Botanical atlas

Sandalwood

Santalum album

For thousands of years, sandalwood's fragrant golden heartwood has perfumed temples, anointed foreheads, and scented the smoke of ceremonies across India, China, and Southeast Asia. In Ayurvedic medicine it is known as chandan, a cooling substance traditionally used to calm heated, irritated skin, soothe the mind, and settle a restless stomach. Buddhist and Hindu traditions alike have long carved its wood into prayer beads and temple statues, believing its scent to be both purifying and sacred. Because true heartwood takes decades to develop its prized aroma, sandalwood has always carried an air of patience and preciousness.

Safety.

Sandalwood is gentle in small topical or dietary amounts, but its concentrated essential oil should never be swallowed, since ingesting it undiluted can cause nausea, dizziness, and more serious toxicity. Patch test before topical use, as it can irritate sensitive skin, and avoid internal use during pregnancy, breastfeeding, or with kidney conditions.