When it comes to treating acne essential oils can be a huge part of the battle plan to settle your skin condition. The right blends and treatments can open up a world of healing. There are so many over the counter skin products and even harsher prescription that promise a solution in a bottle or tube. However, there are often side effects associated with using these chemical treatments such as dry skin and sensitivity. Sometimes you are exchanging one problem for another or simply adding to the dilemma.
Acne is a very common issue that many people suffer with on a daily basis. It is not a condition exclusively reserved for teenagers. Adults are just as likely to suffer with acne as we battle stress, environmental factors and hormonal fluctuations. Essential oils are a wonderful way to promote healing in a natural way for adults and teenagers that have chronic acne.
It can be so tempting to try every skin product out there marketed towards this particular concern. However, these strong treatments are often very heavy on chemicals. These aggressive ingredients often do not create a full healing of the issue at hand. Skin is often left very sensitive and excessively dry from the additives. Over washing will also just strip your skin of the natural oils that it does need to thrive.
Taking the leap to purchase and use essential oils for this condition could be a game changer for your health and the beauty of your natural skin. Although it can be a bit of a daunting task, essential oil recipes for acne can be a huge benefit to improving this condition. When used appropriately essential oils can help heal mild to moderate acne conditions.
How to Begin
As with any condition, it will take some trial and error to determine which essential oils are going to work best for you. Since skin suffering from acne is very sensitive a patch test is crucial to determine if you need to change gears with your selections.
There are numerous recipes and blends available for this very purpose. The goal is to test a very small area of the skin such as your arm or elbow. Apply your solution or blend up to a week to gauge the reaction. Do not bring any other essential oils into the fold yet.
It can be tempting to try everything at once. Take the time needed to rule out what oils are working best. This process needs to be allowed time to reap the most benefit.
Assembling Your Essential Oil Kit
Take care to buy quality, organic essential oils for your personal use. There are many on the market that are lesser in substance. In all fairness, using these imitations could be at odds with the condition you are trying to improve. Slowly and carefully purchase your oils to assemble a kit you can rely upon.
The best essential oils for acne treatment and prevention include lavender, geranium, sandalwood, jasmine, lemon, patchouli, chamomile, rosewood and eucalyptus.
These oils contain antiseptic properties which help prevent spreading in the form of an outbreak.
Spot Treatment for Healing
Tea tree oil and lavender are two essential oils for acne that you can apply directly to your skin to spot treat pimples and blemishes.
After cleansing your face at night (critical for fighting acne) put a drop of either lavender OR tea tree on a cotton Q-Tip and dab it gently on the pimple. Do this every night until it clears up.
Naturalnews.com offers this simple and straight forward recipe to use as a start to your healing journey.
Essential Oil Recipe for Acne
Create a natural gel to treat acne. Combine a quarter of a cup of aloe vera gel with ten to twelve drops of geranium oil, ten drops of lavender oil and seven drops lemon grass oil or tea tree oil. Blend all the oils and gel together.
Aloe very is being used as a simple carrier in this blend and will effectively allow you to add in those other oils to create a simple topic treatment.
Youraromatherapyguide.com highlights another straight forward recipe with instructions and directions as an option.
Here is an aromatherapy for acne recipe:
10 drops Lavender
7 drops Tea Tree
3 drops Geranium
30ml jojoba oil
Put the jojoba oil in a dark glass bottle and add the essential oils. Tightly close bottle and gently shake the bottle to mix the oils. Apply a small amount to the affected area twice a day. Please make sure that you avoid the eyes, nose and lips. Always gently shake bottle before each use.
The recipe is fairly similar, but using a different carrier which is typically a matter of personal preference. Both can work as a treatment.
Nadia, the author behind the website, bodyunburdened.com is a long time sufferer of acne. She confesses to trying practically every product out there to cure her skin condition. This is her blend that she uses daily.
The DIY all-natural face oil for acne-prone & oily skin:
What you need:
- Jojoba oil is a light oil that is easily absorbed. It mimics the skin’s sebum, tricking it to produce less oil.
- Tamanu oil has strong anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antibiotic, and antioxidant properties, making it ideal for acne sufferers. It also helps regenerate skin cells, helping to heal broken skin and reduce the appearance of acne scars.
- Lavender essential oil has powerful antibacterial properties and also helps calm inflamed skin.
- Frankincense essential oil has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory benefits to the skin, making it ideal for acne-prone skin. It is also a natural toner, decreasing the appearance of pores and evening skin-tone.
- A 2 oz. glass bottle with glass dropper
Directions:
Fill the bottle ¾ of the way full with the jojoba oil. Fill the remaining ¼ with tamanu oil. Add 9 drops of lavender EO and nine drops of frankincense EO (this is a 3% dilution). Put the cap on and give it a little shake!
I only use about 4-5 drops: one on my forehead, one on each of my cheeks (which I rub over to my nose), and one on my chin/upper lip area. If my skin is particularly dry I’ll use a couple extra drops.
Safety Precautions
These compounds offer a great benefit when used properly. However, there are several ways in which caution must be exercised when experimenting or creating these blends.
Essentialoils.co.za offers this helpful and comprehensive list that we should all be mindful of with oil use. Following the guidelines below will help keep the use of essential oils safe for you and those around you.
- Never take essential oils internally unless so advised by your medical practitioner.
- Keep essential oils out of the reach of children.
- Always dilute essential oils with a suitable carrier oil before applying it to the skin.
- If you are pregnant, lactating or suffer from epilepsy, hypertension(high blood pressure), have cancer or liver damage, or any other medical condition, only use essential oils under guidance of a qualified aroma practitioner/aroma therapist.
- Use essential oils with great care on children.
- If you are using a new un-tried essential oil, first do a skin patch test before using extensively.
- If irritation occurs with a specific oil or formula, discontinue the use of such oil or formula.
- Take care not to get any essential oils into your eyes or on to any mucus membranes.
- A wise practice is to always wash your hands after handling pure undiluted essential oils.
- Some oils are not indicated for use while you are pregnant, due to the stimulating effect it has on the urinary system and uterus. Using such oils during the early months of pregnancy can cause contractions and premature delivery.
- When nursing babies care must be taken with your selection of essential oils to prevent skin transference to the baby.
- When using essential oils is would be better to abstain from using alcohol, or if inevitable, a small glass of white wine at mealtime can be consumed.
- Check for any interaction between medication and essential oils, since some essential oils can interfere with certain prescription medication.
- When using essential oils that cause sun sensitivity people should take care to avoid expose to the sun.
- People with a sensitive skin should always perform a skin patch test before using untried essential oils.
- Certain oils have been banned for use in aromatherapy, and although it may be used in other applications, it may not be used in aromatherapy massage etc.
Conclusion
It may seem against your natural instincts to apply any type of oil to skin that is acne prone or suffering from a breakout. However, essential oils can help to begin to heal and help your skin to become more in balance with your body. Rather than turning to harsh chemicals these time-honored ingredients may prove to be the best arsenal.
Purchase the best quality oils you can afford and use an essential oil dispenser to create the right recipe for you. Create your various acnes recipes A solution could be only a short reach away.
Read related articles:
- Best Essential Oil Recipes for Sleep
- The Best Essential Oil Recipes for Headaches
- Best Essential Oil Recipes for Skin
