Dry Skin Care Through Aromatherapy
The Right Essential Oils and Base Oils can Relieve Dry, Itchy Skin
Sep 28, 2009
There are few people who have not experienced dry skin at some point. It can range from a little tightness or 'rollies' when drying off after a shower, to truly unpleasant chapped and broken skin. While it is often worse in the wintertime, when the wind is blustery cold and moisture is burned out of air inside by central heat, there are plenty who experience it year-round.
While extremely prolonged or severe dry skin problems should be addressed by a doctor, for most cases of dry skin, natural aromatherapy alternatives can work as well or better than anything a doctor can give.
Essential Oils for Dry Skin
There is little question as to the top choice of essential oils for dry skin — Chamomile German. According to Advanced Aromatherapy by Kurt Schnaubelt, PhD (Healing Arts Press, 1998), German chamomile is "a strongly anti-inflammatory oil, which works the fastest for all types of skin inflammations." Geranium and Lavender essential oils run a very close second.
Other essential oils frequently recommended for dry skin:
- Carrot
- Sandalwood
- Rosewood
- Ylang-ylang
- Patchouli
- Rose
- Bois de Rose
- Hyssop
- Benzoin
- Calendula
- Palma Rosa
- Rosemary
- Neroli
Base Oils for Dry Skin Relief
It is important to note that when relieving dry skin, contrary to logic, it is not water you want to apply to the skin; it is protective oils that will help the cells to retain moisture. Thus, the best way to moisturize is to apply a good oil, directly after getting out of the shower, if possible.
For mild dry skin, any oil you choose will help.
For more difficult or severe cases, a thicker oil is preferable. According to The Complete Book of Essential Oil & Aromatherapy, by Valerie Ann Worwood (New World Library, 1991), the best choices of base oils for dry skin are sweet almond, apricot kernel, avocado, olive, soybean, and wheatgerm.
In addition, jojoba is the oil closest to the body's natural good oils, and is a good choice for any type of skin. Evening primrose oil is intensely healing for skin, and also a good choice for any skin type. However, because both of these oils tend to be very expensive, they are usually mixed in with other base oils.
Aromatherapy Recipes for Dry Skin
The Complete Book recommends the following mixture, which makes a very rich, thick oil. To use, massage oil into the skin at night before bed:
- 2 tsp. soybean oil
- 2 tsp. avocado oil
- 2 tsp. wheatgerm oil
- 30 drops jojoba
- 20 drops evening primrose
- 10 drops borage seed
Mix together, then add:
- 15 drops geranium
- 10 drops carrot
- 10 drops chamomile german
- 10 drops benzoin
- 5 drops hyssop
- 5 drops rosemary
And this is a simple formula for dry skin that is also itchy:
- 1 part lavender
- 1 part palmarosa
- 10 parts calophyllum
- 30 parts rose hip seed oil
And finally, Aromatherapy for Women, by Maggie Tisserand (Healing Arts Press, 1996), offers another night oil for dry skin:
- 10 drops sandalwood
- 7 drops geranium
- 5 drops ylang-ylang
- 3 drops rosewood
- in 50 ml base oil of choice
For more information on choosing (or making) a moisturizer, be sure to read Choosing the Right Moisturizer.
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