Most customers who walk past our incense wall for the first time stop and say some version of the same thing: “I didn’t know there were this many kinds.”
I get it. If your only experience with incense is a single stick from a gas station, our wall looks like a different category of product entirely. So let’s break it down the way I break it down for a first-time customer standing right in front of it.
The Three Forms, and What Actually Separates Them
Resin is the rawest form — actual pieces or “rocks” of dried tree sap or plant resin, like myrrh or copal, with nothing shaped or formed around them. Resin doesn’t burn on its own. You need a lit charcoal disc underneath it, sitting in a heat-safe holder or censer, usually with a little sand or ash to protect the surface. It’s the least convenient of the three, but it’s also the oldest and most traditional form, and a lot of people find the ritual of lighting the charcoal is part of the appeal, not a hassle to get past.
Sticks are what most people picture when they hear “incense.” A thin bamboo or wood core gets coated in incense material along its length, and you light the tip, let it flame for a few seconds, then blow it out so it smolders and burns down slowly. Sticks go in a stick holder, angled or upright, and they’re the most convenient of the three forms — no charcoal, no extra equipment, just a lighter and a holder.
Cones sit in between. A cone is compressed incense material shaped into, well, a cone, lit at the pointed tip and left to burn down on a heat-safe dish or in a small cone burner. Cones tend to burn a little faster and more intensely than a stick, and some people prefer the more contained burn — it stays in one spot rather than dropping ash along its length the way a stick can.
Why the Category Is Bigger Than People Expect
Incense has been used across cultures for thousands of years, and that long history is part of why our wall looks the way it does. Different traditions favor different forms and different scents, and we carry incense tied to a wide range of them, from classic floral and sandalwood scents to resins like myrrh and copal that carry real ceremonial history.
Some customers are simply looking for a scent they like in their home. Others are burning incense as part of meditation, prayer, or a specific ritual practice, and for them, the type of incense and the reason they’re burning it are connected in a way that a casual fragrance shopper might not think about. Both reasons are welcome at our counter, and neither one is more “correct” than the other.
Getting Started Without Overthinking It
If you’ve never bought incense beyond a stick from a corner store, here’s where I’d point you.
Start with sticks or cones if you want something simple. A 15-stick pack or a cone pack gives you enough to figure out if you actually like the scent before you commit to a bigger box, and a basic cone-and-stick burner works for both.
If you want to try resin, know going in that you’ll need a charcoal disc and a heat-safe holder along with it — resins like myrrh or copal don’t burn without one. It’s a slightly bigger commitment than a stick, but it’s also the form with the deepest roots, and plenty of customers who try it once don’t go back to sticks.
Incense as a Gift
Incense makes a genuinely good gift, and it’s an easy one to get right because it’s inexpensive enough to try a few options without the pressure of a big purchase.
A small resin sampler paired with a holder is a nice gift for someone who’s only ever burned sticks and might enjoy discovering the more traditional form. For something simpler, a variety pack of sticks or cones lets someone sample several scents at once and find their own favorite, which honestly is half the fun of incense in the first place.
What I Tell First-Timers
There isn’t a wrong place to start. If a scent catches your attention when you walk past our wall, that’s usually reason enough to try it. Resin, stick, or cone — the differences are mostly about convenience and tradition, not about one being better than another.
Come smell before you buy if you can. Fragrance is personal, and the only way to really know if an incense is for you is to actually smell it.
Local to Brooklyn? See our incense shop in Brooklyn page for what we carry and our hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the different types of incense? The three main forms are resin, stick, and cone. Resin is a raw, unshaped incense burned on top of a lit charcoal disc. Sticks are the most familiar form, a bamboo or wood core coated in incense material and burned upright or at an angle in a holder. Cones are compressed incense shaped into a small cone, lit at the tip, and left to burn down on a heat-safe dish.
Do I need special equipment to burn resin incense? Yes. Resin doesn’t burn on its own the way a stick does — it needs to sit on top of a lit charcoal disc in a heat-safe holder or censer filled with sand or ash. That makes resin the least convenient of the three forms, but many people prefer it because it’s the closest to how incense has traditionally been burned for centuries.
Which type of incense is easiest for a beginner? Sticks are generally the easiest starting point. Light the tip, let it catch for a few seconds, then blow it out so it smolders. Set it in a stick holder and you’re done, no charcoal or extra equipment required. Cones are nearly as simple and just need a heat-safe dish instead of a stick holder.
What’s a good incense gift? A small resin sampler with a charcoal-ready holder makes a memorable gift because most people have only ever tried sticks. For something simpler and just as thoughtful, a stick or cone variety pack lets someone try several scents without committing to one.
Is incense used for anything beyond fragrance? Yes. Alongside people who simply enjoy the scent, many customers burn incense as part of meditation, prayer, or ritual practice, or to mark an intention like moving into a new home or starting something new. Resins like myrrh and copal in particular carry a long history of ceremonial and spiritual use across many cultures.
Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only. Always burn incense and resin in a well-ventilated area, away from children and pets, using a heat-safe holder, and never leave it unattended.
— Monique Nicholas, Owner