The Complete Book of Incense, Oils & Brews (Llewellyn's Practical Magick)

Scott Cunningham’s “The Complete Book of Incense, Oils and Brews” is a really excellent go-to general reference on the use of herbs and herbal creations. What I really appreciate about Cunningham is the fact that he was practical and no nonsense, not to mention his healthy dose of common sense that floods his writing. This book is in three parts with a glossary, appendixes, and a bibliography and is a prime example of truly practical magic. Throughout the text, he encourages readers to utilize substitutions. For example, I used his recipe for the Psychic Bath (page 214), but being out of lemongrass, I substituted the lemongrass for some grated lemon rind that I had frozen last year. When I was in graduate school, my mother gave me a CD of Gail Twersky’s guided meditation for stress relief. After I made the Psychic Bath sachet, I lit a yellow candle, put on Twersky’s meditation, and soaked in the tub. To be perfectly honest, the bath relaxed me more than I have ever been, and I’ve previously used the candle and the guided meditation—both separately and in conjunction with one another. The book is an easy read and highly informative. I absolutely recommend this book, and particularly so given the author was continually adamant about the dangers of certain herbs. Cunningham is an author whose works continue to be trustworthy sources.

Nice book of recipes! The only issue that I would bring up is that’s the measurements go by parts versus tablespoons teaspoons are what not. So make sure that you know what the equivalent of parts measure out to be. Other than that, I do think that it is a nice beginner book of recipes oils and bruises as the title says. It is worth the money.

Im very happy with my book. Very informative and handy. And a surprising amount of recipes in it definitely recommend getting this as a staple

This is one great book! Very helpful, lots of reference tools available inside and appendices that show you where to get more information. I love Scott Cunningham's books. I only recently discovered the wealth of information he has provided to the world on Wicca and Wiccan traditions - as well as natural healing, practical magic (magick), and "Incense, Oils, and Brews" - and I was thrilled to see in the foreword where the author reads letters from fans/readers, and quickly as equally disappointed to soon after learn that he had since passed away. Buy any of Scott Cunningham's books on anything Wicca-related, and I guarantee you, you can't go wrong. Full of helpful information, and written in a way that is not only easy to understand but actually also a pleasure to read. This is not an easy statement to make about most reference-type books, but it is true of Scott Cunningham's works. He was not only a great practitioner of Wicca, but honestly, a great writer as well. I am so glad that he decided to pass on his personal information that he learned from dedicating most of his lifetime to the craft - to the rest of us, for our day-to-day use, life enrichment, and for the betterment of our health, love, work, and every aspect of our daily living. I am currently diving in to TEN of his books right now. If practicing Herbal Magick, Wicca, or creating your own incenses interests you in any way, this book is a MUST HAVE for your personal library. I prefer the physical version to the Kindle app - as you can highlight, make notes, and easily flip back and forth through ear-marked pages as needed. Before long, I'm sure I'll have every book available in his name - and I know that I will not only read them all, but will USE them all in many of my day-to-day workings as a solitary practitioner of the Wiccan craft.

BUY THIS BOOK my Witchy friends! I have had this book for over 20 years. I have bought several of them, as I have given my copy away to other Witchy pals when I would talk to them about it. Most recently I bought a copy for my sister-from-another-mister. She has joined me in a journey of the craft. This book is great for substitutions in spellwork, for finding ingredients for specific purposes, and for general spellwork knowledge. It has been indispensable for me over the years. My current copy I have had for about 10 or 11 years, as I bought it when I moved into our new home. This one is well loved and written in now, so mo handing it off. But it is my NUMBER ONE go to gift for the new Witch. 🪄🧙‍♀️

I have seen this book 100s of times recommended by other magical practitioners, however being that I do not have anything to do with Wicca or Paganism, I decided to pass...until recently I purchased The Complete Formulary of Magical Oils & was in need of some good suggestions as far as substitutions go. I heard that there was a section in this book dedicated especially to substitutes; that was my main reason for getting this book. I practice Hoodoo, Conjure & the like, but I can definitely appreciate Cunningham's work. This book though, if you're looking mostly for recipes, would not be the one to go with. It does have some great recipes in it, don't get me wrong, but it's mostly about explaining how to brew & blend. I do enjoy the section that talks about exactly how to figure out how to make your own blends since it includes tables/charts, but aside from that, a lot of the formulas given are about planetary & elementals, not to mention that most are essentially repeats of different formulas that have the same intent; for example, 3 different purification formulas, etc. This book is best fit for someone looking to learn how to craft, rather than someone looking for actual recipes. Regardless, it's a great book. I was concerned that I may be disappointed & would return it, but I'm actually quite glad to have it in my collection. The biggest selection of recipes however, is the incenses. The oil selection is quite short, as well as everything else. Although it does have some cool recipes for sachets & even powders, which was a nice surprise. The substitute section is nice to have, but it's not as extensive as I'd like it be; it still helps to have it on hand & for me personally makes the book worth having around even if it isn't that long of a list (considering that he mentions rosemary being used as a sub. for any herb *eyeroll*) There are even formulas in here for making "bouquets" which is definitely helpful...I would certainly recommend adding this book to your collection no doubt, I just think that it shouldn't be your 1 & only resource for recipes & formulas; I suggested accompanying it with another such book, like the Llewellyn's Formulary that I mentioned earlier. I give it 4 stars simply because there just aren't enough formulas in here for my liking, or even a vast enough selection of "intentions", but I still love the book nonetheless.

Good recipe in this book.

Scott Cunningham was the first pagan author I read. I first read his Wicca and Living Wicca. I then went on to add several more of his books including this one. This book is a great resource for making your own incense, and oils and brews :) These things can get pricey after awhile. Being able to buy the ingredients in bulk from somewhere like mountain rose herbs and then making your own is way more affordable. Scott teaches you all you need to know about making your own and infusing them with your intentions. There are so many recipes in here with correspondences to match you are sure to find some you love. Some of the negative reviews dislike the book because of his use of salt peter, etc. You don't have to use these things. Take the book, learn the steps for making incense, with or without combustible ingredients and enjoy your creations.

A must!

The Complete Book of Incense, Oils and Brews by Scott Cunningham is a must-have for anyone interested in the art of creating magical scents and tools. I first discovered this book at my auntie's house and was immediately drawn to the fascinating recipes. I had to get my own copy! The book is full of information for those into aromatherapy, offering a variety of recipes for tinctures, oils, bath salts, and incense. Cunningham provides detailed instructions, making it easy to follow along and start crafting your own magical concoctions. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned practitioner, you'll find plenty of inspiration and guidance here. This book is an essential resource for anyone looking to enhance their practice with the power of scent and ritual.

Very great book. I highly recommend it to everyone who wants to work with herbs and oil and incense as a beginner. Late Scott Cunningham has written it in a simple way to be understood.

I love it. AAAAAA++++++

This book is a comprehensive guide to using herbs, incenses and potions. It is easy to read and digest the information. It explains in detail the dos and don't of Spell Craft. It is a must have book for inexperienced and experienced practitioners. I absolutely love it.