Sandalwood Essential Oil Benefits
Sandalwood essential oil benefits are widely known. The oil is extracted through steam distillation from a piece of sandalwood tree wood that has matured 40-80 years ago. It is found in many perfumes and air fresheners. It is a classic scent from a precious tree. But sandalwood oil’s value may go beyond the scent. Sandalwood may offer some health benefits, too.
Sandalwood essential oil comes from the wood and root of Santalum album, or sandalwood tree of eastern India. (1) This is one of the most expensive trees in the world. Its products are used all over the world. West Indian and African sandalwood essential oils were also produced in the past, but are no longer widely available.
Sandalwood and its essential oil are highly valued in the field of alternative medicine. It is traditionally used to help treat a variety of conditions. Most of its traditional uses have not been scientifically tested, but some research suggests that sandalwood may help treat certain health issues.
Benefits of Sandalwood Essential Oil for Health
1. Antiseptic
Sandalwood is a very good antiseptic agent, it is safe as it helps protect internal wounds and ulcers from infection. Likewise, when applied to the skin, it protects wounds, sores, boils, and pimples from developing infections or from becoming septic. (1)
2. May stimulate hair growth
Sandalwood oil has been found to reduce the number of mast cells in rat studies. These cells are distributed around the hair follicles and may be responsible for shortening the hair growth phase (2). The oil can also promote hair growth in mice (3).
University of Manchester researchers have found that the scent of sandalwood can stimulate a specific receptor (called OR2AT4) in the body, which may prolong hair growth (4). More studies are needed to understand how effective this scent is in promoting hair growth in humans.
3. Anti-Inflammatory
Both sandalwood paste and its essential oil are very effective as anti-inflammatory agents. They have a nice cooling effect and provide relief from all types of inflammation in the brain, digestive, nervous, circulatory, and excretory systems that result from infections, fever, antibiotic side effects, poisoning, insect bites, or wounds. (5)
Sandalwood essential oil is especially beneficial in cases of inflammatory conditions of the nervous and circulatory systems.
As mentioned above, sandalwood oil has anti-inflammatory properties and gives relief from inflammation resulting from fever and viral infections.
4. Antispasmodic
Being both a relaxant and sedative in nature, this oil works great against spasms. It relaxes nerves, muscles, and blood vessels, thus ending spasms and contractions. Hence, it is useful in treating problems associated with spasms, such as cramps, pains, and coughs.
5. Diuretic
Due to its relaxing and anti-inflammatory properties, it soothes inflammation in the urinary system and induces relaxation, thus promoting the easy passage of urine. It also increases the frequency and amount of urination. This helps treat infections and inflammation in the urinary system because it flushes out dangerous toxins in the urine.
6. May promote sleep
Santalol, which is an active component of the oil, reduces the time of awakening and increases the overall rapid eye sleep phase (NREM) (6). The oil can help individuals who have difficulty sleeping (7).
7. Heals Wounds and internal infections
is the antiseptic property of sandalwood essential oil that justifies its widespread use in religious ceremonies and cosmetics. Its scent drives away microbes and small insects, which is why it is widely used in incense, sprays, fumigators, and vaporizers to disinfect large areas. Moreover, this oil can be mixed with bathwater, lotions or oils to be applied to the skin and wounds to ensure that they are protected from other diseases. This oil can also be safely taken with milk to treat internal infections, such as those of the throat, esophagus, stomach, intestines, and excretory spaces.
8. Balm
sandalwood oil soothes the skin, so it relieves inflammation and irritation, cures infections, and keeps you feeling fresh and cool.
9. Enhances the beauty
The antioxidant property of this essential oil extracted from sandalwood bark is widely used to promote healthy skin. Effectively removes free radicals from the skin and reduces oxidation. It also flushes toxins from the inner layers of the skin, promotes overall skin health and treats various skin infections such as acne, pimples, rashes, boils, etc.
10. Cough treatment
Sandalwood is especially used in the treatment of cough. It also fights viral infections that initially cause coughs, colds, flu, mumps, or any other illness.
11. Blood pressure
This is a very useful property of sandalwood essential oil. It can be taken with milk or even water to lower blood pressure in patients with high blood pressure. A paste of sandalwood has the same effect when applied topically to different parts of the body.
12. Improves memory
It improves memory and stimulates your ability to focus. It also keeps the brain cool and relaxed and saves you from unnecessary stress and anxiety.
13. Analgesic
This oil calms inflammation, anxiety, fear, stress, and insomnia. Moreover, it induces relaxation, calm, focus, inner vision, and positive thoughts.
14. Tonic
This tonic oil can be very good health to anyone, especially for growing children. It can be safely given to children, while many other essential oils are not. Since it is soothing on the stomach, digestive system, circulatory system, and nervous system, it also helps these systems function in harmony and without any abnormalities.
Other Benefits of Sandalwood Essential Oil
15. Some people use sandalwood as a deodorant to reduce body odor.
Sandalwood can be mixed with black pepper, musk, lavender, myrrh, rose, vetiver, and ylang-ylang to make a very nice blend with sandalwood for aromatherapy uses.
There is a bit of research here. Some reports suggest that the pleasant smell of sandalwood powder may help eliminate body odor that may come from excessive sweating (3).
16. May help relieve menopausal symptoms
Essential oils have specific properties that relieve and balance the symptoms of menopause. Sandalwood oil contains sesquiterpenes, which calms the nervous system — and this may help relieve menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes (15).
In clinical studies, the oil was also found to offer relaxing properties (15). It is highly prized for its fragrant heartwood and is used in perfumes for its excellent stabilizing properties.
Insufficient evidence for
17. May help relieve stomach problems
Sandalwood essential oil has been used in Chinese medicine to reduce stomach pain and vomiting. It is believed that the antiviral and antibacterial activities of the oil help fight Helicobacter pylori (the main cause of stomach ulcers).
18. May strengthen immunity
Aromatherapy with essential oils like sandalwood oil is believed to boost your immunity by inducing your body to heal itself. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the oil boosts white blood cell production, fights microorganisms, and improves your body’s immune responses. However, further research in this aspect is warranted.
The benefits are amazing, right? Sandalwood essential oil has other interesting benefits uses as well.
19. In massage
Sandalwood oil has been widely used in aromatherapy and Ayurvedic massage. The oil has been reported to reduce anxiety in patients in palliative care who were treated with aromatherapy massage (9). Massaging with sandalwood essential oil also makes your skin extra soft (3).
20. In-cosmetics
The cosmetic use of sandalwood essential oil has been described in ancient literature. It was used to make soaps, perfumes, and aromatherapy products. A wide range of medicinal properties makes sandalwood essential oil one of the best and most trusted ingredients in cosmetics and beauty products (3).
21. In Ayurveda
Sandalwood oil has been used in Ayurvedic massages and medicines to treat various ailments, such as diarrhea, internal bleeding, bleeding piles, vomiting, poisoning, hiccups, urticaria, eye infections, and pelvic inflammation (12).
22. In the bath
Sandalwood oil kept the original fragrance and properties of the soap intact. The essential oil provides soothing, hydrating, anti-aging, and hydrating effects. It also has excellent cleansing, toning, and astringent properties, making it a prominent ingredient in soaps and creams. (3).
23. In perfumes
Sandalwood essential oil has a sweet, strong, and long-lasting scent (12). Due to its excellent proven properties, sandalwood oil has been used in first-class perfumes (3).
24. In aromas
Sandalwood essential oil is used as an aromatherapy agent from the ancient period. Its main ingredient is alpha-santalol, whose antimicrobial properties make it an ideal ingredient in aromatherapy products (3).
The uses of essential oil are extensive. But we recommend that you check out the next section as well. The oil may show some adverse effects in some individuals, although it is not dangerous.
What are the side effects of sandalwood essential oil?
Some of the possible side effects of the oil could be dermatitis and itching. In animal studies, the oil was found to be irritating to the skin (17).
Anecdotal evidence suggests that the oil may also cause gastrointestinal upsets, although this has not been proven.
It has also been found that some oils used in aromatherapy, in general, have the potential to cause seizures, coma, and CNS depression in animals (18). If sandalwood oil has the same effects, it still needs to be studied.
Please consult your doctor if you are prone to any of these conditions.
What is the recommended dose of sandalwood oil?
Although the ideal dose of the oil has not yet been proven, some believe that taking 1 to 1.5 grams of the oil daily (for a maximum of six weeks) can help treat urinary problems.
As a flavoring ingredient, the recommended dose is 0.0074 mg of oil per 1 kg (16).
There is no information on possible drug interactions with the use of this oil.
Benefits of Sandalwood oil to Enhance Memory :
Memory is an intangible thing. Rather, it is one of the brain’s capabilities that enables a person to store and retrieve information.
Memory is classified according to its duration, nature, and retrieval of emotional states.
For example, very short memory works with sensory signals coming from the senses to stimulate specific sensory sites in the brain. Short memory after passing for a split second, the information disappears from the brain, but the information related to the event is stored in the frontal lobe of the brain.
The hippocampus transmits information to the center of emotion in the brain for a long time.
As for long-term memory, there are impressions of vision signals stored in neural connections where you link information to yourself that are connections in everything you know at the present time.
There are different centers in the brain, and learning is a building process that takes place in the brain by repetition.
Memory can be developed, and a person needs from time to time to develop and enhance memory, especially since stress, tension, work, and life emotions rob a person of the ability to remember.
It negatively affects him and his life, especially students during exam periods who go under stress. The student forgets everything as a memory. The individual’s inability to remember is a clear indication of a defect and problems in memory.
Therefore, a number of specialists advise aromatherapy oils because of their strong effectiveness in influencing nervous connections.
The most important of which is sandalwood oil, which contains substances and compounds beta santalol, santyl acetate, and santalins, which maintain brain power and memory eliminate stress and anxiety, and contribute to calming the person and controlling his emotions.
Sandalwood has other uses or forms other than the oil, but the strongest effect of essential oil t is very clear on those with poor memory. (9)
How to make sandalwood oil at home
Steps for making sandalwood essential oil
- Buy sandalwood chips or powder. It is easily available in stores.
- Crush the flakes using a pestle mortar.
- Take a cup of extra-virgin olive oil in a glass bowl. Mix crushed sandalwood powder in it.
- Let it stay for 7 days. Shake the container occasionally.
- Strain the mixture.
- Press the powder properly. The oil will come out. This is sandalwood essential oil.
- Store this oil in a glass container.
- Put it in a cool, dark place.
Best Sandalwood Essential Oils
- SANDALWOOD PREMIUM QUALITY OIL - Majestic Pure Blends oils are exactly that! Many oils being sold make that claim but are in fact made of natural isolates and mixtures. Each bottle is tested by an independent lab which is why every bottle comes with a Quality Guaranty.
- PREMIUM GRADE & QUALITY – All Majestic Pure premium quality Oils are tested by an independent lab to test the efficacy of each oil. Each oil is tested for its constituents as well as to have no fillers, additives and to be undiluted.
- HIGH QUALITY GLASS BOTTLE – Our Oil comes in an amber glass bottle to keep out UV rays and protect the oil against sunlight. It has a built-in dropper to control the flow and get the exact amount of oil without any waste.
- SANDALWOOD OIL BLENDS WELL WITH – Clary Sage, Eucalyptus, Frankincense, Geranium, Lavender, Lemon, Lemongrass, Patchouli, Rose, Rosemary, Sandalwood, Tea Tree, Vetiver and Ylang Ylang.
- BOTTLED – Our oils are sourced from the best regions all over the world to bring you the best and finest.
- Ingredient & Aroma: Our raw materials are sourced from India and extracted using the traditional steam distillation method.100% pure sandalwood essential oil has a deep, warm flavor with a hint of sweetness
- Multi Purpose: Sandalwood essential oil has a wide range of uses, it can be used to moisturize the skin, improve the skin condition, and its strong and long-lasting fragrance is also very suitable for perfume blending
- DIY: Add sandalwood essential oil to perfumes, diffusers, massage oils, cleansers, candles, aromatherapy, lamps, conditioners, shampoos, sprays, laundry detergents, cleansers, body lotions, creams, serums, bath salts, soaps
- Multiple Usage Scenarios: 1-2 drops of Sandalwood essential oil in a diffuser can help create a calm and relaxing atmosphere, suitable for yoga, meditation, massage, aromatherapy, sauna, spa, bedroom, living room, bathroom, shower room
- Body Massage: Mix 1-2 drops of sandalwood essential oil with every 10 milliliters of a carrier oil (such as sweet almond oil or jojoba oil). Take an appropriate amount of the mixture into your palm and apply it to the desired body area in a circular motion for massage
- Wonderful Scent: Sandalwood essential oils are highly concentrated liquids derived from the wood, providing an exotic, soft, woody aroma. Renowned for their rich, delicate and long-lasting fragrance, they can enhance your space with luxurious scent
- Effects of Sandalwood Oil: Enhance your aromatherapy sessions, soothe and rejuvenate your skin, nourish and strengthen your hair, relax both body and soul, or simply freshen the air to enjoy its tranquil scent during yoga and meditation practices
- Versatile Uses: Ideal for relaxation, skin care, hair care - make the most out of every drop. Use in diffusers for a calming atmosphere, add to your skincare routine to nourish skin, boost immunity, or add to your hair care routine to improve hair texture
- Sandalwood Oil for Skin: With excellent moisturizing benefits, Sandalwood oil helps to nourish and refine the skin. Add 1-3 drops to your skin care products or carrier oil for a relaxing massage blend, apply and gently pat into skin or face
- Enrich Hair Care: A suitable scent for men and women to add to shampoo or conditioner to help nourish the scalp and makes hair softer. Add 2-3 drops to the shampoo or carrier oil, massage scalp and hair before rinsing to improve the appearance of hair
- A Naturally Calming Escape. Use sandalwood essential oil for diffuser sessions to create a soothing atmosphere in your home. Its rich, warm aroma enhances relaxation, making it an ideal scent to enjoy for meditation or unwinding after a long day
- Confidence In Your Skin Care Routine. Blend sandalwood oil for skin with a carrier oil to moisturize and hydrate. This natural addition revitalizes your complexion, offering nourishing benefits without synthetic additives
- Wellness That Speaks To You. Elevate your daily rituals with pure sandalwood essential oil. Known for its grounding properties, it promotes mental clarity and concentration when used in aromatherapy, allowing for a peaceful mindset
- Creativity Embodied In Every Drop. Incorporate sandalwood essential oils for candle making, perfumes, soaps, and more. Its luxurious scent adds a personal touch to your DIY projects, bringing a spa-like ambiance to your creations
- Home Ambiance Elevated With Ease. Diffuse indian sandalwood essential oil to fill your space with its rich, earthy scent. Ideal for creating a serene environment, transforming living areas into a sanctuary of calm and comfort
- 100% PURE & NATURAL - Known for its earthy and woody sweet aroma, sandalwood oil is extracted by steam distillation and is 100% pure, undiluted, no additives, no fillers
- Multiple Functions - Sandalwood essential oil helps to calm the emotions, moisturize the skin and improve hair texture. Blends well with geranium, rose, eucalyptus, myrrh and rosemary essential oils
- Multi Purpose - Sandalwood essential oil has a deep grounding effect and helps the chakras work. It has a rich, strong scent and is often used in high-end perfumes and is a favorite of both men and women. It can also be used in DIY soaps, candles, bath bombs, creams and more
- Multiple Usage Scenarios - In addition to being perfect for aromatherapy, sandalwood essential oil is also commonly used in meditation, massage, sauna, spa, bedroom, bathroom and more. Its sweet and calming scent will create a comfortable and relaxing environment for you
- Amber Glass Bottle with Premium Glass Dropper - Amber glass bottle keep our essential oils from sunlights, and glass dropper is convenient and easy for you to blend with other essential oils or carriers without any waste
FAQ About Sandalwood Essential oil
How do you use sandalwood oil?
- Sandalwood essential oil blends well with bergamot, lavender, myrrh, rose, vetiver, and ylang-ylang oils if you wish to use it for aromatherapy.
- You can also apply it directly to your skin to relieve rashes.
- Add it to your bathroom.
- Post it to have a relaxing time.
- Mix it into your body lotion.
Can I mix lavender and sandalwood together?
The sweet scents of sandalwood oil make it a good blend of floral essential oils like lavender, jasmine, and geranium. Sandalwood also blends well with citrus oils such as bergamot or grapefruit, due to its sweet and tangy nature.
Does sandalwood oil grow hair?
If you rub sandalwood essential oil on the scalp it may stimulate hair growth in just 6 days. Laboratory tests of scalp tissue by German researchers found that it stimulated hair growth after just six days. … Lab tests of scalp tissue by German researchers revealed that it stimulates hair growth after just six days.
Is sandalwood essential oil safe?
Sandalwood oil works as a wonderful, safe and effective antiseptic agent for both external and internal use. Using sandalwood oil externally can treat acne, sores, boils, and pimples that develop into infection or rot.
Why is sandalwood oil so expensive?
Sandalwood oil is in demand because of its soft, creamy, and long-lasting scent. Unfortunately, sandalwood production has declined while demand continues to increase. It’s on the way to extinction, and that’s what makes sandalwood so expensive
Is sandalwood oil toxic?
Sandalwood oil and its main components have low oral and dermal toxicity in laboratory animals. … Although limited information is available on the toxicity of sandalwood oil, it has a long history of oral use without any adverse effects reported and is considered safe at current levels of use.
Which sandalwood is better red or white?
The red sandalwood tree takes more years to grow than the white sandalwood. Hence the supply of red variety is much less than white. Another difference is that red sandalwood does not possess the aromatic properties of white pulp. However, sandalwood both have similar medicinal properties and are used in alternative medicines.
Also, read
How to Make Sandalwood Incense at Home
What is Red Sandalwood? What are Its Great Benefits for Health and Beauty?
Sources
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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5749697/ - East Indian sandalwood (Santalum album L.) oil confers neuroprotection and geroprotection in Caenorhabditis elegans via activating SKN-1/Nrf2 signaling pathway, Rsc Advances, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6171454/ - WHITE SANDAL (SANTALUM ALBUM L.), A PRECIOUS MEDICINAL AND TIMBER YIELDING PLANT : A SHORT REVIEW, Plant Archives.
http://plantarchives.org/PDF%20181/1048-1056%20(PA3%203612).pdf - Critical review of Ayurvedic Varṇya herbs and their tyrosinase inhibition effect, Ancient Science of Life, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4623628/ - Hair Growth-Promoting Effects of Lavender Oil in C57BL/6 Mice, Toxicological Research, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4843973/ - Olfactory receptor OR2AT4 regulates human hair growth, Nature Communications.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-05973-0 - Effect of santalol on the sleep-wake cycle in sleep-disturbed rats, Japanese Journal of Psychopharmacology, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=sandalwood+oil+for+sleep - Aromatherapy With Essential Oils, National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Institutes of Health.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK65874/ - Evaluating the effectiveness of aromatherapy in reducing levels of anxiety in palliative care patients: results of a pilot study, Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16648093 - Status and Cultivation of Sandalwood in India, USDA, U.S. Forest Service.
https://www.fs.fed.us/psw/publications/documents/psw_gtr122/psw_gtr122_rai.pdf - East Indian Sandalwood Oil Is a Phosphodiesterase Inhibitor: A New Therapeutic Option in the Treatment of Inflammatory Skin Disease, Frontiers in Pharmacology, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5854648/ - SANTALUM ALBUM LINN: A REVIEW ON MORPHOLOGY, PHYTOCHEMISTRY AND PHARMACOLOGICAL ASPECTS, International Journal of PharmTech Research, Academia.
https://www.academia.edu/2604219/Santalum_album_Linn_A_review_on_morphology_phytochemistry_and_pharmacological_aspects - Sandalwood oil treatment during growth spurt period improves learning and enhances memory, ResearchGate.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/288134775_Sandalwood_oil_treatment_during_growth_spurt_period_improves_learning_and_enhances_memory - A Pilot Study on the Physiological Effects of Three Essential Oils in Humans, Natural Product Communications, US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
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