Review on 🌿 Bulk Palo Santo Incense Sticks - 200g (Approx. 26-36), Holy Wood for Healing, Meditation, Stress Relief & Support - Wild Harvested, 100% Natural from Ecuador by Kara Hall

Reviews on this product are very mixed, some people swear it's fake and others say it's definitely legit. According to a Wiccan blog site I found, Palo Santo is 1) endangered but the forest is recovering and 2) doesn't smell right when harvested from a living tree - it must be harvested from dead wood. I'm not sure what to believe, but I asked a question about the harvesting method on this point. One thing that will really help buyers feel more secure is a little more transparency on the part of the seller about their sources. At the moment the seller seems to be quite anonymous, he only has 5 items for sale on the market and this is the only perfume. In the past I've had and burned several dozen sticks I bought from local stores. - and this wood has nothing to do with the same quality. The ones in stores were soft and the grain of the wood was imperceptible. On the surface they appeared oily and velvety. A fingernail is easy to dent and scratches the surface leaving a small oily stain. This wood that I received is the polar opposite of all of that. The bag smells like Palo Santo, but when I sniffed it I noticed other smells - maybe mint and eucalyptus. Maybe they were just held together with other essential oils? But otherwise the texture is very noticeable and the wood is quite hard. It looks and feels like everyday firewood, not like sticks I've bought in the past (as far as I can remember). I will update this review with my findings. Now I have received and tested this item. What struck me was the smell of smoke from the fire. But it also left a lingering scent that definitely smells like Palo Santo. I was looking for the familiar oily layer that rises to the surface as wood heats and is usually visible in the blackened area just below the flame. That didn't happen with this wood. At this point I can only assume that it's either genuine Palo Santo wood, but maybe not of very good quality (fair enough I think given the price) or, less likely, maybe a different species. Wood impregnated with oil from the Palo Santo tree (not sure if that would make economic sense, but it might turn out to be cheaper for some reason). Again, I'll be on the lookout for local shops that might sell something to compare myself to.