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Using essential oils to treat the face and skin
 
Using essential oils to treat the skin is one of the most enjoyable areas of aromatherapy. It is also easy to develop aromatherapy facial treatments for yourself. Remember that if you are treating a particular skin condition it will usually take about 3-4 weeks to reap the benefits of your hard work. This is because the epidermis (the top layer of the skin) takes roughly 21 days to completely regenerate - exactly the amount of time it takes your tan to fade after you return from a holiday. This article looks at the different skin types and suggests aromatherapy treatments for the skin.
 
Simple skin analysis
To treat the skin effectively, you need to have a basic idea of how to identify the different skin types. You will need to examine the skin in bright light, when the person is not wearing makeup.
 
The different types of skin fall into the following categories:
1. oily
2. combination
3. normal
4. sensitive
5. mature/sun-damaged skin
6. dry skin
7. dehydrated skin
8. acne rosacea
9. acne vulgaris.
 
Oily skin
Identified by its shiny appearance (although it dries out with age), oily skin tends to be thicker and coarser than other skin types and is usually less sensitive. There is a tendency for blackheads, whiteheads, clogged pores and other blemishes. Essential oils that are especially useful here are those that balance hormonal activity and the production of sebum and those that are antiseptic. Try cedarwood, lavender, geranium, ylang ylang, peppermint, juniper, orange, cypress, lemon, clary sage, tea tree, rosewood, sandalwood, rosemary, or bergamot.
 
Combination skin
Combination skin can be either normal/dry or normal/oily. There is a distinctly different structure and appearance to the skin between the T-zone and the rest of the face. Pores around the nose will be larger than elsewhere and there will be distinct areas of the face which are shiny or matte. Where breakouts occur, these are usually linked to hormonal fluctuations. Try geranium, lavender, neroli, rosewood, sandalwood, ylang ylang, or palmarosa.
 
Normal skin
There is some debate over whether the only really normal skin is that seen in children. Normal skin is neither too oily nor too dry, has very few blemishes and little or no sun damage. The skin is smooth, firm and appears plump and dewy. People lucky enough to have normal skin are advised to continue with what they are doing and treat their skin with any essential oils that are designed to provide emotional support or to treat other presenting issues. Try lavender, jasmine, ylang ylang, rosewood, clary sage, geranium, rose, neroli.
 
Sensitive skin
Sensitive skin is easily irritated. Generally, sensitive skin is thinner than other skin types. Because the nerve endings and blood vessels are so close to the skin's surface, sensitive skin is more likely to react to trigger products and is also more likely to react adversely to essential oils. There are three main causes of sensitive skin: stress, environmental factors and hormonal activity.
Stress-related sensitive skin is sensitive to emotional turmoil and worsened by stress. Acne will develop when the person is stressed and is particularly likely to develop where frequent air travel is a feature of the person's life. Any breakout is made worse by the person touching their skin. Choose essential oils that address any other symptoms of stress the person is experiencing and also try Roman chamomile, lavender, rose, geranium, ylang ylang.
Skin that is sensitive to environmental factors tends to develop allergic reactions: to food, beauty products or cleaning products. It is easily irritated, especially if products are overused. This person is also prone to insect attack (they may joke about being the best person to sit next to at a picnic) and the chances are that they will
Be very sensitive to essential oils. Choose oils that are very gentle and not prone to causing sensitisation: Roman chamomile, geranium, jasmine - but patch testing is recommended, lavender, patchouli, rose, rosewood, sandalwood, cedarwood, ylang ylang.

Skin that is sensitive due to hormonal activity tends to break out before menstrual periods, is made worse by the use of any oral contraceptives or steroid drugs and tends to be sensitive to the weather. Try essential oils that are known to regulate hormonal activity, as well as anti-anxiety products: geranium, jasmine, fennel, clary sage, orange, neroli, sandalwoood, patchouli, yarrow, German chamomile, Roman chamomile, rosewood, lavender.

 

Mature/sun-damaged skin

It is sometimes assumed that the skin of all those who are over a certain age will exhibit the symptoms of mature skin. This is not the case. People in their twenties who overuse the sunbed or who have been exposed to the elements for extended periods of time are likely to show early signs of damage. Older people who have taken care of their skin and their health are likely to have good skin that belies their years. Neglected skin may be recognised by a distinct leathery texture, visible wrinkles, dull skin, age spots (or large freckles) on the face, hands, back or feet. A loss of skin tone around the cheeks and jawline and the tendency for the skin to feel dry and tight, especially in cold weather, are also noticeable. With this type of skin, the emphasis is to help the skin regenerate properly, to reduce blotchiness and thread veins and to help to balance sebum production. Try using: neroli, lavender, frankincense, ylang ylang, geranium, carrot seed, Roman chamomile,rose, yarrow, German chamomile, clary sage, patchouli, cypress, rosewood, sandalwood, immortelle, myrrh.
 
Dry skin
Dry skin can be differentiated from dehydrated skin because as well as feeling tight, there is visible flaking of the skin in some areas. It tends to be matte in appearance, sensitive to cold, to wrinkle easily and, occasionally, to feel rough to the touch. Essential oils known for their moisturising properties and their ability to encourage sebum production include:lavender, sandalwood, geranium, rose, neroli, Roman chamomile, clary sage, jasmine, patchouli, rosewood, sandalwood, ylang ylang, German chamomile, palmarosa.
 
Dehydrated
This skin type simply lacks water. There may be fine lines, so it is often mistaken for dry skin. However, there will also be evidence of other types of skin (clogged pores and blackheads, for instance). Reddening, dryness or flaking around the nostrils, broken blood vessels or a chapped appearance are the key indicators to look for. As well as increasing water intake, use essential oils that help to heal the skin and balance out any sebum production: frankincense, benzoin, geranium, lavender, neroli, patchouli, rose, sandalwood.
 
Acne rosacea
This form of acne tends to develop in a person's late twenties and is most easily identified by the distinctive redness brought on by broken capillaries on the cheeks, nose and forehead.
Unlike acne vulgaris, any lesions appear as red bumps (almost as though the acne is under the skin, rather than on top of it), or a persistent redness to the facial area. It will not respond to the usual acne treatments. Nasal bumps will occur, especially in men, which contributes to an appearance of swollen nose and cheeks. Avoid any essential oils that are designed to increase circulation. Use anti- inflammatories and vein tonics to reduce any broken blood vessels or visible capillaries. Try Roman chamomile, cypress, German chamomile, yarrow, palmarosa, neroli, lavender.
 

Acne vulgaris
This is the type of acne that we associate with teenagers, although they certainly don't have a monopoly on the condition. The pustular eruptions respond best to essential oils that have skin healing properties, are antiseptic,antibiotic and will heal wounds. Try lavender, geranium, juniper, tea tree, rosewood, Roman chamomile, sandalwood, cedarwood, clary sage, frankincense, immortelle, ylang ylang.
 
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