Essential oils with benefits for your skin have been around since time immemorial. They have been used in aromatherapy and are known for their relaxation benefits. People believing in alternative medicine have been flag bearers of the benefits of essential oils for your health. They play an essential role in curing different health concerns like body pain, anxiety, and lack of sleep.

Living in a fast-paced environment can make it difficult for you to snatch some time for self-care. Your physical and mental well-being is heavily affected by everyday stress, workload, pollution, and emotional fatigue along with a lot of other factors. All of these make it even more important to find some time and practice self-care. And using essential oils in your skincare regimen is a great way to do that.

Aromatherapy and the use of essential oils is a very old form of self-care that has been going on for years. It brings balance, harmonizes your wandering mind, and promotes calming your mind and body. The Natural Handmade Aromatherapy Rollon Deo Body Toning has been an amazing addition to my personal collection to enjoy these benefits. Besides their medicinal properties, there is another side to the benefits of this relaxation technique. The positive effects of aromatherapy go beyond oil massages and perfumed candles. It can be used to get soft, supple, and beautiful skin.

But before we get on to the skincare benefits of aromatherapy, let’s take a while to understand what is this process and how it is helpful.

7 Essential Oils with Benefits for your skin: Your Ultimate Guide to Aromatherapy in Skincare

Aromatherapy uses essential oils for therapeutic benefits. It’s a treatment used to promote personal wellness. 

Aromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine. It includes extracting essential oils from herbal plants and possesses some wonderful health properties. You can apply them to the skin or simply inhale. The healing effects of essential oils make them useful in the treatment of many health conditions.

The plants used for the extraction of essential oils have a strong defense mechanism as they grow in the wild but are harvested from their natural habitat. This makes them a suitable ingredient for your skincare or self-care essentials.

The extraction and preparation of these oils require a huge amount of plant materials. This makes them a little too expensive and explains their indulgence in luxurious wellness treatments. For example; 1 pound of lavender essential oil requires a whopping 250 pounds of lavender flowers.

 

History of Essential Oils with Benefits 

The practice of aromatherapy dates back to ancient Egypt 4500 BC when people used aromatic substances for make-up and lotions. In medieval times, they were used as laxatives, analgesics, anti-depressants, and other purposes. Essential oils found their place in ancient Chinese and Indian medicine in 2500 BC. The healing properties of cinnamon, ginger, and sandalwood were amongst the many other ingredients used in essential oils.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, aromatherapy included thyme, saffron, cumin, and peppermint. In the present times, lavender and peppermint are prominent among pharmaceuticals and are being used as additional substitutes for medications.

Even though aromatherapy is seen as a more natural alternative to modern medicine, more research is needed to prove the reliability of these oils in comparison to synthetic medications.

 

Aromatherapy and Essential Oils with Benefits of Skincare

In aromatherapy, essential oils are used as complementary medicines which use smell or direct skin application in the treatment. You must always dilute the essential oil before applying it to the skin, i.e. purifying the liquid by heating it. With all its healing and rejuvenating benefits on the body, one cannot ignore aromatherapy for its skincare effects. There are as many as 300 different types of essential oils in the market that are available commercially.  

Smelling and inhaling essential oils trigger an instant mood change because they have a strong influence on the functioning of your brain. Depending on the plant and its properties, you can use a particular essential oil to motivate you and make you happy. Including them in your night care routine helps you to unwind after having a long hard day.

Aromatherapy in skincare means that the skin absorbs the oil and it eventually goes into your bloodstream, which gives essential oils in skincare a long-lasting effect.

Aromatherapy on the skin happens according to the skin type. Therefore before you choose it, make sure you know your skin type and use the right essential oil. It is important to educate yourself on the effects of the oil and its use on the skin. Lesser knowledge of essential oils with benefits before use might cause allergic reactions. 

Do a small patch test if you are doing this for the first time. Pour the essential oil into your palm to see its reaction, if any. Then only you should go ahead with that particular oil for your skincare.

 

Aromatherapy in Skincare: Essential Oils with Benefits

Aromatherapy has significant benefits on skin and over health. Wellness and spa centers have been using aromatherapy for years to offer their clients a calming and rejuvenating experience. The core use of aromatherapy is to stimulate positivity in the mind. Essential oils also have direct effects on your nervous system, heartbeat, breathing, and blood pressure. Thus making aromatherapy a common choice in massage treatments for physical and mental relaxation. 

Your unconscious mind can perceive smell out of all the senses. Thus, the influence of aroma on your sense is primal. Smelling the essential oils sends the message to the brain which releases the hormones and thus, you feel calm and relaxed.

Similarly, when you apply essential oils to the skin they are absorbed by it. These absorbed essential oils penetrate deeply and get infused into the bloodstream signaling the brain to release relaxing hormones. This balances your mind and improves your overall skin health.

Essential oils contain hundreds of active compounds. Their topic application on the skin leads to varied results like toning, soothing, purifying, balancing, and anti-aging depending on the effects of these active compounds. 

If you want to use essential oils with benefits such as room fragrances or candles, you can go with any brand. But, if you want to enjoy the benefits of essential oils on your skin, make sure you invest in essential oils that are 100% pure and are produced by reliable brands.

 

7 Types of Essential Oils with Benefits on the Skin

1. Lavender Oil

Lavender oil has one of the most soothing scents. The simplest way to use it in your skincare routine is to include a few drops of it in your daily moisturizer. Another way is to take some lavender essential oil on a cotton pad and dab it over your acne.  

Benefits:

○     Helps to get rid of dry patches by gently moisturizing the skin

○     Remedy for burns

○     Helps with stress, pain, and sleep

○     Reduces the appearance of wrinkles on your face

○     Enriched with antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties, it fights acne-causing bacteria

 

2. Tea Tree Oil

Use this DIY if you have oily or acne-prone skin. Take 3 spoons of coconut or olive oil and add a few drops of tea tree essential oil to it. Massage gently as you apply it to your skin. Once done, cover your face with a fresh warm cloth and leave it for 10 minutes.

Benefits:

○     Calms your skin

○     Cures inflamed skin

○     Keeps your skin hydrated

○     Helps acne faster when applied directly (after dilution) with a cotton patch

 

3. Peppermint oil

A good skincare ritual is much more than your face. Whip this mask to treat your dry and itchy feet. Take two cups of sugar. Add half a cup of grapeseed oil and 10 to 12 drops of peppermint essential oil. Mix well and start exfoliating. Once done, wash it and moisturize your skin.

Benefits:

○     Aids in microbial and fungi infections

○     Treats inflammation

○     Eases headaches and lifts mood

○     Supports digestion and memory

○     Helps in treating gut problems

○     Relaxes tense muscles of the feet

○     Helps soothe injured skin

 

4. Frankincense oil

This DIY is helpful as a substituent for your makeup remover. Take some water in a jar, 1 tablespoon of baby shampoo, 1 tablespoon of baby oil, and a few drops of Frankincense oil. Mix well.  

Take another jar and put the cotton pads in it. Soak them completely. Remove excess, if any. Your at-home makeup remover is ready to use.

Benefits:

○     Helps with inflammation, mood, and sleep

○     Clears skin discoloration and evens out the skin tone

○     Reduces wrinkles by producing collagen 

○     Works great for everyday makeup

 

5. Rose oil

Rose oil can be used in combination with other oils to improve skin quality. You can also add a few drops of it to your everyday self-care products like face cream, shampoo, or conditioner. You can also use it as your makeup remover. Add a few drops of rose oil to some sugar and coconut oil to prepare a body scrub. 

Benefits:

○     Antibacterial properties

○     Treats blemishes and masks

○     Improves mood and reduces anxiety

○     Enhances blood circulation, thus promoting clear skin

 

6. Chamomile Oil

You can use Chamomile oil by diluting it and adding a drop or two to your body lotion or moisturizer to treat dry skin. You can also prepare a DIY scrub by mixing chamomile tea with a tablespoon of honey and two tablespoons of oatmeal. Along with exfoliation, this scrub will also improve the moisture of your skin.

Benefits:

○     Helps with digestive issues like gas, indigestion, and nausea

○     Helps you destress and sleep better

○     Heals your wounds

○     Has anti-inflammation properties that help with back pain

○     Soothes skin conditions like eczema, rashes, or cracked skin 

○     Improves your mental well-being by helping with anxiety and panic attacks

 

7. Lemon Oil

Mix 2 drops of lemon oil with 3 drops of spearmint essential oil. Add them to 60ml of coconut milk. Your very own foot spa is ready to soak your tired feet and refreshes you after a long day at work. You can also make an oil serum to treat acne or skin blemishes by mixing lemon oil with tea tree oil, lavender oil, and hazelnut fixed oil. 

Benefits:

○     Fights inflammation and free radicals to stop acne

○     Used in homemade cleaning products

○     Relieves stress and symptoms of depression

○     Improves your headaches and mood

○     Aids indigestion

 

Avoid these 6 mistakes while using essential oils

These were some of the essential oils with benefits and DIYs you can use in your skincare routine. But, as you use these essential oils on your skin make sure to be careful of a few things.

1. Essential oils are concentrated. Do not forget to dilute them before using them on your skin. You must perform all these DIYs after diluting the oils.

2. Not choosing the oil according to your skin type and skin condition. This usually leads to allergies, skin irritation, and sun sensitivity.

3. Consumption of essential oils should be avoided as they can be fatal to the skin, liver, kidneys, and other organs.

4. Make sure you consult a doctor or aromatherapist before using essential oil if you are under any medication.

5. Do not be careless to reading about the ingredients of the essential oils. Use the one that contains only the plant compound without any additives.

6. Using essential oils that are not chemical-free and have been distracted through distillation or mechanical cold pressing.

If you have read so far, you know everything you should about using essential oils with benefits in your skincare routine. Using scented candles, room mists, body oils, healing emulsions, bath bombs, etc are some other ways to include essential oils in your daily life.

 

Conclusion

Essential oils have been a great choice for people who are into holistic healing and prefer natural skincare ingredients over artificial cosmetics. But, the use of essential oils with benefits in skincare is a rather debatable topic between dermatologists and the skincare industry people. However, essential oils are very popular for all the benefits and health properties they have possessed over the years.

Hence, the choice is all yours. You must make the right decision before using them. Read the labels carefully to avoid any severe allergies or skin problems further.

I hope you had a fun time reading everything about essential oils with benefits and aromatherapy. Feel free to share your suggestions and feedback in the comments box.