Sandalwood essential oil comes from the heartwood of the Santalum tree, which is a heiparasitic evergreen that grows by joining the root system of other trees. It belongs to the Santalaceae family and is among the oldest-known materials used for its exotic scent. The oil is high in sespuiterpenes, which relaxing for the nervous system and has been used for centuries to enhance meditation. This oil is used for meditation, fragrance, and cosmetics.
What is sandalwood essential oil?
The essential oil is extracted by steam distillation of pieces of the wood from matured sandalwood trees in the age ranges of 40 to 80 years old. The 80-year-old trees are preferred because the older the tree, the more oil available and the aroma is more pronounced. This woodsy smelling oil ranges in color from yellow to pale gold. It has several magnificent characteristics that make it highly useful and beneficial for health and wellness.
Benefits of sandalwood essential oil
For your body
There are plenty of benefits this adjoining root system tree has to offer. It contains antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, antiphlogistic, antispasmodic, astringent, cicatrisant, carminative, diuretic, disinfectant, expectorant, and hypotensive properties. With a list that impressive and vast, it is no wonder it was highly prized and used. It is excellent at cleansing, suitable for all skin types, and especially useful for chapped, dry, and even sensitive or inflamed skin.
Excellent for skin, sandalwood oil will soften and restore the skins ability to retain moisture. Powerful for relieving rashes and inflammation, sandalwood oil will also aid in scar fading, healing eczema, psoriasis, and soothing acne. Sandalwood essential oil blends well with bergamot, geranium, lavender, myrrh, rose, and ylang-ylang.
Read more: The Benefits of Blended Oils for Healthy Hair
For your hair
This antiseptic property in this fragrant essential oil is excellent for stimulating blood circulation in the scalp to encourage optimal hair growth. It has been used in ancient Indian medicine to increase shine and prevent hair dryness. The astringent in sandalwood oil is quite useful in getting rid of excess sebum secretions for those with an oily scalp. Relieve your dandruff-ridden scalp with by mixing sandalwood with a carrier oil and applying it to the scalp before a shampoo.
How to use it
Here are a few recipes and products that take the powerful and asset-filled sandalwood essential oil for your curls.
- Sandalwood hair sheen– Add around 4 to 8 drops of sandalwood essential oil to jojoba oil and apply to dry hair, concentrating heavily on the ends after a shower. This will help to retain moisture and enhance sheen.
- Sandalwood dry hair rinse– Add a few drops of sandalwood essential oil to your final rinse water and rinse hair. Condition and style as usual.
- Sandalwood hair massage oil– Add drops of sandalwood oil to carrier oil and massage in circular motion in scalp. This will soothe, cleanse, and reduce inflammation in the scalp while increasing blood flow to nourish the hair follicles. No need to rinse and can be done at night a few times a week for promoting a healthier scalp.
