How-to
Why Our Ash Is Grey, Not Black
A small thing that tells you a lot about what you are burning.
If you have switched from a supermarket brand you will have noticed this in the first week: the ash looks different. It is worth explaining why, because it is the most reliable at-home test of what is in an incense stick.
Black, sooty ash means charcoal
Charcoal burns hot and incompletely, and what it leaves behind is carbon — fine, black, and light enough to travel. That is the residue that settles on a shelf and greys a white wall over a few months.
Grey, crumbly ash means plant matter
Dried flowers and gum burn cooler and more completely. The ash is mineral rather than carbon, so it is pale, holds its shape as it forms, and falls in a lump rather than a cloud.
The test
Burn a stick over a sheet of white paper. Tap the ash off and rub it with a finger. Carbon smears and stains. Plant ash powders and brushes away clean.
What it does not tell you
Ash colour says nothing about whether the fragrance is natural. A charcoal-free stick can still be sprayed with synthetic oil. For that, the giveaway is a scent that never changes from the first minute to the last.
