How to Make Incense Sticks Using Essential Oils: a quick tutorial for crafting handmade incense using aromatic essential oils
There are many facets of boho style that have been steadily gaining popularity over the past several years. One of these trends is the renewed popularity of incense. Both incense sticks and cones are making a big comeback, and with consumers taking more interest in what is used to create household products, there is a great opportunity here for natural and handmade artisans. Incense sticks using essential oils in place of typical synthetic fragrances are sure to be a hit with customers who love bohemian style and natural living.
Scenting incense sticks using essential oils is a surprisingly simple process. The biggest challenge, and greatest opportunity for artisans lies in formulating an essential oil blend that will delight their customers. In general, earthy base notes from essential oils such as Sandalwood, Palo Santo, and Patchouli make excellent starting points.
Best Essential Oils and CO2 Extracts for Incense
Bergamot
Bright and cheerful citrus scent with floral notes.
Cedarwood
Deep, woody aroma associated with relaxation.
Chocolate Peppermint
A sweet mint oil with surprising notes of cocoa.
Clary Sage
Green, herbaceous aroma with deep woody notes used to promote spiritual balance.
Frankincense
Resin-based aroma with spicy, woody, and balsamic notes.
Ginger, Fresh
Warm and spicy aroma made from fresh ginger root.
Grapefruit
Sweet tart citrus aroma used to encourage happiness.
Hemlock
Crispy woody conifer made from needles and twigs.
Juniper Berry
Peppery wood aroma reminiscent of conifers.
Lavandin Super
Camphorous herbal scent with a classic floral aspect.
Lemongrass
Bold green citrus aroma often used to encourage focus and concentration.
Myrrh
Classic incense ingredient with a rich, balsamic, and resinous aroma.
Opopanax
Also known as Sweet Myhrr, this oil has a slightly sweeter and more delicate aroma than classic Myrrh.
Palmarosa
Sweet and fruity herbaceous aroma with green and floral notes.
Palo Santo
Woody balsamic aroma with notes of sweet citrus used to encourage positive energy.
Patchouli
A classic woody aroma with deep, earthy tones. Often used in incense and perfumery.
Rosalina
Deep woody floral with a similar scent to rosewood.
Rose Damascena
Classic floral with a deep, complex, and potent aroma.
Rose Geranium
A rich floral with a similar scent and potency to rose.
Rosemary
A rich green herbal aroma with a hint of spice.
Sandalwood
A classic incense base, sandalwood has a deep, earthy aroma which is easily recognized.
Spearmint
A sweet, fresh mint oil with a clean bright scent.
Spruce
A fresh and clean evergreen aroma made from spruce needles.
Star Anise
Sweet herbal aroma reminiscent of licorice.
Sweet Orange
A sweet, juicy citrus used to promote feelings of joy and happiness.
Vanilla
A classic ingredient for incense and perfumery with an extra-sweet floral aroma.
Ylang Ylang Complete
A deep, heady floral with woody notes, often used to encourage peace and relaxation.
Other Incense Stick Ingredients
Incense Stick Blanks
While it is possible to make incense sticks entirely from scratch, the method we are sharing in this post uses a product called incense stick blanks to make the process quick and easy.
Dipropylene Glycol (DPG)
Another main ingredient we feature in this tutorial is called dipropylene glycol (DPG). DPG is an additive used to reduce the black smoke burned by incense sticks. It also helps to evenly distribute the aromatic ingredients throughout the incense and increase the longevity of the scent.
While DPG is a synthetic ingredient, it isn’t considered to be particularly dangerous according to the EWG Skin Deep Database. However, if you prefer to avoid synthetic ingredients entirely, you can absolutely make stick incense without using DPG. We will share both methods below, as well as methods for scenting one or a batch of incense sticks.
Note: Where to find Incense Stick Blanks and DPG
These are both widely available online. Both are carried by multiple vendors on Amazon. They can also be sourced from smaller retailers by doing a quick web search for “blank incense sticks” or “DPG for incense”.
How to Make Incense Sticks Using Essential Oils
Create a Test Stick
Before you scent a large batch of incense sticks using essential oils it is a good idea to try out a smaller batch of your blend on a single stick. To make a single test stick of incense, simply apply up to 20 drops of essential oil directly to one incense stick. If you are using a blend of oils, be sure to mix them before applying them to the incense stick to help ensure they are evenly distributed.
Prep Your Essential Oils
You can use up to 4ml (about 100 drops) of essential oil per five incense sticks, and a little less per stick as the volume increases. This works out to the following ratios for differently sized batches:
| Incense Stick Quantity | Total Essential Oil (ml) | Total Essential Oil (drops) |
| 1 | – | 20 |
| 5 | 4 | 100 |
| 25 | 18 | – |
| 50 | 30 | – |
Mix your essential oil blend according to the size batch you are making. If you are not using DPG, simply mix your blend and set it aside until the next step.
To incorporate DPG into your incense sticks, measure the appropriate amount of DPG as follows, then combine it with your essential oil blend. You’ll need between 1 and 1.5 ml of DPG per incense stick. This amount can vary a little depending on the absorbency of your blanks. We recommend starting on the low end and adding more as needed.
| Incense Stick Quantity | Total Essential Oil (ml) | DPG (ml) |
| 1 | – | – |
| 5 | 4 | 5 – 7 |
| 25 | 18 | 25 – 37 |
| 50 | 30 | 50 – 75 |
Saturate your Incense Stick Blanks
Without DPG
If you are not using DPG, simply lay your incense stick blanks down on a try lined with aluminum foil. Use a dropper or sprayer to distribute the essential oil blend as evenly as you can over your blanks. Place the soaked blanks on a rack to dry for 24 hours. After that, they can be packaged in wax paper or cellophane to protect their aroma.
With DPG
If you are using DPG, insert your incense stick blanks into a shallow glass dish that is as small as possible while still allowing the blanks to lay flat. (Please note that DPG is not food-safe so avoid using any container that would later be used for food or drink.) Once the sticks are set up, pour the DPG and essential oil blend into the container, covering the blanks completely. If needed, you can add extra DPG to make sure the sticks are completely covered.
Cover the container and let the sticks soak for 24 hours in a safe spot away from direct sunlight or excessive heat or cold. After they have finished soaking, remove the sticks from any leftover DPG and place them on a rack to dry for another 24 hours. After that, they can be packaged in wax paper or cellophane to protect their aroma.
Looking for more home fragrance inspiration? Check out our past posts on Aromatherapy Candle Diffusers with Himalayan Pink Salt and Aromatherapy Wax Melts – Six Ways.
hey, I tried this with bergamot lavender and frankincense oils and a drop of dpg on a test stick and it hasn’t worked – the incense stick smells very strong before I burned it but when burned it just smelled smokey and not very nice. do you have a tips?
Many essential oils aren’t going to give you a very potent fragrance stick (incense stick is kind of a misnomer unless it’s made from aromatic resins and woods). It’s nice if you want to avoid synthetic fragrances. But fragrance oils (made for candles and bath & body products) tend to give better and more reliable results.
That said, dripping the oils and DPG on the stick isn’t the best method. When you do that, you’re only coating the shallowest layer of the stick. It has to soak through the wood powder base (like makko powder) that’s on the stick, or else the essential oils are going to burn off very fast and you’re mainly going to smell the makko powder burning. That’s what I’m assuming you’re smelling with the one you made.
If you want sticks that smell stronger longer, you’ll need to mix a larger batch of oils with DPG (enough to completely cover the sticks) and soak them in the liquid for at least 24 hours, and then let them dry and cure for 24-48 hours. You’ll need one part fragrance oil or essential oil and two parts DPG blended together in a container that’s big enough to hold the sticks. That gets really expensive with essential oils.
Also, be SUPER careful about which essential oils you use. Some of them are fine. But some of them can be toxic when heated, and some are toxic to pets whether they’re heated or not. Most mints, lavender, cinnamon, clove, eucalyptus, and several others are harmful to both cats and dogs when inhaled (even when they’re not being burned). Please do your research on that before choosing which oils to use. Just because they’re natural doesn’t mean they’re all 100% safe to use in every situation. Fragrance oils are formulated to be safe when heated. They’re not natural, but you’re less likely to have an adverse reaction to them and they’ll smell stronger in your sticks.
Just remember that we can’t believe that essential oils can have health benefits without also believing that they’re capable of causing harm. If they’re powerful enough to remedy a problem, they’re also powerful enough to harm under the wrong circumstances. 🙂
What is the different using these three mixes
1) one part essential oil/ fragnance oil with one part dpg
2) one part essential oil/ fragnance oil with two part dpg
3) one part essential oil/ fragnance oil with three part dpg
Great tips! It’s a smart idea to customize the mood of the incense! Will try this tonight. Thank you. 🙂
We’re so glad you found the post helpful, Lyndsay! Please let us know how your formulation turned out.
Hi, thanks for the rest article. How many ml of EO would I need for 100 or 200 sticks of incense? I would like to try making a large batch sometime with the DPG option.
After several trials dipping , spraying Incense sticks in Essential oils in base notes and many other blends Incense sticks do not perform and throw the fragrance of Essential oils not even a subtle note after burning. They are very good when held in palms and smell but not after burning. Essential oils evaporate. Can anyone guide proper use of essential oils in Incense sticks with a good fixative. Thanks
I am having this same issue! Would love a solution as well. 🙂 I left my 1 part essential oils/2 parts DPG soaking for 72 hours and then sitting for 72 hours and the aroma is VERY subtle. Any thoughts or ideas would be most welcome.
I’ve been trying to use DGP and when I do my oils sit right on top of the dpg they don’t mix together. It’s literally like oil and water, have you ever experienced this?
Hello and thank you for writing in! We’re sorry to hear of the issues you are having. In our experience, Dipropylene Glycol (DPG) and oils have blended well together.