Essential Oils That Pamper Your Skin

Try essential oils for natural, surprisingly effective skin care

Essential oils are highly concentrated extracts usually obtained by steam distillation or cold pressing the leaves, flowers, roots, berries, stems, seeds, gums, needles, bark, or resins of the plant. Some oils like lemon, orange, grapefruit, and other citrus fruits are taken directly from the peel. The extracted oils contain natural hormones, vitamins, antibiotics, and antiseptics and are best used externally as inhalants, in bath water or on the skin a few drops at a time.

There are many, many different kinds of oils but for the purpose of getting your skin in optimal shape, our focus will be kept to those oils which help stimulate circulation, eliminate fluid retention, and are good as general massage oils.

While essential oils alone won’t completely eliminate more pesky conditions such as cellulite, they’re wonderfully therapeutic when applied topically, and can help reduce tissue inflammation, which firms cellulite-ridden skin. Here are some of our favorites, and the skin benefits you can enjoy from each one.

Lavender Oil

Lavender oil is very versatile and can be used for numerous ailments. It soothes and calms the nerves, relieves tension headaches, depression, panic, hysteria and is great as an external pain reliever on the muscles, especially those aches caused by sports.

When used on the skin, lavender oil tones and revitalizes and is useful in treating acne, oily skin, sunburns and also acts as an insect repellent. Lavender oil is great when used as massage oil or added to the bath water. Adding 5 drops of lavender oil to 5ml of almond oil creates a soothing combination when rubbed into the temples and neck to relieve a tension headache. Just the scent of lavender in the bathtub will help you relax.

When lavender cream is used as a lotion or cream, its anti-inflammatory properties help ease the pain of burns, and reduce the swelling of eczema, psoriasis and acne.

Grapefruit Oil

As a citrus extract, Grapefruit oil is high in vitamin C and great for the immune system because it helps flush the lymphatic system which in turn helps flush away the fat associated with cellulite. As a massage oil or lotion, it works on stiff muscles and helps eliminate water from the body. A few drops of the extract oil placed in the bath water will help revitalize both a tired body and mind.

Cypress Oil

If you’re stressed out, angry and feeling a little irritable, cypress oil offers some soothing relief. It calms the nerves and is beneficial in the treatment of excess fluids and cellulite.

Juniper

Like many of the essential oils, juniper oil can help calm the nerves and relieve anxiety. It also works well in cases of obesity and eating too much at a meal by helping stimulate the digestive system and liver. By helping with liver function, juniper oil in turn is good for decreasing cellulite.

Clary Sage

One of the lesser known essential oils, Clary Sage is great as a blended massage oil or in the bathtub to sooth depression, PMS and muscle cramps.

Orange Oil

There’s nothing quite like the refreshing smell of orange to bring warmth and happiness to a room. Orange Oil extract is a good for the immune system and
like Grapefruit Oil is high in Vitamin C, helping to remove toxins from the body. Orange Oil stimulates the lymphatic system and helps the body expel retained
fluid because of its natural diuretic qualities. It can be used as an extract, added to the bath water or in a massage oil as well as in a cream or lotion. As a cream, it helps detoxify congested skin and helps support the formation of collagen, which keeps skin looking young and healthy.

Lemon Oil

Lemon Oil, another member of the citrus family, is high in Vitamin C and aids in blood flow, cleanses the body and improves the function of the digestive system. Because it helps to get the blood moving, it helps the body get rid of those nasty fat globules which are so apparent in the formation of cellulite. Like Orange Oil, Lemon Oil helps to clear congested skin and is helpful in the treatment of acne.

Rosemary Oil

Rosemary Oil is another very versatile oil and helps treat a variety of ailments. It’s a natural diuretic and is useful for reducing water retention, bloating, obesity and cellulite. When used as a cream or lotion, Rosemary oil helps clear the skin unwanted oils, swelling and puffiness. It also increases circulation in the scalp which in turns stimulates the hair follicles and promotes growth.