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Currently, on the market, there are more than 120 essential oils for sale, all having their unique health contributions. Among the most popular is Sandalwood essential oil - and for good reason - it is one of the best oils for anti-aging and it's scent is almost irresistible.
The documented use of sandalwood goes back 4000 years. Sandalwood has been used in ancient Rome, Greece, Egypt, and India as a building material, however nowadays it is only used for oil production.
There are thirty species of sandalwood. They mainly grow throughout Asia, Australia and the Pacific region. The main species used in aromatherapy has been Santalum album. However, due to over-extraction, other species are now being utilized for their oil, including Australian Sandalwood (Santalum spicatum).
Unlike many other aromatic trees, Sandalwood it’s known for its woodsy aroma which gets stronger as the tree grows older and it is able to retain its fragrance for decades. Namely, the best quality oils are obtained from the roots of trees that are more than 40 years old – 80 being the best.
Extraction
Sandalwood essential oil is extracted from the roots of the Sandalwood tree. It is a steam-distilled oil.
Aroma
Sandalwood offers a distinctive soft, warm, smooth, creamy, and milky precious-wood scent.
For perfume blending, sandalwood essential oil is a base note that helps round our blends and acts as a scent fixative.
Main Constituents
a-Santalol, B-Santalol, Nuciferol, epi-B-Santalol, a-trans-Bergamotol.
Sandalwood essential oil is high in a compound known as Santalol, a Sesquiterpene that helps beautify the skin and gives sandalwood it's calming and grounding effects.
Properties
Anti-septic, anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, astringent, cicatrisant, carminative, diuretic, disinfectant, antiphlogistic, sedative, expectorant.
Blends Well With
Jasmine, Ylang-ylang, Rosewood, Patchouli, Vetiver and Rose.
Safe Dilution
Most essential oils need to be diluted with a carrier oil for safe topical application, this includes Sandalwood essential oil.
It is recommended that sandalwood oil be used at a 2% dilution on the skin.
Make sure to do a spot test when trying a new essential oil on your skin - to test your reaction to it. Choose a small place of the hand or neck and apply just a drop to see if there are any negative effects on your skin.
Sandalwood Essential Oil Skin Benefits
Aromatherapists consider sandalwood essential oil one of the best oils for topical anti-aging effects. Sandalwood essential oil soothes the skin, relieves it from inflammation and irritation, and helps cure infections .
To go further into detail of why you need this oil in your cosmetics pantry, here are the properties of the Sandalwood oil that stand out and will be the most useful to you:
Skin Vitality And Clearness
This oil is a natural astringent that triggers the skin to repair itself from any minor contractions that are caused by shaving, acne scars or other skin irritations throughout the years.
No wonder Sandalwood oil is the first ingredient in many aftershave products as well as skin-cleaning toners.
It is known that the oil can repair even a mature skin that has been mistreated for years, bringing back its vitality and reversing the effects of poor treatment.
So, if you want to have a more toned, clearer skin with a healthy glow, make the use of this oil a part of your daily routine.
PRO TIP
One way to use sandalwood essential oil is to use facial steaming.
- Simply fill a large bowl or pot with steaming water and add three drops of the oil.
- Place your head above the pot and cover it with a cloth creating a tent over the bowl.
This will let the steam penetrate deep into your skin as you inhale. Facial steaming will not only help clear the skin of scars and fade dark spots but will also strengthen your respiratory and immune system.
Anti-Aging and Skin Protecting Effects
The premature aging of the skin is caused by the free radicals in our bodies that attack the skin, halt collagen production, and damage the elasticity and vitality of the skin.
This essential oil limits the free radicals because it is high in antioxidants and thus reduces (even reverses!) skin aging very effectively.
Sandalwood is showing promising results as being a topical preventative of skin cancer.
By using this essential oil, you will be able to enhance all of your skincare products with its skin-healing and protective properties.
PRO TIP
To slow aging, simply drop 5 drops of sandalwood essential oil into your daily facial cream or toner and apply it twice per day.
If you aren’t using creams, you can mix the sandalwood drops with a carrier oil and apply it the same way.
Fights Skin Infections
This one is huge! Sandalwood is so good at fighting infections, it is being used topically to fight HPV and viral induced tumors. It is also being studied for its use against the herpes virus.
Sandalwood is useful in the treatment of acne, because it reduces inflammation and kills acne-causing bacteria. If you happen to pick at a pimple, sandalwood makes a great spot treatment for keeping the wound clean.
PRO TIP
Apply sandalwood essential oil to your acne and pimple wounds with a clean q-tip or cotton. In case you have sensitive skin, we advise you to mix the sandalwood essential oil with olive oil, coconut or jojoba oil before applying.
Helps with Skin Discoloration
This miraculous oil has skin lightening properties that help smooth out skin discolorations. It does this by breaking down the pigment that is darker or different than the rest of your skin on the skin surface, leaving it with an even skin tone.
Balances The Skin
Sandalwood essential oil can be used by both oily and dry skin types. This is because the oil gives the skin exactly what it needs; moisture to dry skin, and oil reduction to oily skin.
Sandalwood oil makes up for what is lost in the skin, tending to bring it to its natural state before it got damaged by external factors.
If you have oily skin, this oil will tighten your large pores and will control excess sebum secretion. When dealing with dry skin, the oil retains moisture, thereby making it look plump and healthy.
PRO TIP FOR OILY SKIN
For oily skin, you need to make an oil-control face mask.
- Mix 1 tsp. of oat flour with water to form a paste.
- Add three drops of sandalwood essential oil to the paste.
- Apply this onto the skin and leave it for 15 minutes or until the face mask turns dry and starts to crack.
- Rinse off thoroughly with cold water.
PRO TIP FOR DRY SKIN
- Place 1 drop of sandalwood essential oil in a ½ teaspoon of olive oil and massage it on your face before going to bed.
- Do this every night for a month and you will have a perfectly moisturized skin with a healthy glow.
Other Uses for Sandalwood Essential Oil
Bronchitis, chapped skin, depression, dry skin, laryngitis, leucorrhea, oily skin, scars, sensitive skin, stress, and stretch marks.
Sandalwood Emotional Effects
Essential oils don't just benefit the skin, they also have an effect on our emotions. Sandalwood essential oil is deeply grounding, it is calming and instills a sense of inner peace.
- Sandalwood can be used as an aphrodisiac.
- Useful for stress, depression, or low self-esteem.
- Rich, woody, and sweet scent.
- Said to promote trust, sensuality and sexuality on a spiritual level.
- Helps you relax for sleep.
- Can help you break away from feelings of isolation, aggression, grief, and irritation.
- Enhances your mood.
- Bring an appreciation to the beauty of life.
- Useful for meditation. It is known to quiet and still the mind.
Use sandalwood essential oil in a diffuser to encourage a peaceful and grounded environment, free of worry and stress.
Precautions
- Generally considered safe.
- It is recommended that you dilute sandalwood essential oil before applying it to the skin.
- There have been (very) rare cases of dermatitis and allergic reactions in people with sensitives to balsams.
- Avoid contact with eyes, inner ears, and sensitive areas.
The Ethical Sourcing of Sandalwood
Sandalwood is a slow-growing tree that has been highly desired for thousands of years, so it isn't much of a surprise that this tree has been over-harvested.
Indian sandalwood (Santalum album) has been predominantly used for aromatherapy and Ayurvedic herbal medicine. Due to short supply and high-demand, prices have rose and illegal harvesting is taking place. Today, Satalum album is considered a threatened species.
Luckily an alternative has been found. Australian sandalwood (Santalum spicatum) which grows in south-western Australia, produces a lighter and less intense oil that is becoming the preferred option for herbalists and aromatherapists.
The harvesting of Australian sandalwood has been regulated since the 1920's, ensuring proper management sandalwood populations.
Plantations of Indian sandalwood are being planted in Australia as well, and are set to be one of the world's largest growers of ethically sourced sandalwood.
Where to Source Your Sandalwood Essential Oil
Because of over-harvesting, you need to be diligent in finding a supplier that harvests their sandalwood in an ethical and sustainable way.
Normally my favorite brand of essential oils is Rocky Mountain Oils (learn why here), but in this case they are not the brand I am going to recommend. Only because their sandalwood essential oil is from India and I am unsure if it is being harvested ethically.
I am going to email Rocky Mountain Oils and ask them about it, but for now I will recommend another great brand - Plant Therapy.
Plant Therapy offers Australian Sandalwood so you can be sure you aren't contributing to the disappearance of Indian sandalwood.
They also guarantee that their Indian sandalwood is sourced from plantations in Australia, so you can still have the richer, more intense version if you so desire.
Sandalwood Essential Oil Recipes
Sandalwood Toner Recipe
- 1/8 cup witch hazel
- ¾ cup Rosewater
- 1 drop of Cypress essential oil
- 2 drops of Sandalwood essential oil
Mix everything together and pour into a dark glass bottle and shake well before using.
Use your toner after cleansing your face to remove any leftover traces of oil and dirt.
Sandalwood Bath Oil
- 4 teaspoons sweet almond oil
- 12 drops sandalwood essential oil
- 8 drops orange essential oil
- 4 drops rose essential oil
- 2 drops lemon essential oil
Mix all the ingredients and store in a dark glass bottle.
Add 1 tablespoon of the scented oil to a warm bath and swish the water around. Relax in your bath for at least 15 minutes.
Conclusion
It's no doubt that sandalwood is one of the best essential oils for skin care, due to it's anti-aging and antiseptic effects. Make sure you dilute it properly, and you will surely benefit from this grounding and protective oil.
How do you use Sandalwood essential oil? Do you have any recipes to share? Leave a comment below, we love to hear your stories 🙂 If you enjoyed this article, share it with your friends!
Yours In Beauty,
Andrea
Tara says
You moron. Indian Sandalwood is seriously endangered and the farming methods less than savoury. Don’t advocate supporting something so irresponsible. Much more sustainable is Australian and Hawaiin.
Andrea says
Awesome, thanks so much for letting us know, calling us morons was unnecessary though.