Beautiful Naturally: Effective Essential Oils for Mature Skin

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Beautiful Naturally: Effective Essential Oils for Mature Skin

Written by Helena Masters

by HelenaMasters

It's no surprise several of the world's finest formulas for beautifying mature skin contain natural essential oils. Therapeutic grade essential oils used in aromatherapy are each selected for their distinctive healing action; many oils are specifically indicated for skin healing and healthy skin maintenance. Of greatest interest here are the oils known for their tissue regenerative effects and support of the skin's metabolic functions. An effective personal blend using premium therapeutic grade oils is easily made by choosing a few oils corresponding to the needs of your skin type, and blending with easy-to-follow formulas.

What makes essential oils and their accompanying carrier oils so effective for natural skin care? It happens that their chemical structures are highly-compatible with that of our skin cells. Essential oils are easily absorbed through the dermal layers and even through the skin's individual cell walls. This makes them extremely simple to create and use your own formulas. Just mix each chosen essential oil into one or more carrier oils (which have their own therapeutic effects as well) at the recommended concentrations, then apply regularly for best results. The carrier oils will do just as the name implies - 'carry' the essential oils more deeply into the skin, and prevent them from being quickly evaporated into the air (as a perfume might be).

Essential oils for topical application in nearly every instance will be blended with what are known as carrier oils or 'base' oils. These cold-pressed seed or nut oils make up the foundation of most natural skin care formulas. There are a many lovely carrier oils from which to choose - a few favorites for nourishing and healing mature skin include: Avocado is known to be both hydrating, and nutritive; it has a medium consistency and is generally included at about 20% of the total base oil mixture. Apricot Kernel is fantastic for dry skin and is used for healing damaged or irritated skin. Apricot oil can be used in combination or with other carriers or as 100% of the base oil. Borage oil is used as a small (perhaps 10%) portion of the carrier blend; it helps to calm inflammation and supplies important essential fatty acid nutrients. Borage and Evening Primrose oil may be interchanged though the Evening Primrose should be used in slightly larger concentrations of up to one-quarter of the base formula. Hazelnut oil is a very common carrier in skin care blends. It has a thinner consistency and is best used by those with oily skin conditions. With its astringent properties Hazelnut should not exacerbate oily-skin conditions. Lastly, and likely most importantly, we have Rosehip Seed. Rosehip seed oil combines a plethora of therapeutic properties including the ability to speed turnover of skin cells without drying or flaking (as can be a common side effect of synthetic preparations with the same purpose). An excellent base oil mix for mature skin might include 70% Apricot Kernel, 15% Rosehip and 15% Evening Primrose. For those with dry skin, add Avocado oil at 20% and reduce the Apricot Kernel to 50%. For oily skin, replace Apricot Kernel with Hazelnut.

On to the essential oils - the magic active ingredients. These are in no particular order; they all have unique properties, and selecting one or more depends on your personal skin's condition. We'll begin with Carrot Seed, a wonderful warm, smooth and earthy essential oil with a long history in skin care. It is particularly indicated for skin that has lost its glow from undue stress, whether from external environmental factors or other types of strain. Carrot seed is very gentle, inexpensive, and useful for all skin types. Next is Rosemary of the Verbenone chemotype - it's distilled from common rosemary grown in particular regions of the world that lead to a higher fraction of regenerative 'ketones' in the oil. These molecules enhance regeneration and metabolism - improving the use of nutrients and removal of toxins on a cellular level.

Essential oils that simulate the effects of estrogen have been found supportive of mature skin health. Perhaps as natural estrogen production lessens over time, these oils continue to give the skin a youthful hormonal environment. Two oils which can be considered are Clary Sage and Sweet Fennel. Each are noted by various authorities as exceptionally important for aging skin. Clary Sage is soft, sweet and herbaceous, with an aroma considered mildly euphoric to some. Sweet Fennel is a little stronger aromatically, and has been recommended for 'anti-wrinkle' formulas for every age. You may decide purely on the basis of your personal aromatic preference if you wish to include one of these estrogen mimicking oils.

A couple of lesser known yet highly effective skin care specialty oils are Cistus and Sea Buckthorn. Cistus is distilled from the Rock Rose flower, with astringent qualities used for firming the skin. Some Cistus varieties tend to have a rather medicinal aroma, but truly fine ones are sweet and alluring. Sea Buckthorn is pleasingly sweet, and should be considered for blends for all skin types. Found as a CO2 distillation (not to be confused with the cold-pressed Sea Buckthorn carrier oil) the essential oil is a deep red color, indicating the high concentration of carotenes, vitamin A precursors so important to skin health. The virtues of Sea Buckthorn have been hailed by users with a wide variety of skin conditions and types at every age - it is useful in very small amounts, and need only make up 1% of your recipe to enjoy its benefits.

Of course no discussion of skin care and aromatherapy would be complete without Lavender. True lavender (Lavendula angustifolia) can be included in aromatherapy blends for skin at any age. It may be especially supportive of aging skin through its combination of anti-inflammatory, balancing, and regenerative actions. Lavender is also well-known for its relaxing effects, and its support for stress reduction may quickly result in improving your skin's appearance. For those whom enjoy its floral aroma, Lavender may be added in whatever concentration one chooses to impart its aromatic quality to the formula. For an even stronger anti-inflammatory and regenerative effect, use Helichrysum essential oil (also known as Everlasting or Immortelle). Helichrysum may be the most profoundly healing essential oil for damaged skin, often called for in blends for healing wounds or reducing the appearance of scars. If you are combining aromatherapy with other treatments such as microdermabrasion, Helichrysum would be an important ingredient in your blend.

The formulas for therapeutic care for mature skin are fairly straightforward. Oftentimes, you can start with 10 drops of each essential oil per ounce of carrier oil. For example, if you have four total ounces of base oil, you could use 40 drops of each desired essential oil as a starting point. Much more essential oil than this is rarely better; in fact, many oils work best at low concentrations, and some can potentially irritate the skin at high doses. Further, if you are combining several essential oils together in one blend, try not to go over a 5% total concentration of essential oils (approximately 30 drops per ounce) - the face and neck are relatively sensitive areas, and will respond best to small amounts of nature's 'active' ingredients. If you are not working with a recipe, you can start with equal amounts of each essential oil, and adjust according to your perceived potency of each oil; some oils will have more powerful aromas than others, and you could likely do with slightly less in your overall blend. You can also adjust according to your aromatic preferences as well, creating a formula that not only supports your skin's health and metabolism, but smells lovely too.

Many of the oils mentioned here are found in blends for women, but there is no rule that prevents men from using them as well. For an aroma that a man may appreciate, deeper, earthier essential oils can be used - Sandalwood, Frankincense and Myrrh are all essential oils noted for their benefits to mature skin. Also, for any gender, including essential oils for their fragrance and not just their therapeutic properties is certainly an option. With one's emotional health often clearly reflected in the condition of their skin, there's more than likely to be a benefit beyond simply smelling nice! Just be aware that there are a few oils that should not be applied to the face; these are some of the spicier oils - Cinnamon, Oregano, Clove and Thyme varieties; cold-pressed citrus oils like lime, lemon, orange and bergamot should also be avoided for facial care, as these oils can cause the skin to be extra-sensitive to UV light. If you have any uncertainty about a particular oil, there are many quality resources regarding essential oil safety available both on the internet and in print.

Creating your own personal therapeutic skin care blend is a wonderful aromatherapy project for beginning and advanced practitioners alike. You'll have an effective mixture made just for your skin type, and that you can adjust according to your needs in the future. Plus it's fun to do, and easier on the pocket book than high-end commercial formulations. As always when starting out with these medicines from nature, be aware of you're body's responses to the oils, respect their potency, and most of all, have fun!

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For more resources on how to use essential oils and flower essencestherapeutically, visit the Ananda Apothecary.

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