Sandalwood oil is an essential oil obtained from sandalwood tree. Sandalwood oil is obtained through steam distillation of heartwood and roots of 40 to 80 years old sandal trees.
Sandalwood oil has a sweet, warm, balsamic, woody aroma. It is transparent in color and has a slight yellowish tinge. It’s wonderful scent and skin care benefits make it very useful for the cosmetic industry. Sandalwood oil is used in a number of skin care and beauty products such as perfumes, lotions, creams, deodorants etc. It is also widely used in incense sticks and room-fresheners.
Sandalwood wood oil should never be used directly on skin. It should be mixed with carrier oils for best results. It blends well with Bergamot, Geranium, Lavender, Myrrh, Rose, Vetiver, Ylang-Ylang oils.
Medicinal Properties Of Sandalwood
Sandalwood is known to have extremely beneficial medicinal properties such as:
- Anti-inflammatory: Reduces pain and swelling.
- Antiphlogistic: Useful to cure fever.
- Anti-septic: Helps prevents infections.
- Anti-spasmodic: Relieves spasms.
- Carminative: Removal of gases from stomach and intestine.
- Diuretic: Increases discharge of urine.
- Emollient: Softens and soothes the skin.
- Hypotensive: Reduces blood pressure.
- Memory booster: Helps improve memory.
- Sedative: Has calming effect, reduces anxiety, stress and irritability.
Health Benefits Of Sandalwood Oil Massage
Sandalwood oil when used for massaging has a very calming, soothing, refreshing and rejuvenating effect.
- It relieves itchiness and irritation leaving the skin soft smooth and cool. It helps cure skin problems such as acne, chapped hands, cracked feet, dry, itchy skin, nail problems, skin rashes, stretch marks and wrinkles.
- Sandalwood oil massage relieves stress, anxiety, irritation and helps keep the brain calm, cool and relaxed. It also improves memory and concentration.
- Sandalwood has sedative properties, hence massaging with Sandalwood oil is used for treatment of fear, stress, restlessness, depression etc.
- Sandalwood oil mixed with bath water gives you a refreshingly cool experience and leaves a delicate perfume lingering over your body.
- Sandalwood has antiseptic properties that prevent wounds, boils, pimples from getting septic and keep away infections.
- Massaging with Sandalwood oil is particularly helpful to relieve inflammation of nervous system, digestive and circulatory system. It helps relax intestinal and abdominal muscles and removes gas.
- Sandalwood oil is useful for treating urinary infections as it soothes and relaxes the urinary system. Hence not only does passing of urine becomes easier, but the frequency and quantity also increases.
- Sandalwood oil massage relaxes nerves, muscles and helps cure cramps, aches and spasms.
If Sandalwood oil is not available, then you can use sandalwood powder for a massage as well. Mix Sandalwood powder to your massage oil and leave it overnight. Then use it the next morning for massaging.