Overview

Essential oils have been used for thousands of years and can be traced back to the Chinese, Egyptians and Greeks. Essential oils are potent liquid extracts derived from the leaves, stems, blossoms and seeds of specific plants. Essential oils can be used to treat various skin types and skin conditions such as acne and oily and dry skin. Essential oils easily penetrate the skin allowing for beneficial effects.

Benefits

Essential oils provide an organic, nontoxic alternative to popular store-bought skin care products that may irritate and inflame sensitive skin. Essential oils are effective in the treatment of acne and other skin-related conditions and can provide long-lasting results. Adding essential oils to washes, facial masks, carrier oils or other forms of diluting agents can help to clear blemishes and to help tone skin.

Versatility

Essential oils are versatile in the role of skin care. Each oil functions for more than one outcome. For example, lavender oil works to balance and even skin tone, while clearing blemishes. You can use lavender in washes, sprays, masks and scrubs. Another example is tea tree essential oil, which works as an anti-microbial and astringent for the face and is also used to treat various fungal infections, such as athlete's foot, ringworm and yeast infections.

Types

There are several types of essential oils that are beneficial for general skin care. These oils include lavender, cypress, rosemary, camphor, chamomile and geranium. If you are concerned about acne, try tea tree, lavender, grapefruit, sandalwood and clary-sage oils to reduce inflammation and the recurrence of acne related symptoms. The best cleansing essential oils consist of peppermint, lemon, lemongrass, juniper and sweet basil.

Effects

The effects of essential oils for skin care are their anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and anti-microbial properties. Specific essential oils help to clear, tone and cleanse the skin by preventing infection and destroying bacteria. The use of essential oils may help to keep skin healthy with long-lasting results.

Considerations

It is important to be mindful of some necessary considerations while using essential oils for the face. You should treat your essential oils with care and respect as you would your medications. Like any skin care product, it is necessary to understand what you are using and why. Make sure to dilute your essential oils for topical use. It's best to adhere to the general rule of using a 2 percent essential oil dilution for adults. This dilution can be made by adding 12 drops of essential oil to 1 fluid oz. of carrier oil, lotion, vegetable oil or other moisturizing agent.