It is no surprise that several of the world’s best formulas for beautifying mature skin contain natural essential oils. Therapeutic grade essential oils used in aromatherapy are selected for their distinctive healing properties; many oils are designated explicitly for skin healing and healthy skin maintenance. Of most significant importance here are the oils known for their tissue regenerating effects and support of the skin’s metabolic functions. An effective personal blend of therapeutic-grade oils is easy to make by choosing a few oils that match your skin type’s needs and mixing them with easy-to-follow formulas.
What makes essential oils so suitable for making mature skin glow? Aromatic oils are nature’s liquid healing wonders. Plants are thought to produce them as their healing potions, with variations depending on the plant’s habitat; a plant needs to create new cells, defend itself from oxidative radicals, and promote its fitness, just as humans do. These aromatic oils are highly compatible with our health and well-being. Countless essential oils have been researched over time, and a few stand out as extraordinary medicines for our skin. Creating a personal formula using these oils is a simple task: mix a small amount of essential oils with the appropriate (and therapeutic) seed or nut oils in the right concentrations, and voila! Your own highly effective skincare blend.
Let’s look at carrier oils, also aptly called “base” oils. These are cold-pressed oils from seeds, nuts and fruits that form the basis of any formula. These natural oils make up 95-98% of your blend, while the essential oils are added as the ‘active ingredients.’ Avocado is first on the list and is used in many recipes for its moisturizing and nourishing properties. Avocado is especially suitable for dry skin and should make up about a fifth of the ‘base’ for dry to normal skin. Next comes apricot kernel, also recommended for dry to normal skin or for irritated and damaged skin. Apricot can make up the whole base if you like. Evening primrose is a very nourishing oil with many essential fatty acids – important for building healthy tissues.
Evening primrose can make up to a quarter of the base. Hazelnut oil is widely used in skincare blends because all skin types well tolerate it. It can be beneficial for those with a tendency toward oily skin, as it has a mild astringent effect. Despite the apparent contradiction of applying ‘oil’ to already ‘oily’ skin. Hazelnut is recommended for this use in the most advanced texts on medical aromatherapy – it can make up to 100% of the base. Perhaps the essential base oil for mature skin is Rosehip Seed – pressed from the seeds of a wild rose from South America. It contains research-validated vitamin A compounds that act as natural ‘Retin-A,’ enhancing the skin’s natural regeneration, reducing fine lines, supporting healthy skin that has dealt with sun damage, and evening out skin tone. Rosehip seed can, and should, make up to a quarter of your basic recipe.
Now for the essential oils – the magical active ingredients. We begin with Carrot Seed, a wonderfully warm, soft and earthy essential oil with a long history in skincare. It is especially indicated for skin that has lost its radiance due to excessive stress, either from external environmental factors or other stress forms. Carrot seed is very gentle, inexpensive, and useful for all skin types. Next is rosemary of the chemotype Verbenone – it is distilled from common rosemary grown in some world areas. Hence, the oil contains a higher fraction of regenerating ‘ketones.’ These molecules promote regeneration and metabolism, improving nutrient utilization and toxin removal at the cellular level.
