When you’re personally involved with growing, producing or selling natural substances, you come to truly appreciate how vulnerable they are – in some cases, how miraculous it is that they’ve even survived this far.
From fruits to vegetables, grapevines to coffee plantations, plants, shrubs and trees to the essential oils that are extracted from them, you become very aware of how many factors affect them, and often beyond one’s control (not pointing fingers, weather!)
Not only that, but certain ones carry a huge environmental and societal impact. This is thankfully giving rise to awareness of the importance of fair trade, ethics and sustainability throughout the entire cycle, though in general there is still a long way to go.
If you’ve been ordering Young Living essential oils for any length of time, you’ve likely experienced out-of-stock situations sometimes when ordering: certain single oils, blends and even foods and supplements can be affected by seasonal shortages or longer-term supply challenges. Personally, I love this fact in spite of occasional lack of convenience, because it keeps me appreciating just how precious these oils are and how lucky we are to have such ready access to the best oils on the planet. And it reminds us that natural products rely on raw materials being available, and there’s no way you can knock up the real deal in a test tube!
The best things in life really are worth waiting for.
So this long-winded introduction is by way of setting the background for today’s post on sandalwood essential oil. Because in the face of rapidly increasing demand for pure essential oils, sandalwood is one of those that’s had its challenges.
Sandalwood has been much loved for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine and throughout the world for revitalising the skin and being of tremendous help with meditation, yoga and spirituality.
It’s also a key ingredient in many perfumes and fragrances with its warm, woodsy aroma making a sultry and enticing base note.
Sandalwood is a key ingredient in many of Young Living’s products, and they have been working tirelessly to find solutions to a growing supply concern. Today, we’ll talk about the two sandalwood essential oils currently available.
Typically, most sandalwood essential oil is Santalum album, which is steam distilled from the wood of trees grown in India.
In a stroke of fabulous fortune, Australia’s landscape and climate across its tropical northern outback are similar to those of India. This has made it possible to transplant seeds from sandalwood trees in India to create a magnificent sandalwood plantation in Australia, with the trees cultivated and monitored closely according to Young Living’s Seed to Seal® process. This farm has become Young Living’s partner farm, and supplies Young Living with Santalum album – now also known as Sacred Sandalwood.
The other sandalwood available for ordering through Young Living is called Royal Hawaiian Sandalwood (Santalum paniculatum). It has its own special story.
In Hawaii, there is a Kona Sandalwood Reforestation Project and this is the source of wood used by Young Living for their Royal Hawaiian Sandalwood.
Somewhat like palo santo in the following respect, only dead or dying sandalwood is steam distilled to extract the precious Royal Hawaiian Sandalwood. This is done out of respect for the sacred land and to preserve the delicate ecological balance in place. As it happens, at this time in the tree’s life cycle – when it reaches the end of its natural life – it also yields the highest percentage of oil when distilled.
Both Sacred Sandalwood and Royal Hawaiian Sandalwood essential oils have a sweet, warm and rich woody aroma.
Both are valued for being both uplifting and relaxing and exceptional meditation and yoga buddies. Unlike ones of the human kind, they’ll never accidentally engage you in chit-chat or borrow your yoga mat. Inhaling these sandalwoods is also a comforting prelude to sleep.
Likewise, both sandalwood oils are also exquisite for skincare. Add several drops to your favourite moisturiser for glowing, nurtured-looking skin.
And while it’s fun to DIY your own creams and lotions, I highly recommend trying Young Living’s beautiful range of ready-made skincare and beauty products, many of which include sandalwood essential oil.
Two favourites that have been around in the range since Young Living first introduced skincare are Boswellia Wrinkle Cream™ and Sandalwood Moisture Cream™ – and sandalwood is a key ingredient in the ART skincare products and a bunch of other Young Living products and essential oil blends.
Sacred Sandalwood and Royal Hawaiian Sandalwood can be diffused, inhaled directly from the bottle or from cupped hands, applied topically on location and chakra points (usually without dilution as they are so mild and gentle on virtually all skin types, but please test as usual if yours is sensitive).
Essential oils are potent, so as always, please follow directions on the bottle and the usual guidelines for safe use of authentic essential oils.
Please ensure you are choosing a brand with complete transparency from seed to seal, such as Young Living. You can learn in this short video why we only ever recommend and choose Young Living oils and love them so much!
This will also connect you up with The Good Oil Team for our personal support and coaching. We'd love to help you on your journey to vibrant well-being the natural way!
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