Do you want to add essential oils to your skincare regime but are unsure where to begin?
I will tell you the best essential oils to use, why to use them and some of their benefits.
Essential oils have a very high antioxidant activity and can help prevent and reduce the oxidative damage caused by free radicals, pollution, the sun and other harmful substances.
Another important factor is they can help to slow down the signs of aging by maintaining the skins elasticity by helping to increase collagen fibres in the skin.
Due to their molecular size essential oils can penetrate the skin deeply.
Add a few drops into your moisturiser or face oil before applying to your face. Do not use undiluted on your face.
Sandalwood Oil
Sandalwood oil has great moisturising benefits to the skin, it helps to calm redness and is anti inflammatory, soothes dry irritated skin or sores, also helps to smooth the skin.
It has sedating properties for the respiratory and nervous systems, so is good for insomnia, anxiety and stress.
Frankincense Oil
Frankincense oil helps promote the growth of new skin cells, keeps your skin elastic, firms, helps with fine lines and wrinkles and helps reduce age spots. It is also anti inflammatory, balances oily skin, can be used on spots and can help with symptoms of eczema. Frankincense is the perfect oil to use on the skin.
Frankincense also helps with asthma, bronchitis, laryngitis, clears mucus and catarrh. It promotes deep breathing, so great for calming stress and anxiety. It is often used for meditating.
Lavender Oil
Lavender oil helps to rejuvenate the skin, reduce the appearance of aging and wrinkles. It is soothing, balances sebum, detoxifying, promotes cell growth, promotes cell growth, healing scars. Good for psoriasis and dermatitis.
It is also an analgesic, antiseptic, antiviral and anti inflammatory. It calms the emotions and can help with insomnia.
Geranium Oil
Geranium oil is often used in skin care for its antibacterial properties and its pleasant aroma. It helps to smooth out wrinkles and give a firmer look. It balances sebum, tones dull congested skin and is good for broken capillaries. Geranium oil also stimulates the adrenal cortex helping to balance hormones. It is great for anxiety, stress and depression but can irritate sensitive skin.
Patchouli Oil
Patchouli oil can help with photo aging – damage from the sun rays, helps cell re-growth, it is good for scarring, pigmentation, anti inflammatory, anti bacterial and soothing to the skin. Can cool inflamed conditions and heals rough cracked skin. Both uplifting and sedative to the emotions, small amount stimulates, large amount sedates. Patchouli is a balancing oil, but also photo toxic which means you wouldn’t use before going into the sun.
Ylang Ylang Oil
Helps to rejuvenate the skin making it look more youthful, smoothes wrinkles and fine lines, it is a powerful antioxidant that can kill off free radicals, balances sebum and it has an extractive effect on spots and pimples. Works well on both oily and dry skin. Ylang Ylang also has an euphoric effect and helps with positive emotion and balances hormones particularly the reproductive system.
Rose Oil
Rose oil is great for dry and mature skin and for boosting skin elasticity; it encourages cell growth, protects the skin from free radicals, has rejuvenation properties and is a great moisturiser. Rose has an astringent effect on broken capillaries, good for mature wrinkled skin.
Rose is particularly good for reproductive problems, known as a tonic for the womb and is also helpful to men’s fertility and uplifts the emotions.
Lemon Oil
Lemon oil can help preventing wrinkles around the eyes and mouth. Lemon oil has large amounts of vitamin C which is a natural antioxidant that destroys free radicals from the skin helping to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. It improves circulation, best for oily skin and can be good for killing bacteria in the pores so can help prevent breakouts.
It is also uplifting for the emotions, refreshing and good for drama; Lemon oil can irritate sensitive skin and is phototoxic so not to be worn in the sun.