Essential Oils That are Good for Your Skin

Oil is usually seen as something bad, and you see frequent false warnings about how they clog pores and give you blackheads. This mindset is changing rapidly in the modern world, with the age-old tradition of using essential oils for skincare gaining increasing prominence.

So, what exactly are essential oils? Essential oils are natural extracts of plant oils which hold the fragrance or 'essence' of the plant it is removed from, thus giving it its name. Various parts of a plant are used for this process and may include the seeds, fruits, flowers, leaves, roots, barks, peels etc. This means that different kinds of oil can be extracted from the same plant as is the case for lemon bushes (the leaves and the peel of the lemon are both used).

The use of essential oils dates to over 5000 years ago where ancient civilizations discovered its medicinal uses, along with its soothing, calming properties. Various salves and aromatic oils were made by the ancient Egyptians who combined fragrant oils with various spices and tree resins. The traditional Hindu or South Asian healing method 'ayurvedha' meaning 'life-knowing' in Sanskrit was (and still is) famous for using natural oils in many of their medicinal concoctions.

The Greeks were the next group of people to see the benefits of essential oils, and influenced by both the Egyptians and Indians, they combined their extensive knowledge of plants and herbs to spread the use of essential oils throughout their rapidly expanding empire. Greek physician Hippocrates (460-377 BC), also known as the founder of natural medicine is known to have said 'a perfumed bath and a scented massage every day is the way to good health'.

And the rest is history. People have been using aromatic oils for centuries, and to great effect. Some people believe that going natural beats any store-bought medication. Let's look a little closer into how they are manufactured now.

Essential oils are most commonly drawn out through a process of steam distillation, giving the product a very potent nature (other methods include extraction, cold pressing etc..). Most times a lot of plant product can go into making just a few milliliters of oil. Take for instance the 15ml bottle of rose oil that uses up just under 30kg of rose petals to extract oil from.

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These means that these concentrated oils need to be handled with utmost care. They need to be mixed with certain 'carrier oils' to usually a one part to twenty ratio (although sometimes higher or lower levels of dilutions are recommended).  A few such carrier oils are coconut, olive and jojoba oil. Before application, these oils need to be tested on a small patch of skin to check if you have any allergic reactions to any compound in them.

One of the most popular uses for essential oils is its popularity in the skincare industry. There are a lot of oils out there that can be used for different purposes, and have different effects on the skin. In the next segment, we will look at a few popular oils on the market today.

Oil That Will Make Your Skin Glow

Every person is made different, and because of this, we have many people with different skin types among us. Although these oils have some proven benefits, we advise you to look around and try a few different oils that appeal to you before deciding on the one that gives your skin the biggest boost.

Jasmine Oil

The calm and soothing smell of night blooming jasmine is why it is so popular, but its benefits as a skin care product make it equally popular. It contains antiseptic properties, and is used when people suffer from eczema or other such skin diseases. It hydrates the skin and reduces dryness.  

Lemon Peel Oil

Lemon oil has more of a rejuvenating effect on skin, and works on dull skin giving old and dry skin more of a glow. It too has antiseptic properties that reduce acne, and other skin problems.

Lavender Oil

This oils helps calm irritated skin (for instance sun-burnt patches), and works effectively on almost all skin types. It reduces redness in skin, and has antibacterial properties, and is sometimes even used to treat burns as well.

Geranium Oil

This oil is extracted from the leaves and bark of the Geranium plant, and it’s been a common skin care oil since the time of the Egyptians. It has anti-inflammatory properties, and is also used to treat a variety of skin ailments including acne and rashes. Using this oil on a long-term basis is also said to reduce the effects of aging by gently nourishing your skin.

Sandalwood Oil

Through the ages sandalwood has been considered almost divine by generations of Hindu devotees who use this bark and its by products in many religious ceremonies. Sandalwood cleans skin, and sooths it. It can be used on various insect bites, and reduces skin irritation. It reduces scars and spots by slowly healing the affected skin.

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Tea Tree Oil

In addition to being a good remedy to acne (as it helps regulate the natural oils), tea tree oil works great on dry and damaged skin. It also can be applied on sores, boils and lumps to reduce pain, and aid in the healing process. Tea tree oil is the go-to essential oil for various skin disorders like dermatitis and other fungal infections.

Chamomile Oil

The oil extracted from this little flower is also very beneficial for your skin. It sooths irritated or sensitive skin, reduces swelling and helps reduce acne and other unwanted skin issues.

These are just a few of the many essential oils on the market, but they are the most commonly sought after oils because of their advanced benefits to skin. We live in a generation obsessed with looking younger and healthier, so let's not turn to artificial products, but search for our solutions in the answers nature has already provided us.