As more and more people are looking for natural alternatives in skin, hair and body care, there is an increasing interest in the role essential oils can play.

These little natural powerhouses have a lot to offer when it comes to skin care. Some of the best essential oils for skin can help support repair, while others are fantastic for nourishing and maintaining a healthy appearance.

Not only are these benefits for your skin, but there is the ‘aroma’ that essential oils bring to skin care products. The way something smells play a big role in why we choose certain products over others. It also adds to the enjoyment of using the product.

So not only does your skin benefit, but the aromatic influence of can also affect your mood and emotions and by application our bodies benefit as well.  This is something no synthetically derived perfume or oil can offer.

What Essential Oils Do for Your Skin (and Body)?

As our largest organ, the skin plays a major role in health and wellbeing.  It is our first line of defense to our internal organs and tissues from exposure to the environment.  It fights fungal, bacterial, and other types of infections.  Not only is it our largest organ, it is also semi-permeable which means most substances that are applied to it, will be absorbed into our bodies.  This is a blessing and a curse.  It means that products that have chemicals as part of the mix enter into our bodies through application.

In the case of essential oils, the absorption is fairly quick and they will reach the bloodstream quite soon (about 2 minutes) after first being applied to the skin.   From here, they pass into the general circulation and travel around the body (in every cell in 20 minutes).

Essential oils therefore work systemically having an influence on the body as a whole, not just the area to which they are applied.  The benefits to the body go well beyond just the skin.

Because of this, choosing natural based products over synthetics will allow you to pamper and beautify without absorbing toxins.  It makes sense, wherever possible, to use natural products and ingredients, including essential oils on your skin.

Here is a list of what essential oils can do for your skin:

Moisturize and support healing by penetrating deep into the lower skin layers

Support healthy recovery of the skin damaged by sun, burns, wrinkles or injury by stimulating and regenerating skin cells

Destroy infectious bacteria, viruses, and fungi, such as those associated with acne and other skin problems

Reduce puffiness and inflammation

Soothe sensitive or injured skin

Regulate under- or overactive oil glands and help control sebum

Boost removal of waste products

Assist stress-related skin problems

The great thing about essential oils is they will usually do more than one thing. They not only enhance your beauty but also help promote overall wellness.  So, when choosing products consider the benefits to not just your skin, but other properties as well.

What Are the Best Essential Oils for Skin Care?

It is easiest to group what essential oils are good for skin care by skin type or different skin problems.  However, Peppermint, Melaleuca, a Topical blend, an Antiaging blend, Sandalwood, Frankincense, and Lavender are primary recommendations. 

Normal Skin

Description: Soft, smooth and finely textured.  The skin is generally well balanced with few problems like spots and flakiness.

Essential Oils for Normal Skin:  Chamomile (German and Roman), Geranium, Lavender, Neroli and Rose.

Dry Skin

Description: Close-textured and fine, but can feel tight after washing with soap.  May also flake and is predisposed to developing facial lines and wrinkles more rapidly than oil or balanced skin.

Essential Oils for Dry Skin:  Chamomile (German and Roman), Jasmine, Neroli, Rose, Lavender, Geranium and Sandalwood.

Oily Skin

Description: Shiny appearance with large pores.  Prone to developing spots, blackheads and a tendency to acne.

Essential Oils for Oily Skin:  Geranium, Lavender, Cedarwood, Cypress, Grapefruit and Sandalwood.

Combination Skin

Description: Chin, nose and forehead form an oily T-zone.  Skin around eyes, cheeks and neck is dry.

Essential Oils for Combination Skin:  Chamomile (German or Roman), Frankincense, Geranium, Lavender and Rose.

Sensitive Skin

Description: Can be of any skin type above and may become sensitive from exposure to harsh soaps, chemicals or cosmetic materials.  It is always advised to carry out a patch test on a small area of skin first.  Use oils in low concentration.

Essential Oils for Sensitive Skin:  Chamomile (German or Roman), Neroli, Rose and Lavender.

Thread Veins

Description: Broken veins (capillaries) usually occur around the nostrils and across the cheeks.  Can affect all skin types but especially sensitive skin.

Essential Oils for Thread Veins:  Chamomile (German or Roman), Frankincense, Geranium, Neroli, and Rose.

Ageing Skin

Description: Skin that is deteriorating and in need of nourishing and toning.  Appearance of wrinkles, discoloration, dryness and sagging.

Essential Oils for Ageing Skin:  Frankincense, Geranium, Jasmine, Neroli, Sandalwood, Patchouli and Rose.

As you can see, there is a pattern here in what oils are best suited for our skin.  So if you are not aware of the type of skin you have pull the oils that are in all these and you can be assured you have the right oil like Chamomile (German and Roman), Geranium, and Frankincense.

How to Apply Essential Oils to Skin

Once you have selected the appropriate oil or combination of oils for your skin, they can be diluted in a carrier oil, base lotion or cream before application.  Typically for application to the face, 0.5 to 1% dilution, for application to the body, 2% and for general massage 3%.  You can make up as little or as much as you want and if not being used right away, make sure to store the mixture properly.  

Conclusion

Using essential oils in your skin care routine is well worth it for many reasons.  Not only will your skin enjoy the benefits the oils have to offer, but your whole body will be rewarded too.

Use the information above and start to experiment by making your own combinations at home.  Your skin will thank you.  If you are ready to experiment, there are plenty of options out there to shift your skin care to a completely healthy version.

Why should I put Essential Oils on My Feet!

I love putting oils on my feet.  I do it morning and night.  Sometimes I use a hand and body lotion, sometimes I use a little Deep Blue, and sometimes I use a body butter. 

This is a special time as it is very relaxing and since our hands, feet, and ears all have reflexology points for all parts of our bodies we can sooth our whole bodies.  This is also awesome as the 7200 super highway of nerves that run the length of our bodies begin with our feet. 

There are some misconceptions floating around on the world wide web (on Facebook, Blogs, and Pinterest and the like) about our feet.  First our feet have the thickest skin on our bodies this creates the conditions for slower absorption.  Another thing I have been seeing is that pores absorb; this is not true the dermis absorbs.  Sebaceous glands are glands that are associated mostly with hair follicles, however they are NOT found on our hands or feet among a few other parts of the human body.  For anything to be absorbed through the skin, it must pass through the epidermis, glands, or hair follicles. Sweat glands and hair follicles make up about 0.1 to 1.0 percent of the total skin surface. Though small amounts of oil may enter the body rapidly through the glands or hair follicles, they are primarily absorbed through the epidermis.  Whether or not the skin will absorb will depend on several factors, including the substance, skin health, exposure, temperatures, etc.  The skin is relatively permeable to fat soluble substances and relatively impermeable to water soluble substances. Essential oil molecules are so minute that when they are applied to the skin; they are able to pass through the strateum corneum (the outer layer of the epidermis). From here the oil molecule passes through dermis, into the capillaries and into the bloodstream, this process bypasses the kidney and liver.  So our feet and hands, since we are massaging our feet with our hands, are providing double duty in applications here, not only is the oil following the 7200 pathways from the feet it is following the pathways from the hands as well.  Also you will find that there is a lesser opportunity for reactions when applying to the feet.  Application of “hot” oils like oregano or cinnamon to the feet will be less likely to cause a reaction.  It is also a common place to apply phototoxic oils (i.e. citrus oils).  I find that massaging my feet while applying sets up another layer of relaxation.

Consider this, in 12 seconds essential oils are in our brains, 2 minutes in our blood stream and 20 minutes in every cell of our bodies.  Now this is an example when inhaling the oils.  Yes our skin absorbs, it absorbs good and bad stuff.  If you are applying a chemical based lotion to your skin it too is absorbed and the chemicals are getting into your body.  So BEWARE of what you are putting onto your skin from every point of view and from head to toe.