Over the years, I’ve had a variety of issues with my skin. During my late twenties, a stressful job and porr diet created the environment for hormonal breakouts. My desire for perfection led me to ProActiv and other harsh treatments that did a number on my skin. Pregnancy helped alleviate the issues with hormones and my skin glowed for several years. It wasn’t until I started my period after having Alex that my breakouts came back. It was much worse, possibly because my hormones went nuts after having two kids and breastfeeding for so long. I don’t really know, but I became desparate once again. I tried Rodan+Fields, SkinCeuticals, and Clinique yet the cystic acne persisted. I was ashamed to leave the house without makeup and even then, the numps were difficult to cover. I’m sure caking on makeup didn’t help the cause, but I wasn’t about to walk around with my skin the way it was. I began reading a lot of articles on Pinterest and found that many people had gotten rid of acne through supplements, a clean diet (wjhich I already had), probiotics, and facial oil. My skincare routine looked something like this before, and then changed to this in the fall of last year. Though I still have a lot of scarring and some occasional breakouts, it is so much better than those few months of wanting to hide in my home. Much of my beauty regimen now includes essential oils. I know they’re rampant in the world of WASPs and stay at home moms, so I hate to lack originality, but they really have been crucial to changing the health of my skin.
What Are Essential Oils?
Essential oils are derived from plants and are created through a variety of processes. These oils are beneficial because they have the power and potency of the plants from which they are derived. Many pharmaceuticals companies began with the use of these oils and many skincare lines and perfumes use essential oils today. Some popular ones include tea tree oil, lavender, and lemon. I’ll talk about which ones I like the best for healthy skin below, but first, where to get them?
Where Can You Get Them?
There are a number of companies that sell EOs. When buying them, you want to make sure you are buying therapeutic grade oils. These are most pure and don’t contain come of the chemicals we are tryiing to avoid in the first place. It’s not the smell of the oil that’s beneficial, it’s the properties of the oil. The two biggest companies, which are MLMs, are Doterra and Young Living. I can’t say which ones is better, but if you are interested in either one of those, I can put you in touch with ladies who sell it and are very knowledgeable. I personally use DoTerra, mainly because I like the way they harvest the oils. Those two companies have very nice products but they are very expensive. If you’re on a budget, but still looking for high quality oils, you can check out Edens Garden and Plant Therapy. I don’t have experience with either one, but I have heard good things about both in the EO community. (Obviously, I’m in the know, ya know).
side note: Eden’s Garden has an extensive line for kids and a couple of oils not sold by DoTerra, so I put in an order this weekend.
There is a lot of information out there about the safety of certain oils, especially around kids and pets. I am not an expert or a certified Aromatherapist. I am just another blogger who is sharing her experience with oils.
Enough back story, let’s get on to the best essential oils for healthy skin.
1. Tea Tree Oil (Melaleuca Oil)
This oil is antibacterial, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antiviral. It can be used in household cleaners, to clean wounds, to fight fungal infections, and in skincare (obviously since it’s in this post). You can diffuse it, you can dilute it with a carrier oil and put on the skin, you can use it in compresses, and much more.
So, how do I use it?
I’ve seen a number of recipes online and people use it differently but for me, I use it two ways:
- If I have a pimple, I put witch hazel on a cotton ball and add a drop of tea tree on it as well. I then dab that onto the various bumps all over my face.
- I add it to a serum that I use as a moisturizer. I’ll include a recipe below.
2. Lavender
This is a versatile oil that can be used for so so so many things. It is similar to Tea Tree in that it’s antibacterial, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and it’s also a sedative. It can be used in household cleaners, deodorant, candles, and of course, skincare. I actually use this oil every single day. I diffuse it at night in my kids’ rooms to help them sleep. I put it on their feet as well (diluted with a carrier oil).
How do I use it in skincare?
I meant to mention above that I put the tea tree on a cotton ball at night. I put Lavender and witch hazel on a cotton ball in the morning and rub that on my face. So I pour the witch hazel on the cotton ball and then add one drop of lavender. I have found that tea tree alone can sometimes irritate and dry my skin out, so adding the lavender will help reduce inflammation and soothe my skin. It also smells really nice. I use lavender in my DIY serum too.
3. Frankincense
Yes like frankincense in the Bible. My book says that early Sumerians and Egyptians used it for incense (I LOVE Christmas Mass when they use frankincense during the ceremony), tummy issues, and skincare. It’s also good for meditation and is very grounding. If you want to incorporate an oil into a spiritual practice, frankincense is a great oil to have! Actually, frankincense is an ESSENTIAL essential oil (see what I did there). Sorry. Anyway, If you can only buy one oil, buy this one. I know everyone says that about lavender, but I believe this is the Holy Grail of oils. Maybe that’s why they use it in church. Ok, I’m super corny today.
I want to add that frankincense has healing properties so anytime my kids are sick, I put this in the diffuser at night with lavender.
How do I use it in skincare?
This oil is good for wrinkles and scars. It rejuvenates the skin and promotes healing. I add it to my serum and if I am adding extra moisturizer because I’m dry, I’ll add a drop in that as well.
4. Geranium
Geranium oil can help balance emotions (let’s face it, I need this just for that reason alone), it’s an insecticide, and it helps skin conditions. It’s antibacterial, an antiseptic, analgesic, and a sedative.
I’m going to be real with you. This smells like shit. It’s very floral which I absolutely hate. That being said, this oil helped my skin more than any of the other oils. I see a VISIBLE difference when I use this oil. I actually used the others for a while and saw a difference but discovered Geranium online one day while doing research. I decided to give it a try and my skin cleared up instantly. I cannot live without this oil.
How do I use it in my skincare?
I moisturize with Grapeseed Oil or Reship oil so once I add that to my palm, I just add a drop of Geranium and mix it together in my hands. I then pat the oil all over my face. I also add this to my serum, but feel it’s more beneficial to just put it directly (diluted of course) on my face.
Where can I learn more?
I have found most of my information on Pinterest. I don’t think information is always reliable so I also have two reference books that I use. You can visit your local health store and see if they have an aromatherapist as well. I especially would do research when considering who is in your household. Kids and pets are sensitive to oils and you have to follow a different protocol with them. That being said, I’ve found lots of recipes through experimentation and have loved almost everything I have found on Pinterest. There is a Pinner dedicated to EO Safety as well.
The books I use and enjoy are The Complete Book of Essential Oils & Aromatherapy and Essential Oils Natural Remedies. You can also contact me if you’d like to discuss how I use them!
