Nag champa

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Various examples of nag champa incense Nag Champa brands.jpg
Various examples of nag champa incense

Nag champa is a commercial fragrance of Indian origin. It is made from a combination of sandalwood and either champak [1] [2] or frangipani. [3] When frangipani is used, the fragrance is usually referred to simply as champa. [4]

Contents

Nag champa is commonly used in incense, soap, perfume oil, candles, wax melts, and personal toiletries. [5] It is a popular and recognizable incense fragrance. [4] [6]

Composition

A number of flower species in India are known as champa or champak: [7]

Of these, Magnolia champaca is mostly used to prepare the nag champa scent, [6] [8] while Plumeria or Mesua ferrea may be used for scents termed champa and sometimes nag champa. [7] [9]

Nag champa perfume ingredients vary with the manufacturer, though generally they include sandalwood and magnolia, [1] which, as the plant is related to star anise, gives the scent a little spice. Other ingredients will depend on the finished product. Perfume-dipped incenses and soaps would use essential and/or fragrance oils or scents, while masala incenses might use finely ground fragrant ingredients and/or oils. [5]

References

  1. 1 2 Bird, Stephanie Rose (2006). Four Seasons of Mojo: An Herbal Guide to Natural Living. Llewellyn Worldwide. p. 67. ISBN   9780738706283.
  2. Lembo, Margaret Ann (2006). The Essential Guide to Aromatherapy and Vibrational Healing. Llewellyn Worldwide. p. 41. ISBN   9780738747781.
  3. Prower, Tomás (1 Oct 2015). La Santa Muerte. Llewellyn Worldwide. p. 99. ISBN   9780738745510.
  4. 1 2 Albertsson, Alaric (8 November 2013). To Walk a Pagan Path. Llewellyn Worldwide. p. 232. ISBN   9780738739229.
  5. 1 2 Mahindru, Som Nath (1992). Indian plant perfumes. Metropolitan. p. 107.
  6. 1 2 "Nag Champa Ingredients". Natural Scents. Archived from the original on 2021-11-07. Retrieved 2021-11-07.
  7. 1 2 Beer, Robert (1999). The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs. Serindia. p. 50. ISBN   9780906026489.
  8. Bird, Stephanie Rose (2006). Four Seasons of Mojo: An Herbal Guide to Natural Living . Llewellyn. p.  67. ISBN   978-0-7387-0628-3.
  9. Whitehurst, Tess (2013). The Magic of Flowers: A Guide to Their Metaphysical Uses & Properties. Llewellyn Worldwide. pp. 295–. ISBN   978-0-7387-3194-0.