Essential oils are concentrated distillations of different plants (such as the flower, stalks, leaves and roots) and many have anti-fungal, anti-bacteria and anti inflammatory properties. For people who want a more holistic and natural approach to acne and acne scar treatment, this might be the answer or part of an answer to your problems.
Which Oil is the Ideal?
First of all, you’ll have to discover which plant or flower oils are ideal for you. Despite specific essential oils for acne and acne scars, everybody will react differently so it’s ideal to devote some time to get the best one for you.
Essential oils for acne is consequently an extremely personal experience.
A Couple of safety notes
- If you’re pregnant or sick, check with your physician first as some essential oils can be harmful for certain ailments.
- Essential oils (with the exception of lavender and rose oil) needs to be applied to a base or carrier oil before application. The suggested dose is 12-15 drops of essential oil to one ounce of carrier oil.
- Don’t rub the oils in your eyes or ingest them .
So with that out of the way, let us look at some of these great natural oils
Lavender
It is probably the most used and most versatile essential oil. It’s also one of the only oils you can apply directly on skin without a carrier oil. It has all of the anti-bacterial properties to fight infections and has been used for centuries as an antiseptic. Applied directly onto stains, it is going to decrease inflammation and kill off bacteria. A lavender water spray is also a fantastic way to refresh your face.
For victims of body acne, a few drops in a bath will help reduce outbreaks.
Geranium
Geranium has great balancing properties and is great decision to restore skin to its normal state whether it’s too dry or too oily. It’s a very pleasant odor and blends well with most other oils like rose and jasmine.
Bergamot
Bergamot has a citrus odor found in Earl Grey tea. Light and refreshing, bergamot has drying and antibacterial properties which is effective in combating skin breakouts. Be careful though when using bergamot since it leaves the skin more sensitive to the sun’s rays.
Clove
Clove on the other hand, is very strong in both odor and in its own curative properties. Despite the fact that it has powerful anti-fungal and anti inflammatory properties, it’s not a good idea to apply it directly on the skin though it’s been used to treat acne. If you’re not certain about Clove, try a small amount .
Tea tree oil is famous for its healing and antibacterial properties. It cure wounds, soothes rashes, eliminates dandruff, soothes burns and prevents infections. As an essential oil to fight acne, tea tree’s antibacterial and also other properties are extremely effective. Additionally, it will stop irritation and calm inflammations.
Rosewood
Rosewood oil has powerful drying skills and is best used for oily skin. It may dry out individual stains and breakouts, but if you’ve got dry or normal skin, you should avoid using it on different areas.
Carrier Oils
The best type of carrier or base oil are those using the “cold press” method. The oils are extracted naturally without using any heating system so the organic properties of the oils aren’t distorted.
There are lots of carrier oils but for acne treatment, it all depends on your skin type.
- Greasy Oily Skin: Grape Seed, Almond and Apricot oils
- Normal Skin: Jojoba, Calendula and Sesame
- Dry Skin: Wheat germ, Olive and Avocado
Blending
Use a dark glass jar (not plastic) and you could blend a few of the essentials oils with your favorite carrier oil. Combinations like lavender with geranium, geranium with bergamot, all go very well together.
Other applications for Essential Oils
Adding 12-15 drops of your favourite oils to your bath, using a few drops in a bowl to steam your face, or adding a few drops into the last rinse when you clean your face are all great choices to using essential oils. The best is obviously using it for massage.
The more you use essential oils for acne or for any other areas of your life, the more ideas you’ll get for its own uses. Before you know it, essential oils will become an essential part of your everyday life.
