Essential Oil Treatments For Hair & Skin Rejuvenation
As much a relaxing spa treatment as a revival, essential oils are often overlooked as effective treatments for both skin and hair damage, yet are very frequently used as active ingredients in high-end skincare products.
In the case of skincare for mature and dry skin, using a drop of an essential oil blend of Lavender, Geranium, and Frankincense in your daily skincare routine, can achieve cellular rejuvenation, cellular repair & reduction of redness or inflammatory conditions – and also give it a really nice smell. Similarly, lemon and bergamot are frequently used for both brightening and sebum control in active skincare products. Citric acid by itself can balance oily skin.
Taking this to the next level, a weekly spa treatment for your skin is a wonderful addition to an afternoon or evening, can contribute to your skin’s health, while also reducing stress levels remarkably. It’s worth a try!
Essential oils absorb through the skin very easily through massage, as long as you use an oil with good absorption properties. Sweet almond oil is a good choice for ‘normal’ skin & easy to get hold of. For dry or damaged skin, see if you can find jojoba oil & for super dry and mature skin, apricot kernel oil is great (or a combination of all the above). If you don’t have these oils – or time to hunt them down, just go with whatever you have – or get some Cetaphil cream from the Pharmacy and use that instead.
Essential oils, when topically applied have a slow-release mechanic. Ideally, perform these rituals in the evening, then spend some time relaxing, reading, breathing, or just doing nothing while they are on the skin/scalp.
Use as little oil/cream as you can – you really are looking for absorption into the skin, so apply small amounts at a time and focus on long, firm upward moving strokes as you massage them in.
Essential Oil Facal Masks
Warm your oil or cream a little in the microwave (think warm – not hot), then add a drop of each of your essential oils.
You can use any brush to apply – I’ve used both a fan brish and a pastry brush (or even use your fingers if you need to, with small amounts each time).
Starting about 10cm below the clavicle bone, apply the warm cream or oil evenly to your skin using upward strokes. Apply first to your upper chest & neck, then refresh the brush, sweep across the jawline one side at a time moving from the ear to the chin. Thirdly, move your brush from the jawline up to the temple and cheekbones, working from the outside in. Finally, brush across the forehead from the temple to the brow centre line, up both sides of the nose, then along your upper lip with the remaining product still on your brush.
Next, move to massage each of those areas one at a time, with flat hands – one hand following the other, using a medium to firm pressure. Take your time & use broad long strokes, one hand following the other.
The mission is to absorb as much product as possible through the massage, so continue your upward sweeps, continuously moving around the zones above.
Once you have massaged in as much oil as you feel you can, massage any remaining product into the backs of your hands, relax for ten to twenty minutes.
All told, this ritual will take a little over 30 minutes. You can leave the oils in your skin overnight if you wish to, or remove them with a cleanser as you usually would.
Which Essential Oils To Use For Facial Masks:
Normal skin: bergamot, sandalwood, lavender
Dry or mature skin: Sandalwood, lavender, frankincense & geranium
Oily skin: cedarwood, lemon, clary sage
Combination skin: cedarwood, geranium, ylang ylang, lemon
Note: avoid the sun & any UV light source after using lemon or bergamot essential oil on your skin
Essential Oil Hair Masks
Hair masking can get messy if you use too much oil. Remember, you are applying the oil (or cream if you prefer). The easiest approach is to section the scalp and work on one section at a time, massaging more with your fingertips than your whole hand. Absorption through the scalp is faster than through the skin, so you won’t need to leave your mask on for quite as long.
Warm your oil (about 100ml should be plenty). Add a drop of each oil, blend the essential oil into your warm oil.
Use a brush to apply the oil, but dab rather than brush. Doing one section at a time will allow you to apply the oil, then massage it in with your fingertips on each section.
Once all sections have been done, if you wish to, use the heels of your palms to massage firmly in short upward strokes from the base of the skull (the occipital ridge). Use short strokes about 10cm long. Move around the head, starting at the back and moving to the sides – always with short, upward sweeping motions. You can use your knuckles if that’s easier for you.
Once you’ve completed massaging the oil or cream into the skull, place a towel around your head and relax for 10 – 20 minutes before removing the medium in the shower. To get the oils out of your hair effectively, use a tiny bit of shampoo directly on the scalp and emulsify before adding water & shampooing as usual. This will lift the oils out easily and leave your hair & scalp feeling great!
Hair Masks & Rinses
Damaged hair: bergamot, geranium, sandalwood.
Oily hair: bergamot, sage.
Dandruff: eucalyptus, tea tree, cedarwood
Thinning hair: cedarwood, rosemary (don’t use rosemary if epileptic or pregnant)
Remember: your oil application is on the scalp – not the hair. You don’t the need hair to be oiled. Generally, hair masks are easier if you use an oil base rather than cream.