HEM Hexagonal Incense - Ylang Ylang

• The scent is sweet and floral, with a warm, uplifting character rather than anything sharp or heavy.
• The fragrance has a soft, exotic quality, the sort that fills a small room gently instead of announcing itself.
• The hexagonal pack is a deep magenta pink, printed with small yellow blossoms and "Ylang Ylang" running down its length.
• The slim, tall box stands neatly on a shelf or sits in a drawer beside your holder and matches.

Ylang ylang takes its name from a tropical flowering tree, and its blossoms are long associated with perfumery. Here that floral sweetness is carried into incense form. HEM, an Indian incense maker with a long-standing following, packs it in its familiar hexagonal tube.

Light the tip of a stick, let it flame for a few seconds, then blow it out so it glows and releases a thin ribbon of smoke. Stand the plain end in a heat-resistant holder or ash catcher. Sticks like these typically burn for somewhere between half an hour and an hour, though this varies, so it is worth checking the pack. Burn in a ventilated room, keep it away from anything flammable, and never leave it unattended.

A sweet floral like this suits slower moments: the hour after work, a quiet evening, a few minutes of stillness before meditation or reading. Light one stick and let the room fill gradually. When it finishes, the scent fades gently rather than leaving a hard edge.

A hexagonal pack of HEM Ylang Ylang incense sticks, made in India. You will need a holder and a way to light them; both are easy to find, and a simple ceramic or brass dish works well.

It is an inexpensive way to give someone a calm evening: a thoughtful addition to a gift of candles or a ceramic holder, or a little something for a friend who likes to scent their home.