Pure Red Sandalwood Powder (Lal Chandan)

Red sandalwood powder — lal chandan, raktachandan — milled from genuine heartwood to a fine, even consistency. The deep earthy red is the wood's own colour. No dye, no fillers, no artificial fragrance.

Read this first: lal chandan powder is for colour, not scent

Red sandalwood carries almost no fragrance. If you want a chandan powder that smells like chandan, you want white sandalwood powder. Lal chandan is chosen for its colour and its long-standing place in Ayurvedic skin preparations. Our comparison guide explains the difference in full.

What you are buying

• Genuine raktachandan heartwood, finely milled
• Deep natural red — never dyed or colour-enhanced
• No talc, no starch, no chalk, no fragrance
• Every batch third-party tested for purity and adulteration

Choosing a pack size

• 50 g — roughly 12–15 face packs. A sensible first order
• 100–200 g — twice-weekly use for a few months, or occasional tilak
• 250–500 g — a household using it regularly, or a small temple
• 750 g–1 kg — temples, Ayurvedic makers, skincare formulators, wholesale

Used for

• Face packs — traditionally preferred for oily skin, blemishes and uneven tone
• Ubtan and bridal preparation
• Red tilak, especially in Vaishnav and Devi traditions
• Havan and religious ceremonies
• Traditional Ayurvedic home remedies

How to use on skin

Mix one spoon of lal chandan powder with rose water into a smooth paste. Apply evenly, leave 15–20 minutes, and rinse with cool water. Two or three times a week is plenty. For a fuller ubtan, mix with besan and a little curd instead of water.

Patch-test on your inner arm before the first use. These are traditional uses, not medical claims — see a doctor for any skin condition.

How to check it is genuine

Mix a pinch into a glass of water. Dyed powder releases a bright, artificial pink or red almost instantly and often floats in a coloured film. Real raktachandan sinks and gives up a deep, muted, earthy red slowly. This is the single most useful test for red sandalwood, and it takes a minute.

Natural characteristics

Shade varies between batches, from brick red to deep maroon, because natural heartwood varies. A batch that is unusually bright or perfectly uniform in colour is a warning sign, not a mark of quality.

Storage

Keep in a sealed container away from moisture. Damp powder clumps and will not mix smoothly.

Frequently asked questions

Will it stain my skin?
It washes off with water. On very fair skin a faint tint can linger for a few hours after a long application.

Can I eat it or take it internally?
We sell this for external and ritual use only. Do not take it internally.

How is it different from the stick?
Same wood, milled instead of whole. Powder is faster and better for face packs; the stick gives fresher paste and lasts far longer per rupee.

Why does the colour differ from my last order?
Natural variation between batches. Consistent colour across every batch usually means dye.

You may also need

For fragrance alongside colour, keep white chandan powder as well — many households use both. For japa, the lal chandan mala. Browse all red sandalwood.