Incense is a preparation of aromatic plant matter, often with the addition of essential oils extracted from plant or animal sources, intended to release fragrant smoke for religious, therapeutic, or simply aesthetic purposes as it smolders.

Powdered or granulated incense is thrown onto hot coals or into a censer or thurible. Incense is also available in a more convenient stick, cone or wedge form; with these, one sets the incense on fire and then extinguishes the flame so that the incense continues to glow and smoke.

Fragrances used include:

• agarwood
• amber
• ambergris
• benzoin
• camphor
• cedar
• clove
• copal
• frankincense
• galbanum
• jasmine
• juniper
• labdanum or ladanum (rockrose)
• myrrh
• musk
• nutmeg
• patchouli
• rose
• sandalwood
• storax

Dangers

Some incense smoke may contain very small amounts of PM10 and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs).