The Truth About Essential Oils and Skincare
Thanks to the ongoing focus on health and wellness in 2020, and the shift towards a more natural, holistic lifestyle during the pandemic, essential oils are having quite the moment. But are they safe to use as part of your skincare routine? Let’s break it down and take a closer look at essential oils and the truth about how they fit into a clean beauty skincare routine.
Truth #1: How They Are Made is Important
Do your homework. Essential oils made through chemical processes are not considered true essential oils. True plant extracts, essential oils are made by steaming or pressing various parts of a plant including bark, leaves and flowers. This process naturally captures the healing properties in the purest way. And how they are packaged matters too. Essential oils can be compromised if not packaged properly in a tightly sealed dark glass bottle.
Truth #2: Professional is Best
The reality is essential oils do contain potential allergens and may not be ideal for everyone, which is why it’s best to purchase those that have been professionally formulated by a trusted skincare source. Creating the right mix for skin types and skin issues can be a complex process—precise combinations that must be done properly to be effective. Ideally look for a skincare company that is committed to clean beauty throughout their products.
Truth #3: They Have an Expiration Date
Because they are pure in form, essential oils do have a shelf life, and their properties can break down over time—which can sometimes lead to skin breakouts or rashes. This is easily avoidable by using essential oils that are packaged properly in dark glass bottles, and by keeping your skincare essential oils in a cool, dark place to help ensure their potency.
Truth #4: Your Skin Will Benefit
Just think of essential oils as multivitamins for your skin. Properly formulated for certain skin types or issues, these concentrated oil blends will boost your skincare routine with targeted, all-natural plant nutrition. Best when added after your moisturizer and eye cream at night, put 5-7 drops into moist hands and gently smooth onto your face and neck, avoiding the eye area. Some benefits of essential oils by skin type include:
- Anti-Aging: Essential oils with antioxidant-rich blends of cypress, vetiver and carrot seed deliver a concentrated dose of vitamins and nutrients that help stimulate regeneration, visibly reduce age spots and give skin a firmer look.
- Dry Skin: Rosemary, bergamot mint and geranium hydrate in essential oils will repair and improve circulation.
- Acne: While it might seem odd to put an essential oil on acne-prone skin, when made with antioxidant-rich plant extracts such as tea tree, cedarwood and palmarosa, you can heal your skin while preventing future breakouts and minimizing the appearance of scarring.
- Combo/Oily Skin: Refine enlarged pores, control excess sebum and boost regeneration with all-natural plant extracts such as lemongrass, bergamot, and cypress.
- Sensitive Skin: Soothe redness, inflammation and irritation with an essential oil that has a soothing blend of lavender, chamomile and geranium to promote healing.