Essential Oil
Things have been crazy with the spring photo shoot & all, but I finally took a minute to sit down last night to write. I wanted to share with ya’ll my thoughts on essential oils. As most of you know, I am a huge proponent of pure & natural cosmetics. All of the products we carry do not pollute the environment when they are being produced, and above all, do not harm the skin. But going back to oil; it has sort of been vilified by the cosmetic industry and some, like mineral oil-a petroleum derivative-are bad, but there are great botanical oils that can be amazing for the skin. Amala has several varieties of nourishing skin oils that are amazing.
Basically, 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 (YAY), 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. But again, all the oils I use myself & suggest for use are good for the skin. The best essential oils for dry skin are those that moisturize and provide nourishment to the cells. Dry skin will usually benefit from: Sandalwood, Cedarwood, Rosewood, Rose, Chamomile, Patchouli, Helichrysum & Myrrh. These oils can be applied 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.
It sounds weird, but oil does treat acne & oily skin. Acne is produced by dirt, bacteria, and natural facial oils (sebum) that build up & create inflammation; stress and hormones can also create acne. The best essential oils to treat acne include: Melaleuca, Eucalyptus, Clary sage, Lavender, Geranium, Chamomile, Rosewood & Cypress. As with the oils recommended for dry skin, these oils can be applied directly to the areas with acne or pimples, or can be mixed into a base oil like almond or jojoba. Oily skin typically occurs where skin care products have been overused or stress and hormones. 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: Lavender, Lemongrass, Helichrysum, Melaleuca, Chamomile, Frankincense & Clary sage. These oils can also be applied straight on the skin, however 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.
Additionally essential oils can help with other skin issues like, wrinkles, bruises, scars & stretch marks on the face or the body. Wrinkles can be treated with frankincense, sandalwood, lavender, helichrysum, patchouli, cypress & geranium. Bruises can be helped with helichrysum, lavender & rosewood. Scars are minimized with helichrysum, lavender, hyssop, cypress, frankincense, myrrh & sandalwood. And finally, stretch marks can also be treated with lavender, frankincense, geranium & myrrh.
