Frankincense Resin vs Incense Sticks
Written and reviewed by The Kriya Yogi · Updated 5 October 2026
The short answer
Our frankincense resin is raw tears or powder meant to be burned a few grains at a time on charcoal or a resin burner, giving you direct control over how much scent and smoke you release. Incense sticks, which we don't sell, are a more convenient pre-measured option that needs no charcoal or burner, at the cost of that direct control.
What matters for this
- Form
- A: Raw resin tears or ground powder · B: Pre-formed stick, often on a bamboo core
- Burning method
- A: Burned on charcoal or a resin burner, a few grains at a time · B: Lit directly and left to smoulder
- Equipment needed
- A: Charcoal disc or resin burner required · B: None beyond a holder
- Additives
- A: None — pure resin or powder · B: Often contains binders, bamboo core and sometimes synthetic fragrance
- Price (our shop)
- A: $33.95–$37.95, 50 g or 100 g · B: Not currently stocked
- Control over amount
- A: High — burn as little or as much as you choose · B: Fixed per stick
Raw material versus a manufactured stick
Our frankincense is sold as natural resin tears or ground powder, with no additives, meant to be burned over charcoal or in a resin burner rather than lit directly. Incense sticks are a different product entirely: a bamboo or cored stick coated in a combustible paste, often including binders and sometimes synthetic fragrance, designed to be lit and left to burn down on its own. Both release scented smoke, but the resin is closer to the unprocessed source material, while a stick is a manufactured, ready-to-light format.
Convenience versus control
Incense sticks are undeniably more convenient: light one end, set it in a holder, and it burns at a predictable rate with no extra equipment. Resin requires a charcoal disc or a resin burner, and you control the quantity by how much you place on the heat — a few grains is often enough for a room. If you want simplicity and no setup, sticks (sourced elsewhere) are the easier habit; if you want to burn only as much as you need and skip bamboo cores and binders, raw resin gives you that control.
Smoke and room considerations
Both resin and incense sticks produce real smoke, and that matters regardless of format: always burn in a ventilated room, never leave either unattended, and skip both if you have a sensitive airway. Resin on charcoal tends to produce a denser, more concentrated smoke in a shorter burst, while sticks release a steadier, lower-level stream over their burn time — a genuine difference in experience, not a safety distinction.
Why we sell resin, not sticks
We carry raw frankincense (and other resins) because it reflects the older, less processed form of this practice and suits the classical focus of our shop — a charcoal burner and a few grains, not a manufactured stick. We don't stock incense sticks, so if the convenience of a pre-formed stick is what you want, that's a reasonable choice to find elsewhere rather than something we can offer directly.
Choose something else if…
- Anyone wanting a no-equipment option — resin needs a charcoal disc or burner, which sticks don't.
- Those with sensitive airways to smoke of any kind, resin or stick.