This is our favorite type of blog post because rather than thinking about what the best essential oils for glowing skin might be, we are going to get down to the nuts and bolts of how to use them. But not just any old facial. It’s a case of going big or going home. If we could use any essential oils, which would we use?
This article constructs the ultimate aromatherapy facial for each skin type. We’ll first list the essential oils for each skin type, then look at how best to integrate them into your skincare routine.
Create & Customize a Consistent Skincare Routine
If you are anything like us, you’ll be keen to look after your skin ready for a big occasion, but then as boredom sets in, it becomes harder to maintain it. The more complicated a system is, the less likely you will keep it up. So the key to glowing skin is little, often, and consistently.
It makes sense to keep it simple daily and then see if you can put aside one evening when you properly go to town on it.
Create a beauty box that you can have beside you while you watch your favorite show and switch between products in the ads!
Day to day, we recommend cleanser, toner, and moisturizer in the morning, then the same in the evening but add a nourishing cream to do its magic through the night.
Then weekly, add a facial massage treatment to exfoliate the skin and feed the cells, and a masque to make the skin glow.
Also Read: Best Carrier Oils for Dry Skin
Choose Carrier Oils Based on Your Skin Type
While this article is about the best essential oils for glowing skin, it makes sense to think about carrier oils for two crucial reasons.
First essential oils are incredibly potent and can be very acidic, so we would not want to put them onto the skin undiluted. We need to dilute them into a carrier oil or cream. If we are using these oils, we might make them work hard for their money. Different carrier oils have other properties, so they can take a good treatment up to a fabulous one.
Next, it helps to think of skin cells as building blocks to understand just how useful they can be. The cells are held together by mortar; in the skin, this mortar is made of lipids or fats. This is why people who drink lots of water have lovely clear plump complexions because these lipids are beautifully hydrated.
If your skin becomes dry and flaky, then it’s these lipids that are the problem. What’s the best way to deal with fats? It’s to add more fats, naturally. Carrier oils are the perfect way to do this magic.
We’d choose rosehip or argan carrier oils to feed and nourish the skin for dry skin. Just beware of using rosehip if you are using other treatments that have retinol in it, though, because it too is rich in vitamin A.
Jojoba is an excellent carrier for any skin, but especially for greasy or spotty skins. Despite its name, jojoba oil is a wax rather than an oil. Its consistency is exceptionally similar to sebum and leaves a beautiful, refined surface on the skin.
Grapeseed is a fantastic carrier for most skin types too. It has a thin consistency and absorbs beautifully. By contrast, Almond is thick and luxurious and plumps the complexion up. We like to add just a smidge to our blend.
Vitamin E is an oil-soluble natural antioxidant that highly benefits the skin. You can buy vitamin E oil from the pharmacy, or it is found in generous quantities in wheatgerm oil.
For the most part, it makes sense to start with an all-rounder oil like sunflower or grapeseed carrier oil, then adds small amounts of more specialized ones.
Our previous post, Carrier oils for Skin, goes much more in-depth.
One area to take excellent care of is us with nut allergies, though. Many carrier oils are taken from nuts and seeds. These are nuts if the name says kernel (peach kernel, apricot kernel).
Also Read: Best Carrier Oils For Aging Skin
If You Have Normal or Combination Skin
1. Rose Essential Oil
It takes over 240,000 rose petals to make just 5ml of rose essential oil. You can use four different products to integrate rose into your skincare routine.
Rose otto essential oil is distilled from the petals. If the volume of the petals needed wasn’t enough to steep the price, you might be interested to know that rose essential oil doesn’t smell like roses when distilled. The component with the beautiful fragrance, phenyl ethyl, remains in the rosewater, so then it has to be distilled a second time, using a process called cohabitation to put the sweetness and beauty back into the oil.
A second oil, rose absolute, is obtained using solvent extraction. The absolute is more decadent, golden, and achingly sensuous, but both oils do the same thing. That is to nourish the skin's surface and absorb through to the granular layer, where new cells are forming to nourish and plump new cells.
It is believed that a mother-in-law of a 15th-century Indian mogul emperor first discovered rose essential oil when it left scum around her bowl when she had been making rosewater. The water is deliciously cooling and refreshing. It is astringent and nourishing, creating a fabulous toner for dry skin.
Lastly, carrier oil is also made from the seed-bearing rose hips that appear on dog roses in the autumn. The rosehip carrier oil is like liquid gold, a spectacular skin healer that is good for dry skin and burns.
Rose oils are also uterine tonics, so do not use rose essential oil or the absolute during the first 37 weeks of pregnancy.
2. Geranium Essential Oil
Cheaper, lighter, and lovelier than rose essential oil, geranium nurtures and nourishes the skin. When you first get into aromatherapy, one of the critical things to remember is not to use too much lavender essential oil, or it will begin to dry out the complexion. Geranium is tremendously relaxing, so you can use it in the bath, in massage oils and creams and lotions, as well as in your skincare, and it will only improve your skin.
3. Patchouli Essential Oil
Patchouli is a lovely, rich, and nurturing oil that is particularly great if you are not sold on every floral fragrance. After all, you don’t get much girlier than roses, do you?
It’s an excellent choice for men’s skin treatments, especially for aftershaves, because it dramatically affects heat. It is also one of the best essential oils for glowing skin that radiates the fire of sunburn. Try combining it with spearmint and German chamomile essential oils to cool them down. Or, of course, you could use some of your lovely rose water.
4. Cypress Essential Oil
Unlike the rose, geranium, and patchouli, which we have chosen as the best essential oils for glowing skin because they are so suitable for dryness, cypress is excellent for cleaning.
Glowing skin has a good texture, but it also has clarity. When we look at some ways to combine oils, cypress essential oil is always used to clarify and tone the skin.
5. Ylang Ylang Essential Oil
Every essential oil has a keyword or theme that works too. Ylang-ylang’s theme is balance. It balances hormones and blood pressure, but when we think about the best way to get glowing skin, it balances out combinations in the skin. So, if you have a greasy T-zone, usually across your forehead, down your nose onto your chin, or dry or normal cheeks, ylang will work well for you.
TIPS FOR INTEGRATING THE BEST ESSENTIAL OILS FOR GLOWING SKIN INTO YOUR BEAUTY REGIME
There can be a temptation to lather on lots of oil to nourish the skin but actually, what your complexion needs are water. Use hydrating bases for your moisturizers, such as essential aqueous creams from the pharmacy, and add small amounts of carrier oils to wax-based nourishing creams to use at night. Treat your skin with a perfect exfoliating facial massage to slough off old skin cells once a week, so the new, more youthful ones show through.
The best carrier oils for your skin are rosehip, avocado, and jojoba.
If You Have Dry Skin
6. Frankincense Essential Oil
Choose frankincense if your skin is starting to show a few wrinkles or you are post-menopausal. It is nurturing and nourishing, restores the tissues' elasticity, and is one of the best essential oils for skin tightening.
It’s nice to remember that the Egyptians embalmed their mummies with many oils, including frankincense. While, if we’re honest, it was probably more the arid, desert conditions that desiccated the bodies, it serves as a great reminder of how fabulous frankincense is at preserving the tissues.
7. Vetiver Essential Oil
It seemed redundant to list all the same properties of rose and geranium essential oils again. Still, along with vetiver, they are the best essential oils for glowing skin if it has become a bit on the dry side. Likewise, ylang-ylang will balance out any combinations you have in the skin. (Descriptions above.) Ylang Ylang Essential Oil
Vetiver is a bit of a magical oil, to be honest, because it will improve your skin if it’s dry, but it will also do it if it's oily. It’s an extraordinary phenomenon. In the same way, massage oils have a warming effect, but their main action is to cool hot, angry skins. It’s very peculiar, but vetiver is a must-have oil for great skincare, and of course, with its deep, rich masculine fragrance, it works well in aftershave balms and beard oils for women’s skincare.
8. Jasmine Absolute Oil
We know we’re not supposed to have favorites, but jasmine must surely be the loveliest of all the oils! It is one of the best oils for glowing skin, especially if it is hot and reactive. It has an added benefit that few people mention, and that’s how good it is for helping the skin to heal after scarring; for this reason, it is also helpful for acne.
Sadly, this is not one you can use in pregnancy.
9. Helichrysum Essential Oil
The loveliest of skin healers, helichrysum is rich in a constituent called neryl acetate, which is lovely for the skin. This is an excellent choice if you have problematic skin. Maybe that’s eczema, psoriasis, or acne. In all cases, helichrysum is nurturing and kind and continuously improves the kind. Combined with a rosehip carrier oil, it is one of the best essential oils for scars.
10. Cardamom Essential Oil
Great recipes don’t include cardamom as a star in their own right. Still, cardamom is fabulous as a second in command for dry skin when paired with vetiver, rose, or patchouli.
TIPS FOR INTEGRATING THE BEST ESSENTIAL OILS FOR GLOWING SKIN INTO YOUR BEAUTY REGIME
If you have dry skin, you can be tempted to lather on lots of oil, but actually, what your complexion needs are water. Use hydrating bases for your moisturizers, such as essential aqueous creams from the pharmacy, and add small amounts of carrier oils to wax-based nourishing creams to use at night. Then, once a week, give your skin an excellent exfoliating facial massage to slough off old skin cells, so the new, more youthful ones show through.
The best carrier oils for your skin are rosehip, avocado, and jojoba.
If Your Skin is Oily or You Have Acne
11. Lavender Essential Oil
Regular readers of the VINEVIDA blog will likely have grasped this by now. Lavender essential oil instructs the skin to stop making the oily substance that protects the skin, called sebum. Sebum’s main job is to ensure no bacteria gets into the body. But it’s a thick substance that can block pores, so oily skin is usually spotty.
12. Clary Sage Essential Oil
Clary sage is astringent and is a beautiful tonic for oily skins. It is very relaxing, which might also be why it is so valuable for people suffering from high blood pressure problems.
A caution with this oil, since it mimics estrogen, do not to use clary sage during pregnancy.
13. Neroli Essential Oil
We love neroli essential oil for mature, oily skins. It has a beautifully cleansing action and is such a joy to wear.
14. Carrot Seed Essential Oil
Again, not much you can say about carrot seed oil; that hasn’t been said. Carrot seed and cypress essential oils are probably the best for glowing skin that seems a bit dirty. Adding some grapefruit essential oil can be a good plan if there are blackheads. Just be careful you remember that grapefruit is a phototoxic oil. (See also bergamot)
Also Read: Sunshine and Phototoxic Essential Oils
15. Bergamot Essential Oil
Bergamot is a kind of green orange from Italy. The essential oil is obtained by pressing the oil out of the fruit's rind. Small lipids find their way into the phototoxic oil when this method is used. This means that if they are exposed to bright sunlight or a sunbed, they can cause blotchiness on the skin, rashes, and irritation. In the case of bergamot essential oil, this happens more often than not.
This can be avoided in one of three ways. First, only use it at night, so add it to a nourishing cream, for example. You can also buy a bergamot essential oil with complex components. These are called furanocoumarins. A bergamot oil without these is called furanocoumarin free and is marked (FCF). Your best plan, though, would simply be to keep your dilutions very low. If you only use 0.5% dilution, you will not use enough to react.
Why do we care? Because bergamot is fandabbydozy at cutting through grease. Bergamot and myrtle are the best essential oils for glowing skin if it is very greasy or you have lots of open pores.
TIPS FOR INTEGRATING THE BEST ESSENTIAL OILS FOR GLOWING SKIN INTO YOUR BEAUTY REGIME - OILY SKIN
If you have smooth skin or it is spotty, then focus your efforts on facial steams, cleansers and toners.
See if you can find time once a week to steam your face using cypress and bergamot. Add a couple of drops into a bowl of boiling water, then put your face over with a towel over your head. Be careful not to get so close to the steam that you scald yourself. Ideally, you aim for around 5 minutes, but pop in and out of your tent to help you breathe when you need to.
If you have acne, this is a great plan. The steam opens the pores, making it easier for the dirt to leave your skin.
Try making clay masques too. Blend a few of your chosen best oils for glowing skin into a teaspoon of the carrier, then mix into a tablespoon of clay. These are great for really drawing impurities out of the skin.
Avoid too much carrier oil on your skin; maybe just a bit of jojoba and hazelnut to exfoliate the dead skin and help reveal a cleaner, fresher complexion.
Also Read: Best Carrier Oils for Dark Spots
If Your Skin Is Very Sensitive or Reactive
16. German Chamomile Essential Oil
We cheated a bit here to be concise, but you can add rose and vetiver essential oils to this list and jasmine absolute. All of which are gentle enough to nourish your skin and have cooling actions for when your complexion becomes inflamed.
German chamomile is tremendously gentle, soothing, and nurturing, so if you are unlucky enough to have one of those complexions that react to everything, this oil can help.
17. Yarrow Essential Oil
Like German Chamomile essential oil, yarrow is rich in a soothing component called azulene. It is almost like a liquid anesthetic on your skin, removing the sting from redness and soreness and reducing itching.
18. Melissa Essential Oil
This is one of the best oils for glowing skin if you are prone to allergic reactions. Melissa has a natural anti-allergy property but is gently astringent, too.
19. Violet Leaf Absolute
This one costs a small fortune because violets are such tiny plants with short seasons. However, violet is the gentlest of the gentle things from Gentleville. Nothing else comes close to it.
TIPS FOR INTEGRATING THE BEST ESSENTIAL OILS FOR GLOWING SKIN INTO YOUR BEAUTY REGIME
This will sound patronizing, but be as gentle with your skin as possible. Don’t be tempted to use facial steams or clay masques on your skin or even heavy massage oil. Make a simple cleanser and moisturizer with the same oils, then tone your skin using rosewater.
Nourishing creams are great to use at night and are simple, but you need to make a large batch to make it worth it. They keep well because they have a preservative, but alternatively, they make lovely presents for people. The recipe says to put the essential oils into the liquid, which is correct, but if you want to make blank ones and then add different essential oils each time you use a new pot or for people’s gifts, that also works well.
Also Read: Best Carrier Oils for Eczema
Recipe for a Nourishing Cream
To make a liter of face cream (which is obviously 20 x 50ml (2 fl oz) pots)
- 550 ml (19 fl oz) water
- 330 ml (12 fl oz) oil
- 18 ml (1 tbs) glycerine
- 2ml Liquid preservative
- 70 g (2 ½ oz) Emulsifying wax
- 30 ml (1 fl oz) essential oils (approx 600 drops total is probably easier)
Take your E/W and place it into a bain-marie. Allow it to warm and melt in its own time over medium heat.
Boil the kettle and measure out your boiling water.
Pour the melted E/W and water into a food processor, add the carrier oil, and mix.
Watch your mixture. You want it well mixed but not full of the air; otherwise, it will sink when it cools. I find it easiest to pulse the blender.
If you are adding E/Os now, drop them in and give one more quick blitz to ensure they are blended.
Use a jug to pour into sterilized jars.
Leave to cool thoroughly before you put the tops on. If you rush, I can guarantee it will go moldy on the top!
Dos and Don'ts of Using Essential Oils for Glowing Skin
Remember the rule. Only use small amounts of carrier oils daily, then give your skin a banquet once a week. You don’t want your kin to think it has made too much oil, then slow down sebum production.
Stay away from too much lavender - for anything - if your skin is already dry.
If you are in the first sixteen weeks of pregnancy, just use blank moisturizers, cleansers, and maybe some carrier oil. Be safe and leave the essential oils out for now.
Also Read: What Are The Best Carrier Oils For Face?
Conclusion
Combine your best essential oils for glowing skin into three main sets. For daily use, make a cleanser, a shop-bought base for ease, floral waters like rosewater or lavender hydrolat for toners, and moisturizers from aqueous cream from the pharmacy. Once a week, if suitable for your skin type, do a steam and clay mask - adding in your choices of oils, obviously, then finish with a moisturizer and nourishing cream for nighttime care.
References:
- 50 Easy Essential Oil Recipes for Skin Care Products for Dry Skin - Make Your Own Anti-Aging Moisturizers, Night Creams,: How To Get Rid of Dry Skin on ... (The Secret Healer's Beauty Tips Book 1) Kindle Edition
- The Complete Guide To Clinical Aromatherapy and Essential Oils of The Physical Body: Essential Oils for Beginners (The Secret Healer Book 1) Kindle Edition
- Rose - Goddess Medicine: The Timeless Elixir of Ancient Egypt, Ayurveda, Chinese Medicine, Essential Oils and Modern Medicine (The Secret Healer Oils Profiles Book 4) Kindle Edition
- Clary Sage- Salvia sclarea; Natural Estrogen?: Alleviate Symptoms of Menopause, Premenstrual Syndrome and Period Pains. Reduce Muscle Cramps And Restless De (The Secret Healer Oils Profiles Book 6) Kindle Edition
- Helichrysum For The Wound That Will Not Heal: The Lost History of Immortelle, The Everlasting Flower, Its Chemistry and Helichrysum Italicum Essential ... (The Secret Healer Oils Profiles Book 8) Kindle Edition
- Vetiver: An Ayurvedic Medicine: How To Meditate And Heal The Physical Body Using Medicinal Plants and Essential Oils For The Mind Body Spirit (The Secret Healer Oils Profiles Book 1) Kindle Edition
