In the realm of spirituality, incense is a tool used for cleansing the energy in a space, according to Lala Lopez, the owner of Mothball Memoirs. “It’s about not just the ritual of lighting incense, but it’s the whole sensory experience,” said Ms. Lopez, who views goods like Teomati and Espiritus del Ande as tools that should be treated with great reverence. Health concerns arise when incense is made out of synthetic ingredients because it pollutes the air when burned and inhaling these toxins is bad for the respiratory system according to Dr. Allen Dozor, a professor of clinical public health and chief of the Pulmonology, Allergy and Sleep Medicine division at New York Medical College. 