Zodiac Scents (cones)

Bought from the friendly but inept Ian Snow website for £1 a box. Ian Snow had a sale on various Goloka and Parimal incense, so I ordered a variety of items, including three of the unbranded Zodiac Scents. The zodiac signs chosen matched our family - I'm Scorpio, my wife is Gemini, and our daughter is Pisces. A bit of fun, and a chance to check them out. The order takes absolutely ages to arrive, and I chase them up. Apparently it was sent out but got lost. The order will be sent again. Still nothing. I chase them up. No response. I chase them again, and get a breathless apology about being away on holiday, and the stuff will be sent immediately, but some items may be missing as they were on clearance sale, but they'll include a few free items as compensation. Fine. Order arrives, with around half the order replaced with items I don't want, and the free items are six Hem samples which are in doubles, so there's only three different scents. I email that if there were to be replacements I would have preferred to have been involved in the selection, to be told that I can send back anything I dislike for a replacement. Fair enough - but that involves a trip to the Post Office. It would have been quicker and easier just to let me know in advance. The service was friendly and well meaning, and the sale prices were very good, but I'm wary of using that site again in future.

As regards the cones? Well, you get a neat little cardboard box which contains a clay incense burner and eight small generic cones - the sort of thing you can get on eBay for around £3 a 100.  At £1 for eight cones, this is not good value. The bulk of the cost is in the gimmick of the zodiac themed box. It's the sort of thing you give as a little gift to someone who isn't into incense. A thank you gift for looking after the cat.

The Pisces sign is represented by cedar - and there is a woody cedar scent on the cone which does come through briefly when burned - though mostly it's the sawdust core that can be smelled - a little bit hot and smoky.  Scorpio is represented by patchouli. There's a hint of musk and gardenia on the cone. When burned it is mostly the core rather than the scent that can be smelled - so is a bit like burning cowshed straw. Gemini is represented by sandalwood which has a hint of sandalwood, but also table polish and pine cleaner. It is, though, the least offensive of the three when burned, containing some warm cereal notes.

In conclusion these Zodiac Scents are bargain basement stuff but sold at a premium because of the gimmick of the zodiac sign. If you think of it as buying a cardboard zodiac box which can be used for keeping small trinkets like ear-rings, and it contains some free incense cones that can be thrown away or used in the toilet, then you are unlikely to be disappointed.

Date: July 2018   Score: 19

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