Essential Oils in Natural Skin Care

Care for Dry Skin, Oily Skin, Acne, Wrinkles with Essential Oils

Jul 6, 2009

Essential oils are natural plant products that can be used as treatment for dry skin, oily skin, pimples and other skin blemishes, wrinkles, bruises, scarring and more.

Skin care is all about the details. Although the temptation with natural skin care is to assume that one treatment or product can do it all, different skin types have unique skin care needs. Essential oils can be beautiful tools for skin care, but even with these natural oils care has to be taken to achieve good results and clear, beautiful skin.

How do Essential Oils Heal the Skin?

Essential oils are aromatic liquids pressed from herbs and other plants. Pure oils that have been properly distilled at low temperatures are a very powerful tool for oxygenating skin cells, killing viruses and bacteria, and restoring the health and beauty of natural, flawless skin.

Essential oils are not fatty oils, but they do mix with oil rather than water. This makes it easy for oils to combine with natural skin oils and pass into the cells, where they can oxygenate, cleanse, and do their work.

Unlike drug store skin care products, pure essential oils do not contain synthetic ingredients so they seldom cause allergic reactions. Many essential oils and aromatherapy oils do contain other ingredients, so be cautious when seeking safe essential oils for facial skin care.

Essential Oils for Dry Skin

The best essential oils for dry skin are those that moisturize and provide nourishment to the cells. Dry skin will usually benefit from:

These oils can be applied neat (straight on the skin), or they can be mixed into a small amount of extra virgin olive oil, avocado seed oil, virgin coconut oil, almond oil, jojoba oil, or another pure base oil.

Essential Oils for Acne

Acne is produced by dirt, bacteria, and natural facial oils (or sebum) that build up and create inflammation. Stress and hormones can also be a factor. The best essential oils to treat acne include:

As with the oils recommended for dry skin, these oils can be applied directly to the areas with acne or pimples, or they can be mixed into a base oil like almond or jojoba.

Essential Oils for Oily Skin

Oily skin usually occurs where skin care products have been overused. The skin attempts to compensate by overproduction of natural skin oils. Whether or not this is the cause, some of the best essential oils to balance oily skin include:

These oils can usually be applied neat (straight on the skin) but don't be afraid to use a small amount of extra virgin olive oil or another base oil to dilute if they sting or seem too strong.

Essential Oils for Wrinkles, Bruises, Scars and More

Reference

Essential Science Publishing (compiled by), Essential Oils Desk Reference, 2nd Edition. USA, Essential Science Publishing, 2001.

The copyright of the article Essential Oils in Natural Skin Care in Aromatherapy is owned by Victoria Anisman-Reiner. Permission to republish Essential Oils in Natural Skin Care in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.