Botanic Spotlight: Oak Moss

Botanic: Oak Moss

Binomial name: Evernia prunastri (native to the Northern Hemisphere)

Scent: Earthy and green, yet also dry and musky; it’s a key ingredient in my Oak Moss and Vetiver incense sticks.

Function: In incense making Oak Moss acts as an aromatic, and a little goes a long way.

Something you might not know: it’s actually a lichen (not a moss), and is a common fixative in many commercial perfumes.

I buy my Oak Moss from an individual in France who has oak trees on their property, and from an Australian business that sources theirs from an individual in the US. Both harvesters only collect the moss when it’s been knocked down in high-winds, to limit environmental disturbance and overharvesting.

You can find more information about my sourcing process here. Check out the previous instalments on Black Frankincense, Australian Sandalwood, and Ceylon Cinnamon.

I make incense at my kitchen table in Melbourne from sustainably harvested Australian sandalwood, as well as tree resins, plants and essential oils.

Botanic Spotlight: Ceylon Cinnamon

Botanic: Ceylon Cinnamon

Binomial name: Cinnamomum Zeylanicum or Cinnamomum Verum (native to Sri Lanka)

Scent: warm, fruity, spiced, and lightly floral; it’s a key ingredient in my Cinnamon and Spruce incense sticks.

Function: In incense making cinnamon acts as an aromatic. Unlike some other aromatics (resin, leaves etc) it burns quite well, and can be used in larger quantities if desired.

Something you might not know: There are hundreds of different varieties of cinnamon. The most common and easiest to find in the grocery store is Cassia. While all varieties have similarities, Ceylon is the softest and most delicate.

I use certified Fair Trade Ceylon Cinnamon in my blends, sourced from Sri Lanka.

When I was formulating this particular blend, I began using Cassia Cinnamon, and while I knew I wanted its aroma, I wanted to soften its edges a little. Ceylon cinnamon was the perfect switch.

You can find more information about my sourcing process here. Check out the previous instalments on Black Frankincense and Australian Sandalwood.

I make incense at my kitchen table in Melbourne from sustainably harvested Australian sandalwood, as well as tree resins, plants and essential oils.

Botanic Spotlight: Black Frankincense

Botanic: Black Frankincense/Frankincense Neglecta

Binomial name: Boswellia Neglecta (native to Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda and Kenya).

Scent: crisp, earthy, pine-like, light vanilla-musk; you can find this frankincense in my Black Storax and Clove incense sticks.

Function: as a resin, frankincense functions as an aromatic in incense making. Like most resins, only a little is needed. If too much is used in direct burning incense (sticks, cones etc), it won’t stay lit.

Something you might not know: There are many varieties of Frankincense! They have similar scent profiles, but each variety has a slightly different twist.

I buy frankincense from a Canadian supplier, who has travelled to North Eastern Kenya to establish a direct-buying relationship with the women of the Samburu tribe. This relationship greatly shortens the chain of purchase, and ensures they receive a higher price for the resin they harvest. 

Frankincense is one of the most popular resins in the world, and comes from countries that have previously been colonised. This is important to know, because the people harvesting the resin are likely local to the area; not paying them fairly for their work is harmful on principle, but also furthers the harm of colonisation. 

Check out the previous Botanic Spotlight on Australian Sandalwood. You can find more information about my sourcing process here.  

I make incense at my kitchen table in Melbourne from sustainably harvested Australian sandalwood, as well as tree resins, plants and essential oils.

Botanic Spotlight: Australian Sandalwood

Botanic: Australian Sandalwood

Binomial name: Santalum spicatum (native to Western Australia)

Scent: Woody, floral, soft, balsamic

Function: sandalwood functions as both a base material and an aromatic in incense making; base materials allow the incense to continue to smoulder after you blow the flame out.

Something you might not know: sandalwood trees require a host tree to grow; they tap the roots of their chosen tree for additional water and nutrients. They also produce edible nuts!

I use sustainably harvested Western Australian sandalwood as the base material in all my incense blends. You can find more information about my sourcing process here.

When I was in the early stages of formulating, this was an important ingredient to decide on. I knew I wanted to make incense with the most ethical materials available to me as a small producer, and that meant starting with the botanic I’d need the most of.

Western Australia has a sandalwood regeneration plan in place that ensures the species ongoing survival, and harvesting is strictly monitored by The Forest Products Commission.

Due to commercial demand, Indian sandalwood (Santalum album) is classed as a vulnerable species, and exports from India are prohibited.


I make incense at my kitchen table in Melbourne from sustainably harvested Australian sandalwood, as well as tree resins, plants and essential oils.

Making Incense From Home

Ever wondered how botanical incense sticks are made? Here’s a short process video for you. When I’m in full production mode I go through this whole process about three times a day, working in batches 🥣

I make incense at my kitchen table in Melbourne from sustainably harvested Australian sandalwood, as well as tree resins, plants and essential oils.

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A post shared by Jenna Sten — Incense Maker (@jennasten_makes)

Incense Making Blooper Reel 👀

Psyching myself up to film.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jenna Sten — Incense Maker (@jennasten_makes)

You can watch the full process video here!

I make incense at my kitchen table in Melbourne from sustainably harvested Australian sandalwood, as well as tree resins, plants and essential oils.

These Things are not True – ZINE

These Things are not true is a non-fiction zine about beliefs that do emotional harm to others and ourselves.

If you feel jaded about all the cooked life advice out there, you’re not alone. Tools or terms that were once considered radical have been warped to serve the interests of those they were created to resist; brands co-opt the language of self-care to sell products, the far-right position themselves as victims who need to be heard, and we’re inundated with simplistic, permissive arguments that encourage self-alienation and individualistic behaviour everyday. There’s a lot to be cynical about.

This zine tackles the following beliefs:

🔥All feelings are valid

🔥Real love is unconditional

🔥No one is going to love you if you don’t love yourself

🔥If you can’t handle me at my worst, you don’t deserve me at my best

🔥Paid work should be fulfilling

🔥You don’t owe anyone anything

🔥Nothing we do matters

These Things are not True. The truth is more complicated.

You can read further excerpts and buy this zine over on the Head Desk website, where I host my mental health related projects.

These Things are not True – Head Desk – 2020

ritual/distraction – ZINE

ritual/distraction is a creative non-fiction zine about mental health, softness, accountability and acceptance. It’s broken up into eight parts: burn, plant, consume, preserve, soak, map, externalise, and feel.

Distraction has two faces; it can be grounding in a crisis, or create apathy in a rut. A ritual can be nourishing, cleansing, pleasurable or generous – it can also be destructive. Do what feels right, and check if it still feels right the next time.

You can read further excerpts and buy this zine over on the Head Desk website, where I host my mental health related projects.

ritual/distraction – Head Desk – 2019

Malleable – SCUM MAG

A creative non-fiction piece about mental health, adaptability, and holding space.

It’s been 11 months since my last session with my psychologist. At first it felt good to save money, and not take time out of my week to travel to and from her office. But each jolt of anxiety, each dip in mood, collects. They build onto each other, onto each other, onto—

You can read the full piece here:

Malleable – Scum Mag – 2018

The Mechanics of Empathy – KILL YOUR DARLINGS

A creative non-fiction piece about animals, empathy and autonomy.

When I was eleven I saved up my birthday and Christmas money to buy a Furby. The original kind. One of these. When you turned it upside down it wailed in a warbly voice, No, no, please, don’t, and some other words about being scared. The pronunciation wasn’t completely clear, so you had to do it a few times to figure out what it was saying. I felt, and still feel, uncomfortable about doing this.

You can read the full piece here:

The Mechanics of Empathy – KYD Literary Journal – 2017

Outraged by the new ‘free-range’ egg definition? Then stop eating eggs – THE GUARDIAN

An article about the redefinition of “free-range” eggs, and how human supremacy informs the way we treat animals.

“Free range” is a feel-good term. Businesses use it to create a generous reputation for themselves, and it makes us feel kind. But any large or small scale farming system harvesting eggs from hens is not letting them grow old in green pastures once their productivity levels drop, no matter how many nice words are on the box.

You can read the full piece here:

Outraged by the new ‘free-range’ egg definition? Then stop eating eggs – The Guardian – 2016

Four mental health podcasts to wrap your mind around – DAILY LIFE

An article about mental health podcasts.

Structurally, culturally, we lack the education required to deal with mental health issues. While initiatives and organisations like Heads Up and Mental Health Australia work to correct this from the top down (in our governments, in our places of work, in our schools, and in our communities), individually we can and should work towards educating ourselves.

You can read the full piece here:

Four mental health podcasts to wrap your mind around – Daily Life – 2016

Mental health at work – INSPIRING ARTS

An article about a mental health Staff Salon I did at Regional Arts Victoria.

Every fortnight at the Regional Arts Victoria office we host what we call a Staff Salon…. In August I did one on mental health.

The actual doing of said Salon is kind of a blur to me at this stage. I’m told it was impressive. Insecurities about my ability to present difficult topics to groups of people aside, it was perhaps considered impressive because it was unusual; talking about mental health in a personal context is taboo, both in life and at work

You can read the full piece here:

Mental health at work – Inspiring Arts (RAV) – 2014

Supermarket – TEXT JOURNAL

An experimental fiction piece about grocery shopping and emotions.

A glass jar of shame falls from the topmost shelf and smashes over large root on the ground. I sigh and shift some of the glass with my shoe. A pebble of shame rolls down the aisle and into the cold section. It nestles itself beneath the mince.

I don't like this place. It tells you what you should buy. The things you shouldn't buy evade you sometimes and change aisles without warning. But if you're desperate for them you can usually track them down. It is, after all, still about making a profit. If you really want to waste your money on things you don't need it'll let you. But it does like to put up a feeble for-your-own-good fight first for some reason. A high pitch beeping erupts from the floor near the jar and another staff member rushes along to clean up the shards. I step around them.

You can read the full piece here:

Supermarket – Text Journal #17 Mud map: Australian women’s experimental writing – 2013