Skincare Benefits of Essential Oils
One of the primary responsibilities of your skin is to act as barrier for your internal organs and muscles. It’s important to have a daily skin routine in order to take care of your skin so it stays healthy and is able to do its job.
A natural way to help your skin stay healthy is with essential oils. These are extracted from flowers, herbs, trees, resins and grasses and are used for a myriad of reasons. In this blog, I’ll be focusing on the benefits of essential oils made from flowers and how they can be helpful to your skin routine for the treatment and prevention of skin problems.
Lavender is used for relaxation, tension and stress. It’s also very helpful with skin care. It’s anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, it helps to stimulate new cell growth as well as balances oil production of the skin. The skin conditions that it’s most useful for are burns, acne, eczema, psoriasis and dandruff.
Geranium is helpful for all skin types except for sensitive skin (it can make breakouts worse). It’s an antifungal, which makes it helpful in treating athlete’s foot. It also enhances new skin cell growth.
Chamomile is great for skin care, with its strong anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. Studies have shown that chamomile oil reduces redness, itching, dryness and sensitivity in irritated and inflamed skin.
Rose is antibacterial, antiseptic and an astringent all in one! Works well for acne, rosacea, eczema and psoriasis. It also helps with aging, dry skin.
Before using essential oils
Essential oils can be a great addition to your health routine but it’s important to educate yourself about the potential side effects.
Pregnant or nursing women: Oils such as lavender, geranium and rose should be avoided as they are toxic to the child.
People with allergies: Even natural products and remedies may be harmful to your skin. I recommend performing a patch test first on your inner arm before starting an essential oils regimen. I would go so far as to recommend to first consult a doctor before starting any essential oils regimen so as to avoid any negative reactions.
People with sensitive skin: I recommend the same as those with allergies. Before using an essential oil it’s important to perform a patch test first on your inner arm. I also recommend to first consult a doctor before starting any essential oils regimen so as to avoid any negative skin reactions.
Before using essential oils, it’s vital to research each one that you’re thinking of using to understand how it could impact your health. A great place to start is the American Academy of Dermatology. Visit them at aad.org or make an appointment with your dermatologist to discuss what oils are right for you.
