Essential oils for the face: the most effective and how to use them based on your skin type!
Essential oils are valuable and effective ingredients for facial skin. It is not new, moreover, that they enjoy remarkable cosmetic properties, and in particular, it is your face that benefits the most if you choose the most suitable essential oils for your skin type. That's right: each essential oil has specific properties that make it particularly suitable for the treatment of one or more types of skin. From oily and impure skin, acne-prone and with a strong need for a "purifying detox action, to dry or sensitive skin, to be nourished and soothed gently, to combination and more mature skins, which need a "effective anti-wrinkle action.
So what are the most suitable essential oils for our skin type? Here are the 6 most effective essential oils for the face to moisturize the skin, soothe irritation and fight wrinkles or imperfections.
1. Lemongrass essential oil
The essential oil of lemongrass is an oil that is obtained from an aromatic and evergreen plant native to India and Sri-Lanka (lemongrass, in fact), known for its purifying and antibacterial properties and for its multiple uses. it is in fact a natural ingredient, used over the years for different purposes: it can be used as an anti-rheumatic, it is also relaxing for the mind and body but above all it finds its place in cosmetics as a purifier for the skin. Being a light astringent with detoxifying and sebum-normalizing properties, it is in fact ideal for normalizing oily and combination skin, controlling its oiliness and shine, therefore optimal for the treatment of acne-prone skin.
If you want to test the effectiveness of this powerful essential oil, you may be interested in trying the new line of facial products from Garnier Bio, the result of a careful selection of 100% organically grown ingredients of natural origin. The key ingredients that have been chosen for these products are carefully collected and distilled within an hour through steam distillation which allows them to better preserve their natural properties. In this way, the essential oil of Lemongrass manages to preserve its natural concentration, acting more effectively on the skin, detoxifying it and removing pollution and impurities.
Specifically, the Garnier Bio line exploits the purifying power of organic lemongrass essential oil for the formulation of two products designed to ensure deep cleansing of the skin, in particular from normal to combination skin: the Detox Cleansing Gel and the Rebalancing Moisturizing Cream. For an even more effective cleaning, you can use the gel together with the delicate Konjac Botanica sponge, which helps to deeply remove dead cells and excess sebum accumulated on the skin, responsible for clogging pores and the formation of pimples, leaving so the skin is cleansed, soft and radiant.
2. Lavender essential oil
Lavender oil is endowed with numerous properties, which make it useful in the external treatment of various ailments. In particular, this oil is widely used in the field of aromatherapy, where it is renowned for its calming and relaxing properties. In fact, lavender is one of the most used plants in modern aromatherapy as it has many virtues and is also tolerated by all skin types. Lavender essential oil in cosmetics has relaxing, calming and soothing properties, making it perfect for sensitive and irritated skin and more, its regenerating and healing action, combined with its illuminating properties, also makes it an ideal ingredient to combat wrinkles and signs of aging and thus act on more mature skin.
Lavender essential oil is also a central ingredient of the Garnier Bio line, which uses it in its anti-aging products, designed to stimulate cell renewal, stretch the skin and ensure a younger and more luminous appearance: the Lavender Wrinkle Cream , the Anti-Aging Eye Contour and the Smoothing Illuminating Oil, which, when used daily, helps to nourish the skin of the face in a natural way, making it more radiant, day after day.
Organic lavender essential oil - obtained from lavender grown in the fields of French Provence - is obtained by distilling the stems within one hour of their harvest, to maintain the beneficial properties of the plant and ensure greater effectiveness on the skin.
Argan oil, a very precious vegetable oil from southern Morocco and with moisturizing and antioxidant properties, is also another key ingredient of the Garnier Bio line. Obtained from the artisanal processing of argan seeds, which grows only in Morocco, it is also nicknamed "gold of the desert" because it is extremely rare and precious; in fact, 87 kilos of berries are needed to produce a liter of pure oil. To keep its biochemical composition intact and obtain a product of excellent quality, argan oil is worked through the cold pressing of the seeds, an ancient process carried out with a stone mill by Moroccan women. But where do these qualities come from? Well, Argan oil is rich in vitamin A and vitamin B but not only, as it also contains antioxidants, Omega-6 fatty acids and linoleic acid.
Choosing pure argan oil means giving your skin natural nourishment and hydration, thanks to active ingredients capable of acting in depth to provide unparalleled relief and protection. For this Garnier Bio has chosen it as a key ingredient for its new line of products for the face; it is not only used as an additional ingredient in the anti-wrinkle cream based on lavender oil, to enhance its elasticizing and illuminating action, but also for specific treatments for dry skin that needs to regain elasticity, hydration and softness. Unsaturated fatty acids make argan oil an excellent natural emollient which, acting in the deeper layers of the epidermis, makes it soft and elastic without greasing it or leaving stains and residues.
Compared to other vegetable oils it is undoubtedly more practical and versatile; olive oil, for example, although it is also rich in vitamin E, leaves the skin sticky for a long time after application, making it impossible to dress or make up. On the contrary, the argan oil absorbs quickly, leaving a silky smooth skin as the only trace. The careful extraction process to which the Argan oil used in Garnier Bio products is subjected guarantees its maximum effectiveness as it preserves the intrinsic properties of fatty acids, promoting greater hydration and brightness.
3. Thyme essential oil
Thyme is an aromatic plant typical of Mediterranean climates, and the essential oil of thyme - steam distilled from the leaves and flowering tops - has stimulating, antibacterial and expectorant qualities. The antibacterial action of thyme is mainly ascribed to thymol and carvacrol: these essential oils belong to the group of phenols, substances with bactericidal power.
With astringent and purifying virtues, thyme essential oil is particularly suitable for the care of oily skin, characterized by dilated pores, excess sebum, shine and the possible appearance of blackheads.
Its balancing and mattifying action helps normalize the production of sebum, minimize pores and reduce the feeling of grease on the skin, also acting against pimples and acne.
Chosen as the basic ingredient for the Garnier Bio Perfecting Tonic, this tonic is ideal for oily and combination skin, being able to deeply cleanse and purify the skin, mattifying it and giving it an intense sensation of freshness.
The key element of Thyme essential oil is thymol which is extracted from the stems of the plant thanks to steam distillation to maximize its benefits. The cultivation of thyme, used in fresh tonic, comes from the South of France, is 100% organic and involves small agricultural cooperatives that distil the product immediately, immediately after harvesting it, to keep its antibacterial properties intact.
It can also be used as an organic healing agent, therefore to naturally heal wounds, sores and burns and soothe irritation caused by insect bites.
4. Rose essential oil
Rose essential oil is known for its soothing, astringent and toning properties, making it ideal for sensitive and couperose-prone skin, dry and more mature skin, which therefore requires an effective anti-wrinkle action.
Its soothing and anti-inflammatory virtues, in particular, make it a perfect ingredient to add in preparations and recipes of DIY scrubs and masks for reddened and particularly sensitive skin.
5. Chamomile essential oil
Chamomile essential oil is also particularly suitable for sensitive and delicate skin. Its emollient, protective and anti-inflammatory properties make it the perfect ingredient where you need to calm a red and inflamed skin. It is also indicated in case of skin stressed by an excessive exposure to the sun or by light erythema and redness.
Like rose and lavender oil, chamomile essential oil is also successfully used in the preparations of DIY scrubs and masks for the most sensitive and delicate skins, thanks to the calming and exfoliating action they enjoy. to ensure a gentle and not too aggressive exfoliation.
6 Essential oil of neroli or bitter orange
Cell regenerator with soothing virtues, the essential oil of neroli or bitter orange is an effective aid for mature skin to counteract loss of tone and elasticity and stimulate the regenerative processes of skin cells. In addition, it also acts as a soothing for reddened and irritated, which need a calming and anti-inflammatory action. For this reason, neroli essential oil is often used in the preparations of beauty masks or in addition to nourishing and moisturizing creams, for a soothing, calming and tonicizing effect.
Facial scrub with essential oils
Scrubs perform a perfect exfoliating action, which helps cell renewal and makes the skin softer, brighter and smoother. Generally it is recommended to make one a week, but it is important to choose the ingredients that are best suited to your skin type, to avoid excessive stress or act on it with a too aggressive action.
Typically, for a DIY face scrub recipe, you need:
- a granulated ingredient for rubbing (cane sugar, salt, crystals or silicon powder ...)
- a vegetable oil as a shock absorber during exfoliation: sunflower oil, olive oil or sweet almond oil, perfect for sensitive skin, Argan oil, indicated for dry or mature skin, and hazelnut vegetable oil or jojoba oil for oily skin
- an essential oil according to your needs: for example, lemongrass or thyme oil for oily and impure skin, chamomile or rose oil for more delicate and sensitive skin, lavender or bitter orange oil for mature and dry skin.
Facial scrub with silicon powder and lavender essential oil
A perfect face scrub for the most sensitive skin is the one based on silicon powder and lavender essential oil for a delicate and effective tonicing effect. Here is the recipe!
Ingrediants:
- perfectly spherical silicon powder, to avoid micro-abrasions on the skin surface - can be replaced with a sugar, preferably granulated or pulverized so that the exfoliation is gentle and non-irritating
- sweet almond vegetable oil, one of the most nourishing and with emollient and soothing properties, to create a shock absorber during exfoliation and not create redness
- Lavender essential oil, with regenerating, soothing and anti-inflammatory properties, perfect for revitalizing without creating redness. It can also be optionally replaced with bitter orange or rose oil, both soothing and stimulating.
Face scrub based on honey and lemongrass or thyme essential oil
A scrub suitable for oily and impure skin, also effective against acne and blackheads, is the one based on honey and essential oil of lemongrass or thyme, both purifying agents with detoxifying and mattifying properties. In this case, we avoid vegetable oil, replacing it with honey, in order not to weigh down a naturally more oily skin such as oily.
Ingrediants:
2 teaspoons of brown sugar
2 teaspoons of honey
1 drop of lemongrass or thyme oil
Then just mix and apply everything, massaging gently before rinsing effectively and in a moment you will feel fresher, cleaner and more hydrated skin.
Face masks with essential oils
Essential oils are also an excellent ingredient for the preparation of do-it-yourself face masks, to be done once or twice a week, to deeply cleanse and cleanse the skin, improving its complexion and appearance.
Used in combination with ingredients such as green clay - perfect for example for oily and impure skin - honey or egg yolk, and a teaspoon of water or lemon juice, essential oils can allow you to create masks with different properties. according to your needs, thus emphasizing the soothing, moisturizing, energizing or purifying virtues they enjoy.
Mask with purifying green clay and lavender essential oil
As already mentioned, green clay is particularly recommended for oily skin, with blackheads or acne-prone, thanks to its rebalancing and mattifying properties that normalize the production of sebum and attenuate the shiny appearance of the skin.
The green clay is perfect in combination with the essential oil of lavender, with its soothing and illuminating power, to create a compound with both detoxifying efficacy and calming properties.
Ingrediants
2 tablespoons of green clay
1 drop of lavender essential oil
distilled flower water to taste
It will then be enough to mix the ingredients together, so as to obtain a homeogenic and smooth compound and apply it on the face, leaving it on for about twenty minutes.
Mask with egg yolk and neroli essential oil
The egg yolk mask is an excellent moisturizer and is an ideal option for mature, dry and stressed skin which therefore needs a nourishing and anti-wrinkle action.
In combination with the essential oil of neroli - both soothing and regenerating - it can give rise to a mask with an energizing and toning effect for an effective but delicate action, also suitable for the most sensitive skin.
Ingrediants
1 egg yolk
1 drop of orange essential oil
1 tablespoon of water
Again, just mix the ingredients and spread the mixture on your face, leaving it on for about twenty minutes. To be applied once or twice a week, as needed.
