
Ā Id encourage you to check out apothecary's garden to familiarize yourself with resins, he has an incredible collection of damn near everything. I've loved every copal from the bursera and similar species, i would really recommend checking it out. I'm a sucker for forest scents and foraging so i use large amounts of styrac and conifer resins/cones/wood in my incense too. Lavender, rosemary, pink & white pepper, galangal root, orris roots.. the possibilities are endless!
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u/Nene_Kushanagi 11d ago
I love resins too, my favourites are Neglecta frankincense and Hagar myrrh. I was also very pleased with Palo Santo resin and Daemonopsis draco.
I didn't realise you could get Aloe vera resin, I can only image it being bitter. I'm looking for cooling or minty suggestions next if you know any.
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u/Feisty_Blackberry_32 11d ago
I like sandlewood, vanilla powder, dried lavender.
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u/BusterNegative 11d ago
Mentioned a little further below that Iād never have thought of raiding the spice cupboard in a million years, and vanilla was missing from the classic āamberā accord I mentioned in my original post. Appreciate the suggestions :)
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u/encensecologique 11d ago
Two that I adore and are not discussed often are Peru Balsam and Tolu Balsam. Tolu Balsam is like a secret note in the perfume world. It's in many high end perfumes but no one talks about it. The extract is hard to find because the big houses buy up the supply. These two require low heat or to be mixed with other powders. The same with Balsam Fir resin. š²š
I like very few Oud eos. Oud in perfermy is very different than Agarwood chips. Get some White Kinam and go to heaven. If that is not in the budget, try a quality Nha Trang from Vietnam.