Consumables > Incense
January 3rd, 2022
Incense is a perfect token gift: inexpensive, consumable, and it smells nice. What’s not to like?
Well, “smells nice” is subjective. It’s definitely bad for your air quality and potentially your brain. But so’s alcohol, so: live a little.
Incense is a good housewarming gift. It’s a way to make a space feel like your own without altering the space itself. Perfect for renters.
Buying incense in person has advantages:
- You can smell it before buying.
- Higher-quality incense is less bad for you, and it’s easier to judge quality in person.
- I don’t trust Amazon’s supply chain for something I inhale.
I’ve had good experiences with Morning Star incense, particularly the green tea (US$3.50) and sandalwood (US$3.50) varieties. Each box comes with a small tile burner, though you’ll still need a plate to catch falling ash. I also like the Shoyeido vanilla (US$4.50), which is explicitly marked “No animal ingredients or testing.” Satya’s Nag Champa is the “classic” incense aroma, but I prefer Super Hit.
Anywhere selling incense will also sell incense trays, which can be a nice gift accompaniment. There’s lots of different styles, from clean minimalism to gaudy novelties. They’re also easy to make at home, if you have the right tools.
Smell is a powerful memory trigger, so with some forward planning you can increase the impact of this gift. Buy two packs before a trip with a loved one, and burn a stick every morning in your AirBNB/campsite/etc. Then when you give them the other pack 6 months later, they’ll be cast back to the trip.
| Reasons to buy | Reasons not to |
|---|---|
| They burn incense already | They're asthmatic |