What is red sandalwood (Rakta Chandanam) ?

Everyone is familiar with red sandal powder , chandanam powder.This special variety of sandal wood is available in  Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.  Red sandalwood is a tree. The wood at the center of the trunk (heartwood) is used as medicine. Red sandalwood is used for treating digestive tract problems, fluid retention,coughs and for “blood purification.”Red sandalwood might increase the loss of body water through the urine (diuretic effect). It might also have drying effects that may help reduce diarrhea and break up mucus to make it easier to cough up.

Pterocarpus santalinus, with the common names red sanders, red sandalwood, and saunders wood, is a species of Pterocarpus endemic to the southern Eastern Ghats mountain range of South India.This tree is valued for the rich red color of its wood. The wood is not aromatic. The tree is not to be confused with the aromatic Santalum sandalwood trees that grow natively in South India. (wikipedia)

Red sandal wood powder (Rakhta chandanam podi)

Red Sandalwood Powder, also known as Rakta Chandana Powder/ Pterocarpus santalinus is a variety of sandalwood powder. It is dark maroon in color and doesn’t have any fragrance to it. It is different from sandalwood powder.

Sandalwood paste is integral to rituals and ceremonies, to mark religious utensils and to decorate the icons of the deities. It is also distributed to devotees, who apply it to the forehead or the neck and chest. Preparation of the paste is a duty fit only for the pure, and is therefore entrusted in temples and during ceremonies only to priests.

Red Sandalwood Powder cosmetic /beauty benefits

• It is an antiseptic, wound healing agent.
• It is an age old effective remedy to fight acne, skin rashes, sunburn, blemishes and premature aging.
• It works equally well for skin and health care.

Here are some ways to use Red Sandalwood powder

Use sandalwood powder and green tea mask to get rid of wrinkles and sun induced aging. Take 1 Table spoon of powder and enough green tea water to make a paste. It tightens the pores and the natural anti-oxidants help improve the signs of ageing. You may also add some unsweetened chocolate powder to make this mask smell delish!

Want to make a zit disappear overnight? Take enough red sandalwood powder, same quantity of cinnamon powder (dalchini) and make a paste with lemon juice.

Fake that glow by using this mask–2 teaspoon of sandalwood powder,½ teaspoon honey,2 drops of almond oil and bit of glycerin . Keep it on for 15 minutes. Shine your way to glory! For oily skin, you may swap almond oil with jojoba oil and even add juice of quarter lemon.

Get rid of scars and pigmentation by using a paste of dried lemon peel powder,sandalwood powder, pinch of turmeric, curd and lemon juice. Excellent for removing tan too.

Make a paste of red sandalwood powder and rose water. Work well to calm down skin rashes and angry ripe pimples. Works well with cystic acne too.

Massage skin with Aloe Vera gel mixed with sandalwood powder and bit of lavender oil to calm senses and relax after a long hard day.
Medicinal Value of Red Sandalwood Powder
Its been extensively used in Ayurveda to treat fever , digestive problem , treating high blood pressure and lowering the Sugar level of diabetic patients.

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