Sandalwood is has many uses like :Fragrance
- Sandalwood oil- Santalol is used in perfumery, both in India and Europe.
- It has a characteristic sweet and woody odor and excellent blending properties.
- In India, sandalwood oil is also used as a fixative for the manufacture of traditional attars such as rose attar because it has a large proportion of high boiling constituents.
- The wood of Chandan is used for holy havans.
- Incense from sandalwood has a calming effect and is conducive to clarity of mind. Thus, it is used for meditation.
- Sandalwood paste is used in the ritual bathing of Hindu Gods.
- The sandalwood paste is also used as a "Shringar" of Hindu Gods.
- The sandalwood paste is smeared on the foreheads of devotees of Vishnu and Shiva as a dot or tilak. This paste cools the "Agna Chakra" and centers the concentration powers of an individual.
- In Ayurvedic medicine, the wood is grounded with water to form a paste that is applied to the foreheads of people suffering from fevers.
- The sandalwood paste is also mixed with coconut water and taken as a drink to decrease dehydration effects.
- An infusion of sandalwood powder made with water or rose water is used to treat headaches, scorpion stings, dry skin, dermatitis, psoriasis, prickly heat and other skin conditions.
- Sandalwood paste has also been used to treat warts and forms of skin cancer. Clinical trials are being carried out to investigate this.
- The infusion has also been used as a deodorant and as a mouthwash to treat bad breath.
- Oil from the heartwood is used as a skin lotion to treat itching and inflammatory conditions.
- Sandalwood is mixed with honey, sugar and rice-water to treat digestive disorders.
- The oil can be added to candles or burnt as incense in rooms with patients that have mental health problems or are very stressed as the perfume has a calming effect.
- Sandalwood oil is used to relieve tension and stress and so is used in aromatherapy.
- Santalol has antiseptic and antimicrobial properties.
- Sandalwood oil is an expensive oil and is used in skin products. · It has moisturizing, astringent, antiseptic, balancing and stimulating properties.
- Recommended for dry and aging skin, it can be blended with other plant-derived extracts in hair oils and body lotions.
- The sandalwood paste is used for its cooling properties in case of skin burns.
- The paste is used to decrease effects of skin tanning and blotching.
- Sandalwood paste is also used to attain a clear, smooth and unblemished face.
Sandalwood is used for making carved figurines of Gods, Goddesses, mythological figures. Sandalwood is used for a variety of small carved articles such as boxes, cabinet panels, jewel cases, combs, picture frames, fan handles, pen holders and card cases etc.
Sandalwood is very valuable and so it is weighed in grams when being sold. It has a fine texture and few knots in the wood. It is the heartwood which is used most because of its long lasting smell. The yellow or brown color gets darker with age. Sandalwood sapwood is white or yellow and not scented, although it can still be made into craft objects.
A large amount of craftwork is exported or sold to tourists. This provides an income for many people in India, who often form craft and trade co-operatives to support each other. Different regions in India have distinct styles of carving. For example, in Surat and Ahmedabad, carved leaves are a bit large and deeply cut, while in Mysore the leaves and branches are more delicate. However, due to sandalwood being an endangered species, it is under Government control and so the carvings are strictly limited.