The best essential oils for the skin
- Sweet Orange
- Lavender
- Myrrh
- Incense
- Elemí
Essential oils are one of the key ingredients in natural and organic cosmetics. They are used for their cosmetic properties and to provide a pleasant aroma to the products.
They are as old as the first civilizations. Some studies conclude that Hippocrates (the most famous physician of all times) already used essential oils to treat his patients, and affirmed that a bath and a massage with them ensured longevity.
So, although using essential oils for cosmetic purposes is becoming more and more fashionable due to their natural origin and multiple benefits, they have been used for thousands of years in the field of cosmetics and health.
Unlike vegetable oils, such as olive, avocado, sesame, etc., essential oils are highly concentrated aromatic substances, highly complex and with a non-oily texture, despite being called essential oils.
It is about plant extracts in liquid form obtained from different parts of plants: leaves and branches, (e.g., petit-grain), from the flowers (lavender), peel, citrus fruits (sweet orange, lemon, mandarin…), resins (myrrh, elemi, incense), spices (cloves, cinnamon, cardamom…), woods (cedar, sandalwood ….), etc.
Essential oils for cosmetic and absolute use can be obtained by several methods, here are the main ones:
- steam distillation
- cold pressing of the fruit shells
- extraction with volatile solvents
- supercritical CO₂ extraction
In the past, there were other ways to obtain the aromatic substances from plants, such as the enflorados and tinctures, both techniques would deserve a separate post, to discover the exciting world of natural aromas.
Essential oils are characterized by their powerful fragrance. Through the methods we have just seen, what we extract is the soul of the plant, its essence, with infinite cosmetic and therapeutic properties. Hence they are also used in aromatherapy for therapeutic purposes.
It is important to know that to keep them well they must be stored in an opaque jar in a cool place, or they will lose their properties.
There are as many types of essential oils as there are plants from which they can be extracted, but in natural cosmetics, essential oils of orange, frankincense, myrrh, lavender or elemi are widely used. Therefore, in this week’s post we are going to analyze its properties and uses.
Cosmetic properties of myrrh essential oil
The health benefits of myrrh have been known since ancient times.
Myrrh essential oil is extracted from the resin of the Commiphora myrrha tree. From the plant family Burseraceae, originally from countries such as Somalia, Ethiopia, Arabia and Yemen.
It is one of the most suitable essential oils for meditation and relaxation, as it leads to a state of well-being just by noticing its aroma for a few minutes.
In cosmetics, myrrh essential oil is considered one of the best anti-aging active ingredients, promoting tissue regeneration, preventing and smoothing wrinkles and helping to keep the skin smooth, delaying the effects of premature aging.
Myrrh essential oil can be found in the creams and serums of the Anti-Age Line.
Anti-AgeLine.
Cosmetic properties of sweet orange essential oil
Sweet orange essential oil is one of my favorites, and those of you who know our brand will surely have noticed that all our creams and serums contain sweet orange essential oil!
It is extracted by cold pressing the peel of the fruit and is known as the oil of the smile because its aroma creates a feeling of happiness, orange essential oil is a great rejuvenator and skin illuminator.
Its cosmetic properties include its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, tonic, eliminates toxins from the body, stimulates the formation of collagen for smoother and younger looking skin, stimulates the lymphatic system and smells wonderful!
Our
Calendula Repairing Body Cream
is enriched with orange essential oil and will leave your skin moisturized, soft and wonderfully silky to the touch.
Orange essential oil works very well in most aromatic compositions for natural creams and serums.
Tip: sweet orange essential oil is not photosensitive, as determined by a study by Robert Tisserand in his book
Essential Oil Safety
(pages 372-373).
Cosmetic properties of Frankincense essential oil
Frankincense essential oil is obtained from the resin of the Boswellia sacra and Boswellia carteri trees. Boswellia trees grow in African and Arabian regions, such as Yemen, Oman and Somalia. It is one of the most used oils for meditation because of its peculiar smell. It is an intense, woody, warm, balsamic, spicy smell…
It is considered an excellent antiseptic, relieves anxiety, soothes, deepens and slows down breathing, also favoring the protection of our immune system. It has a clarifying and sublime effect on the mind.
For its cosmetic properties, frankincense essential oil is indicated for use on devitalized and mature skin, combats the first signs of aging, and is really beneficial for the prevention of wrinkles.
Frankincense essential oil is healing, so it is indicated to treat stretch marks or marks on the skin, gradually unifying the tone and smoothing blemishes and wrinkles.
You can find frankincense essential oil in the Radiant Skin Serum of the facial line and in the Firming Body Oilsynergizing with the essential oil of mandarin, which gives it brightens the skinThe aroma is completely addictive, if you haven’t tried essential oils in the past. body productsa massage with the Ultra Firming oil with frankincense, mandarin, sweet orange and atlas cedar essential oils, it’s an experience you have to live it, I can’t tell you!!!!
Cosmetic properties of elemi essential oil
Elemi(Canarium luzonicum) is a tree native to the Philippine Islands, can grow up to 30 meters tall and produces a bright yellow resin. It is used in cosmetics for its properties and in perfumery for its citrus scent, a little spicy.
The essential oil, widely used in creams and facial serums of natural cosmetics, helps to regenerate the skin, giving it a healthier and younger appearance, as it increases the production of new cells.
Several products of the Anti-Age Line contain elemi essential oil for its regenerating properties, which gives the skin a more uniform, smooth and luminous appearance, and also for its exotic and intoxicating aroma.
You can find it in the Cleansing Balm
Nutritive Cleasing Balm
in natural cream
Anti-pollution firming cream
.
Cosmetic properties of lavender essential oil
Lavender essential oil is obtained from the flowers themselves. Those with a purplish hue and herringbone shape.
It is the essential oil par excellence in aromatherapy, as it has a soft and clean scent that invites you to relax. Hence, it works very well for headache relief and sleep.
It also has antibacterial properties and is used to heal wounds, burns, insect bites, etc.
Among its cosmetic properties, its regenerative effect stands out , so it is very suitable for treating acne problems, that is why we will find it in natural soaps, or in creams and facial serums.
Our
Radiant Look Eye Contour
is enriched with lavender essential oil to reinforce the natural processes of cell renewal and soothe fine lines.
Tip: The essential oils used in natural / organic cosmetics, you will find them in the list of ingredients (INCI), with its Latin name, however, in conventional cosmetic products the smell of the products are provided with synthetic aromas that will appear under the name of Parfum.
