Inside this box are patchouli HEM incense sticks from the Ritual Botanica series. The hexagonal box is light green with botanical drawings and is made in India. Being rigid, it keeps the sticks straight, so they are less likely to snap in a drawer. One order brings you one box.
The earthy scent of patchouli
Patchouli is a tropical plant from the mint family. Its scent is deep, earthy and slightly woody, much like fallen leaves in a forest on a rainy autumn day. In Europe it became truly fashionable in the 1960s and 70s. If floral, fruity or sweet scents feel like too much for you, patchouli takes you in a completely different direction.
For rainy afternoons
On rainy afternoons, many people light patchouli while reading or doing needlework. If you burn it in a study or a quiet corner of the living room, its woody scent sits well with books and wooden furniture.
“Smudge” on the box refers to the tradition of clearing a space with smoke. The stick itself burns in a holder like any other incense. If you like to alternate, the sandalwood version of the series is also woody but creamier, and the white sage is fresher and greener.
One stick is plenty
Patchouli is a strong scent, so in a small room one stick is plenty. For a shorter burn, you can snap a stick in half. Stand it in a heat-resistant holder, stay close by while it burns, and put it out before you leave the house. Open a window afterwards.
Any incense stick holder will do, including wooden or soapstone ones.