Name : Sandalwood
Method : Steam distillation
Note Classification : Base
Scent : Soft, sweet, woody
Colour : Pale yellow, greenish or brownish
Species : Santalum album. Family Santalaceae
Extracted From : Wood. The oil is concentrated in the heartwood at the centre of mature / dying trees which take around 30 years to grow.
Region : Mysore in East India. Indonesia. Some oil is distilled in Europe and USA.
By-products : In India, it is often combined with rose to make the scent aytar.
Historical : . One of the oldest known perfume materials going back at least 4000 years. Sandalwood has long been used in embalming and funeral rites eg. for Singhalese princes. In Hindu marriages, it is burned on a sacred fire within the marriage tent so that the fumes surround the bridal pair. It has often been used as incense in religious ceremonies. Rosewood and sandalwood oil are traditionally sprinkled by women on passersby in Burma to cleanse away sins on the last day of the year. Sandalwood plays an important part in Ayurveda, the Indian system of healing. Here it is used to treat urinary and respiratory infections.
Of Interest :The tree is parasitic in growth - the roots attach themselves to the surrounding undergrowth. It is evergreen and grows to about 9m high. The felled trees are left on the ground during which time white ants attack the sapwood, leaving the heartwood behind. The wood is also used in carving and for construction esp. temples. Sandalwood is well known for its fixative properties.
Aromatherapy Properties : diarrhea, nausea, depression, nervous tension, catarrh, sore throat, dry skin, chapped skin ( good for aftershaves ).
Blends Well With : benzoin, black pepper, cypress, frankincense, neroli, ylang ylang, rose, jasmine, myrrh
Chemical Analysis : santalols 90%, sesquiterpene hydrocarbons 6%, santene, teresantol, borneol, santalone, tricycloekasantalal
Safety Data : Non-toxic