Sandarac comes from Tetraclinis articulata, a small, cypress-like conifer that grows in the mountain regions of northwest Africa, most notably across the Atlas range of southern Morocco. When the bark is cut, a clear resin seeps out and hardens in the air into small, translucent, pale-yellow tears. For centuries this resin was a prized ingredient in varnish-making, especially through the late medieval and Renaissance periods.

Burned as incense, sandarac releases a bright, warm, slightly fruity-resinous scent that sits close to frankincense but feels noticeably lighter and fresher. It works well as a base note in woody or oriental fragrance blends and is traditionally combined with other resins to extend and round out their scent.

The Himalayan cedar grows at high altitude across the western Himalaya, spanning Afghanistan, northern Pakistan, northern India, Tibet, and western Nepal, often above 1,500 metres. It is among the largest conifers in the region, with broad conical crowns and trunks reaching up to three metres across. Its name comes from the Sanskrit devadāru, "wood of the gods," reflecting its long-standing religious and ritual significance in Hindu tradition.

As incense, cedarwood gives off a warm, balsamic, woody scent with a soft resinous depth that feels calming and grounding. In Ayurvedic practice, cedarwood has long been used to clear a space and settle the mind, often burned alongside other woods or resins.