HEM Lemongrass

 

Lemongrass is occasionally used as an incense scent, mainly in everyday perfumed-charcoal sticks, or in lower end citronella fly-repellent incense, so it's not an incense that I find fills me with pleasurable anticipation. My encounters with lemongrass incense has been that the scent is fairly simple - some earthy, herby lemon with some lavender and/or sage aspects, and perhaps a musky base (depending on formulation or lemongrass source - Cymbopogon citratus, the West Indian lemon grass, tends to be more lemony, while Cymbopogon flexuosus, the East Indian lemon grass, tends to be more musky), and while generally likeable is not a scent that excites or interests me. Eugene offers a Lemongrass in his Bhagwan range which promises to be more interesting than average. But, meanwhile, here's a HEM Lemongrass. 

Lemongrass is an economical plant to convert into essential oil, so it is more likely than not that most lemongrass incense is made with an essential oil; though, to cut costs, it would be blended with a carrier, so would be classed as a fragrance oil rather than a pure essential. There is a clear lemongrass scent on the stick - a woody and fresh lemon with a grassy citronella tang. 

There is a fair amount of black smoke when the stick is lit, so it's likely that a chemical fixative such as DEP, has been used - though some folks say that black smoke is  common in all sorts of incense, including natural hand made incense. Anyway, the scent is a little smoky and a little sharp, but does smell of lemongrass, but in a fairly simplistic, citronella sort of way - kinda basic, and more about being an insect repellent than an aesthetic scent to please and interest.  It's OK, but it's lemongrass, so is not my thing. 

Date: May 2024   Score: 27

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HEM Corporation

Lemongrass & Citronella scents