Sandalwood
The woody base. Warm, steady and never sharp, sandalwood keeps the scent low and settled instead of letting it drift, which suits reading, meditation and quiet hours alone.
Returning Still, botanical incense sticks by Zamba
Sandalwood, cedar and herbs from the Himalayan Plateau in a dry, woody incense: the weight of traditional incense, softened for the rooms you live in.
Buy now
$19.99
15 sticks, about 30 minutes each. Shipping included in the US. Made in China. Product details
An olfactory translation
Traditional Himalayan incense has deep roots, but many people who light it for the first time find it heavy: dense smoke, a medicinal edge, the air of a temple. It is beautiful in its place and hard to live with in a bedroom or a study.
Returning Still keeps what is precious in the Tibetan incense tradition (its plants, its herbs, its steady woody base) and softens what is heavy. The result is a clean, warm, dry woody incense to light on an ordinary evening at home.
It began with the air of the high plateau: cold, clean air below the snow line, pine and cedar in highland forests, and the austere, faintly bitter scent of herbs shaped by a cold climate.
- From noise, back to quiet.
- From tension, back to ease.
- From drifting, back to ground.
Dry, woody and quiet
Not sweet, not floral, not heavy temple incense. The scent opens as the stick catches and changes as it burns down.
-
As it catches
Top
Clean herbal, slightly cool
The room goes quiet first.
-
Through the middle
Heart
Cedar, sandalwood, basil
Warm wood that settles and stays close.
-
Toward the end
Base
High-altitude herbs, slightly bitter, soft
A dry, clear finish that lingers without weight.
“Wood has none of a flower’s flourish and none of fruit’s sweetness. It is quiet and warm, and carries the strength of trees that have grown for years.”
What it is made of
From the box, in the order it lists them:
- Red Sandalwood
- White Sandalwood
- Juniper
- Cardamom
- Basil
- Cedar
- Safflower
Blended with herbal materials harvested from the Himalayan Plateau. Made in China.
Zamba adds no synthetic fragrance to the blend.
Cedar
Cooler, cleaner wood. Cedar calls up mountain forest, cold air and a timber cabin at the snow line. It is the note that gives the blend its highland character. Zamba calls it by its Sanskrit name, devadaru.
Basil and highland herbs
Basil is green, a little peppery and cool. It lifts the blend out of heaviness. The high-altitude herbs add an earthy, rooty, open-hillside quality and a faint bitterness, so the scent never reads as a single wood.
For the rooms you live in
Not just for special occasions. Light a stick before reading, writing, tea, meditation or time alone, or at the end of the working day to change pace.
Bedroom
Switch off the overhead light, turn on the bedside lamp and light a stick. As sandalwood and cedar open up, the room becomes somewhere to settle at the end of the day. Light it a while before bed, and make sure it is out before you turn in.
Study
For reading, writing and thinking. The dry woody accord stays in the background and does not compete for your attention.
Tea room
Tea wants a restrained scent, nothing sweet, heavy or powdery. The herbal, woody notes sit easily beside a cup’s bitterness and long finish.
Studio
On a crowded workday, lighting a stick draws a line: from here on, slow down and give your attention to what matters.
How much to burn
- Small bedroom
- Half a stick
- Study
- Half to one stick
- Tea room
- One stick
- Living room
- Adjust to the size of the room
For half a stick, smother the tip with a lid once it has burned halfway; you can light the rest another time.
How to burn it
-
Hold it at an angle
Take out one stick and hold it at a slight angle, tip pointing away from you.
-
Light the tip
Bring the tip to a flame until it catches.
-
Fan out the flame
Once the tip smolders steadily, gently fan out the flame. Do not blow forcefully.
-
Set it down and wait
Stand it upright in a holder and give it about ten seconds to settle before the scent opens.
-
Put it out
Smother the tip with a lid or submerge it in water. Keep it away from anything flammable until it has fully cooled.
No special holder needed: any ceramic or wooden holder with a hole that keeps the stick upright will do.
WARNING: Fire and smoke
- Keep burning incense away from curtains, paper, wooden furniture and all flammable materials.
- Never leave burning incense unattended. Make sure it is fully extinguished before you leave the room.
- Keep out of reach of children and pets.
- Use indoors in a well-ventilated area. Do not burn for long periods in enclosed spaces.
- For indoor aromatic use only. Not for ingestion.
If you are pregnant, have an infant at home, are sensitive to smoke or have a respiratory condition, or live with pets, use with care: keep the room ventilated and avoid breathing the smoke up close for long periods.
Front of the box
Returning Still
Botanical Incense Sticks, 15 sticks
- In the box
- 15 sticks
- Each stick
- Approx. 10 cm, about 30 minutes
- Scent
- Dry woody: cedar, sandalwood, basil
- Origin
- Made in China
- Shipping included within the US
- 30-day returns on unopened boxes
- Secure checkout with Apple Pay or Google Pay
WARNING: This product can expose you to chemicals including benzene, which is known to the State of California to cause cancer, and carbon monoxide, which is known to the State of California to cause birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.
Questions
Something else? Write to [email protected].
How is this different from traditional Tibetan incense?
Traditional Tibetan incense is often heavy, with a strong temple and smoky character. Returning Still keeps the botanical base of that tradition but is blended to be cleaner, warmer and softer, for everyday rooms like a bedroom, study or tea room.
What does it smell like?
A clean, mellow, dry woody accord: the warmth of sandalwood, the cool wood of cedar, and a clear green lift from basil and high-altitude herbs. It is not sweet, not floral and not heavy temple incense.
Is the scent strong?
It is soft rather than heavy. Half a stick is enough for a small bedroom; a larger room may want a whole one. Keep the room ventilated either way.
How long does a stick burn, and how long does the scent stay?
Each stick burns for approximately 30 minutes under normal conditions. A faint trace can stay in a room for one to three hours afterward, longer on fabrics, depending on the size of the room and how much air moves through it.
What is it made of? Does it contain synthetic fragrance?
Red sandalwood, white sandalwood, juniper, cardamom, basil, cedar and safflower, blended with herbal materials harvested from the Himalayan Plateau. Zamba adds no synthetic fragrance to the blend.
Can I use it around children, pets or during pregnancy?
Burning incense produces smoke, so Zamba advises care if you are pregnant, have an infant at home, are sensitive to smoke or have a respiratory condition, or live with pets. Keep the room ventilated, avoid breathing the smoke up close for long periods, and always keep burning incense out of reach of children and pets.
Does it make a lot of smoke?
It is still incense, so it gives off smoke when lit. The blend softens the heavy, smoky character of traditional incense, but we recommend keeping the room ventilated while it burns.
Can I burn it in the bedroom in the evening?
Yes, as part of an evening wind-down. Light it a while before bed, keep the room ventilated, never leave it unattended, and make sure it is completely out before you go to sleep.
How long does a box last?
Each box holds 15 sticks, about 7½ hours of burning in all. At one stick a day that is about two weeks; at two a day, about a week.
How should I store it?
Unopened, a box keeps for one year. Once opened, keep the sticks sealed in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, moisture and heat, so they stay easy to light.
Do I need a special holder?
No. The box contains 15 sticks; any ceramic or wooden holder with a hole that keeps the stick upright will do.
My sticks got damp and are hard to light. What should I do?
Spread them out to dry in a cool, airy spot out of direct sunlight, and light them once they are completely dry. Do not dry them over a flame or heater; they can crack and break.
Is it a good gift?
For someone who likes quiet, woody scents rather than sweet or floral ones, yes. Unopened boxes can be returned within 30 days of delivery.
Where is it made?
Returning Still is made in China. Its botanical blend includes herbal materials harvested from the Himalayan Plateau.
Where do you ship, and when will my order arrive?
We currently ship within the United States, and shipping within the US is included in the price. We email your tracking number as soon as your order ships. If we cannot ship within 30 days of your order, we will email you and you can cancel for a full refund. Shipping policy
How do I pay?
Checkout is completed on a secure hosted page with Apple Pay or Google Pay. We never see your card details.
Can I return it?
Unopened boxes can be returned within 30 days of delivery. If your order arrives damaged or defective, tell us within 30 days and we will replace it or refund it. Because scent is personal and incense is used up as it burns, opened or burned boxes cannot be returned for scent preference. Returns & refunds policy
Wholesale and hospitality
For hotels and guesthouses, tea rooms, studios, retailers and gift programs. We can also arrange custom outer packaging for corporate gifts and souvenirs.
Tell us who you are, where you are, and what you have in mind.
Email [email protected]