The Hem Corporation has incense factories in Bangalore, Mumbai and Bhiwandi; it was founded in 1975, and is one of the largest incense companies in the world, with over 100 different incense products which are exported to over 50 countries around the world. Their website hemincense, where they have their mission statement to "strive to deliver genuine handcrafted Indian Incense across the world." They also have a Facebook page at HEMIncense.
They make cones and sticks in traditional single scents - mainly in their "Precious" range, such as Amber, Chandan, Jasmine, Musk and Patchouli, and flower and fruit scents, such as Coconut, they also create blends, such as Frankincense and Myrrh, and their own scents, such as The Moon. The cones tend to come in boxes of ten with a tin disc on which to stand the cones, while the sticks tend to come in 20g hexagonal packs which hold approximately 20 sticks. HEM incense products are mid-priced - the cones are available for around £1.75, and the sticks for around £1.25. No individual HEM scent has a particular reputation or popularity. People just seem to buy them because they are available, and then they recognise the brand.
While the company claim "handcrafted", and the sticks are handrolled, the scent is applied as a chemical/liquid perfume to the basic charcoal paste, in contrast to the masala blends which are made from a paste consisting of mostly natural ingredients and essential oils. Applying a mainly synthetic scent to a charcoal stick is known as perfume-dipped in the West and simply as perfumed in the East. HEM aromas and the blends can be interesting and attractive, as with the Frankincense-Myrrh, but the HEM brands tend to have a signature note of damp rose-scented talcum powder that catches in the throat. It may be due to an ingredient they use, or it may be that the ingredients are not fresh, or are of poor quality, or it may the effect of the chemical scent, whatever it is, I don't find it attractive. However, I find I like the Frankincense-Myrrrh, and the Cherry Vanilla, so I will keep an open mind.
HEM do tend to divide opinion. They are a popular company, and many people like HEM because the incense is bright, simple, and straightforward; but others dislike them because the scents are not natural, and can be a bit brash as well as simple. There are better quality incenses available, even among the perfumed incense, but HEM succeed because they are readily available and are very cheap. I am not a fan of HEM, but I don't dislike them. The incense is cheap, decently made (you always get the scent of the perfume), and can sometimes surprise with a delightful scent, such as their Frankincense-Myrrh, which I rate higher than their masala incense. HEM is the sort of casual incense that we use around the house to brighten up the place, or cover up stale or bad smells. We don't generally use HEM to sit and enjoy the scents, though sometimes a HEM scent just hits the spot; and, like drinking a straightforward pale lager can be palate cleansing and refreshing after sampling a range of imperial stouts, so it can be diverting to burn a HEM after a period of burning some complex masala incense.
There is a TV advert for the "Precious" brand on YouTube.
* = Review over five years old
There is a TV advert for the "Precious" brand on YouTube.
* = Review over five years old
The reviews
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| HEM Church Incense (M) Oct 2024 - Score: 40 |
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| HEM Myrrh Masala Incense March 2022 - Score: 39 |
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| HEM Cinnamon Masala Incense (M) March 2022 - Score: 39 |
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Feb 2023 - Score: 38↑ |
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Oct 2023 - Score: 36↑↓ |
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| HEM Cinnamon Mar 2020 - Score: 36 |
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| HEM Good Fortune Jan 2019* - Score: 36 |
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| HEM Champa Black Masala Incense (M) Oct 2024 - Score: 35 |
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| HEM Iris (P) June 2014 - Score: 35 |
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| HEM Amber Incense Sticks (P) Jan 2024 - Score: 35 |
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| HEM Anubhuti (M) Apr 2020 - Score: 35 |
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| HEM Baby Powder (P) Oct 2024 - Score: 37↑ |
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| HEM Patchouli Masala incense (PM) Oct 2024 - Score: 34 |
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| HEM The Sun (P) June 2024 - Score: 33 |
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| HEM Soham Mogra (D) Aug 2019 - Score: 33 |
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| HEM Frankincense Incense Cones Dec 2020 - Score: 33 |
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| HEM Precious Chandan Cones Jan 2019* - Score: 33 |
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| HEM Patchouli May 2024 - Score: 32↑↓ |
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| HEM Cherry Vanilla Jan 2015 - Score: 32* |
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| HEM Magnolia Incense Cones (P) Mar 2019 - Score: 32 |
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| HEM Lilac (P) May 2024 - Score: 31 |
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| HEM Precious Mogra Jul 2014* - Score: 31 |
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| HEM Myrrh Incense Cones Jan 2019* - Score: 31 |
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HEM Silver Rain (P) July 2024 - Score: 30 |
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| HEM The Star (P) June 2024 - Score: 30 |
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| HEM Soham Dhoop Batti (M) May 2019* - Score: 29 |
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| HEM Dragon's Blood (P) Dec 2024 - Score: 29↑ |
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| HEM Fruit Punch (P) Jan 2024 - Score: 29 |
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| HEM Lime Lemon (P) May 2024 - Score: 29 |
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| HEM Vanilla Incense Cones Jan 2019* - Score: 28 |
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| HEM Strawberry Feb 2015* - Score: |
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| HEM Blueberry (P) May 2024 - Score: 26 |
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| HEM Lotus Incense Cones Mar 2019* - Score: 26 |
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| HEM Lord Shiva (P) Nov 2024 - Score: 25 |
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| HEM Red Apple (P) July 2024 - Score: 25 |
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| HEM Cannabis Incense Cones Mar 2019* - Score: 25 |
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| HEM Cherry Jasmine (P) May 2024 - Score: 25 |
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| HEM Everest (P) May 2024 - Score: 25 |
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| HEM Cinnamon-Apple (P) May 2024 - Score: 24↓ |
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| HEM Cinnamon Incense Cones (P) Jan 2019 - Score: 23 |
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HEM Meditation (P) Sept 2023* - Score: 23 |
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| HEM Protection (P) March 2022* - Score: 23 |
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| HEM Black Opium (P) Nov 2024 - Score: 23 |
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| HEM Coconut Mango (P) Dec 2024 - Score: 22 |
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| HEM Love (P) May 2024 - Score: 22 |
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| HEM Coconut Incense Cones Mar 2019* - Score: 22↑ |
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| HEM Gold Rain (P) May 2024 - Score: 22 |
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Nov 2024 - Score: 22 |
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| HEM Anti-Stress cones Jan 2019* - Score: 21 |
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| HEM Morning Mist Incense Sticks (P) May 2024 - Score: 20 |
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| HEM Precious Rose Incense Cones (P) Feb 2019* Score: 20 |
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| HEM Tangerine cones Jan 2019* - Score: 20 |
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Feb 2024 - Score: 20= |
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| HEM White Musk cones May 2018* - Score: 20* |
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| HEM Precious Lily Feb 2015* - Score: 20 |
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| HEM Gold Rain cones Jan 2019* - Score: 19 |
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| HEM Lemon (P) May 2024 - Score: 18 |
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| HEM Gold Silver (P) June 2024 - Score: 18 |
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| HEM Diwali Special Jan 2015* - Score: 16 |
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| HEM The Moon March 2013* - Score: 15 |
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March 2013* - Score: 09
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| HEM Precious Musk Feb 2013* - Score: 08 |
Scents rated: 61
Highest score: 40
Lowest score: 08
Lowest score: 08
Average top five: 38
Average score: 27
Overall: 32
Conclusion: Not my favourite incense maker by any means; the scents are inconsistent, and can sometimes smell of some vile chemical based "floral" scents, but on the whole they do produce some cheap and attractive synthetic scents for everyday use as room fresheners or quick mood lifters. I am inclined against them, but will succumb to cheap deals, and I'm sometimes surprised by how much I enjoy some scents. They also make masala, which is becoming more available in the West as Indian incense houses note the success of Satya and Goloka. Their masala incense is pretty solid.
Average score: 27
Overall: 32
Conclusion: Not my favourite incense maker by any means; the scents are inconsistent, and can sometimes smell of some vile chemical based "floral" scents, but on the whole they do produce some cheap and attractive synthetic scents for everyday use as room fresheners or quick mood lifters. I am inclined against them, but will succumb to cheap deals, and I'm sometimes surprised by how much I enjoy some scents. They also make masala, which is becoming more available in the West as Indian incense houses note the success of Satya and Goloka. Their masala incense is pretty solid.
***
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| The Best Incense Makers |
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