The Red Sandalwood Ritual — Raktachandan, Rose Water & Cucumber Gel

Red sandalwood — raktachandan — is the one Indian households have reached for over marks and uneven tone for centuries. It is also a drying mask, and this set is built around the thing people forget: what you do after it comes off matters as much as the mask itself.

What Is Inside

• Red Sandalwood Powder. Ground fine.
• Rose Water — 100ml. Steam distilled.
• Cucumber Gel.
• Ayurveda Amrita gift pouch.

Why These Three

Red Sandalwood Powder

The traditional answer to marks, dark patches and tone that has gone uneven. Ground fine so it mixes smooth rather than scratchy — raktachandan is a mask, not a scrub, and should never be rubbed in.

Mixed fresh each time. Wet, it has no shelf life at all; there is no preservative in a bowl of powder and water.

Rose Water

What sandalwood has always been mixed with. It binds the paste and keeps the skin cool while the mask dries, which is the difference between a mask that tightens and one that leaves you red.

Cucumber Gel

The step almost everybody skips, and then blames the mask. A drying mask takes water out of the skin. This puts it back, within a minute of rinsing, while the face is still damp.

How to Use

1. A teaspoon of powder in a non-metal bowl.
2. Add rose water a little at a time until it is a smooth paste.
3. Clean face, avoiding the eyes. Fifteen to twenty minutes.
4. Remove while it is still slightly tacky. Rinse with cool water.
5. Mist rose water, then cucumber gel on damp skin. Twice a week.

Non-metal matters — metal reacts with the powder and you lose part of what you paid for.

Frequently Asked Questions

Red or white sandalwood — which do I want?
Red for marks, pigmentation and uneven tone. White for heat, redness and sensitive skin. They are different plants doing different jobs, not two shades of the same thing.

Can I mix a week's worth in advance?
No. Mix what you need each time.

Can I leave it until it cracks?
No. Once it goes hard it has stopped working and started pulling moisture.

How long before marks fade?
Six to eight weeks at twice a week, and gradually. Anything faster is bleach, not sandalwood.

Product Information

Contents: Red Sandalwood Powder · Rose Water 100ml · Cucumber Gel · Gift box
Suitable for: Normal, oily and combination skin. Sensitive skin should see the white sandalwood set.
For external use only. Avoid the eye area. Patch test before first use. Use a non-metal bowl.
Storage: Keep the powder dry. Rose water and cucumber gel are both better refrigerated.