What to burn instead of white sage

Instead of white sage, burn something from your own tradition, a resin or a garden herb such as rosemary, or choose an incense made by makers you can name. Or burn nothing and open the windows. White sage is often poached from the wild and sits inside ceremonies that belong to other peoples.

By Tobi, founder of Ẹlẹ́wà, a Yoruba-rooted ritualsware house in Sydney. White sage is everywhere: bundles at the checkout, starter kits, every post about cleansing your space. Here is why I don't sell it, and what I burn instead.

Why is burning white sage a problem?

White sage (Salvia apiana) grows wild in southern California and northern Mexico. Burning it is a sacred practice for Indigenous peoples there. As it became a wellness trend, demand grew past what the wild plant can bear.

A Gabrieleño tribal statement says smudge sticks not labelled as farmed are often poached from wildlife reserves in Southern California, and that poachers often take the whole plant. Its authors ask people outside their communities to use white sage sparingly, to ask sellers where theirs came from and to look to the herb of their own tradition.

What about smoking ceremonies in Australia?

Smoking ceremonies belong to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Burning a herb at home is fine. Calling it a smoking ceremony isn't ours to do.

What can you burn instead of white sage?

• Something from your own tradition. Most cultures have a smoke, a resin or a herb they have always burned. Ask your elders what yours is.
• Resins. Frankincense and myrrh have been burned for thousands of years across Africa and the Middle East. Researchers have warned that some frankincense trees are under pressure, so buy from sellers who can tell you where theirs comes from.
• Herbs from the garden. Dried rosemary or bay leaves, burned in a heat-proof dish, smell clean and cost almost nothing.
• Incense with named makers. If you buy a blend, buy one where you know who made it and what is in it.
• No smoke at all. Open the windows, sweep, put the music up. Clearing a room is an intention more than an ingredient.

What do I burn instead of white sage?

I made CLEANSE for this. The notes are citrus peel, peppermint, African basil (efinrin in Yoruba), camphor, frankincense and myrrh. Unlit, it smells cold, a bit like bubblegum. Lit, the citrus comes forward and turns bright and zingy. It's a zhuzh for you and the room.

It is made in small batches by Gita Aromatic in Pejeng, Bali, and everyone who worked on it is named on the good character page.

How do you clear a room with CLEANSE?

1. Open a window.
2. Light a stick, let the flame take, then blow it out so the ember glows.
3. Leave it in a heat-proof holder, or carry it slowly through the room over a heat-proof dish.
4. When the room smells right, smoosh it out. The scent stays.

Questions people ask

Is it wrong to burn any sage?

Garden sage from your own pot is a different plant. The concern is wild-harvested white sage and the ceremony it is taken from.

Is CLEANSE a smudge stick?

No. It's incense, and I call it that.

Can I use it if I'm not Yoruba?

Yes. Ẹlẹ́wà is open to everyone. Burn it as incense, and leave other people's ceremonies to them.

Where this comes from: a Gabrieleño tribal statement on white sage preservation. Last updated 9 November 2026.