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.