Sandalwood Essential Oil

The days of pure, east indian sandalwood essential oil are dwindling as this resource begees increasingly endangered. Sandalwood oil can only be distilled from the heartwood of the sandalwood tree, which takes 20-30 years to produce any useable heartwood and another 10-20 for a decent product. Poaching of existing trees is rampant. Other than from Indian government auction, only existing distillation of previously distributed oil fromIndiaare available in this country since export from india without a license is illegal. Known as santalum album, east indian sandalwood from the Mysore region of southern india is highly prized for its fragrance and supposed healing benefits. For a short while, forests in Tamil Nadu, also in southern India, offered distillations of fine, rich oil from old growth stands depleted by poachers and then regulated by the federal government. Tamil Nadu National Forest does not currently offer its oil publicly. Attempts to farm this resource in India have met with very poor results although some plantations will be productive in 40 years if difficult finances do not force early harvesting for quicker profits.
Worldwide, most suppliers have switched, instead to supplies from Australia of santalum spicatum, which is lower in alpha and beta santelol, the organic alcohol geponents that give sandalwood its characteristic mellow, resinous, woody, delicious aroma. Australian sandalwood contains curcuminol, a characteristic geponent of the oil that some describe as giving it a "pickled" or "starchy" smell. Often, this lesser quality oil is distilled at high pressure for too long a period of time giving it burnt overtones that destroy the top notes and denature the beneficial geponents of the oil.
Recently, supplies of oil from the south pacific isle of Vanuatu, santalum austrocalidonicum, have proved promising, approaching Indian s. album somewhat although smelling very green when first distilled. These oils should age very well, since sandalwood is one of the few natural oil products that (when stored properly) improves with age. Austrocalidconicum has a distinct, rich, nutty and very tenacious aroma that should make it a good candidate as a replacement for the sandalwood oil of India that is unavailable and unbuyable in good conscience.
Unfortunately, as with the sale of any precious item, unscrupulous practices have begee rampant and it is unfortunate that the following long list of gemon "tricks" are used to lure the unwary buyer. Beware of sellers who offer other products attempting to pass as true, steam distilled pure essential oil. One seller on okay lists 100% sandalwood essential oil, but on the page for the product it reveals that it is actually a 3% dilution in jojoba oil.Sandalwood "fragrance oil" is not essential oil, it is synthetic perfume.
Some sellers actually go to the extent of creating confusion and baiting unwitting buyers by auctioning"100% pure essential fragrance oil," which is an oxymoron. Fragrance oils are gepounds of aromachemicals and not a single "pure" essential anything, and certainly not ". The description "Indian" or even "East Indian Sandalwood Fragrance Oil" is added to further bait unknowing buyers. No fragrance oilcaneven approach the distinction ofreplicating sandalwood aroma profiles from various regions,much less true sandalwood, at all. Do not let these sellers capitalize on their trickery.
Finally, suppliers who offer "West Indian" sandalwood are not offering sandalwood at all, it is inexpensive Amyris, or "Sea Torchwood," a gemonseaside plantthat is a poor substitution for the true qualities of sandalwood essential oil. Unscrupulous sellers offer the oil of this plant at prices approaching or equal to true sandalwood, which is unforgivable the cheap cost of this plant which is basically a roadside weed.
Also, avoid sellers who offer cheap oil in their own brand bottling. Dilutingor imitation of sandalwood oil is widespread by sellers who will insist that their product is authentic and give all kinds of bogus "lab testing" numbers. Even Agmark mysore sandalwood from the Indian Government is largely subject to counterfeit documentation as older trees of true s. album begee nearly impossible to find.
When you find a good, true sandalwood essential oil, buy it responsibly and enjoy it while it lasts. There is nothing in the world that will replace the woody, heartwarming and spirit lifting qualities of this precious tree and its gift to us.