Nag Champa, one of the most well-known incenses, is a blend that hails from India and relies on Champa flowers for its rich aroma. The aromatic tree resin halmaddi is used to create a blend of floral and heavier musk. A base of sandalwood is used in most nag champa incense.
Histories
Nag Champa was used originally as a perfume oil and fragrant oil. Champa flowers were originally used to perfume hair and bodies. They were also the main ingredient of perfume oil made in monasteries in India and Nepal. Champa is a Champa-related flowering tree. It is a member of the magnolia family and is native to India. The yellow flowers grow up to 100 feet tall and form a pyramid-shaped shape.
Types
There are many different manufacturers of nag champa perfumes. It was first created by Indian monks in several distinct recipes, depending on where they were made. Some scents are sweeter than others, while some are stronger. Nag Champa incense can be purchased as a perfume oil or in sticks and cones.
Ingredients
The base of sandalwood can be infused with flower oils. There are many oils that contain orange blossom, tea rose, and ylang-ylang oils. However, all of them have Champa oil. Nag champa was traditionally made from the tree resin halmaddi. This tree resin is also known as the Ailanthus Malabarica tree, also known for the white bean tree and tree-of-heaven tree. In the last few decades, Halmaddi has become more costly so nag champa incense now uses other tree resins. Evergreen resins such as cedar and pine are common ingredients. Other manufacturers add ingredients such as vanilla, cardamom, and black pepper. In nag champa incenses made by different manufacturers or with different blends, you will find French lavender oil, cassia, and strawberry.
Process
There are many people who make their own Nag Champa-style incense in their homes. However, they don’t usually follow the traditional recipe that includes the Champa flower oil or Kalmadi because of their rarity and high cost. You can make loose or pellet incense by grinding the ingredients and then burning it with charcoal. Incense sticks can be made by dipping sandalwood sticks in an incense mixture. This is a mix of oils, resins and finely ground powders. Many layers can be dipped in the incense mixture and then dried. Make nag champa incense cones by forming the cones with your hands.
Warnings
Because of its rarity, nag champa incense is one of India’s most expensive exports. Many cheaper alternatives to nag champa incenses are available that can mimic the scent of nag champa, but they are not made with traditional ingredients. As with all incenses, the scents and burning times change with age.
