Beautifully scented, Sandalwood oil has the distinction of being one of the worlds most expensive essential oils and prized for its extraordinary and memorable fragrance, which if compared to a sound would be classified as ‘husky’.

It is sultry, heady, woody, rich yet soft and sweet. Its expensive price tag is on account of the very slow growth of the Santalum genus tree, taking decades to mature before being harvested for its oil.

Sandalwood oils history.

It takes on average 30-40 years for the tree to mature enough for harvesting, and it is then uprooted during the rainy season. The traditional area it’s grown in is the Mysore province of India and it is strictly controlled by the Indian government thus maintaining and ensuring a sustainable growth policy. The trees can have a lifespan of 100 years, and when they were more abundant they were used to build ever fragrant temples, monasteries and carved religious sculptures by the Tibetans, Chinese and Nepalese.

Sandalwood was used as incense and perfume by the Ancient Arabs, who pulverized the wood to make the incense and solid perfumes. Documented evidence going as far back as 4000 years has shown the origin of Sandalwood to be from India, and then spreading to Rome, Greece & Ancient Egypt. Uses for this material were varied, ranging from the practical, through the aesthetic to the spiritual.  Sandalwood has been used as perfume and as incense, as well as in traditional medicine for thousands of years.

For centuries, the East Indian Sandalwood oil has held a very prominent place in traditional Chinese and Ayurvedic medicine for treating the common cold, digestive problems, inflammation, infections and even mental health.

Uses of Sandalwood oil. Sandalwoods claim to fame is for its skin care abilities.

• Skin care – Add a few drops to large bowl of steaming water, cover head with a towel & place your face over the hot water. A Sandalwood steam face bath will leave your face feeling soft, rejuvenated and glowing. Also apply a few drops directly to the skin for reducing visible skin imperfections and improving the complexion.
• Support nervous system  – Used in a diffuser, a few drops will help calm the mind and settled jangled nerves. Or place a few drops of Sandalwood oil to the palms of the hands, briskly rub and cup the hands around your nose and deeply inhale, this will help balance the emotions and reduce tension.
• UTI’s – Ayurvedic medicine prescribes a few drops of Sandalwood oil mixed with a spoon full of sugar and consume for relief of urinary tract infection symptoms. 
• Headaches & migraines - Ayurvedic medicine prescribes making a paste, by mixing a few drops of Sandalwood oil with a few drops of camphor, blended with a teaspoon of firm coconut oil. Apply this paste to the forehead and temples for headache and migraine relief.
• Reduce fevers – Ayurvedic medicine prescribes a few drops of Sandalwood oil mixed with a spoon full of sugar and consume for reducing fever and inflammation.
• Plant protection  – The gardener’s best friend, mix a few drops of Sandalwood oil with water in a spray bottle and spray on your plants, studies have shown that the oils helps plants cope with environmental stress, this also applies to humans.
• Insomnia – Sandalwood oil is known to induce & enhance sleep, so spray the above solution as an air mist or use in a diffuser while sleeping. 
• Hair care – Add a few drops to freshly washed damp hair to give your hair an extra shine, or add a few drops to your bottle of your daily hair conditioner. 

Sandalwood oil is best known for…

• Effective for dry & dehydrated skin, oily & acne skin
• Immune system, infections, colds & flu,
• Lymphatic system and cellulite
• Nervous system anxiety, depression, nervous tension & stress
• Insomnia and fatigue
• Emotional exhaustion.

SANDALWOOD OIL

Botanical name: Santalum album

Origin: Classical Sandalwood comes from the East Indian variety and is native to tropical Asia, especially India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and Taiwan, with India being the chief essential oil producer. Australian Sandalwood Santalum spicatum species is aromatically close the East Indian variety.

Aroma characteristics: rich, soft and sweet, woody and aromatic.

Therapeutic properties

•  Antidepressant  • anti-inflammatory  • antiseptic  • antispasmodic  • aphrodisiac  • astringent  •  bactericidal 

• carminative  • diuretic  • emollient (skin softener)  • expectorant • fungicidal  •  insecticidal  •  nervine (supports the central nervous system) • sedative  • tonic.

Therapeutic uses

• Respiratory system – dry persistent coughs, colds, laryngitis, bronchitis, sore throat.
• Lymphatic system – circulation, cellulite, swollen legs.
• Genitourinary system – urinary infection, cystitis and vaginal infections.
• Nervous system - nervous tension, depression, fatigue, insomnia and stress-related problems.
• Skin care – balances the skins complexion, has a moisturising effect for dry, cracked & chapped skin, especially for Barbers rash.

All the essential oils highlighted in this column are available at The Emporium of the Enchanted Forest (inside the VaVa Yoga Studio), and you can explore our Apothecary and discuss any questions you may have with me, Ashlí.

Sandalwood

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