These Aussie-Designed Incense Sticks Are an Ode to Family and Connection

For Joshua Tong, burning incense is about far more than making your home smell great. The founder of Melbourne lifestyle brand Maho Sensory believes burning incense to be an encompassing spiritual experience – one that embraces energies and karma. It’s a belief passed on to Tong through the Buddhist teachings of his late mother.

Translating to “magic” in Japanese, Maho launched in 2020 with a range of minimalist Sensory Sticks available in six core scents. Now, the label is stocked in more than 100 stores across Australia and New Zealand and has evolved to offer Sensory Tea – a series of signature loose-leaf blends packaged in sleek metallic tins that won silver at the 2023 Better Future Melbourne Design Awards.

Maho’s sticks are made in the Chinese province of Fujian. The Rose Bois scent is inspired by Tong’s annual pilgrimage to Bali. “If you have ever scooted around the alleys of Seminyak, you would know this distinct scent of floral rose and an earthy sandalwood aroma,” Tong says. “I had to recapture this moment.”

Other fragrances include Wander Bloom, nodding to the boats on the Mekong River selling freshly cut oriental lilies and tropical lychees; Artisan Leather, inspired by workshops in Florence; and Gypsy Wood, a blend of cream, frankincense, white wood and sunflower. There are also 14 Sensory Teas ranging from floral green blends and classic Earl Grey to calming herbals like puer and oolong.

“For me, Maho represents emancipation, spiritual connection, family and the hope that it’s never too late to design your own path,” Tong says. “The best part is my connection to my mum!”

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