FAQ

Getting started

I have never used resin before. Is it difficult?

No, but it is different from a stick or a cone, and nobody tells you how. The short version: warm it gently, use a piece the size of a grain of rice, and wait a minute. The long version is in The Ritual Guide.

Do I need the burner?

No. Any low, indirect heat works - an oil-burner style tealight warmer does the job well. We sell The Ritual Burner because a steady low plate makes it easier and cleaner, not because the resin needs it.

Why do you keep saying "melted, never burned"?

Because it is the single thing that decides whether you enjoy this. Direct flame or charcoal runs far hotter than resin needs, and the resin combusts rather than releases. That is the acrid smell people associate with resin incense. Gentle heat gives you something else entirely.

Will it set off my smoke alarm?

Melting resin properly produces very little visible smoke - often none at all. If you are seeing thick smoke, the heat is too high. Ventilate the room regardless.

How long does a jar last?

Longer than you would guess. At one or two rice-grain pieces a day, months rather than weeks.

Sourcing and honesty

Is everything you sell harvested in Malaysia?

No, and we will not imply that it is.

Our damar resin is hand-harvested in Malaysian Borneo and traceable to a single harvester. The eucalyptus leaf is not Malaysian in origin - no eucalyptus species is native to Malaysia, the genus is Australian. Ours is cultivated, and its country of origin is printed on every pouch. The Ritual Burner is manufactured overseas.

Plenty of brands let one origin line sit over an entire catalogue. We would rather you knew which part came from where. There is more on this on our About page.

Why do the pieces look different every time?

Because it is tree resin, sorted by hand, not a manufactured product. Colour, size and clarity vary between batches and between individual pieces. That variation is the material behaving normally.

Is the harvesting sustainable?

Damar is tapped from living trees rather than felled from them, and our harvesters work trees they return to season after season - which only works if the tree survives. We pay above the going rate specifically so that harvesting carefully remains worth more than harvesting fast.

Health and safety

Does this have health benefits?

We make no health claims. Damar has a long history of ritual and traditional use, but we do not claim it treats, cures or prevents anything, and you should be sceptical of anyone in this category who does.

Is it safe around children and pets?

Keep both the resin and any hot burner well out of reach. Use in a ventilated room. Birds in particular are very sensitive to airborne particulates of any kind - if you keep birds, do not use incense of any type in the same space. If anyone in your home has a respiratory condition, ventilate generously and use less.

Can I eat it or use it on skin?

No. These are home fragrance products only.

Orders

Where do you ship and what does it cost?

See Shipping & Returns.

What if I do not like the scent?

Scent is personal and we would rather you told us. Unopened items can be returned within 30 days - the details are on the Shipping & Returns page. If something arrives damaged or wrong, email us and we will fix it.

How do I reach you?

Through the contact page. We answer within [[ FILL: response time, e.g. two working days ]].