Wise women will notice that therapeutic grade pure essential oils are often found in the highest quality beauty care products designed for mature skin. It is known that essential oils have many beneficial and therapeutic properties including the stimulation of cellular metabolism, the regeneration of tissues, reduction of oxidative stress, anti-inflammatory effects, as well as various hormone-like activity. These known benefits are the therapeutic fundamentals for wise woman topical support of the health and beauty of aging skin. Not only are these natural (nature made) essential oils good for the skin, they are much kinder to the planet than synthetic concoctions made in a laboratory and the results of using pure therapeutic grade essential oils on one’s skin can certainly be as profound. Beyond these obvious benefits, the wise woman (that’s you) can make a skin care blend that is precisely suited to her skin’s personal needs and at a fraction of the cost of the high-end synthetic blends. Many of the ingredients that are required are available locally at your health food store. The more exotic items found either on the internet or through mail order from providers of therapeutic-grade aromatherapy and apothecary supplies. As a curious woman you may ask, “What makes essential oils and their complementary carrier oils so effective for natural skin care?” The answer is found in nature herself. It happens that their elemental structures of the plant oils are beautifully and decidedly compatible with that of our skin. The truth is, essential oils are easily absorbed through the various layers of the skin and even through the skin’s individual cell walls. This compatibility makes them extremely simple to create and use your own formulas.
A little background on some of the various carrier oils otherwise known as “base” oils. These oils make up the foundation of most natural skin care formulas and are pressed from nut and seeds. There are a many lovely carrier oils from which to choose: Following are some of our favorites for nourishing and healing mature skin: 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 (5-15%) portion of the carrier blend; helps to calm inflammation and supplies important essential fatty acid nutrients to the skin. Borage and Evening Primrose oil may be interchanged though the Evening Primrose should be used in slightly larger concentrations of up to 25% of the base formula. Hazelnut is likely the most common carrier in skin care blends. It has a thin consistency and is best used by those with oily skin conditions. With its astringent properties Hazelnut should not exacerbate troubled skin. Lastly, and likely most importantly we have Rosehip Seed. Rosehip seed oil combines a plethora of therapeutic properties including the ability to turn over skin cells without the drying side effects found in pharmaceutical preparations such as Retin-A. A good base oil for mature skin would look something like 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, use Hazelnut in place of Apricot Kernel.And now for the delightful ingredients, the essential oils. There are numerous essential oils that can be used in skin care and many of these will are of great benefit to mature skin. We will look at eight incredible essential oils that are all beneficial to mature skin:
Considered one of the most potent revitalizing oils for the derma (skin), Carrot Seed (Daucus carota) essential oil is distilled from the seeds of Wild Carrot. Carrot seed is chosen principally as a tonic for skin that has become dull and lifeless which makes it a good choice for a blend for those whose lifestyle or environment seems to be taking its toll on the skin’s vibrancy. Carrot seed has a smooth, warm and earthy aroma that will blend well with many other essential oils. Another essential oil that is great for revitalizing the skin is Rosemary Verbenone. Rosemary Verbenone contains a higher amount of regenerative ketones than common rosemary and is highly effective at regeneration of the skin. In his book ‘Advanced Aromatherapy’ , leading medical aromatherapist and Dr. Kurt Schnaubelt, Rosemary Verbenone “displays its main activity in the dermis (the middle layer of the skin), where it stimulates the metabolic functions, circulation, and elimination of waste products”.
The essential oil of Clary Sage is renowned as being particularly suited to natural skin and beauty care. Clary Sage contains sclareol, which mimics the effects of estrogen; this is noted by one expert author and aromatherapist suggests that this effect is the a key reason it helps with skin aging. Clary Sage is also celebrated for its ability to regulate the skin’s secretions naturally bringing balance to both over-oily as well as over-oily skin. Elsewhere, it is noted as relaxing and ‘mildly euphoric’ which may also contribute to its positive effects for wrinkles.
Sweet Fennel is another ‘estrogenic’ essential oil, called for by Herbalist and author Valerie Worwood in “The Complete Book of Essential Oils” as an ingredient in wrinkle-preventative blends for all ages.
Sea Buckthorn Berry CO2 (a cold-processed essential oil made from the berries of the prolific Sea buckthorn tree) is gentle oil with a pleasingly sweet aroma. Sea Buckthorn contains significant amounts of essential fatty acids along with antioxidant vitamins A, C and E. This specialty skin care essential oil is rich in carotenes, which likely impart its rejuvenative effects. It is noted as a particularly effective anti-wrinkle and skin softening agent. Also known as Rock Rose, Cistus is another specialty essential oil for the care of mature care. The oil is distilled from a plant that grows in hot, sun-drenched regions of the world such as Spain and Morocco. Cistus is called for in blends for its naturally firming effects on the skin. Along with its firming effects, Cistus is also a natural astringent making it a good oil for those with adult acne. Please note that Cistus is mentioned as a good choice for blends that are used for firming around the eyes. A word of caution, when using ANY essential oils near the eyes, the blend should contain no more than .5% essential oils as to not be irritating in this sensitive area.
No discussion of aromatherapy and skin care would be comprehensive without first addressing Lavender essential oil. Well-known for its relaxing effects, true lavender (Lavendula angustifolia) can be included in aromatherapy blends for skin made for any age. Lavenders’ support for stress reduction may quickly result in improving the overall appearance of your skin. Due to its regenerative actions, anti-inflammatory, and balancing effects, lavender is especially supportive of aging skin. Lavender may be added in whatever concentration one chooses in alignment with one’s personal taste. For those wanting a stronger anti-inflammatory and regenerative effect, use Helichrysum essential oil. Also known as Immortelle or Everlasting, Helichrysum is known widely as a profoundly healing essential oil for damaged skin and is often called for in blends for healing wounds or reducing the appearance of scars. Note that if you are combining aromatherapy with other treatments such as chemical peels or microdermabasion Helichrysum essential oil would be an valuable ingredient in your blend.
The recipes for natural skin for mature skin are relatively uncomplicated. A good starting place is the following ratio: 10 drops of each essential oil to one ounce of carrier oil. For example, as a if you have four total ounces of carrier oil, you would then use forty drops of each chosen desired essential oil. Remember ladies, more essential oil is rarely better when blending a formula for the skin. Many essential oils work best at low concentrations with some oils potentially irritating the skin at high doses. A good rule of thumb is to keep your overall concentration of essential oils to a 5% total concentration. This ratio works out to about 30 drops per ounce of carrier. Remember that the face and neck are relatively delicate areas and will respond beautifully to small amounts of these naturally dynamic ingredients.
If you are designing your own recipe, you can start with equal amounts of essential oil in your blend. Some oils will have more powerful aromas than others; most of these very potent aromas will be oils that you will want to use in smaller quantities. You can also adjust according to your aromatic preferences as well, thus creating a formula that not only supports your skin’s health and metabolism, but smells lovely too.
Although many of these oils are favored for women’s beauty care, similar recipes may be used by men as well. A more masculine formula can be created using essential oils from woods – Cedarwood and Australian Sandalwood are both good examples of an essential oils that can be used for both its therapeutic and aromatic properties. Both Frankincense and Myrrh essential oils both have warm earthy aromas and are also noted for their positive effects on aging skin. The addition of essential oils purely for their aromatic beauty is always an option. Please note, there are a there are a few oils that should not be applied to the face that are commonly used in aromatherapy: Cinnamon, Oregano, Clove and Red Thyme; cold-pressed citrus oils such as tangerine, lemon, and orange as well as Angelica Root oil are phototoxic, and should not be applied to skin that will be exposed to sunlight in the following 72 hours. If you’re not sure about a particular essential oil, check with a reliable resource – There are many excellent references and health professionals available if you need assistance.
Blending a personal formula may seem overwhelming at first, but in fact it is quite a natural and pleasant experience. Once the formula is decided upon, one simply needs to mix each selected essential oil into the one or more base oils (these also have their own healing benefits) at the recommended concentrations, allow to stew and then apply to clean skin on a regular basis. The base oils will carry the essential oils more deeply into the skin, and prevent them from being quickly evaporated into the air. This allows the essential oils time to work their magic.
The creation of synergistic therapeutic blends for mature skin is enjoyable, easy-to-do, and a wise choice for the skin, the planet, and the pocket-book. By using therapeutic-grade oils and carriers, you’ll be creating an effective, beautiful smelling formula that is designed precisely for your own skin condition. Moreover, you can adjust the recipe over time as your needs change, or make different formulas with various aromas to double as natural perfumes. As always with aromatherapy, start slowly, pay attention to your body, enjoy the process!
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