It is customary in many Arab countries to pass bakhoor among the guests in the majlis ( مَجْلِسٌ‎, 'congregation'). Incense produced in this fashion has a tendency to warp or become misshapen when improperly dried, and as such must be placed in climate-controlled rooms and rotated several times through the drying process.

It is then cut into small cubes, coated with clay powder to prevent adhesion, and allowed to fully harden and dry. An indentation is made in the ash using an ash press then the trail is filled with makko powder and compacted slightly using the ash press again (any small form that will make a one way path in the makko makes a fine ash press). Another approach is to use gum arabic or gum tragacanth as a binder, often combined with a small amount of water to help form cones or sticks. They require the addition of a binder since they do not have the double property in makko or Joss powder. Makko powder can be used as a natural skincare ingredient in your beauty regimen due to its soothing and cleansing properties.Electric coffee grinders produce too much heat, allowing for the loss of vital chemicals from our ingredients and therefore shouldn't be used. Incense artifacts, thousands of years old, have be found in throughout the world, and appear to be a part of virtually every culture. Follow the directions above for mixing ingredients as loose incense but grind everything to an ultra fine powder.

Woods are very difficult to pulverize with a mortar and pestle and really require the use of a hand crank coffee grinder of some sort or simply beginning with powdered woods. To make sticks, use a piece of wax paper on a flat surface and roll the mixture into sticks with your hands. Packaging for both types is not required to list all of the ingredients, which may include toxic glues or low-quality wood. Using an aromatic base that compliments the other aromatic components is a good way to start any recipe.The process of extruding incense sticks and coils from finely ground incense materials seems to have begun in China, as well as the use of these types in time measurement. Once soaked overnight and drained, we add the fruit to our loose incense and use a food processor to blend this entire mixture together. If you were making an incense of sandalwood alone, the amount of makko required may be a little as 10%.