Sandalwood—Perfumery

Sandalwood is a valued and widely used ingredient in perfumery. It has a history of use in India that documents back to the seventh century BCE. Its use in Western perfumery is not as long, but the unique qualities of this ingredient have seen it become a key ingredient in these products. By undertaking a review of the history of perfume development, exploring how Indian sandalwood works in these compositions, the benefit that this ingredient can bring to the final product and then looking at the chemistry of the constituents of sandalwood oil will allow a better understanding on why Indian sandalwood is so valued in this purpose. A comment on the future of Indian sandalwood is offered, and while some new opportunities exist such as sustainability, origin and traceability, there are also opportunities with developing some of the well-being benefits, associated with Indian sandalwood in the East for many years, into Western perfume compositions.