7 Benefits of Essential Oils in Skincare

Essential oils have indeed stood the test of time. While the concept of aromatherapy was introduced thousands of years ago already, it remains widely used by many at present—primarily to help improve physical and mental wellbeing. Today, we also see skincare enthusiasts adding essential oils to their skincare routines. This goes to show that essential oils play a huge role in our skin health.

Before using essential oils, it’s vital to know first how you can use them effectively to witness how they’ll work magically to benefit your skin, mind, and body. So, where do we start?

Let’s know more about essential oils and their types!

What are essential oils?

Essential oils are known as compounds extracted from leaves, flowers, and seeds. These oils capture their flavor or "essence."

Typically, essential oils are derived through distillation via steam or water and may also be through cold pressing. As soon as the aromatic components have already been extracted, they are fused with a carrier oil to prepare the product for use.

Many natural oils are said to have antioxidant effects, antibacterial properties, anti-inflammatory effects, and can soothe and moisturize the skin. However, it’s important to discern which ones are actually truly natural and safe by reading the label, as some claim that their oils are “natural” and “therapeutic grade” yet are made of synthetic ingredients that aren’t really that safe.

Nourishing your skin with the goodness of truly natural essential oils

Here are the ways how essential oils can benefit your skincare routine. Let’s read on!

1. Help in scar and skin barrier healing

Essential oils help facilitate wound, scar, and stretch mark healing with their skin tightening properties. Beneficial oils include coconut oil, which is known to have antibacterial and wound healing properties; almond oil, which acts as a moisturizer and emollient that help retain skin barrier moisture soften the skin; and argan oil, which further skin barrier repair while improving skin elasticity

2. Shield acne-prone skin

When you have acne, regularly removing excess oils and bacteria without drying the skin is crucial. Both rosemary and frankincense oils are known to treat acne by lessening microbial and inflammation that may prompt acne breakouts. Another beneficial oil is lemon oil, which can help fight inflammation and free radicals that cause premature aging and acne. There’s also tea tree oil, which is a notable antiseptic in alternative medicine as it fights acne-causing inflammation and bacteria.

3. Alleviate oily skin issues

Your sebaceous glands are in overdrive if you have oily skin, thus may prompt clogged pores, greasy surface, and acne—which are completely normal. These may be made worse by humidity, hormones, and heat. To somehow steer clear of skin issues, there are oils that come to the rescue. There’s rosemary oil, which is known for its stimulating, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic properties. It has esters as a key ingredient, which can keep excess sebum at bay. Another is geranium oil, which has alkaline properties that may help balance out skin oils. Neroli is another oil that contains citral, which may even out sebum without prompting skin dryness. Such oils can help you have a seamless oil cleansing time.

4. Lessen itchiness and skin rashes

Some essential oils can balance out moisture and reduce skin rash itchiness due to skin concerns like atopic dermatitis or eczema and psoriasis. Tea tree oil is also a good pick as it tackles itchiness and redness. It naturally nourishes the skin while preventing acne breakouts by controlling sebum production.

Should there be pain that occurs with skin rashes, peppermint oil is the way to go. Its natural menthol property provides the skin with an analgesic effect and cools down hot rashes.

5. Soothe the skin

Essential oils may help your skin rejuvenate with their soothing and relaxing sensation. Known for their aromatic and antiseptic properties, oils like lavender, lemon, and orange are a great choice should you want to do a de-stressing and relaxing skincare routine. Using them also allows you to retain your skin’s moisture, leaving your skin feeling soft and smooth.

6. Reduces signs of aging

As you age, your skin naturally loses collagen and elasticity. You’ll notice there’ll be wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging. Should you want to slow down your aging process, essential oils that come with the goodness of vitamin C help in this. Try using lemon and orange oil to help improve skin elasticity, make your skin more supple and plump, and allow you to achieve a youthful glow. Rose oil is also a good option as it has antioxidants like vitamin A and C, promoting skin cell turnover. Another is myrrh oil, which was known to be used by Egyptian women as an anti-aging regimen. Myrrh is rich in antioxidants, which allow better circulation and more refined-looking skin.

7. Improves skin texture

Weather changes often result in skin texture changes and other concerns, which hamper our fixed skincare routine. To help you improve your skin texture, consider bergamot and lemon oils. They have citrus properties that lightly exfoliate the skin and keep its texture smooth.

Wrapping up

Essential oils are indeed beneficial for your skincare routine and skin concerns with their antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and relieving properties. While more studies regarding the effectiveness of oils are ongoing, many experts say that oils can aid dry, oily, and acne-prone skin.

Of course, before using one or two, make sure to know what your skin needs, check the quality and naturalness, look for essential oil beauty recipes that’ll work for you, and consult with your dermatologist, especially if you have underlying skin conditions.

With wise and well-planned usage of essential oils, you can witness them work wonders for your skin.