Adding Essential Oils To Your Beauty Routine

If you are looking for an easy way to introduce natural products into your beauty routine, look no further than essential oils. Essential oils are easier than ever to find online and in local markets, there are many oils with beauty benefits, and most of these oils are already the 'active ingredient' in many skincare products! Here are 5 simple ways you can give your beauty routine a boost by adding a dose of essential oils:

1. Ugh, Acne

Will we ever outgrow these pesky bumps? Instead of harsh, drying creams, add some essential oils to your anti-acne routine.  Essential oils such as tea tree, thyme, and calendula oil have antibiotic properties. Oils such as lavender and sandalwood can help calm inflammations and acne-prone skin. Power tip: place a drop of lavender oil directly on an emerging breakout to reduce duration and severity (ALWAYS do a patch test first!)

2. Post-summer hair

Chlorine, sand, sun, and saltwater wreak havoc on your tresses; instead of reaching for a store-bought deep conditioning treatment, oils such as argan, avocado, or castor oil will naturally enrich your hair with vitamins and fatty acids.

3. Grow it long

Ready to grow your hair out? Supplement your hair by adding a few drops of peppermint essential oil into several tablespoons of pumpkin seed oil. Massage the mixture into roots and let sit for at least an hour (or overnight!) while the peppermint oil stimulates circulation to the scalp and the pumpkin seed oil softens your strands. Wash out thoroughly and condition as usual. Do this at lease once a week and notice how long, strong, and shiny your hair is!

4. Firm it up

Thinking of trying an invasive procedure to help turn back the clock on your skin? Try this instead - essential oils such as frankincense, helichrysum, and geranium are excellent at firming skin, smoothing wrinkles, and encouraging new cell growth. Try adding a few drops of essential oil to your favorite night cream.

5. Anti-oxidant city

If you think applying Vitamin C serum to your skin is the only way to get a dose of anti-oxidants, then you may want to check out carrot seed oil. Beta-carotene and vitamin A found in carrot seed oil are powerful antioxidants that work to detoxify the skin and promote cell growth. Consider adding carrot seed oil to your favorite moisturizer or use carrot seed oil as a carrier oil for other facial essential oils.

How to Use Essential Oils in your beauty routine

Dilute dilute dilute!!  Very rarely will you use an essential oil “straight” by dropping it directly onto your skin. Because plant essential oils are so powerful, you will always want to dilute your essential oil into a carrier oil such as fractionated coconut oil, jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, or carrot seed oil.    

In general, you should use up to 4 drops of essential oils for every tablespoon of carrier oil. You can mix different essential oils together as long as you keep to these proportions.

Since you will be using the above-mentioned oils for beauty, adding a few drops to your regular moisturizer is another great way to incorporate essential oils! You can also make a face mist of rosewater, alcohol-free witch hazel, and a few drops of essential oil; shake well and mist over your face. For use on hair, pour oils directly on to scalp and then massage into your hair. Let sit for at least 30 mins, then shampoo and condition as usual.

Precautions When Using Essential Oils

Essentials oils are very potent and powerful. Therefore, generally, you should never apply them directly to the skin and they should always be diluted in a carrier oil.

In general, you should use up to 4 drops of essential oils for every tablespoon of carrier oil. You can mix different essential oils together as long as you keep to these proportions.

Also you should not use essential oils on pregnant women and young children unless directed otherwise by a certified aromatherapist or another medical professional.