It’s 15% percent of your body weight. It’s your largest organ - we are all sheathed in about 21 square feet of it (about the size of an average doorway). And it completely renews itself, every single month. That’s 800 different renewals by the time we’re 80 (wondering where it goes? It’s the dust on your sideboard…)
It’s your skin, and keeping it healthy as we age is as important to our overall well-being as it is to our looks. As well as defending our bodies from the rough and tumble of the outside world, our skin performs an array of other important roles throughout our lives: it helps regulate body temperature, produces vital vitamin D from cholesterol in reaction to sunlight, and protects us from harmful UV radiation through the production of melanin. In other words, skin works hard for us – and we need to treat it with the love and attention it deserves!
Individual consumers spend on average a blush-inducing $700 on skin care products every year. But many of these items contain skin irritants such as the lather-forming sodium lauryl sulfate, the allergen formaldehyde, and the moisture barrier petrolatum. Essential oils are kinder, to both you and the environment.
When used with care and moderation, essential oils are a natural, gentle alternative to artificial products, and many have been protecting and enriching our skins for thousands of years. Some can aid in skin cell replenishment, others in collagen and elastin production (keeping your skin supple and glowing), and some have antioxidant properties that prevent the breakdown of healthy cells.
As our skins are highly sensitive and can react to some oils more than others, it’s very important to use essential oils in a 1% solution in a carrier oil. Our recipes below suggest a maximum of 12 drops of essential oils per 60 ml (2 fl. oz.) of a carrier oil such as jojoba (a versatile carrier oil for all skin types), olive or avocado. You may prefer to trial a recipe on a small patch of skin first, and always avoid applying oils to broken skin or extremely close to the eyes.
Below are our top ten essential oils blends for rejuvenating and renewing mature skin. Your skin will thank you – all 21 square feet of it!
A combination of toning Frankincense and tightening Rose Geranium will smooth outwrinkles and reduce inflammation.
· 7 drops Rose Geranium essential oil
· 5 drops Frankincense essential oil
Improve elasticity and encourage cell regeneration with this line-smoothing blend of Ylang Ylang and Neroli.
· 6 drops Ylang Ylang essential oil
· 6 drops Neroli essential oil
Face sore and red from too much sun? Try this blend of healing Helichrysum and soothing Sandalwood.
· 8 drops Helichrysum essential oil
· 4 drops Sandalwood essential oil
Oils rich in antioxidants and vitamins can repair age-related skin damage. This blend of Rosehip and Apricot carrier oils with Carrot Seed essential oils is packed with benefits for mature skin.
· 10 mls Rosehip oil
· 10 mls Apricot oil
· 4 drops Carrot Seed essential oil
Are those crow’s feet? Or is your skin just dry? Banish dry lines with a moisturizing, hydrating blend of Myrhh, Patchouli and Roman Chamomile essential oils.
· 6 drops Roman Chamomile essential oil
· 4 drops Patchouli essential oil
· 2 drops Myrrh essential oil
Cracked skin on our fingers and knuckles is uncomfortable, and can make our skin look much older than we feel! Heal those hard-working hands with a blend of nourishing Lavender and healing Tea Tree essential oils.
· 8 drops Lavender essential oil
· 4 drops Tea Tree essential oil
Who says we’re less active when we get older? For those sore, tired, cracked heels that come after a day at the museum or the art gallery, use this foot-adoring blend of refreshing Peppermint, antiseptic Cinnamon and antifungal Oregano essential oils.
· 7 drops Peppermint essential oil
· 3 drops Cinnamon essential oil
· 2 drops Oregano essential oil
Rosacea, or facial redness, can sometimes be caused by a high density of facial mites, which leads to inflammation. Try this mite-banishing blend of the antimicrobial essential oils Lavender, Neroli and Lemongrass.
· 6 drops Lavender essential oil
· 3 drops Neroli essential oil
· 3 drops Lemongrass essential oil
Even with a healthy, low-alcohol lifestyle, spider veins and broken capillaries can often begin to appear on our cheeks, noses and legs as we age. A blend of Rose Otto and Parsley essential oil with Borage and Jojoba carrier can reduce the spread of these broken blood vessels and improve their appearance.
· 10 Jojoba oil
· 10 ml Borage oil
· 3 drops Parsley essential oil
· 2 drops Rose Otto essential oil
A sour skin becomes more delicate as it ages, it can become more prone to irritation and inflammation. This blend of recovery-boosting Vetiver, regenerative Balsam Copaiba, and soothing Petitgrain essential oils will calm and cool.
· 4 drops Vetiver essential oil
· 4 drops Balsam Copaiba essential oil
· 4 drops Petitgrain essential oil
Would you like to know more about how to use essential oils with your relaxation or skin care routines? You can find our favorite massage oil blend recipes here.
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