They also have the exact same foil stickers, and list different addresses, including the Mumbai address. Or do you reach for the nearest Nag Champa package because you dont know what to try? i go to a metaphysical bookstore to get my nag champa, and i hope they still offer the 2 different shades, because i like going back and forth.

Similarly, there are similarities between the real boxes. Incense Buyer at East West Bookshop, 1. Remember the other 5 incense boxes from the sampler? Privacy Policy. Another popular type of sandalwood is Australian sandalwood. I'm confident enough that the Nag Champa in the 25g sample box is real. Breathing in smoke from synthetic materials over long periods of time can be bad for your health. They have the Bengaluru address that I always remember seeing, but for some reason it's listed as a "branch". It's a company proving their incense is still real and not fake like how customers have been complaining about, so I thought you'd think it was interesting: http://incenseguru.blogspot.com/2005/12/satya-nag-champa-has-changed.html. Heres a quick run-down on these types of incense: Indian incense is by far the strongest scented on market. This company also sells bath and body products and candles. Following a dispute, the ShrinivasSugandhalaya brothers split the company in two in 2014. At last. SHOP HOURS: TUESDAY-SATURDAY 11AM-3PM | 23305 BOTHELL-EVERETT HWY BOTHELL, WA 98021 | 206-523-3726, When youre in need of incense for comfort, energy clearing, meditation or ritual do you ever think about whats in it or how its made? At this point, it's pretty clear that they're both from the same source, with all these similarities. Can Mandarin Essential Oils Help Enhance Your Skincare Routine? Real sandalwood essential oils are usually stored in dark-colored glass bottles with an eyedropper bulb. The only ingredients are wood, herbs and spices! Were the boxes I bought fake? Although they are associated with spiritual practices more and more people are turning to incense sticks as a natural way to prevent stress and clarity of mind. Incense can also come in the form of incense cones. So I light it. I have a sensitive sense of smell and my nostrils will flare and sting when a scent is too powerful. No need for acclimation. That kinda makes sense with what I've been running into.

I found a good deal on Ebay, but when the box arrived, I opened it and immediatley it smelledoff. What special is that unlike many other aromatic kinds of wood, Sandalwood can retain its fragrance for decades. On comparison, I found some features in common between the two boxes that seemed fake, and some features in common between the boxes that I would argue are real: The first thing I noticed is that the "fake" boxes have two addresses on the front. There were a few others from around that same time that I also found. Does the aroma just bounce around at complete random? Does anyone else have any recent experience with any of this? I decided to give other fragrances a try, so I purchased a sampler of 6 different Satya incenses, including Nag Champa, from a seller on Amazon. I like to compare incense as you would with a cultures food: spicy, bold, flavorful and strong. The only way to distinguish between the manufacturers (without opening the box) is to look closely at the manufacturer address on each incense packet, if it's manufactured in Bengaluru it's the good stuff. I was burning other incense, including a really overpowering Goloka one, so maybe the smell is just being covered up. Problem isthey don't sell any of the larger boxes so I resorted to the internet for a 250g box. Their scents will be revealed in the burning if your nose is not sensitive enough to discover it when its in the package. In my experience it has an earthy smell. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. That's definitely helpful! although if i had to choose one to stick to, it would be the stronger, darker blue box. Anyway I liked and burned all until last December. Side note on Ayurvedic incense: they contain many medicinal herbs that are uplifting and therapeutic.

Shrinivas Sugandhalaya Bangalore, being the original factory who produced all the incense sticks for the partnership is continuing work as it has always been, using the same old methods and same natural ingredients they used since the beginning.

Though, like I said, QC issues also make sense - it's just that the "good" boxes I've bought all have the same packaging and manufacturing address, and all the "bad" ones have the same packaging and manufacturing address, so if it's QC issues, it might just be the Mumbai factory. GC is a method of sorting out the volatile compounds in essential oils into individual components. If you're curious to try some of the brands I listed here, click the button below to see if they're in stock.Blessings! In the last four years of buying incense, Ive noticed that there are two main types of American made incense: strong synthetic incense or completely natural incense. Is there absolutely no consistency and no remnant of the old aroma I remember? The sticks are not only much more uniform than any of what was in the previous two boxes, but there's clearly a lot more effort put into quality. Once I got this new box, I spent quite a bit of time examining the new box, as well as all the previous ones I have (I dropped the old 25g sampler and older 100g box in dresser drawers to make what I could of what remained of their scent). When it does, then it means it has been adulterated or extended with synthetic fragrance oil. Instead of telling you all the companies that use synthetic materials, I'd rather tell you which companies use the best ingredients.

This is the reason why its important to know how the sandalwood in the essential oil you are buying is harvested and produced..

At this point I'd tried Nag Champa from completely different companies. Half of them have the customer care number from the "fakes", and half have the customer care number from the real ones. Required fields are marked *, PO Box 281 The Bengaluru company is Shrinivas Sugandhalaya BNG LLP. These are small cones of aromatic material, much the same as is used to coat the bamboo of the incense stick.

I hope this article has helped open up a new world of incense to you. Smoke. As America was modernized, we became obsessed with fragrance, perfume and smelling good. ZouzIncense is my new favorite incense cone company! Except maybe not. Because Shoyeido incense is pure and natural, it doesnt give off a lot of scent from the packaging and some customers are turned off by this without knowing how amazing this brand is. Now with that being said, breathing in a lot of smoke all the time isnt good for your health either. Make sure that the bottles are in a cool place because heat can also cause negative changes in its chemical composition.

On the third day, finally a little bit of fragrance started to peek out.

A good example of true resin is frankincense, copal, white sage bundle, cedar wood, sweet grass and palo santo. The Mumbai branch was the marketing office, and hence when the split happened, Mumbai branch walked away with a good share of distributors, and started trying to replicate the incense. The "fake" boxes also have the same foil stickers. But I encourage you to look deeper. I hope this article has helped open up a new world of incense to you. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Sandalwood is one of the most beneficial essential oils out there. But if the essential oils consistently smell precisely the same every time you buy, then chances are they are adding chemicals to achieve the same smell., Its okay if the essential oil does not smell exactly the same because there are lots of things that influence the scent.

If you just got it, try letting it sit for a few days and then burning one to see if the incense "acclimates" like mine needed to. This one has a kind of tarry smell - the best way I have to describe it is kind of like a mineral oil or some sort of automotive fluid, with a slightly herbal-citrus undertone.

Thats as natural as you get. Speaking of woods, the last company I want to highlight is Juniper Ridge. So it's pretty well decided, then. When anything is extremely strong or fragrant, it most likely has synthetic fragrance. With the rise in popularity of burning sage and palo santo in our homes again, it looks like America is coming back to its native roots.

I've been trying for years to find a guide for identifying whether a box of Satya Sai Baba Nag Champa is authentic or not. Fragrances are complex compounds comprised of aromatic raw materials, at least one of which is not a natural aromatic raw material as defined above. Hey, look - Amazon has Nag Champa in stock. However, generally essential oils have a heavier note and fragrance oils smell a little bit more chemically. The "fake" ones, incidentally, list "Shrinivas Sugandhalaya LLP".

Now with that being said, breathing in a lot of smoke all the time isnt good for your health either. They have a down-to-earth vibe and make blends that smells just like a fresh hike in the woods! Breathing in smoke from synthetic chemicals is not good for your health. Then I found this bit of information from a store based in Australia who deals with Shrinjvas Sugandhalaya directly: "Inside info . Few realize there are now two completely separate manufacturers of Satya Sai Baba Herbal Incense.

So what's going on? Now, what of the labels that list both addresses?

However, we dont want our readers to get caught-out buying fake sandalwood powder, so we put this guide together for you. There are so many options and companies that are making efforts to support a good cause. There are some that made from fragrant oils and some are made from aromatherapy essential oils.

A box I bought in 2010 finally ran out early this year. Fortunately, there are alternatives such as coconut husk charcoal and Himalayan herb coals. Aside from helping you get the right dose of oil, that plug also helps in prolonging the shelf life of the essential oil by limiting its exposure to air. To learn more about Ayurvedic Incense, see my blog Ayurvedic Incense for Balancing Your Inner Elements.Tibetan Incense: Like I mentioned earlier in the article, most Tibetan incense is pure and natural because it is comprised of mostly herbsa lot of herbs. How To Spot Fake Incense Sticks For Aromatherapy?

Even if you find a good sandalwood powder supplier, its tough to say whether it will be the same quality a year down the road, so look at recent reviews and see which sandalwood powder people are currently raving about! This means that aside from the name Sandalwood, you should also be seeing the Latin name santalum album on the label. Essential oil incense sticks burn more evenly, and the smoke is not an irritant. boxes. Japanese culture naturally expresses everything as a beautiful art form and their incense definitely speaks to this.

The smell was a bit more fresh and sharp. This confusing situation poses a problem for dealers as well as consumers.

If you love incense, stick with the natural or low smoke brands and burn them in moderation. Red sandalwood is a little harder to identify whether it is original or counterfeit. Companies can be sneaky! I call it old school incense burning.

It is a particular type of wood that is heavy, yellow, and fine-grained. The North Americans often used incense in their rituals and shaman work. My take on strong Indian incense:

But before I even started burning the incense, there was something quite distinctly different about the incense- it came out of the bag looking quite dark and black. And the only newer information I've found is from a thread on this subreddit about 6 months ago that doesn't provide anything conflusive. Note: Most charcoal on the market is also terrible for breathing indoors. So, when I open a new box and start burning the Nag Champa, it isn't that surprising if it isn't exactly what I'm used to. The most common, as well as the most popular type of sandalwood is likely Indian sandalwood. Many of these names mean the same thing, but a few, such as red sandalwood, are a different species.

If you lean towards resin burning you may need a charcoal. Strangely enough, this variety of sandalwood originates from Hawaii and has a bold, enticing fragrance. Dont be fooled by the strong pretty scents of synthetic materials. However, when I went to replace my 2010 box, I ran head-first into massive amounts of confusion. Another thing I'd like to point out is that it seems that the "only way to tell is by address" thing is, at least right now, false. How do I avoid synthetic fragrance? It's almost like the incense had to acclimate to the room, which is something I'd never seen in any incense before. Sorry for the wall; this has just been really bugging me. This is the reason why its important to know how the sandalwood in the essential oil you are buying is harvested and produced., When buying a sandalwood essential oil, you need to look for the official USDA seal. 2022 East West Center for Self-Realization. So I order it. Shaefeather Windsong I'm also positive that the other samplers are real - first of all, why would you counterfeit 5 Satya incenses, and then throw in a real box of Nag Champa?

Your email address will not be published. It wasn't exactly the same as the previous box, but as I said, I was expecting that. Indian Incense: Tattva Incense is handmade and handrolled in Rishikesh India and contains no toxic or synthetic substances. And they both have "" on their front logo, which the "fakes" lack.

Is this what Nag Champa is now? Theres a lot more to burning incense than lighting the stick and walking away. MS, on the other hand, identifies each of the components and the percentages. The same smell of charcoal and bamboo smoke I'd experienced with the last box. Soothing Essential Oils To Use In The Bath. It is a particular type of wood that is heavy, yellow, and fine-grained. For example, Bangalore still hand rolls, Mumbai now uses machines. It can be due to the amount of rain the tree or plant received, the temperature of the air, the length of the growing season, the soil content, and more. If you smell a perfume fragrance, it might not be traditional and most likely contains synthetic ingredients unless otherwise noted. Shop Today! And they both have 3-tone foil seals - gold, blue, and red, with the same old Shrinivas logo I remember. I hadn't even opened the box yet at this point - the box looked completely legitimate, at least as far as I could tell, from the outside, so I didn't think too much of it. The most important thing to consider when buying incense is whether it uses synthetic fragrance or not. I'm not quite that certain. But as our modern culture grew, to keep things cheap and easy, fragrance was.

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I don't know much about this scent, but I've heard it all depdns. I'm assuming to return the order and try on other sites, but maybe that images will help someone that also are researching for this: The 2016 box is obviously the newest one and more disappointing, Front: https://www.dropbox.com/s/8zvsjf91oh8pqyd/2017-01-11%2020.45.21.jpg?dl=0, Back: https://www.dropbox.com/s/6rhx0c4e5whc8qo/2017-01-11%2020.45.35.jpg?dl=0.

Incense sticks are made in different ways. As you already know from experience how well they replicated and what kind of confusion is in the market.

Make it without the paste and it's considerably cheaper. The bamboo is almost perfectly circularly rounded.

Or, even worse, have I been getting fake Nag Champa for decades, with these two "fake" boxes being the first actual authentic Nag Champa I've ever had? Like this article is over a decade old, but it goes into detail about how this scent can change, because of the seasons and other things.

Incense dos not just come in the form of sticks, you can also find alternative forms of aromatic ways to enhance meditation or perfume your home. Over the course of the month, I thoroughly enjoyed the 15g sampler until it ran out, at which point I started on the 250g box. Not bad, just 'different'. When you open the sandalwood oil bottle, it should be sealed with an orifice reducer. there are also 2 different 40g. But choosing the most expensive sandalwood essential oil doesnt necessarily mean you are getting a high-quality one either. They make a wonderful natural perfume for the home too! It produces black sooty smoke and isnt recommended for indoor burning.

There is another, less common type of sandalwood known as coastal sandalwood. Make sure that the store you are purchasing from includes the common name of the oil and its Latin name as well.

Their cones are mixed with pure ingredients and are fantastic smelling. Vrinda Kunja Ashramhttp://vrindakunja.org/spiritual-tours/indian-incenses. Light a small charcoal, place it in a bowl, and sprinkle bits of herbs or frankincense beads on top to burn. Reed's Handmade Incense takes great pride in helping to keep the ancient art of incense alive in the modern world. Since sandalwood oil is thick, you can leave it to dry for up to 24 hours or several days., These are some of the ways to tell if your sandalwood essential oil is fake. You will be needing need a qualified aroma chemist to do this test. Below are some guidelines to help you purchase authentic sandalwood powder. As much as possible, avoid droppers that are made of rubber and plastic because these materials tend to break down, releasing synthetic impurities into the oil., If you really want to make sure that you are getting a high-quality sandalwood essential oil, then you can have it tested.. Finally, the newer "real" boxes list their manufacturer as "Shrinivas Sugandhalaya(BNG) LLP. Luckily, as the health, organic and yoga trends arose, more natural/organic incense options made with pure essential oils became available. Do those two different types correlate with the different addresses and customer care numbers? Was I just unreasonably unlucky and received two completely different, completely botched batches?

All Rights Reserved. But the sad truth is, a lot of companies in India use synthetic fragrance because of high demand and mass production.

December 28, 2011 | By: Anthony J. O'Lenick, Jr., Siltech LLC; and Ed Matson, Carrubba Inc. https://www.cosmeticsandtoiletries.com/formulating/function/fragrance/136099708.html2. Or do you reach for the nearest Nag Champa package because you dont know what to try?

I've purchased a new one from amazon.es (like in the past, but from other seller).

Dont be fooled by the strong pretty scents of synthetic materials. Today, we are giving you different ways to tell if the sandalwood essential oil is fake to help you avoid getting ripped off., One of the easiest ways to tell if the sandalwood essential oil is fake is to check its container or bottle.

The herbs are generally dried out and can be formed into smudge sticks, or they can be burned in a conch shell with charcoal. Sign up to receive special offers, news and more. I decided to use the Nag Champa in the 15g sampler first, and it was very distinctly Nag Champa. The good news is that red sandalwood isnt counterfeited as often as its more expensive counterparts. I understand most of you probably have reputable dealers that you buy from to avoid this, but in my case, with it having been 6 years since the last time I bought, I wouldn't remember the name of the dealer I bought it from (also on Amazon) even if they're still around. Luckily, as the health, organic and yoga trends arose, more natural/organic incense options made with pure essential oils became available.

I thought you might find this interesting. That "regular smoke" thing is exactly what happened to me. A fragrance may contain natural aromatics in combination with synthetics, or could be 100% synthetic. (1). There are so many types of incense on the market, so I understand if youre overwhelmed by all the choices.

Its hard to say exactly which companies out there are using natural ingredients and practices. If you love incense, stick with the natural or low smoke brands and burn them in moderation.

Place a drop of the sandalwood oil on the strip or clean sheet of paper. Completely like citrus. But also completely different from any Nag Champa I've smelled before, either. So since Ebay has a bad reputation sometimes, I thought "great, I finally got screwed with some kind of counterfiet". These two boxes of incense are literally the only times I've ever experienced this. That information is so old that even the scent information doesn't apply to me - that's right about the time I started burning Nag Champa in the first place.

Also, the bottle needs to be dark-colored as well, such as dark blue or amber, to protect the oil from ultraviolet degradation.. Two color, red and blue, with- hey, wait!

While experienced users can clearly tell the difference between real and fake sandalwood powder, often just by look and smell, a beginner may not have that same ability. I opened the box, pulled out a stick, and - hey, it's actually a nice tan color! "Inside info" Jerl, you got pretty close to figuring it out! Update 2020: We recently added some incense to our online shop! Real Tibetan incense has no added fragrance, which makes it difficult to know what it smells like in the packaging. What?! Learn the difference between synthetic and natural, how it affects your health and what the best incense companies are. There are trial packs for the sticks if you are undecided on a scent. Smoke.

Balakrishna Shetty created the Super hit Series, which was also a runaway success.

Are the two "fake" boxes actually real and the difference in smell is just a result of paranoia?

These were generally not in the form of incense sticks, but rather in the form of the dried herbs of sage or cedar. This is information I've tried to find, and had no luck. that with all of the benefits it provides. It arrives. Except everything on the box seemed legit, just like you also examined.

Production methods and ingredients however may vary. the lighter one smells like the dhoop nag champa the darker one has a message on the inside of the box that says "we appreciate your feedback" then an email. Breathing in smoke from synthetic chemicals is not good for your health.

Remember that for the sandalwood oil to be effective, it needs to be pure., If you have purchased a sandalwood essential oil from the same company, but it does not smell like the ones youve had before, then thats actually fine.

And smoke. Tibetan incense is typically made with a lot of different herbs and a bit of spices. Bar code numbers which arent verifiable online. The Mumbai company seems to use a different logo for the stickers at the end of the boxes. nag champas they put in the sampler packs are different from the 40g. Synthetic vs Natural: To Burn or Not to Burn (Incense).

Also, its challenging to know which of them are genuine and which are fake. developed in a lab and artificial scents were born.

That is a plug that controls the number of drops that comes out of the bottle at once. Unfortunately, this type of sandalwood powder is generally more expensive then Indian sandalwood. If it smells like a perfume bottle, its not natural.

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Sandalwood incense is a great favorite for many and the fragrance is long-lasting and exotic. 1. Probably not, I decide. So now I'm thoroughly confused.

Okay, fine. Or did someone happen to come across a whole bunch of the foil stickers from non-Nag Champa Satya products and use them on their fake incense boxes, changing the address listed on the box to match? Unfortunately in todays world, authentic and high-quality sandalwood powder is often hard to come by. The scent notes are warm, elegant and soft. Breathing in smoke from synthetic materials over long periods of time can be bad for your health. Be careful not to buy beaded fragrance resin! Signup for our newsletter to get notified about sales, new products, and updates to our blog!

An Indian court awarded both sides the right to use existing names and branding. So watch out what you buy the next time you shop for incense! (2) Incense sticks can also be used to cover smells or unpleasant aromas. The best and pure brands we carry are from Fluorescent Ranch and Mountain Naturals.

All you need is a perfume test strip or a white sheet of paper. That's a good sign. Grapes used in making certain wines may have grown in the same location, but the wines being produced can taste different from year to year., You can also check the authenticity of the oil by checking how it pours from the bottle. When the box arrived I noticed a good smell when was opened, but not the same as expected, and then lid the scent was less present, more "regular smoke" and tiny fragance that confuse my mind. That's a completely different logo than I ever remember seeing on Satya Nag Champa! Japanese Incense: Shoyeido tops the charts as one of the best incense brands you can buy and the most natural out of all Japanese incense lines. Quality has become seemingly inconsistent and wholesalers supply SATYA products with similar names, in varying packaging and totally different content. Press J to jump to the feed.

This gives a more intense and smoky aroma, but care needs to be taken around children. If you will be buying a sandalwood essential oil in person, its also important to check where they are placed. Second, all of their scents line up exactly with descriptions I've read and incense based on the same ingredients I've tried, and that'd be a lot of work to fake. I like to compare incense as you would with a cultures food: spicy, bold, flavorful and strong. What natural incense is recommended? On 2015 I bought a 100Gr box of Satya Sai Baba Nag Champa, and resulted in pleasant incense experience, but not exactly strong as I remember when tried the past years. It is just like in wines. With the rise in popularity of burning sage and palo santo in our homes again, it looks like America is coming back to its native roots. I open the box. When you use this type of essential oil, it might either have harmful side effects to your skin or no effect at all., Since many sandalwood essential oils are being offered in health food stores and online, its sometimes overwhelming to choose the best one.

You could see the charcoal core through the actual fragrant part, which is something that I hadn't seen in any incense before, even the really cheap stuff. If you have any questions at all, feel free to post them below and I will do my best to answer them.

Shrinivas Sugandhalaya Mumbai in turn is moving into new technology using machines.

Its also important to keep in mind that sandalwood powder is a natural product and its quality may vary from supplier to supplier, or harvest to harvest. Sea Witch Botanicals is made with only activated charcoal, the bamboo stick, and essential oils. Learn the difference between synthetic and natural, how it affects your health and what the best incense companies are. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, http://incenseguru.blogspot.com/2005/12/satya-nag-champa-has-changed.html, https://www.dropbox.com/s/8zvsjf91oh8pqyd/2017-01-11%2020.45.21.jpg?dl=0, https://www.dropbox.com/s/6rhx0c4e5whc8qo/2017-01-11%2020.45.35.jpg?dl=0. If I buy Nag Champa directly from Amazon, and it still falls flat like both the previous times, I'll give up.

When did you receive the 2016 box? If you are shopping for a sandalwood oil online, its important to check the name of the oil. Regular charcoal usually has chemicals inside to make it light instantly. This is driving me nuts. However, when purchasing one, you need to choose a high-quality essential oil. tl;dr: got burned twice on Nag Champa that smells completely fake, but other features make me completely unsure whether really is fake, just from a different manufacturing facility, or just me.