White Sage has a fresh, penetrating, cooling, somewhat powerful, strongly camphoraceous aroma, with a mild cineolic aroma reminiscent of Rosemary.
Palo Santo also known as holy wood from Peru, has a woodsy fresh uplifting sent. It has a much sweeter and subtler scent than white sage, with notes of pine and lemon.
Metaphysically speaking it is said that both white sage and palo santo smoke possess energetic properties to alter the state of its environment. The Latin word for sage, salvia, means to heal. Sage being of a more feminine energy, Burning sage has traditionally been associated with increasing wisdom, clarity, and spiritual awareness. When sage is burned, it releases negative ions, a natural way of putting people into a more positive mood. On a practical level, scientists have observed that sage can clear up to 94 percent of airborne bacteria in a space.
Palo Santo (Holy Wood), has a more masculine energy, it transforms negative energy into positive energy. It grows on the coast of South America and has been used by the indigenous shamans of the Andes and the Amazon for centuries. It is said to welcome creativity, love, and good fortune into your space. Medicinally, the wood has also long been used therapeutically to soothe cold and flu symptoms, depression, emotional pain, and other ailments.
Working in tandem, think of sage removing energy and palo santo bring in. It's best to think of it as sage takes out the bad and palo santo bring back the good. It is advised to burn one at a time, so not to confuse the energy you are trying to remove and bring in. Sage first then Palo santo.