How to Store Incense Sticks & Resins

Are you wondering how to properly store incense sticks or resins?

Nothing is worse than grabbing your favorite pack of incense sticks, opening them up, and finding that they have dried out entirely. You see, although some incense sticks are made with natural and raw compounds that are more resistant to degradation, many of them are still doused with fragrance oils.

Most incense manufacturers from India will use fragrance oils of a natural composition, but even these inevitably dry out, therefor reducing the aroma output of the incense stick. There are some types of incense that you will even find smell better with age, but of course, this is the exception, rather than the rule.

Incense Storage Tips

• We recommend storing your incense far away from moisture and light. A cool and dark location would be optimal. This could be a location such as drawer or cabinet.
• Storing your incense in an airtight container typically allows the incense to store longer without losing scent. We recommend Japanese paulownia boxes, but would recommend avoiding any made out of strongly scented woods. Paulownia boxes are rather unique because during humid conditions the wood swells to become fully airtight. This will protect the incense from moisture and hinder degradation.
• It is best if you you store each type of incense stick you have separately. Otherwise they may pickup nearby scents.
• Incense that contains less volatile oils are less prone to degradation and will likely last quite a while longer.
• Keep in mind, some types of incense sticks may grow better with age. Notably aloeswood, or resins that may burn a little harsh. Sometimes with age their fragrance profile can smooth over.
• Incense does not handle refrigeration well because it can introduce moisture to the incense.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some questions we are frequently asked about this article.

What is the Shelf Life of Incense?

The shelf life of your incense would depend on the quality and type of incense you have.

As mentioned earlier in this article, some cheaper varieties of incense may noticeably degrade in quality after two to three years, but some higher quality types of incense can be stored for many, many years.