Incense charcoal: composition, lighting, safety and alternatives

What incense charcoal is for

Resins (frankincense, myrrh, benzoin), herbs and woods used for fumigation do not light on their own: they must be heated. Incense charcoal is a small compressed disc of powdered charcoal that smoulders slowly and gives off steady heat. A few grains of resin are placed on it, which melt and vaporise. This method is ancient: it is used in church censers, in homes across the Middle East and in many other traditions.

There are two families: “fast-lighting” charcoals (lit with a flame, they spark and glow vigorously) and slower natural charcoals, based on wood or coconut shell, which are harder to light.

What it is made of

A fast-lighting charcoal contains, in addition to powdered charcoal, a nitrate (saltpetre, such as potassium nitrate), which releases oxygen and makes the disc crackle when it ignites, and a binder (often a plant gum). The exact composition depends on the manufacturer: read the packaging. The nitrate explains the sparks, the sharp smell at first and the disc’s tendency to heat up very quickly. A fast-lighting charcoal is therefore a product to handle with care.

Never use barbecue charcoal or briquettes soaked in accelerant: their additives produce toxic smoke and an odour that masks the resin.

How to light it, step by step

1. Choose an incense burner made of a heat-resistant material (thick ceramic, soapstone, metal) and fill it with a layer of sand, salt or ash at least 1 to 2 cm deep. See Incense burners and dishes.
2. Hold the disc with tongs (never by hand), flat side down, above the burner.
3. Bring a lighter flame to the edge or the hollow part: the sparks spread. Turn your face away and keep your head at a distance.
4. Place the disc on the sand. Wait five to ten minutes, until its surface is covered by a fine grey layer of ash.
5. Then place a very small amount of resin, possibly on a mica sheet or a small grate, to limit smoke.

An amount the size of a small pea is enough. If the scent becomes acrid, the resin is burning instead of melting: remove it with tongs or let the charcoal cool.

Safety: heat, sparks, carbon monoxide

• Heat: a glowing charcoal is hot across its whole face and stays hot long after the scent has faded. Place the burner on a heat-resistant surface (stone, metal, trivet), away from curtains, paper and varnished furniture.
• Sparks: they can jump out of the burner when lit. Do not light the charcoal on a rug, in an open drawer or near flammable products.
• Carbon monoxide (CO): any charcoal combustion releases CO, an odourless and toxic gas. UK fire services warn that burning herbs, wood or charcoal indoors carries fire and CO risks. Ventilate, and never use it in a closed room or while you are asleep. A carbon monoxide detector is a useful addition; if you have headaches, dizziness or nausea, get into fresh air and call 15 or 18 in France, or 112 (the emergency number across the European Union).
• Water: never pour water onto a charcoal in a ceramic burner: thermal shock can crack the vessel and throw hot ash.
• Children and pets: keep the equipment out of reach.

See Burning incense safely and Fire safety and rituals.

After the session, and storage

Let the charcoal burn right down in its burner, without moving it, until it is completely grey. Then wait for it to cool fully, several hours, before emptying the sand. Dispose of the cooled ashes in a non-combustible bin, never in a plastic bag or a paper basket. Store the discs in a dry place: moisture makes them hard to light and causes unpredictable crackling.

Charcoal-free alternatives

To choose, see Choosing your incense and Incense and fumigation. The incense burners and holders collection presents suitable supports.

Frequently asked questions

Also read

The meanings mentioned belong to tradition and symbolism. They are neither promises of results nor medical advice. Back to Herbs, waxes and accessories.