Prepper’s guide to using ESSENTIAL OILS for skincare

 Essential oils are concentrated extracts made from a variety of flowers, leaves and seeds. Aside from making your home smell amazing, certain essential oils may have properties that can help support healthy skin. Here are some essential oils that can help if you have dry or oily skin.  

Essential oils that can help with dry skin

Dry skin can occur during specific times of the year, especially if you live in desert-like climates. You may also have dry skin naturally from age or reduced activity in the sebaceous or oil glands in your pores.

You can soothe dry skin with creams and moisturizers, but using certain essential oils can also provide relief.

Chamomile

Chamomile oil contains azulene, known for increasing moisture. However, you should avoid chamomile essential oil if you have ragweed allergies because it may be a trigger.

Lavender

Lavender doesn't just help with sleep and relaxation. It can also help balance out moisture levels in your skin.

It’s also a natural hydrator that can repair dry skin without making it too greasy.  

Essential oils that can help with oily skin

If you have oily skin, this means your sebaceous glands are overactive and produce excessive oil on the surface of your skin. Heat, hormones, or humidity can make oily skin worse.

These essential oils may help with oily skin:

Clary sage

Clary sage contains active compounds like linalyl acetate and geranyl that can help control excess sebum.

Rosemary

Rosemary oil is known for its stimulating properties. It also contains key ingredients like esters, that may help prevent the production of excess sebum.

Essential oils that can help with acne-prone skin

If you have acne, it's essential to remove excess oil and bacteria without drying the skin because this may cause increased oil production.

These essential oils may help if you have acne-prone skin:

Lemon

Lemon essential oil can help protect against free radicals that have been linked to acne and photoaging.

Lemongrass

Lemongrass also has natural astringent properties. These can help fight pimples by removing excess dead skin cells.

Best essential oils for sensitive skin

Sensitive skin can be either dry or oily. You may also have sensitive skin if you suffer from allergies, eczema, or other skin conditions.

If you have sensitive skin, avoid all essential oils that are highly acidic, such as lemon and lemongrass.

Some essential oils considered safe for all skin types include frankincense, lavender and sandalwood.

How to use essential oils for DIY skincare

While you can either inhale or use essential oils directly on the body, they are not safe to ingest unless they are food-safe.

When applying essential oils to your skin, always do a patch test ahead of time to make sure you're not allergic. Don't apply essential oil around your eyes.

To do a patch test, place a small amount of the diluted essential oil on your skin, like your forearm. Leave the essential oil on for 24 hours.

This will help check for any allergic reactions before using a larger amount of the diluted essential oil on another area of the skin.