Welcome to another of Organica J’s Top Ten Uses! Here I focus on 10 helpful uses for Sandalwood. This is an oil I use a lot in therapy and I have it in my Meditation Blend. I use an Australian Sandalwood (santalum spicatum), not the Indian Sandalwood, for ethical reasons. But its properties are very similar, I have always found it a incredible asset in my essential oil kit.
Sandalwood is a small evergreen tree. It is a parasitic tree – it needs to grow attached to other trees and shrubs. Sandalwood also takes a long time to mature, so needs to be harvested sustainably.
The oil is obtained mostly by steam distillation of the wood of the tree. It is quite a viscous brown liquid with a distinctive, gentle woody fragrance (in my opinion).
The oil has been used for centuries as a perfume and is available in many modern perfume products. It blends incredibly well with many other oils, such as lavender, sweet orange, rose geranium, mandarin, rose otto.
Here are what I would like to include as my top 10 uses for Sandalwood, as I have found in my aromatherapy practice. Remember always to dilute the oil in a suitable vegetable/carrier oil before any use on the body, and also that with aromatherapy less is always more with essential oils.
1. sedative, relaxing and calming
2. can relieve coughs, sore throats and sinus issues
3. helpful for eczema and psoriasis
4. moisturising for dry skin conditions but also good for oily skin
5. can be anti-inflammatory and helpful for varicose veins
6. may be helpful with fungal skin issues
7. can relieve scalp irritations and acne
8. to assist with your meditation practice
9. can be helpful for treating cystitis
10. may help with insomnia and sleep issues
For using essential oils for specific or complex medical problems always contact a qualified aromatherapist or your GP.
