Yes, it’s genuinely done — traditional bakhoor is made by soaking wood chips or a charcoal-and-gum base in scented oils and resins, then drying it before burning, though it takes some trial and error to get the proportions and burn quality right.

What to expect if you try it

Getting a homemade blend to burn evenly and release scent properly takes practice, since too much oil can make chips smoulder poorly or smoke unpleasantly, while too little won’t carry enough scent. Good ventilation and safe charcoal-burning practice matter just as much as the recipe itself — treat it the same way you would any open-flame or hot-charcoal activity at home, with proper heatproof equipment and never left unattended.

  • Start with small test batches rather than a large quantity first time
  • Ensure proper ventilation and never leave burning charcoal unattended
  • Expect some trial and error before you get the balance of oils to wood right

Many people find their first few attempts smoke too quickly or unevenly, and treat this as a genuinely enjoyable, ongoing hobby to refine over time rather than expecting a perfect result from the very first try.

Our complete guide to bakhoor and our complete guide to perfume cover the basics in more depth, and our bakhoor burners are worth having properly set up before you start experimenting.