How to Use Natural Essential Oils for Skin Care

Your skin acts as a buffer to protect you from shock and damage as well as from infection and pollution and it needs to be cleansed and nourished regularly to keep it beautiful and healthy. Although there are numerous skin care products on the market, some of them can do more harm than good. Chemicals used in them may be too harsh for your skin or you may have an allergic reaction to them.

Essential oils are great for skin care because they are natural and gentle on your skin, do not contain any chemicals and will provide you with a number of benefits. Besides their cleansing abilities, essential oils also have natural healing properties that make them great for skin care. They absorb easily into your skin and are known to be useful for a wide variety of skin treatments.

Remember you do not have to stick with just one type. Many people like to mix and match their essential oils, so be creative and see what you can come up with.

To use essential oils as a part of your skin care regimen, first remember that skin needs to be cleansed, toned and moisturized. Cleansing your skin removes dead skin cells and any dirt or pollutants. Toning your skin helps close the pores while keeping it tight. Open pores are susceptible to letting in dirt and pollution, which can cause breakouts and blemishes. Moisturizing helps in replenishing the skin’s protective oils. Moisturized skin tends to wrinkle less and later in life than dry skin. By taking care of your skin, you will look better and feel better about yourself.

What is your skin type? Is it oily, dry or acne prone? As with any other skin care treatment you need to find what will work best for you personally. Once you have figured out what skin type you have, you can choose which essential oil will work best.

• Chamomile is a great essential oil to use for cleansing.
• If your skin tends to get oily tea tree, geranium, and lemon essential oils work to dissolve oil on the skin.
• For aging or dry skin an essential oil that soothes and lubricates the skin is what you should use. Ylang ylang and sandalwood are among the most popular.
• For acne prone skin lavender, tea tree, and lemon will help with breakouts.

Although essential oils are extremely useful for cleansing, toning and moisturizing purposes they can also be utilised for other forms of skincare. For instance, adding essential oils to your bath is another great way for your skin to benefit. Fill up your bath and add a few drops of the essential oil of your choice, depending on what is best for your skin, and soak for about fifteen minutes.

Essential oils should not be used without being diluted as they can be harmful and may cause an allergic reaction. There are several ways that you can dilute the essential oils before using them. If you intend massaging the oil into your skin, diffuse it in natural carrier oils. Amongst the most popular are sesame, jojoba, olive, peanut, grape seed, sweet almond and apricot.

Combining essential oils with a carrier lotion or skin cream is also a great way to dilute them. If you use a lotion or skin cream, make sure that it’s unscented and lanolin free. You can add a few drops of essential oils to create the perfect skin cream for yourself.

If you would like a personalized body scrub, mix Epsom salt with a little vegetable oil and a few drops of your favourite essential oil and voila - you are one step closer to smooth, silky skin. When using a salt scrub, remember never to use it on your face, it is too harsh.

If you are a spritzer type of person, there is something here for you too. Using a spritzer bottle you can add a few drops of your favourite essential oil or a blend of oils along with some water. Mix together your concoction and you’ll have a nice fresh spritzer not only to cool you off but it will improve your skin and help with your emotional well-being.

Other skin care benefits of pure essential oils include uses such as an anti-fungal, antiseptic and antibacterial. Essential oils can also be used in the treatment eczema, head-lice, dandruff, athlete’s foot, and ringworm, to name but a few.

If you have a cut, scrape or burn, the soothing and healing properties of essential oils are a naturally safe alternative to other harsh medicines.