beauty benefits with essential oils

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6 beauty benefits of essential oils

Anusuya Suresh Nov 28, 2014 at 10:52 am

Anyone who has peeled an orange will be familiar with the fragrant liquid that often squirts out – this liquid is full of essential oils. In this context, the word ‘essential’ is derived from ‘essence’ which means aroma or scent. These essential oils are also called volatile oils because the compounds they contain evaporate on exposure to the atmosphere.
Nature of essential oils

Essential oils are hydrophobic liquids, that is, they are not soluble in water. They are made up of aromatic compounds with different chemical functional groups, such as hydrocarbons, aldehydes, ketones, phenols and esters. These essential oils may be found in different parts of plants, such as the flower, leaf, stem, seed, bark or root. Plants belonging to certain families, such as Zingiberaceae, Lauraceae, Myrtaceae and Labiatae are generally recognised as rich sources of essential oils.
Benefits of essential oils for skin
Different essential oils have different actions on the human body. For instance, the essential oil from fennel, ginger and coriander has a strong ability to expel intestinal gas; the volatile oil in clove is a strong dental analgesic and the essential oil in Jatamansi has a marked sedative action. Quite a few essential oils exert a beneficial effect on skin and can be used for skin care.
Sandalwood oil
The essential oil in sandalwood has a strong antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and cooling action. This makes it a soothing agent to apply to skin that is inflamed, especially in insect bites. Sandalwood oil is known for its astringent action and thus, can help people with oily facial skin. It is also useful in reducing scars and spots on skin.
Lemon grass oil
Lemon grass oil has an astringent and antiseptic action and this makes it effective for people who perspire a lot. In addition, it has a strong fragrance and all these three qualities make it one of the best deodorants. It can be diluted with carrier oil and applied to skin to keep body odour at bay.
Lavender oil
Lavender oil is one of the most effective essential oils for skin care. It is a soothing and cleansing agent and can help deal with small bruises, cuts, minor burns and irritations of the skin. Rubbing a little lavender essential oil on dry skin can give a mild moisturizing effect. Besides, it also helps lighten skin tone and can work to reduce skin blemishes, acne scars, age spots and wrinkles and fine lines. Lavender oil has skin regenerative properties and this gives it a marked anti-ageing effect.
Rosemary oil
Rosemary oil has antiseptic and antimicrobial action and this makes it a valuable agent against acne, oily skin, eczema and dermatitis. This oil also has skin toning and moisturizing properties and regular massage with it can keep skin soft, supple, healthy and glowing.
Rose oil
Rose essential oil has a strong antioxidant property and this helps in skin healing. Therefore, it can be used to remove scars due to acne, boils, pox infections, surgery and stretch marks.
Lemon oil
Lemon contains an essential oil with antibacterial and astringent properties. This makes it useful for people with oily skin and regular use of this oil can prevent as well as treat acne. Besides, it helps remove toxins from the skin and rejuvenate it, replacing dullness with a noticeable glow.
Guidelines for use of essential oils on skin
No essential oil should be used directly in its original form on skin because it can lead to skin irritation, allergic reactions and even liver toxicity. Therefore, it should be appropriately diluted with some carrier oil, such as almond oil, olive oil or jojoba oil and before usage. It is also recommended that a patch test be performed on the inner forearm to test skin sensitivity to an essential oil before commencing its use.
Essential oils should not be used by pregnant women or on infants and young children. It is equally important that these oils be used externally on the skin and not consumed orally. Since, they are made of volatile materials, these oils are inflammable and should be kept away from sources of heat.
Essential oils have noticeable effects on the skin but one important point to remember is that any essential oil is only as good as its level of purity. Those oils which are highly refined may be used on skin but lower quality products should not be applied to skin, nevertheless they may be used for inhalation or aromatherapy.