Today, most sandalwood available on the market has been poached in India, sometimes by organized gangs who also poach elephants. Like most essential oils traded on international markets, sandalwood oil is often adulterated with petrochemical oils. Aveda's quest for the Earth's purest, finest organic sandalwood oil that can be traceably sourced has taken us on a journey where the sandalwood is sustainably harvested and where the oil extraction process uses steam instead of petrochemical solvents. The difference—in quality and sustainability—benefits beauty professionals, consumers, indigenous communities and the Earth. In a desert landscape of golden mountains and endless blue sky, you will find the footprints of the Aboriginal Peoples on the orange sand. Follow the tracks into the deepest part of Western Australia and you will find the heart of a people and their land. Place your hands on the sandalwood that grows from their footprints and you have touched their pulse. Theirs is a journey of 40,000 years. On this path, the Indigenous People of Western Australia have developed their cultures in harmony with the ecosystem. They have lived from the Earth while exercising stewardship that worships the land and the web of life it sustains. Each step they have taken, through deserts and lifetimes, is a legend to be passed down. If we follow these footprints back through time, they will lead us through rivers of sorrow, mountains of hope and generations of survival. More than two hundred years ago, the Europeans first arrived in Australia with their heavy suitcases. Suitcases filled with different ideas, different religious beliefs and different plans for the region and its local communities. The Europeans sought to erase the footprints of the native people and to build a new civilization. They uprooted trees from the land and children from their parents. For a hundred years, countless Aboriginal children were forcibly taken from their families, deprived of their native culture, and converted to European cultural and religious lifestyles in an effort to purge the Indigenous People from their native land. They are known today as the "Stolen Generation." These harsh years caused relentless struggle, desperation and loss, but also eventually brought small winds of change. In 1976 the Aboriginal Land Rights Act opened the way for the native people to find their rightful path again. This began their journey to healing their communities and their lands. Throughout the Aboriginal People's journey, the Earth and its natural resources have been the ground that supports their every step. Today, the Australian sandalwood tree carves the way for a vibrant and hopeful future. The indigenous Mardu community cuts and harvests the sandalwood, led by Kenny Farmer. His appreciation for the sandalwood he harvests is rooted in a deep respect for the Earth it grows from, its healing properties, and the communities of native people who benefit from its business. As we travel through the desert lands of Western Australia, we come across a junction, a meeting place. Here, the Mardu peoples met fellow travelers from a distant land. The Aveda team had come to Western Australia to form a true partnership with the native communities. These two travelers come from two very different worlds, but embrace the same values—that the Earth, its peoples and its natural resources are one. Today, Aveda and the Indigenous Communities of Mardu Peoples of Kuktabubba have a strong business partnership that continues to bear many fruits. For the Mardu Peoples, the harvesting of sandalwood provides a sustainable economic base for its people. Aveda's partnership with Western Australian Aboriginal Peoples assures responsible sourcing and harvesting practices. Until now, the Aboriginal Peoples who have harvested sandalwood from their lands have received a very small percentage of the profits from the final harvest. As partners to Aveda, the Aboriginal Peoples receive fair payment for their sandalwood harvest—creating a business where all parties benefit. Aveda has also joined hands with Mount Romance, the Australian-headquartered producers of sandalwood oil, to extract the sandalwood oil by steam instead of petrochemical solvents. Mount Romance also helped spearhead the Songman Circle of Wisdom, a community of indigenous leaders. This group will establish the first protocol of indigenous raw material certification, facilitate economic capacity building and environmental conservation, work towards cultural preservation, and promote indigenous wisdom. As partners, Aveda, Mount Romance and the Songman Circle of Wisdom hope to communicate the importance of indigenous Earth stewardship to the wider business community. Today, the legendary Western Australian sandalwood tree grows strong and pure out of the orange sand. If you place your hands on its golden bark, you will feel the spirit of the native lands. If you look deep into the twists and turns of its branches, you will see a thousand ceremonies filled with song and dance. If you breathe in its exotic fragrance, you will remember the land's history, and feel the hope of its people's future. "Aveda's core vision and the cultural practice of Indigenous People are parallel. We as a team can join forces to make good business for the rest of the world." -- Dr. Richard Walley (Myoongor Peoples)

Favorite Aveda products that contain Sandalwood: Control Paste™ Damage Remedy™ Restructuring Shampoo Damage Remedy™ Restructuring Conditioner Damage Remedy™ Intensive Restructuring Treatment Light Elements™ Smoothing Fluid