More on natural skin care...

Photo from www.kollewin.com

 

Guest Post by Catherine Von Hatten

Using essential oils to take care of skin and treat common skin conditions is one of the most popular uses for the oils. Essential oils can improve the condition of your skin while providing other positive benefits, such as having a positive impact on your emotions.

Roberta Wilson provides the following lists of essential oils that are known to be helpful to various skin types. If you aren’t sure of your skin type, try this test. Before you cleanse your face in the morning, blot your forehead, your nose, your chin, and your cheeks, each with a single layer of tissue. Oily spots on the tissue tell you where your skin is oily, no oil on the tissue probably means your skin is dry. Most people will have some oily spots putting them in the “normal skin” category.

·      Normal skin: Cedarwood, Clary sage, Elemi, Frankincense, Geranium, Jasmine, Lavender, Neroli, Palmarosa, Patchouli, Rose, Rosemary, Rosewood, Sandalwood, Vetiver

·      Dry skin: Benzoin, Bergamot, Cedarwood, Clary sage, Elemi, Fennel, Frankincense, Geranium, Jasmine, Lavender, Myrrh, Neroli, Palmarosa, Patchouli, Rose, Rosemary, Rosewood, Sandalwood, Vetiver

·      Oily skin: Cedarwood, Clary sage, Cypress, Elemi, Frankincense, Geranium, Jasmine, Juniper, Lemon, Neroli, Orange, Palmarosa, Patchouli, Peppermint, Rosemary, Rosewood, Sandalwood, Tea Tree, Thyme, Vetiver, Ylang ylang

·      Mature skin: Elemi, Frankincense, Geranium, Helichrysum, Jasmine, Lemon, Myrrh, Neroli, Palmarosa, Rose, Rosemary, Sandalwood, Vetiver

·      Sensitive skin: Chamomile, Frankincense, Jasmine, Neroli, Rose, Rosewood, Sandalwood

A great way to get started with natural skin care is to identify your skin type, pick a few oils recommended for your type, and mix up a blend in your favorite carrier oil. I love jojoba oil. My daughter loves jojoba and grapeseed oil. Other popular carrier oils include borage, hazelnut, hemp, olive, rosehip, sesame, or sunflower. A typical blend would have about 12 drops of essential oil and 1 ounce of carrier oil. Most people will benefit from doing a bit of reading on the carrier oil to determine what would be best for them. For example, jojoba is great for oilier skin, grapeseed is heavier and might feel better on dry skin.

For more reading and information, see Aromatherapy: Essential Oils for Vibrant Health and Beauty by Roberta Wilson.