Image Source: The Science Of Acne

Sandalwood is heavy, yellow, fine-grained and retains their fragrance for decades. Both the woods and the oil extracted from the wood produces a distinctive fragrance that is being highly valued all over the world for centuries. Sandalwood has various uses and benefits, some of them are mentioned below. Sandalwood is an integral part of Indian and Hindu rituals. Sandalwood paste is used to mark religious utensils and to decorate the Hindu deities. It is distributed to devotees who apply it to their temples, forehead, throat and chest. The cooling properties of sandalwood are said to soothe them and calm them down. Sandalwood paste is prepared by slowly rubbing the sandalwood stick on a graphite piece, which is prepared for this purpose. Drop by drop water is added in this process which dissolves more sandalwood and converts into a thick paste. When other natural and herbal products like saffron, herbs and perfumes, this paste is called Chandan, which is very beneficial for our skin.

1. Anti-tanning Properties

The natural oils in sandalwood help to clear the skin complexion naturally and provides a healthy glow to the skin. It soothes harsh and itchy Sun burns and de-tans the body without giving any side effects.

Did you know? Sandalwood along with agarwood is most commonly used material for the preparation of incense in many cultures like Chinese, Japanese etc, but Taoists are forbidden from using incense sticks and cones made of sandalwood while worshipping.

2. Anti-ageing Properties

Sandalwood is a great toner. This helps to close the open skin pores, which provides even skin texture along with an even skin tone and prevents sagging and skin ageing. It tightens and brightens the skin and reduces the signs of ageing like fine lines and wrinkles leaving it smooth, supple and youthful.

Did you know? Zoroastrians offer sandalwood twigs to fire keeping priests, who offer these things to fire God to keep the fire burning.

3. Skin Softening Effect

Sandalwood oil is very beneficial for the skin, it makes the skin baby soft. You can massage your face and body with sandalwood oil, by applying it directly to the face or after mixing it with a carrier oil. The massage enhances the blood circulation, clears the debris and dead skin cells from the skin and exfoliates it. Thus making your skin, smooth, blemish free, soft and radiant.

Did you know? In Sufi tradition sandalwood paste is applied to the diseased Sufi's grave, by his disciples as a sign of their devotion.

4. Pimple And Acne Treatment

Sandalwood is a very well known for its antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. When topically applied to the skin, it fights the bacteria and fungus and retards their growth on the skin, thus reducing the chances of a pimple or acne breakouts. As mentioned earlier, it also cleanses the skin and removes the debris from the skin thus it reduces the chances of any unwanted and untimely breakouts.

Did you know? Sandalwood has low fluorescence and has an optimal refractive index, this is why sandalwood is used as an immersion oil within ultraviolet and fluorescence microscopy.

5. Itch Relief

Sandalwood is very cool in nature. It can relieve the itchy skin in half an hour of its application. It also reduces the skin inflammation or swelling, redness and sore skin.

Did you know? Australian aboriginals make use of more than just the twigs and oils of sandalwood. They also eat the seed kernels, nuts and fruits of the sandalwood that grows locally.

6. Prickly Heat Solution

In excessively hot climate, one often sweats a lot. The combination of heat and sweat lead to itchy, irritating and prickly heat boils. Sandalwood carrying cooling properties benefits quickly healing these boils. Just mix some sandalwood powder in some water, or rose water and form a thick paste. Apply this paste to the boils to get instant relief.

Did you know? While meditating, sandalwood scent is considered to transform a person’s desire and maintain his/her alertness.

7. Clear Complexion

Topical application of sandalwood along with other natural products like turmeric, saffron, rosewater, helps to cleanse your skin and provide you with a brighter skin tone and radiant looking skin.

Did you know? Sandalwood essential oil was a very popular herbal medicine till early 1900. It is usually used in aromatherapy and to prepare soaps.

What is your favorite use of sandalwood?