December 18, 2023
4 min read
Unlocking the Skincare Secrets of Sandalwood Seed Oil
While sandalwood is most commonly known for its heartwood, which is used in perfumes and incense, the seed oil is now used in skincare thanks to its many benefits that support all skin types. Derived from a tree native to semi-arid areas at the edge of Southwest Australia, sandalwood seed oil can now be found in face serums, body oils and moisturisers. Containing a complex profile of omega essential fatty acids and anti-inflammatory properties, this native wonder supports all skin concerns - from smoothing fine lines and wrinkles to soothing acne prone, irritated skin. Let’s take a deeper dive into what makes this natural oil so special.
Why is Australian Sandalwood Oil so popular?
This steam-distilled oil has a vast array of skin benefits due to its properties as an antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, astringent, disinfectant, emollient and tonic substance.
What are Skin Benefits of Sandalwood Oil?
Australian sandalwood oil is ideal for all skin types and studies have shown it holds the following benefits:
-
Anti-inflammatory and Antimicrobial
-
Antiseptic and may inhabit bacteria and yeast
-
Antioxidant and melanin inhibitor properties that assist with skin brightening and reduced appearance of scarring
-
Essential Fatty Acid nourishment, improving skin elasticity and signs of premature ageing
-
According to Ayurveda - Sandalwood offers pitta-reducing properties to cool the skin in cases of sunburn and soothes breakouts, rashes and irritation with its anti-inflammatory benefits.
1. Helps in Treating Acne
Sandalwood oil has powerful antibacterial, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties making it perfect for treating red, inflamed and troubled teenage skin or hormonal breakouts in your twenties and thirties. You may think that oils and acne don’t mix well, however Sandalwood Seed Oil offers skin balancing properties that delivers nourishment while also balancing excess sebum. If you have acne prone or oily skin it’s important to maintain hydration and nourishment to ensure you don’t strip the skin too much, as you could cause sebum production to go into overdrive. Including a balancing oil such as Sandalwood Seed in your daily moisturiser will deliver on hydration without the greasy residue.
2. Anti-Ageing
The powerful emollient and moisturizing properties of this oil help to hydrate your skin and thus prevent dehydrated skin that can lead to wrinkles and other signs of aging. Sandalwood oil is also bursting with antioxidants that help to protect against environmental stress to prevent wrinkles.
Deeply hydrate and plump the delicate eye area with LAMAV’s Intense Repair Eye Balm. Lock in hydration and smooth fine lines with the nourishing and antioxidant benefits of Sandalwood Seed Oil and CoEnzyme Q10.
3. Helps Hydrate Dry Skin
The emollient properties of this oil helps to hydrate the driest of skins by providing a barrier between the skin and environmental aggressors that might aggravate your dry skin condition, such as cold and wind.
4. Chapped and Cracked Skin
This oil is truly a quick fix for chapped, cracking skin such as the skin on the heels of your feet. Feel confident to wear your summer sandals after using sandalwood oil on your heels.
5. Brightening and Reducing Pigmentation
Studies have shown that Sandalwood oil contains alpha-santalol - an inhibitor of tyrosinase, which is responsible for melanin production. This can assist to brighten the skin and reduce signs of scarring, pigmentation and sun spots caused by over-exposure to the sun.
Brighten your skin with nature’s best brighteners, including Sandalwood Seed Oil in LAMAV’s Rumex Day Cream.
More than skin-deep benefits
While the skincare benefits of sandalwood seed oil are impressive, its benefits go beyond the skin. This multi-tasker is also popular as an aromatherapy and massage tool to reduce stress, anxiety and mental fatigue. Find it in LAMAV’s Ayurvedic Body Oils and enjoy the skin health benefits along with mindfulness and relaxation through our signature Abhyanga Massage.
DID YOU KNOW?
• It takes up to 10 years for the tree to produce sandalwood oil, making it a very resource-intensive product as the whole tree is harvested and the process has to begin all over again once a new seedling is planted.
• This oil is very popular in meditation and spiritual healing and a small amount massaged onto the temples helps to calm and focus the mind.
How to make sure you are purchasing only the Purest Australian Sandalwood Oil?
Apart from obviously reading the label of a product, appearance and smell are very important when it comes to making sure you are purchasing the real thing.
Appearance:
The appearance of Australian Sandalwood Oil is pale yellow in color. Anytime the color is bright and unnatural looking, you can be sure it probably is.
Smell:
Australian Sandalwood Oil has an incredibly pleasant smell and will have you wanting to put some on your pulse points just to enjoy its scent all day long. It has a woodsy, rich, and warm scent and will remind you of a cozy fall day. It has an earthy smell with notes of spice. Trust your nose on this one. If it smells harsh or chemically altered, it probably is. The scent of Sandalwood oil should smell natural and make you feel closer to the earth.
Read the label:
The label on a skin product can tell you a lot… if you know what to look for. To ensure that you are buying pure Sandalwood Oil – that is the only ingredient that should be listed on the label. The rule is – if you can’t pronounce it, then it’s more than likely some sort of chemical or skin irritant and that’s definitely not something you want to buy!
