Sandalwood essential oil is a valuable and expensive product in the field of cosmetology. In this article, you will learn how you can use this raw material to care for your skin and hair. Each natural product differs from the rest in composition, properties, type and other characteristics. Sandalwood oil is often used in aromatherapy as a powerful aphrodisiac. It also finds its application in cosmetology.
Feature of Sandalwood Essential Oil
Sandalwood oil has been used for about four millennia, and records in Sanskrin have even been found in ancient scriptures about its properties. If it were not so miraculous, this natural raw material would have long been forgotten. By the way, in Egypt, a special mixture was used for embalming, which included just the essential oil (EM) of sandalwood. In India, it is still used for ritual ceremonies and meditations, and it has also found application in Chinese medicine.
Companies that sell sandalwood essence extract the product from East Indian or white sandalwood, an evergreen tree up to 10 m high, native to India, as well as some islands in the Malaysian archipelago. Due to the massive felling of trees, sandalwood is classified as an endangered species, and its processing results are considered expensive products. To extract oil by the method of water-steam distillation, wood chips and root systems are used only for those trees that are more than 30 years old. The procedure for obtaining raw materials takes from 48 to 72 hours. To produce 100 kg of oil, a ton of shavings are needed.
Previously, sandalwood oil was often used to create perfumes, but now, due to the high price of raw materials, many companies have switched to the use of synthetic fragrances. In medicine, cheaper alternatives have been found for this product. It is worth noting the current ban on the export of Santal oil from India pending the restoration of the tree population. As a result of this ban, most traders of the "miracle elixir" have significantly increased the prices of their goods. But India is not the only place where sandalwoods grow, Australia, Africa and America should also be mentioned. True, the essential oil withdrawn from them differs from the "original" in its healing properties and chemical composition. Natural EO herbal and wax smell has a viscous and thick consistency of color from light yellow to brown. In the case of purchasing high-quality raw materials, you will receive a product, 90% of which is santanol, an alcohol soluble in ethanol and mineral oils. Also, this product consists of the trans-isomer,? - and? -Santhalene, cis -? - santalol, cuparen, epi -? - santalol,? -Trans-bergamotol,? -Trans-bergamotene, etc.
Where is sandalwood oil used?
EO sandalwood can be used as a healing substance to reduce pressure, improve memory, relax intestinal muscles, relieve cramps, inflammation of nerves and blood vessels, eliminate eczema and fungi. The raw materials are also used for sexual disorders in men, for coughs, rhinitis, sore throat, nausea, for female frigidity, mosquito bites, for vaginitis, urethritis and cystitis.
Many essential oils, including sandalwood, in reasonable doses have a beneficial effect on the psyche, help get rid of bad thoughts, insomnia and anxiety. But this tool plays a special role in the field of cosmetology.
Before purchasing EVs, pay attention to the category of "contraindications", which include:
- Pregnancy period.
- Children under 12 years old.
- Individual intolerance in the form of allergies.
- Kidney problems (pyelonephritis, glomerulonephritis).
- Do not take orally for gastritis, acidity, peptic ulcer disease.
- Overexcitation.
- High-grade hypertension.
Also consider the soothing aroma of the oil, which can make people who are phlegmatic even more sluggish. With an increase in the dose of the essential product, it may feel a little nauseous.
Face and body skin care with sandalwood oil
The healing essence of santalum trees has served as a youth-prolonging ingredient for many years. Now this product is saturated with creams, masks, tonics and lotions, so that they, in turn, are more effective in combating skin imperfections.
Sandalwood oil attracts many girls and women because of its ability to beneficially affect the stratum corneum:
- Fights acne and pimples.
- Eliminates oily shine on the face.
- Soothes sensitive skin
- Together with other cosmetic products, it helps to smooth fine wrinkles.
- Increases the elasticity of the skin.
- Reduces puffiness and bruising under the eyes.
- Has a whitening ability.
- Has a slight lifting ability.
- Moisturizes dry skin.
With an essential sandalwood product in your arsenal, you can prepare at home:
- Mask for facial skin rejuvenation. 1 tbsp. Mix a spoonful of jojoba oil with three drops of essential frankincense and the same amount of vetiver. Add just one drop of EO sandalwood to the mixture. Apply the prepared product to your face for 15 minutes. For the best effect, rinse off the mask not with water, but with hydrolat. Damask rose hydrolat is excellent for these purposes. By the way, this medicated blend of oils will also help get rid of acne. Of course, in order to achieve a successful result, it will be necessary to complete a set of such procedures, consider nutrition and check the condition of internal organs.
- Moisturizing mask for dry skin. For 1 teaspoon of olive oil, take two drops of EO sandalwood. Apply to skin with patting movements with fingertips and after 10 minutes rinse off excess with a cosmetic tissue.
- Nourishing cream for normal skin. The composition of such a product contains cedar oil (10%), apricot (8%), emulsifier Olivem 1000 (5%), sandalwood hydrolate (29%), distilled water (41, 4%), NUF (3%), panthenol (3 %), preservative Cosgard (0.6%).
- Ointment for smoothing wrinkles around the eyes. To make wrinkles less visible, rub a mixture of two drops of sandalwood oil and a drop of neroli into this area every day. A combination of three drops - rose, sandalwood and limette - copes well with this problem.
- Eye cream. If you are into creaming or would like to learn this craft, you can use the following formulation for the eyelids: apricot kernel oil (7.6%), castor oil (5%), mango (7.6%), emulsion wax (5%). rose hydrolate (71.7%), hyaluronic acid (0.5%), silk peptides (2%), Cosguard preservative (0.6%), a few drops of rose and sandalwood essential oils.
Add a few drops of EO to your lotion, milk, or body scrub if you want to get even more results from using the product. Or order ready-made cosmetic body care products containing the same healing sandalwood essence:
- Valent Vata: Natural Sandalwood Body Cream - a nutritious product for the body, fights against sagging skin, giving the skin elasticity and velvety. In addition to sandalwood, the composition includes: shea butter, jojoba, mango, beeswax and other natural ingredients. Weight - 100 g, price - 512 rubles.
- Planeta Organica Indian Cashew & Organic Sandalwood Oil Body Scrub - anti-cellulite product aimed at skin renewal and rejuvenation, containing cashew nut oil, laurel, sandalwood, vitamins, sea salt, bamboo extract, etc. Volume - 450 ml, cost - 414 rubles.
- Miko body cream butter "Sandal" - a good remedy for rough skin from cocoa butter, sandalwood, almond, shea butter, rosemary, calendula chamomile extracts and other natural ingredients. The product is also suitable for massage treatments. Volume - 120 ml, price - 550 rubles.
An excellent home remedy for skin care can be made at home:
- Hand cream with sandalwood and aloe gel. Mix 10 drops of essential oils of lavender, sandalwood, palmarosa, and a drop of benzoin absolute (5 drops), stirring constantly. Add 50 g of aloe vera gel. The prepared product is recommended to be used for hands after washing and before going to bed.
- Body cream for all skin types. Make a mixture of geranium essential oil (50 drops), green myrtle (30 drops), lavender (30 drops), sandalwood (20 drops), and rosemary (25 drops). Add about 0.5% of this mixture to your store-bought or prepared neutral body cream.
- Oils after taking a bath or shower. Pour into a bottle of dark material and shake well with 100 ml of jojoba or sweet almonds, 3 drops of patchouli, 3 drops of sandalwood, 1 drop of coriander and 2 drops of jasmine.
Sandalwood oil for hair care
Many essential oils can be added to regular shampoos and hair conditioners. In this way, you can enrich cosmetics with nutrients, which subsequently have a beneficial effect on the hair structure. Some EOs add shine to hair, others have mild bleaching properties, and as for the sandalwood version, it can help:
- Strengthen the roots.
- Deal with dandruff.
- Moisten the ends of the strands.
- Reduce hair loss.
- Make hair silky.
To see the effectiveness of using sandalwood essence as an ingredient in a hair care cosmetic, you can use the following recipes:
- For shine hair. Put a little of the raw sandalwood on a comb (a wooden comb is perfect for this) and comb your hair along the entire length so that the unique composition is evenly distributed over the strands. This procedure can be performed every day.
- For weakened hair. Mix 1 tbsp. a spoonful of castor, olive or burdock oil with three drops of essential oil. Spread the prepared mixture through your hair, put on a bag on top, wrapping it in a towel. After literally 40 minutes, wash your hair with regular shampoo.
- For damaged hair. Mix the egg yolk, 2 tbsp. tablespoons of castor oil, 1 teaspoon of liquid honey and milk powder until a homogeneous paste is formed. Add 2 drops of EO sandalwood and clary sage to it. Apply the prepared mask to the scalp and hair, wrap your head with a towel. After 20 minutes, the mask should be washed off with shampoo.
- For dry hair. Mix 20 ml of honey, 5 ml of jojoba oil, the same amount of safflower oil, 3 ml of castor or olive oil, 2 drops of sandalwood and 1 drop of lemon essential oil in one bowl. Apply the resulting mixture to your hair without touching the scalp, put a bag on your head and wrap it up with a towel for 30 minutes.
- For thicker curly hair. Apply for 20 minutes a mask of 25 ml of jojoba oil, 25 ml of ricin, 7 drops of rosewood and 20 drops of sandalwood, rinse with shampoo.
Keep in mind that sandalwood oil can weigh down your hair, which is why it is recommended to use it to care for strands during the cold season.
Where to buy sandalwood oil
Essential oils are available in pharmacies and online stores. As for the raw sandalwood, it cannot be cheap, otherwise this is a fake. You can pay attention to products in the amount of 10 ml of the following brands:
- Zeytun - 3208 rubles.
- Botanika - 139 rubles.
- Swati Ayurveda - $ 24.9
- Aromazone - € 29.
- Now Foods (30 ml) - 1193, 4 rubles.
Essential oils should be stored in tightly closed bottles made of dark glass, out of the reach of small children. Since sandalwood essential oil is very dense in consistency, you can heat the bottle a little to extract it easily.
Video recommendations on how to use sandalwood oil in the field of cosmetology:
