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Everything You Need To Know About Essential Oils In Skincare

Everything You Need To Know About Essential Oils In Skincare

As you probably know, we’re big fans of using natural ingredients like essential oils and plant extracts in our skincare formulations. How so? Because we believe Earth’s finest offerings are worth so much more to your skin than the alternatives…

Essential oils can be contentious ingredients in the beauty and wellness space, but we truly believe the pros of using essential oils in skincare far outweigh the cons. However, this is only if you know what you’re doing. Low concentrations, blended with care and attention into serums, moisturizers, toners and cleansers can not only have positive effects on your skin, but also your emotional wellbeing. Whereas pure, undiluted essential oils are highly potent and can produce all manner of adverse skin reactions.

So, if you ever fancy playing around with pure essential oils without doing a LOT of homework first, well, don’t.

Instead, let the reputable manufacturers do all the blending for you. Then you can make some executive EO (that’s essential oil, btw) decisions without worrying that your skin might break out quicker than you can say ‘pass the tea tree oil’.

Here’s what we know about the wonderful world of essential oils…

What Are Essential Oils?

Essential oils are highly concentrated plant extracts that contain volatile aromatic compounds and are obtained from either the flowers, fruits, leaves, roots, stems or even bark of a particular plant. They can be extracted by many different methods, but the most common way is through steam distillation.

According to the National Association for Holistic Aromatherapy (NAHA), an essential oil is defined by its chemical, physical, aromatic and spiritual make up and these are entirely dependent on the specific plant from which it was extracted.

There are around 300 essential oils used in aromatherapy across the world and it’s believed they’ve been harnessed by humans since around 4500BC when ancient Egyptians used them in cosmetics, fragrance and medicines. Many people swear by EOs for treating both emotional and physical health concerns such as stress, anxiety, pain and insomnia.

Why Essential Oils Are Important In Skincare

Because of their countless benefits for the skin, essential oils are used in a variety of skincare products and due to today’s consumers being way more interested in adopting a more natural beauty routine, their popularity continues to grow. Many oils have healing, toning, brightening and hydrating benefits and some even offer anti-inflammatory and antioxidant qualities. Aromatherapy skeptics often suggest that essential oils do more harm to your skin than good, yet countless studies suggest that when they’re diluted at safe levels, they have very little cause for concern.

But just because they’re natural, this doesn’t mean all EOs are good for your skin – and especially the delicate skin on your face. Certain oils like cinnamon and mint, for example, may help stimulate circulation when used in the correct concentration on your body, but they can be risky on your face and cause irritations or an allergic reaction.

This is why you should always read your skincare label carefully and contact the manufacturer if you have questions about their essential oil ingredients, processing and levels of concentration (around 1 percent is seen as the safest for most skin types, btw). Make sure to also perform a patch test with any new product, leaving it for at least 24 hours (preferably 48) to test for adverse reactions before applying it all over your face. In rare cases, a severe allergic reaction may occur so always seek advice and a diagnosis from a skincare expert or allergist if you have concerns. 

8 Of Our Favorite Essential Oils For Your Skin

We truly believe blending and diluting essential oils is best left in the hands of the experts, but it’s still worth knowing the benefits some of the most common EOs have up their sleeves, right?

Here are some of our favorite essential oils here at TruSkin HQ.

1. Geranium

According to research, geranium EO is a real find for treating dry skin, reducing the visible signs of aging, calming inflammation and fighting infection. It also has anti-bacterial properties so is often used on acne-prone skin to keep pores clean and pimples at bay.
Find It In: Eye Cream, Hylauronic Acid Serum

2. Helichrysum

The helichrysum italicum plant is most commonly found in southern Europe and the Mediterranean. Its oil has anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and antibacterial properties and has long been used for treating inflammation and accelerating wound healing.
Find It In: Eye Cream

3. Lavender

One of the most commonly used EOs in skincare and aromatherapy, lavender’s antiseptic and antibacterial qualities make it a hugely popular choice for reducing acne and soothing the skin. Lavender’s spa-like fragrance has also been proven to alleviate stress and calm both the body and mind.
Find It In: Charcoal Face Wash, C-Plus Super Serum, Tea Tree Clear Skin Super Serum

TruSkin Charcoal Face Wash

4. Lemongrass

Lemongrass essential oil is a big player in the antioxidant world so it’s a neat ingredient for fighting free radicals and reducing the signs of premature aging. Lemongrass is also purifying, balancing, healing and has an awesome citrus fragrance that gives a lovely scent to skincare products.
Find It In: Eye Cream

5. Pink Grapefruit

Brimming with vitamins A and C, pink grapefruit is another antioxidant-rich essential oil that’s fabulous for mature or dull skin. It contains lycopene which is a natural exfoliant and has a naturally uplifting scent that helps brighten and lift both your skin and your wellbeing.
Find It In: C-Plus Super Serum

6. Rose

While the benefits of pure rose EO are never-ending (think moisturizing, regenerating, stress relieving and healing for starters), it takes around 250lb of rose petals to produce just 1oz of oil which makes it crazy expensive. Another by-product of the distillation process, however, is rose water which contains up to 20 percent of the water-soluble oils that get left behind after the distillation process. Rose water is a fabulous skin tonic and its anti-inflammatory properties are great for preventing pimples and reducing redness.
Find Rose Water In: Daily Facial Rose Water Toner

TruSkin Daily Facial Rose Water Toner

7. Tea Tree

Due to its potent anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, tea tree essential oil is a go-to for anyone suffering with acne, enlarged pores or super-oily skin. It may also help relieve itching and speed up the healing process, and it’s pretty well tolerated by most skin types.
Find It In: Tea Tree Clear Skin Super Serum, Vitamin C Daily Facial Cleanser

8. Ylang Ylang

Ylang ylang essential oil is a very effective cleansing agent due to its anti-bacterial properties. It also helps balance oil production so, similar to tea tree EO, it's great for treating and helping reduce acne and other unwanted skin blemishes.
Find It In: Charcoal Face Wash, C-Plus Super Serum, Tea Tree Clear Skin Super Serum

 

 

 

 

 

 

More About This Article

Georgia Gould

Georgia Gould

Georgia is an award-winning beauty writer who has been in the business for over 20 years. British-born, she began her career as a magazine beauty editor in London before moving to San Francisco, CA in 2012 where she now continues her love as a freelance writer and editor. As well as her editorial work, Georgia has created content for many high-profile beauty brands, including Clarins, L’Oréal, Procter & Gamble, Simple and TRESemmé. Her passions include retinol (obviously), golfing, skiing and walking her beloved Schnauzer, Dave.

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