Sandalwood [Santalum Album]
Fragrant Gold – A Rare Gift of Mother Earth
Indian sandalwood is regarded as one of the most precious wood in the world and is currently valued for its heartwood, fragrance, and oil on a global scale.
Sandalwood is a class of wood belonging to trees in the Santalum family. Medium in size and hemi-parasitic (meaning they rely on neighboring host trees for nutrients and moisture), the trees have an aromatic heartwood centre which, unlike other aromatic woods, retains its unique aroma for decades.
There are many different species of sandalwood in the world, the most notable of which are Indian sandalwood (Santalum album) and Australian sandalwood (Santalum spicatum), each with its own distinct aroma profile
The heartwood centre is used in the distillation process to create sandalwood oil, often described as ‘liquid’ gold due to its rarity and high price tag.
Sandalwood oil features in nearly half of all luxury perfumes in the market today.
Both Australian sandalwood and Indian Sandalwood have long and impressive histories. Considered the ‘king’ of all woods, Sandalwood Album has been used for thousands of years as a natural Ayurvedic medicine and in religious practices It was declared a ‘royal tree’ in 1792.
Today, science has proven what our ancestors already knew – that sandalwood is one of nature’s true wellbeing ingredients. It has been said that Alpha-santalol is the active therapeutic component which gives sandalwood oil its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant and moisturising properties, ideal for use in skincare and cosmetic products. Research shows it can also reduce anxiety and calm the mind, which is why it is popular with aromatherapists.
Whilst both species contain alpha-santalol, Indian sandalwood possesses up to three times more than its Australian counterpart.
