How Essential Oils Benefit Your Skin Care

The popularity of natural products is exploding, from organic food to natural cleaning products to homeopathic medicine. These products rely on natural substances, usually extracted from plants, rather than molecules synthetically created in the laboratory. A new entry to the natural products market is the use of essential oils in skin care.

Essential oils provide a natural, personalized, and cost-effective skin care solution without the harsh synthetic chemicals contained in so many over-the-counter beauty products. You can purchase skin care products with essential oils, but it is also possible to make your own at a fraction of the price. There are two basic components to skin care with essential oils: a base or carrier oil and the essential oil itself. You can select the combination that works best for you and prepare your own skin care products at a fraction of the cost.

The base oil is generally unscented and provides a medium for diluting the essential oil and allowing it penetrate into your. Another advantage of having a base oil in the house is that the oil acts as a moisturizer even without adding the essential oil. For years, I had a job that did not allow me to wear any perfumed or scented products, including lotion, so I wore only the base oil while I was at work.

As an added bonus, a friend of mine who spent literally thousands of dollars a year on skin creams kept begging me for my secret because she couldn't believe how young I looked! Choosing a base oil takes a little trial and error. You want to find a base that nurtures your skin without making you break out, just like choosing an over-the-counter skin care product.

Jojoba and hazelnut oils are two common choices that suit almost every skin type. Rosehip oil is said to regenerate aging skin, and evening primrose oil has been reported to help with eczema and psoriasis.

The essential oils got their name because they all have an "essence" or scent associated with them. The rise of aromatherapy in everything from candles to spa treatments to alternative medicine has renewed interest in essential oils and their health and beauty benefits. Some essential oils that are commonly used as cleansers are naiouli and tea tree oil. For a more intense cleaning of debris on a cellular level, you can use a little rosemary oil of the Verbenone chemotype. Two calming oils include the oil extracted from Helichrysum italicum, which will help reduce skin inflammation, and lavender, perhaps the most common aromatherapy oil which will relax both the skin and the mind.

The oils can also be mixed to provide a truly personalized product. However, be warned that a little essential oil goes a long way and some scents may not mix well! The base and essential oils outlined here represent only a small selection of commonly used options. The biggest benefit of this type of natural skin care is that it allows you to completely personalize the products you use. There is a tremendous amount of information available on the internet about essential oils that will help with every skin condition you could imagine. With a little research and a little trial and error, you can prepare an essential oil skin therapy that will perfectly suit your needs.