I am sure that everybody reading this article is familiar with the many health and beauty benefits of natural essential oils. There are very few complaints that one oil or another cannot be used to treat. Your skin and face are no exception.
Whether you are suffering from skin complaints such as eczema or acne or you just want your skin to look and feel younger, fresher and simply more alive, there is an essential oil that will match your needs. We all have different types of skin so when it comes to caring for your skin with essential oils, there are no hard and fast rules.
Most essential oils possess antibacterial, astringent and anti-inflammatory properties that serve the skin well but remember that the best oil for you is the one that works best for your particular skin type.
The list below is not absolutely extensive but with so many essential oils to choose from, it is an attempt to summarize the best oils for skin care in general and also any specific skin complaints that you might be looking to treat.
Lavender essential oil is extremely good for your skin in so many ways that it is a staple part of many people’s skin care regimes. Lavender oil is suitable for any skin type and is effective against a variety of skin complaints like acne and eczema. It can also help to reduce some of the unwanted effects of aging like wrinkles and age spots.
Because of its anti-inflammatory qualities, lavender essential oil is a great way to soothe itchy skin and insect bites. My young children are very prone to mosquito bites and we find that lavender essential oil really soothes their skin with the additional bonus that they love the scent and it promotes a good night of sleep.
Geranium essential oil contains many of the properties that are useful to promote well balanced healthy looking skin and also work on complaints like acne. Geranium oil is suitable for all types of skin and is often added to moisturizing creams to help increase oil production.
Frankincense essential oil is a great choice for those suffering from acne owing to its powerful antibacterial and anti-inflammatory qualities. Frankincense oil is also is also a great way to tone and add elasticity to your skin helping you to look and feel younger. When applied to the skin, frankincense essential oil is known to encourage the growth of new cells while protecting older cells.
Ylang ylang has a delightful flowery fragrance and is popular with many people for its ability to help with a range of skin issues. It helps control the skin’s production of oil and maintain a proper balance. Ylang ylang is also a great acne treatment and helps to prevent any skin break outs. It is also well-known for its ability to promote cell growth and combat the unwanted signs of aging.
Tea Tree Essential Oil
Applications: acne, rosacea, oiliness
Tea tree essential oil has both antibacterial and antifungal properties making it a useful ally for people suffering with acne. If you have acne or overly oily skin, tea tree might be an excellent choice for you. Tea tree oil is also effective at killing demodex mites, which have been linked to rosacea.
Cypress Essential Oil
Applications: aging, oiliness, elasticity
Cypress essential oil has astringent properties, which can greatly benefit your skin in many ways. As well as its cosmetic benefits, cypress essential oil can be used to soothe damaged or broken skin and itchiness. It is also beneficial for oily and congested skin helping you to maintain a proper skin balance.
Carrot Seed Essential Oil
Applications: aging, scarring
We all want youthful skin and we want it for as long as possible, in which case carrot seed essential oil might be the choice for you. Carrot seed essential oil is popular in skin care for its ability to rejuvenate aging skin and put the brakes on those signs that you are getting older. It is known for encouraging smooth unblemished skin and also its ability to tone skin and reduce wrinkles and other signs of aging.
Rose oil has been used in beauty treatments for many centuries and rose essential oil has a great reputation for its ability to tone and raise the skin due to the astringent properties that it contains. Rose oil is also a great way to fight your skin’s battles against aging and is often used to reduce wrinkles as well as other tell-tale signs. The skin applications of rose essential oil extend well beyond the merely cosmetic and it is effective against a number of skin conditions such as eczema, acne and psoriasis. If you are suffering from any form of skin complaint or you just want to look a bit younger, you could do a lot worse than giving rose essential oil a try.
Clary Sage Essential Oil
Applications: dermatitis, oiliness
Clary sage is a gentle essential oil that is often found as an ingredient in creams and soaps and other cosmetic products. Clary sage essential oil can regulate the skin’s production of oil and also reduce the inflammation which contributes to several skin complaints.
Neroli Essential Oil
Applications: Acne, aging, scarring and oiliness.
This is an expensive essential oil because of the enormous amount of orange blossom required to produce a small amount of essential oil. While it is one of the more expensive essential oils, it has a wide variety of health applications including many uses for the skin. It is known for its effectiveness in treating acne, improving circulation and its rejuvenation effects.
You can treat acne by adding a few drops of neroli essential oil to a cotton ball and dabbing it gently on the affected areas or mix it with your chosen skin cream to help rejuvenate your skin. Neroli essential oil is also effective in reducing scarring and even dealing with unsightly stretch marks.
How to use Essential oils for your skin
Most essential oils are considered to be safe but there is always a possibility that your skin will react negatively to them. While some people are happy to apply essential oils directly to their skin, it is considered safer to dilute them first with a carrier oil.
Note that even after you have diluted your essential oil with a base oil, you should still exercise caution by doing a spot check on an area of skin such as your forearm to make sure that you have no allergies. Just because it is natural does not mean there are not potentially irritating components.
When it comes to skin care, a little essential oil goes a long way and diluting them before applying them to your skin is not only recommended but means that your essential oils will last much longer.
It is recommended that you dilute your essential oil with your choice of carrier oil to 5% maximum. This equates to one drop of essential oil for every 1 ml of carrier oil.
You will likely have your own preference of carrier oil but some of the best and most popular oils for your skin are avocado oil, apricot kernel oil, jojoba oil and sweet almond oil.
Jojoba oil is universally recommended for almost all skin types. In addition to being a universal carrier oil it has many anti-inflammatory and healing properties of its own.
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