Who Are My Skin Superheroes?
Ever wonder about the potent ingredients in your favorite skin products? Essential oils, my friend, to the rescue! They're nature's plant medicine, and there are certain ones that have a long history for supporting your body's largest organ, the skin.
Now, there's nothing that can replace these phenomenal personal habits and choices that help you stave off super dry skin in the long run:
Hydrating well and regularly
Not eating dried-out, airy foods in vata season (ask me about this)
Eating fresh, warm foods
Drinking less alcohol and caffeine
Getting enough sleep
Moisturizing religiously
For dry skin soothing, I'm a big fan of abhyanga, self-massage with oils appropriate for your dosha (sesame for vatas, coconut or sunflower for pittas, sesame or almond for kaphas (in general). Ayurveda tells us to do this as a ritual before showering lightly and rinsing off the oil so the moisture stays. I'm going to let the lovely people at Banyan Botanicals show you how. Benefits include softer, stronger skin, good tone and vitality for the body's tissues, and support for circulation. Blood flow makes everything better.
For beauty reasons or dry skin relief in the middle of winter, you can incorporate certain EOs into abhyanga, your face moisturizer, or your hand lotion for easy and necessary skin love.
Here's my list of top EOs if your skin is need of extra TLC and repair.
Helichrysum
Helichrysum is a skin healer. Need I say more? It's known for anti-scar, anti-aging, and is very hydrating. Some experts say it can also help block UV damage to the skin. I have dry hands and lips, so I drop helichrysum in my hand lotion, body oil, and I added it to my latest batch of lip balms (shop).
Frankincense
King of the Oils, frankincense has an ancient history of rejuvenating and beautifying the skin for all skin types, but especially for mature complexions. Frankincense moisturizes, smoothes, and hydrates. I use a very simple Trader Joe's tea tree face wash and add many (40-50) drops of Frankincense to the whole bottle - noticeable results washing my face with it. You can roll it directly on your face (diluted), or into rough patches on your hands and feet.
Rose
Don't be steered away by it's Hallmark Card Store reputation. GOOD ROSE is amazing. It's a staple for me! In addition to being one of the most emotionally healing EOs, products containing good rose oil can hydrate, clear acne, reduce aging signs, and soothe eczema and rosacea.
Geranium Especially beneficial for the extremes of dry or oily, add geranium to a face mask to reduce stress and smooth the skin. You can also use it as a face mist by creating a spritzer (water in a bottle with a few drops of geranium). I love this one in the diffuser too.
Ylang Ylang
Dry and mature complexions can be uber moisturized by adding Ylang Ylang to a carrier oil that you fine appropriate for your face. You can also supplement your regular body lotion or face cream, and the smell is amazing.
Yarrow Pom by doTERRA
This isn't a dry skin one, per se, but I had to drop it in here because it's my face moisturizer EO daily, two times a day. This one's for the assault the environment wages on your skin and an anti-aging warrior. Just sayin'. Worth every drop, which is about .50 when you break it down by day and the doT bottle size (here's my personal wholesale link).
Lavender
Just have this one in your house for all the things. For the skin, specifically, add it to anything because it helps regenerate the skin. So... exfoliate with a lavender bath scrub 2-3 times a week, and add a few drops to your body lotion.
Thanks to our skin superheroes for coming to our rescue!
If you would like to chat more and learn more, please reach out!
