Australian grown and distilled

An Australian wood oil that smells like smoke and whiskey.

Buddha Wood Essential Oil 10mL

Buddha Wood is distilled from the timber of Eremophila mitchellii, an inland Australian tree also called sandalbox. It is one of very few oils whose dominant constituent is eremophilone, a compound named after the genus itself. The result is dark, smoky and faintly spirituous, which is why it turns up in men's fragrance far more often than in aromatherapy.

★★★★★ 4.9 average from 15,000+ verified reviews across the Zea range

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  • Australian grown and distilled
  • GC/MS tested, every batch
  • Certified B Corporation
Zea Buddha Wood Essential Oil 10mL bottle
Buddha Wood Essential Oil styled product photograph Buddha Wood Essential Oil in a home setting Zea Buddha Wood Essential Oil bottle
Buddha Wood Essential Oil

What Buddha Wood actually is.

Buddha Wood is steam distilled from the wood of Eremophila mitchellii, a hardy inland tree known variously as budda, sandalbox and rosewood belvory. Eremophila means desert-loving, which describes the country it comes from accurately. Unlike most of the Zea range this is a wood oil, so it sits at the base of a blend rather than the top.

From bush to bottle

Buddha Wood Essential Oil in a styled setting
Step one · grown

Desert-loving, and it means it

Eremophila mitchellii grows across the dry inland of eastern Australia, on country that swings between drought and flood. The genus name translates as desert-loving. It is a slow tree, and the oil is held in the heartwood rather than the leaf.

Buddha Wood Essential Oil styled
Step two · harvested

The wood is the product

Because the oil sits in the timber, harvesting is a different operation from cutting foliage. The wood is chipped before distillation to expose as much surface as possible, which is what makes a slow, resinous material give up its oil at all.

Zea Buddha Wood Essential Oil bottle
Step three · distilled

Slow, because wood is slow

Wood distillation runs far longer than leaf distillation. The steam has to work through dense chipped timber rather than soft foliage, and the heavier sesquiterpenes come off late in the run. Nothing is added afterwards.

Buddha Wood Essential Oil

Named after the compound almost nothing else makes.

Most wood oils are built on santalols, cedrol or himachalenes. Buddha Wood is built on eremophilone, a sesquiterpenoid named for the Eremophila genus because that is essentially where it lives. Published composition for the oil puts eremophilone at around a third, with hydroxy-dihydro-eremophilone and hydroxy-eremophilone making up much of the rest.

That unusual chemistry is exactly why it does not smell like sandalwood or cedar. It reads smoky and slightly spirituous rather than creamy or sweet, and it holds on a blotter for a very long time. If you are building anything that needs a base note with weight to it, this is the Australian answer.

Quality and testing

What “100% pure” actually means on this bottle.

Every batch is GC/MS tested and carries a certificate of analysis. The full constituent breakdown sits on the batch certificate rather than here, because the ranges shift with each season and harvest.

Botanical name
Eremophila mitchellii (Scrophulariaceae)
Botanical origin
Australia
Place of extraction
Australia
Plant part
Wood
Method
Steam distillation
Odour
Smoky, woody, whiskey-like
Also known as
Budda, sandalbox, rosewood belvory
Strength of aroma
Medium
Additions
None. No synthetics, fillers or additives
Storage
Below 30°C, dry, away from direct sunlight

Inside the bottle

~33%

Eremophilone

The compound the genus is named for, and the heart of the aroma.

~22%

Hydroxy-eremophilone

Adds depth and the faintly spirituous edge.

~14%

Hydroxy-dihydro-eremophilone

Part of the same family, and part of the smoke.

~1-2%

Selinenes

Minor sesquiterpenes rounding out the base.

Indicative composition from the supplier's published specification for this oil, not a single batch result. Statements about individual constituents refer to published research on those constituents in isolation, not to an outcome from using this product.

Buddha Wood Essential Oil

Dry inland country, and a tree built for it.

Eremophila mitchellii belongs to the semi-arid inland of eastern Australia. It is a genus that has adapted hard to drought, and the oil is a product of that: slow growth, dense timber and a heavy, resinous aroma that lighter, faster-growing species never produce.

Buddha Wood, Cedarwood and Frankincense

  Buddha Wood Cedarwood Frankincense
Botanical Eremophila mitchellii Cedrus atlantica Boswellia carterii
Part distilled Wood Wood Resin
Lead constituent Eremophilone Himachalenes Terpenes
Aroma Smoky, whiskey-like Woody, balsamic, soft Fresh, terpenic
Native to Australia Yes No No
Best for Grounding, men's fragrance Sleep and calm Meditation

A botanical and aroma comparison to help you choose between oils. It is not a claim that one oil performs better than another.

Properties

What Buddha Wood is traditionally valued for.

Calming and grounding Promotes mindfulness Antibacterial Anti-inflammatory

Traditional and aromatherapy properties associated with this oil. Individual results differ, and this is not a substitute for advice from your health professional.

Ways to use it

Diffuse it

3 to 6 drops in a diffuser or oil burner. The simplest way in.

Blend it

Buddha Wood blends with Lemon Myrtle, Australian Sandalwood, Ylang Ylang and Cedarwood.

Diluted on skin

One or two drops in a carrier oil such as jojoba. Patch test first.

On a tissue

One drop inhaled from a tissue when you want the aroma on the move.

Room and linen mist

A few drops in water instead of a synthetic air freshener.

In the bath

Well dispersed in a carrier or with bath salts, never neat on water.

Natural cleaning

A few drops in a homemade surface spray as a fresh deodoriser.

For meditation

2 to 4 drops in a diffuser as part of a grounding practice.

Using it safely

  • For external use only. Never apply undiluted, and never take it internally.
  • Always dilute in a carrier oil before skin contact, and patch test first.
  • Avoid contact with eyes. Keep out of reach of children.
  • If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, check with your health practitioner first.
  • Discontinue use if irritation occurs. Store below 30°C, out of direct sunlight.

What customers tell us

★★★★★

Earthy and grounding

“As a first time user of Buddha Wood I was delighted to enjoy the earthiness, comfort and grounding experience in my body.”

Sally R. · Verified buyer

★★★★★

Quality and variety

“Love the quality and variety of all the Zea oils I've ordered - thank you.”

Megan C. · Verified buyer

★★★★★

Australian and high quality

“So impressed with all zea relief essential oils - such high quality and love that they are an Australian company.”

Nikita · Verified buyer

Five-star reviews from verified Judge.me buyers. The second and third speak to the Zea Essentials range rather than to this oil specifically. Individual experiences differ.

Complete your blending kit

Buddha Wood is a heavy base note. These are the oils that sit above it well.

Zea Lemon Myrtle Essential Oil 10mL

Lemon Myrtle Essential Oil 10mL

Bright citrus over the smoke. The pairing the grower suggests.

$29.95

Zea Cedarwood Essential Oil 10mL

Cedarwood Essential Oil 10mL

Another wood, softer and sweeter.

$19.95

Zea Kunzea Essential Oil 10mL

Kunzea Essential Oil 10mL

Foresty depth between the two.

$24.95

Zea Frankincense Essential Oil 10mL

Frankincense Essential Oil 10mL

Resin and wood together, for meditation blends.

$32.95

Zea Rose Geranium Essential Oil 10mL

Rose Geranium Essential Oil 10mL

A floral lift over a very heavy base.

$19.95

Zea Unscented Massage Carrier Oil 100mL

Unscented Massage Carrier Oil 100mL

Unscented base for diluting before any skin use.

$17.95

Single origin Australian essential oils since 2016

15,000+ verified reviews, 4.9 average
Certified B Corporation
1% for the Planet
Australian Made & Owned
Family Owned and Operated
Certified Cruelty Free

Questions, answered

What is Buddha Wood Essential Oil?

A 100% pure essential oil, steam distilled from the wood of Eremophila mitchellii, grown in inland Australia. It is GC/MS tested.

What does it smell like?

Smoky, woody and faintly whiskey-like. Much darker than sandalwood or cedar, and it lasts a very long time on skin or a blotter.

How do I use it?

Start with 3 to 6 drops in a diffuser. For skin, dilute one or two drops in a carrier oil such as jojoba or sweet almond, and patch test first.

Is it related to sandalwood?

No. One of its common names is sandalbox, which causes confusion, but Australian sandalwood is Santalum spicatum and a different family entirely. They smell nothing alike.

Why is it more expensive than the other oils?

It is a slow-growing inland tree, the oil sits in the timber rather than the leaf, and wood distillation runs far longer than leaf distillation for a lower yield.

Can I put it straight on my skin?

No. Never apply an undiluted essential oil and never take one internally. Dilute in a carrier oil first, and patch test.

Is it tested?

Yes. Every batch is GC/MS tested and carries a certificate of analysis, which is how the specifications on this page are established.

Is it safe around children and pets?

Keep it out of reach of children and never apply it undiluted. Diffuse in a ventilated room rather than a closed space. Check with your vet before diffusing around pets.

How should I store it?

Below 30°C in a dry place away from direct sunlight, with the cap on firmly. The lighter constituents are always the first to escape.

How do the pack savings work?

Choose your pack above and the discount applies automatically at checkout. No code needed: 5% off 3 or more, 10% off 5 or more eligible Zea products.

What does shipping cost?

Free on Australian orders over $75. Orders are dispatched from our Australian warehouse.

Zea Buddha Wood Essential Oil 10mL

The Australian base note.

Free shipping on Australian orders over $75 · 100% pure · GC/MS tested · Australian grown. Choose your pack and we will get it on its way.

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Buddha Wood Essential Oil is an aromatherapy product for external use only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Always dilute before use and follow the label directions. Statements about individual constituents refer to published research on those constituents, not to an outcome from using this product. If symptoms persist, talk to your health professional.

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