- What Is Sandalwood Essential Oil?
Sandalwood oil is commonly known for its woodsy, sweet smell. It is frequently used as a base for products such as incense, perfumes, cosmetics, and aftershave. It also easily blends well with other oils.
Traditionally, sandalwood oil is a part of religious traditions in India and other Eastern countries. The sandalwood tree itself is considered holy. The tree is used for various religious ceremonies including weddings and births.
Sandalwood oil is one of the most expensive essential oils available on the market today. The highest quality sandalwood is the Indian variety, known as Santalum album. Hawaii and Australia also produce sandalwood, but it’s not considered to be of the same quality and purity as the Indian variety.
To get the most benefit from this essential oil, the sandalwood tree must grow for at least 40–80 years before the roots can be harvested. An older, more mature sandalwood tree typically produces an essential oil with a stronger smell. The use of steam distillation or CO2 extraction extracts the oil from the mature roots. Steam distillation uses heat, which can kill a lot of compounds that make oils like sandalwood so great. Look for CO2-extracted oil, which means it was extracted with as little heat as possible.
Sandalwood oil contains two primary active components, alpha- and beta-santol. These molecules produce a strong fragrance associated with sandalwood. Alpha-santalol specifically has been evaluated for multiple health benefits. Some of these benefits include improving blood glucose control in animal subjects, decreasing inflammation and helping to reduce the proliferation of skin cancer.
Sandalwood’s benefits are numerous, but there are a few that particularly stand out. Let’s take a look at those now!
1. Mental clarity
2. Relaxing and calming
3. Natural aphrodisiac
4. Astringent
5. Anti-viral and antiseptic
6. Anti-inflammatory
7. Expectorant
8. Anti-aging
9. Urinary Tract Infections
10. Anti-cancer effects
Click here to view more Sandalwood Essential Oil extraction equipment and essential oil distillation equipment