Recently, I got hooked on facial oils after my friend bought a bottle of Rose Hip Seed Oil from Argentina.

Just what are facial oils? Many of us believe that people with oily skin should not be using any other forms of oil in their skincare treatment. This perception, however, is untrue.

Essential oils have been used by aromatherapists for many years in the treatment of oily skin. These oils are extracted from different parts of plants including barks and roots and flowers. These essential oils are known to not just reduce the amount of sebum production on the skin, but also reduce the bacteria that could lead to many skin problems like acne and blackheads.


What are essential oils?

Essential oils are concentrated aromatic liquid made up of tiny oil molecules. They can blend easily with vegetable or nut oil. Due to their strong potency that can sometimes cause skin allergic reactions, they are often used in a more dilute form, usually to mix with a carrier oil.

What do they do?

1. Essential oils can penetrate the dermis of our skin. They are made up of tiny molecules and are lipophilic, which means they are attracted to fats. Therefore, they can pass through our hair follicles, which contain sebum, and from there absorbed into the bloodstream.

2. They keep bacteria away, repelling infection and boosting circulation.

3. They stimulate the growth of new cells. However if essential oil oxidizes they lose their therapeutic properties. They should last a year, if kept in a cool and dark place, tightly closed and sealed. Mixing with a carrier oil reduces the shelf life to 2-3 months.

Some types of carrier oils include:

Almond, Macadamia, Olive, Avocado, Evening Primrose, Apricot, Sunflower, Jojoba, Hazelnut, Calendula, Glycerine, etc.

Here are some common essential oils and their uses on different skin types. You can mix them with the carrier oils just before apply and massage them onto your face.


* Sorry for the illegibility of the words on the chart. Click on image to view clearly *

Here is a link that shows in detail, which oil are more suitable for different skin problem types.
http://www.naturesgift.com/essentialoil-skincare.htm

There are too many different types of essential oils in the market. Here, the listed ones are probably the most common ones that you have heard of. To fully uncover the benefits of aromatherapy and usage of essential oils for the face, do consult an aromatherapist as they are specialized in this area of study and are definitely able to provide more detailed blends for your specific skin type.

For those who will want to try with the basics, start oiling away for more tender soft skin.

Has anyone ever used facial oils?  If so, what have your experiences been like?  If not, do you plan on trying them out?