Essential Oils For Dry Skin Care

Using essential oils for dry skin care can encourage oil production and healing. Recommended oils include:

• Atlas Cedarwood
• Carrot Seed
• Cypress
• Palmarosa
• Patchouli
• Rosemary verbenone
• Sandalwood
• Spikenard
• Vetiver
• Ylang Ylang

Suggested essential oils for specific purposes include:

• For inflammation: German chamomile
  
  
• For irritation due to flaking: German chamomile or lavender
  
  
• To balance oil production: lavender or geranium
  
  
• To promote cell rejuvenation: neroli
  
  
• To stimulate oil production and improve circulation: peppermint or rosemary (in small amounts)
  
  
• For balance: geranium, jasmine, neroli, or rose

Avoid skin care products that contain alcohol, retinoids, or alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) because they can dry out your skin even more.

Dry Skin Care Cleanser

Cleanse your skin gently once or twice a day. It's important not to overcleanse because doing so strips away oil, making your skin drier. Here's a basic aromatherapy cleanser recipe:

• 1/4 cup aromatherapy hydrosol or aloe vera gel
• 1 teaspoon carrier oil of choice
  
• 1 teaspoon glycerin
• 5 drops rosemary essential oil (rosemary verbenone, if you can get it)

Blend all ingredients in a small, dark, glass container.

To use: Shake container vigorously. Apply a small amount of cleanser to your face using your fingers or cotton pads. Rinse.

You can also make this dry skin wash:

• 2 tablespoons avocado oil
• 10 drops sandalwood essential oil
• 10 drops rose essential oil
• 10 drops lavender essential oil

Blend all ingredients in a small, dark bottle. Use a few drops as a face wash.

Aromatherapy Dry Skin Toner

Avoid using a toner that contains alcohol. Aloe vera or an aromatherapy hydrosol makes a good toner. Here's an essential oil recipe for a toner:

• 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) aloe vera juice
• 2 ounces (4 tablespoons) orange blossom water
• 1 teaspoon calendula-infused vinegar
• 5 drops helichrysum essential oil
• 800 IU vitamin E oil

Combine the ingredients in a dark bottle. Shake well before use.

Cleanser and toner source: Aromatherapy: A Complete Guide to the Healing Art.

Dry Skin Care Moisturizer

Moisturize dry skin as frequently as needed.

Here are two simple moisturizing blends:

• 5 drops rose essential oil
• 1 tablespoon rosehip seed oil
• 1 tablespoon apricot kernel oil

Blend ingredients in small, dark, glass bottle.

OR

• 1 ounce (30 ml or 2 tablespoons) argan oil
• 3 drops neroli essential oil
• 10 drops lavender essential oil
  

Blend ingredients in a small dark bottle. Source: Aromahead

Aromatherapy Moisturizing Cream For Dry Skin

• 1/2 ounce (about 1 tablespoon) beeswax 
• 1/2 cup almond oil
• 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) rosewater 
• 4 drops bergamot essential oil
• 5 drops lavender essential oil
• 8 drops sandalwood essential oil
• 8 drops patchouli essential oil
• 10 drops rose essential oil

1. Melt the beeswax and the almond oil in a double boiler. 
2. Reduce the heat.
3. Add the rosewater slowly, stirring vigorously. 
4. Immediately remove from heat. 
5. Let the mixture cool and turn creamy.
6. Stir in the essential oils. 
7. Store the cream in a sterilized dark jar with a lid.

Facial Masks For Dry Skin Care

Facial masks can improve the appearance of your skin by removing dead, surface skin cells and increasing circulation to the skin. Using a mask once a week is sufficient.

Here's a simple dry skin face mask from Healing With Aromatherapy:

• 1 egg yolk
• 1/2 teaspoon hazelnut oil
• 3 drops geranium essential oil

1. Slightly beat the egg yolk and then stir in the oils. 
2. Apply to your face and neck. 
3. Leave on for 20 to 30 minutes, and then wash off with warm water.

Honey Facial Mask

• 2 drops sandalwood essential oil
• 1 drop lavender essential oil
• 1 drop Roman chamomile essential oil
• 2 teaspoons honey

1. Blend the ingredients.
2. Spread the mixture evenly over your face. 
3. Leave the mask on until it no longer feels cool. 
4. Rinse off and apply a moisturizer.

Source: Aromatherapy for Common Ailments

Essential Oil Scrub and Mask

This aromatherapy recipe using essential oils for dry skin care is a little more involved. First, you need to blend a facial scrub:

• 1 cup oatmeal
• 1/3 cup cornmeal
• 1/3 cup dried lavender and peppermint (dried herbs, not oils!)

1. Use a grinder to grind the ingredients into a fine powder. 
2. Store in a closed container.

To use as a scrub, blend 1 teaspoon powder and enough water or hydrosol to make a paste. Apply to damp face, gently scrub, and rinse with warm water.

Now, the facial mask for dry skin:

• 1 tablespoon facial scrub
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 tablespoon rosewater or aloe juice
• 1 drop rose or neroli essential oil
• 1 egg yolk (optional)

1. Blend the ingredients. 
2. Apply to your face. 
3. Leave on for 5 to 10 minutes, and then rinse off with warm water.

Source: Aromatherapy: A Complete Guide to the Healing Art

Photo Credit: Zenspa1/Flickr/CC