Product Overview
Buddha Wood essential oil has a uniquely rugged, rich, woody, and dry oak/driftwood aroma with a resinous top note and slightly smoky and sweet rosewood-like back note that becomes more earthy/leathery in the long dry down. The deeply centering, tenacious scent of this resinous wood is said to capture the sunbaked essence of the Australian outback. Formulators will find Buddha Wood a sustainable and affordable base note alternative or extender for precious wood oils such as Sandalwood and Agarwood. It adds powerful fixative qualities to base note accords, forest notes, and incense perfumes while it helps round out and bring balance to blends without dominating.
Also known as Desert Rosewood or False Sandalwood, evergreen Buddha Wood trees are native to the arid regions of tropical and sub-tropical Australia where the aromatic wood has traditionally been burned as incense. This pervasive, prolific scrub tree is considered an invasive species, however it is not a viable option for goats and other grazers, thus landing it in a classification allowing for wild harvesting. Nevertheless, our producers follow careful government harvesting regulations for sustainability. By targeting only mature trees for harvest, growing conditions for younger trees are improved, creating a regenerative process that ensures bountiful future harvests.[1] In addition, Buddha Wood oil production supports farming families in drought-prone regions, providing an alternative income source during times of need.
Unlike any other wood oils, Buddha Wood possesses a unique class of sesquiterpenes, composed predominantly of eremophilanes and eremophilones, a rare class of bicyclic, antioxidant sesquiterpenenoids that were first discovered in the Eremophila genus. These compounds lend numerous skincare benefits in personal care applications such as after-shaves, beard care, hand and body washes, cleansers, facial serums, body oils, deodorants, and baby creams. It shares similar uses with its native neighbor, Tea Tree, for scalp, foot, groin, and intimate care formulations.[2]
The gentle nature of Buddha Wood oil is suitable for baths, muscle and joint massage, compresses, meditation blends, and diffusers where the deep, peaceful aroma promotes an ambiance of tranquility and wellbeing. Although, it is natural perfumers who will particularly appreciate the versatility of this relatively new, fine fixative and interesting addition to the woody aroma family.
1 Industry communication.
2 Ibid.
