Smooth and glowing skin is every woman's dream. Dry skin, wrinkles and blemishes are common beauty problems for many women that can occur anywhere on the body. Some spend hundreds of dollars on commercially-prepared treatments to deal with these issues. Fortunately, you can treat many common skin dilemmas at home using essential oils. Always dilute essential oils in skin cream or carrier oils such as almond or grapeseed oil before topical application. Consult your doctor before using essential oils, as some people may experience skin irritation or allergic reactions to certain oils.
Lavender
Lavender essential oil is prepared by pressing the flowers and parts of the plant to extract the oil. It is a common ingredient in many commercially-prepared soaps, skin and hair treatments. Lavender is valued for its balancing properties and is generally beneficial for all skin types. According to authors Maggie Tisserand and Monika Jünemann in their book, "The Magic and Power of Lavender," lavender is an ideal essential oil for making your skin smooth and silky. You can add a few drops of lavender oil to skin creams and lotions to benefit from its smoothing properties. Lavender oil can also be added to a warm bath or used in a number of home remedies for all types of skin problems, including acne, dry skin and eczema, although more scientific research is needed to support these claims.
Frankincense
According to author and aromatherapist Elizabeth Anne Jones in her book, "Awaken to Healing Fragrance: The Power of Essential Oil Therapy," frankincense essential oil was used by ancient Egyptian and Persian women to rejuvenate their skin and smooth wrinkles. Many aromatherapists value frankincense oil for a number of reasons, including its ability to hydrate and revitalize the skin. According to Discovery Health, frankincense is beneficial for both mature, aging skin and acne and may help to prevent wrinkles. Frankincense essential oil is commonly found in commercially-prepared acne treatments and anti-wrinkle creams.
Geranium
Geranium oil is another smoothing essential oil that can be used on dry, aging skin or applied to breakouts, pimples and acne. According to Connie and Alan Highley in their book, "Reference Guide for Essential Oils," geranium essential oils may help to regenerate dead skin and clear oily skin. It is frequently used by aromatherapists to deal with a number of skin issues such as cellulite, over-production of sebum, which is the oil secreted by your skin and dry, flaky skin conditions like eczema. According to a 2005 study published in the "Journal of Inflammation," geranium essential oil appears to decrease inflammation of the skin, which may help to soothe and smooth inflammatory conditions such as eczema as well as decrease the signs of aging.
References
- "The Magic and Power of Lavender"; Maggie Tisserand and Monika Jünemann; 1994
- "Awaken to Healing Fragrance: The Power of Essential Oil Therapy"; Elizabeth Anne Jones; 2010
- Discovery Health: Aromatherapy: Frankincense
- "Reference Guide for Essential Oils"; Connie and Alan Highley; 2005
- "Suppression of Neutrophil Accumulation in Mice by Cutaneous Application of Geranium Essential Oil"; Journal of Inflammation; Naho Maruyama et al; February 2005
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