When it comes to beauty, once you get it right with your skin everything else effortlessly looks attractive. A beautiful skin doesn't just happen, you have to put in proper care and effort. This is why having a good and consistent skin care routine matters a whole lot. Some people assume proper skin care is about visiting beauty parlours and spas. While these aren't bad, having a glowing skin is not about expensive facials or cosmetic surgery. One thing most beauticians and dermatologists would readily agree on is that for a healthy skin natural skin care is the best option. Aromatherapy, which involves using essential oils for therapeutic benefits, is one effective and natural skin care treatment the beauty industry can never get enough of.
In this article you'll discover the best essential oils you can use to make your skin glow. Read on to learn also the right essential oils suitable for your exact skin type. Get ready to take your skin care to a new level.
You'll be amazed at what positive results you'll notice in a short time using aromatherapy for your skin care.
Essential Oils and Skin Care
In case you're wondering what essential oils and skin care have in common, kindly check the labels on your skin care products and you'll definitely see one or more essential oils listed as main ingredients. These highly concentrated, aromatic oils obtained from plants are packed with pharmacological actions that protect, soothe, heal, rejuvenate, repair and revive skin cells.
Essential oils have been in use for hundreds of years as skin care treatment. Some medicinal properties that make essential oils good for treatment include antifungal, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiseptic, immune-boosting and sleep-improving properties, etc.
Meanwhile, it's important to note that not all essential oils make your skin glow with health. Only using the right essential oils for skin care and in the correct way will yield positive results. Likewise, keep in mind that essential oils are super-concentrated and should never be used on the skin directly without dilution to avoid skin irritations.
Best Essential Oils for Your Skin
From our evaluation, the following are the best essential oils for skin care. The oils in our selection have proven potentials to clarify the skin, eliminate dark spots, blemishes and acne, rejuvenate worn-out skin cells, prevent microbial growth on your skin and cure certain skin conditions.
1.Tea Tree Essential Oil
Popular for its antifungal, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, Tea Tree essential oil effectively cleanses and purifies your skin, eliminates skin irritations, reduces oily skin and brightens your complexion. Tea Tree essential oil is also highly antiseptic, a potential that makes it beneficial for fighting acne breakouts and bacterial skin conditions.
2. Lavender Essential Oil
One of the essential oils that have been used to enhance healthy skin since time immemorial is lavender. For a youthful skin free from blemishes, Lavender essential oil should ever be in your bathroom. The oil is perfect for most skin types, and effectively rejuvenates ageing skin cells. It soothes the skin, fights acne and other skin conditions, evens out skin discolouration and eliminates free oxygen radicals that could harm your skin. Moreover, its calming effect helps you get enough sleep to keep your skin looking healthy and smooth. Little wonder it is frequently used as an ingredient in most skin care products.
3. Frankincense Essential Oil
Frankincense essential oil is one oil that you would always find in every ancient Egyptian household. Frankincense oil was so effective in maintenance of the skin that the Egyptians would use it to prevent dead bodies from decomposing. Frankincense essential oil has anti-aging properties, prevents bacterial and fungal growth on your skin, facilitates wound healing, soothes and rejuvenates sagging skin.
4. Lemongrass Essential Oil
Lemongrass essential oil is full of great medicinal properties such as antifungal, antibacterial, anthelmintic and antioxidant effects. These properties make Lemongrass essential oil useful in maintaining a healthy and flawless skin. It inhibits skin irritations and blemishes. It tones and tightens your skin, thus preventing saggy skin and giving your skin a natural glow. Lemongrass essential oil also reduces excess secretion of oil on your skin
5. Sweet Orange Essential Oil
Rich in vitamin C and other useful compounds, Sweet Orange essential oil helps to maintain your skin cells in a healthy condition. It heals, rejuvenates and clarifies your skin. Sweet Orange essential oil stimulates production of collagen, clears skin blemishes and dark patches, and serves as treatment for acne and eczema. If you're looking for an essential oil that fades scars and discolouration, Sweet Orange essential oil is what you need.
6. Patchouli Essential Oil
Patchouli essential oil is well known for its ability to promote regeneration of skin cells. It has proven wound-healing, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and cellular regeneration properties. What this means is that it can keep your skin looking smooth, soft and radiant like that of a baby. It also has astringent and antiseptic properties, making it a great skin cleanser, detoxifier and treatment for skin irritations.
7. Eucalyptus Essential Oil
Eucalyptus essential oil is a widely used ingredient in skin care formulations. It possesses antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and astringent activities. This oil is good for treatment of acne, sunburn and other skin conditions. It helps to cleanse your skin of dirt and toxins, promote collagen production and alleviate skin irritations.
8. Rosemary Essential Oil
Rosemary essential oil has lots of vitamins and bioactive compounds that makes it an ideal essential oil for your skin care. Topically applying diluted Rosemary essential oil on your skin is guaranteed to brighten your complexion and give you a remarkable natural glow. The oil is effective at reducing painful and itchy skin irritations, minimising oily skin by regulating sebum secretion, preventing acne and protecting your skin from harmful radicals and pollutants. If you're battling uneven skin tone, Rosemary oil can help even out your skin tone and reduce redness on irritated skin.
9. Lemon Essential Oil
Lemon essential oil has chock-fulls of skin-protecting antioxidants. Together with its astringent property, Lemon essential oil deeply cleanses your skin, removes dead skin cells, unclogs blocked skin pores and detoxifies your skin. It firms up saggy and weakened skin, thus eliminating fine lines and wrinkles.
10. Peppermint Essential Oil
Peppermint essential oil is a powerful skin care essential oil. The menthol in peppermint helps to soothe and relieve painful and itchy skin. It also has a remarkable protective effect on the cells of your skin.
11. Bergamot Essential Oil
Bergamot essential oil is another popular essential oil used in aromatherapy for promoting a clear and glowing skin. It effectively rejuvenates your skin, enhances your skin complexion and gets rid of clogs and dirt.
Best Essential Oils for Scar Removal
Sweet orange essential oil
Frankincense essential oil
Patchouli essential oil
Eucalyptus essential oil
To fade scars from pimples and other skin conditions faster and naturally, go for the above essential oils. They stimulate collagen production that acts in the replacement of damaged cells, and enhance skin repair and rejuvenation.
Essential Oils for Eliminating Skin Pigmentation
Frankincense essential oil
Sweet orange essential oil
Rosemary essential oil
Lavender essential oil
Topical application of these essential oils will help even out uneven skin tone, lighten dark spots and blemishes and reduce skin discolouration.
Essential Oils for Mature Skin and Anti-aging
Lemon essential oil
Frankincense essential oil
Lavender essential oil
Eucalyptus essential oil
Patchouli essential oil
Rosemary essential oil
Aging could cause your once firm skin to lose elasticity and begin to sag. Though ageing is an unavoidable natural process, there's something you can do to minimise these somewhat 'undesirable' changes. The above essential oils have been known for decades to firm the skin, revive weak cells, promote regeneration of new cells and boost collagen production. They can help reduce wrinkles and fine lines, and keep your mature skin healthy and firm.
Essential Oil for Different Skin Types
Your skin type will help you choose what type of essential oils are good for your skin. For people with oily skin, choose essential oils that could control excess oil secretion on your face. Frankincense, Clary Sage, Rosemary, Tea Tree and Lemongrass essential oils are good for that.
For individuals with dry skin, go for oils that won't dry out your skin further. Lavender essential oil would help to lock in moisture to your skin and give your skin a healthier appearance. Diluting your essential oil with a hydrating carrier oil like Jojoba, Sweet Almond or Fractionated Coconut oil will help ease the dryness, too.
Essential oils such as Lavender and Frankincense are mild on all skin types, and you may want to go for them if you have sensitive skin.
How to Use Essential Oils for Skin Care
First and foremost, before using any essential oil on your skin make sure you diluted the essential oil with a carrier oil. Also, perform a patch test before use. This involves applying a little bit of the diluted essential oil on your skin and waiting about 24 hours to see if there's any allergic reaction. Avoid contact with your eyes.
That said, applying diluted essential oil directly to your skin or massaging onto your skin is the best way to enjoy the amazing skin care benefits of essential oils.
Direction for use: Mix 2-3 drops of essential oil or oil blend of choice with a tablespoon of carrier oil such as Sweet Almond oil, Fractionated Coconut oil or Jojoba oil. Rub or massage diluted oil onto your skin.
Soaking in a warm bath with 6-10 drops of diluted essential oil/oil blend for skin care works well, too. Try to stay up to at least 10 minutes in the bath.
Please note that topical application of citrus essential oils such as Bergamot, Lemon and Sweet Orange may cause skin irritation when exposed to ultraviolet light. Therefore it's best to use them at night or stay away from the sun for about 12 hours after use.
Skin Care Essential Oil Blends That Actually Works
Anti-aging Blend:
2 drops of Lavender essential oil
2 drops of Frankincense essential oil
2 drops of Lemon essential oil
Dissolve in 2 tablespoons (30ml) of carrier oil.
This essential oil blend promotes collagen production and diminishes telltale signs of ageing including fine lines, wrinkles and saggy skin. Massage into your facial skin in a circular motion, at least 2- 3 times in a week for visible results.
DIY Essential Oil Facial Cleanser
Thoroughly mix 2-3 drops of Bergamot essential oil with a tablespoon of Fractionated Coconut oil. Use this as a natural facial cleanser to get rid of dirt and makeup, and unclog your pores before bedtime.
Aromatherapy for skin care is effective, natural and safe. Why subject your skin to harsh chemical treatments when a naturally glowing skin is just a drop of essential oil away. Select the oils suitable for your skin type, and begin your all-natural skin care routine today.
