Palo Santo Sticks: What they are and why we love them
At Loot we’re always looking for ways to keep creative energy flowing. We want our staff to be inspired and motivated and for our showroom to be an inviting, positive space for all who enter it. Enter the Palo Santo stick.
Palo Santo is Spanish for “holy wood”, and comes from the Bursera graveolens tree of South America. It is a long respected tool for spiritual cleansing, as burning it is believed to cleanse a person’s energy field and heal ailments. It’s recent popularity is from folks much like ourselves hoping to get rid of bad vibes.
They smell fantastic, they don’t burn out in one use, and their smoke and essential oil make for a natural insect repellent. I feel the positive energy already!
We light them in the showroom, we take them home, and we give them as gifts. Their history and simplicity inspires us.

Photo by Paige Newton
How to Use Palo Santo
Let’s purify your space and remove bad energy. Sounds good, right?!
- Light your Palo Santo stick.
- Let the stick catch fire, and allow it to burn for about 30 seconds. Then, gently blow out the flame. If needed, you can blow on the embers to keep the smoke going throughout the process.
- Inhale & exhale
- To fill your space with positive intention, start at an entrance and move clockwise through it with your Palo Santo. Allow the smoke and rich smell of the Palo Santo to fill your space.
- Put the Palo Santo stick in a fireproof container. The glow at the end will eventually go out on its own! Unlike typical incense, which burns out completely when lit. That means your Palo Santo wood may be relit many times!