Description

Oil properties

The oil has a woody, exotic smell, subtle and lingering and the color is pale yellow to pale gold. Our essential oil contains 90% santalol – making it a very superior sandalwood oil.

Origin of Sandalwood oil

Sandalwood is an evergreen, parasitic tree that burrows its roots into other trees. It can grow up to 9 meters (30 feet) high and has a brown-gray trunk, many smooth slender branches, leathery leaves and small pink-purple flowers.

It can take thirty to sixty years for a tree to reach full maturity, when it is cut and distilled and the yellowish wood is sold in thin scrapings. It is agreed that the best sandalwood oil is from Mysore in India.

The documented use of the wood goes back 4000 years and caravans carrying this wood from India to Egypt, Greece and Rome were a familiar sight. Many temples were built from the wood and the Egyptians used the oil in embalming.

Sandalwood is much in demand as incense and has a calming effect during meditation. Swahra yoga recommends it for the union of the senses and Tantric yoga for the awakening of sexual energy.

Once Sandalwood was used for making furniture and caskets, but as the tree is nearly extinct, it is only used for the distillation of oil. Because of the threat of total extinction, this oil is now very well controlled in India – but has caused the price of this very fine oil to soar, and become one of the most expensive essential oils on the market – and for that reason we offer the pure oil, as well as a more affordable blend which contains 25% of the pure oil.

Extraction

Sandalwood oil is extracted from the chipped heartwood by steam distillation and yields 4 – 6.5 %.

Chemical composition

The main chemical components are santalol, santyl acetate and santalene. Our essential oil contains 90% santalol.

Precautions

It is considered a non-toxic, non-irritant and non-sensitizing oil.

Therapeutic properties

The therapeutic properties of sandalwood oil are antiphlogistic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, carminative, diuretic, emollient, expectorant, sedative and tonic.

Uses

This relaxing oil has a harmonizing and calming effect which reduces tension and confusion and is ideal for use in depression, hectic daily lifestyles and states of fear, stress, nervous exhaustion, chronic illness and anxiety.

It is very useful for any chest complaints as it has a pronounced effect on the mucus membranes of both the pulmonary as well as genito-urinary tract – making it very effective for complaints of the urinary tract as well.

Chronic chest infections, sore throats and dry coughs as well as bronchitis and asthma can benefit greatly from this oil, as well as cystitis and bladder infections, also helpful with sexual problems such as frigidity and impotence.

On the skin, sandalwood oil relieves itching and inflammation of the skin, and is most effective in relieving dehydrated skin – making it great for anti-ageing skincare – and the astringent action has a great toning effect and is also used with great results in oily skin conditions and to prevent the skin from forming ugly scars and for fighting dry eczema.

Summary

Sandalwood oil can be helpful for the nervous system, for chest and urinary tract infections, for sexual problems and for skin care.

• Burners and vaporizers
  • In vapor therapy, sandalwood oil can be used for its aphrodisiac effect, to help clear bronchitis, coughs, chest infections, asthma, insomnia, irritability, nervous tension, stress, tension, for relaxing and as an insect repellant.
• Blended massage oil or in the bath
  • As a blended massage oil or diluted in the bath, sandalwood oil can assist with bladder infections as well as chest infections and bronchitis, coughs, dry eczema, insomnia, forming scar tissue, irritability, nervous tension, stress, tension, as an aphrodisiac and for relaxing.
• Gargle
  • It can be effective when diluted and used as a gargle for a sore or dry throat.
• Lotions or creams
  • When used in a lotion or cream sandalwood oil can assist with chapped, dry or inflamed skin and has wonderful moisturizing and hydrating properties, which are great for anti-ageing skincare. The toning effect is useful when fighting oily skin

Sandalwood oil blends well with

Although essential oils blend well with one another, Sandalwood oil blends particularly well with Bergamot, Black pepper, Geranium, Lavender, Myrrh, Rose, Vetivert and Ylang-Ylang.