Aromatherapy For Oily Skin

by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger

24 May 2006 08:37 AM

My skin, especially on my face, is either very dry or very oily. It's hard for me to reach a middle ground! These days, I feel like I could solve the current oil problems with just my face!

If you aren't sure whether or not you have oily skin, try this test: don't put any sort of moisturizer on your skin before bed one night. The next morning, take three strips of brown paper bag and press one on your forehead, one on your nose, and one on your chin. If your skin is normal, you'll see a little oil stain... but if your skin is oily, you will see a definite oil stain. Dry skin won't leave any stain on the paper at all.

Oily skin can be tricky. A toner with alcohol or witch hazel in it can help dry things out a little, but too much will make your skin produce even more oil.

When you wash your face in the morning, try a soap with essential oils like tea tree, sage, lavender, or lemongrass. Tea tree is an all-around good essential oil for your skin; it has antiseptic, antibacterial, and antiviral properties. Lavender is another good balancer for your skin. After you wash your face, use a moisturizer that is low in oil. Body lotions usually have less oil than face creams; I use an unscented body lotion and add my own essential oils to it.

Oily Skin Daily Moisturizer

• 4oz unscented lotion
• 2 drops tea tree essential oil
• 2 drops lavender essential oil
• 1 drop sage or clary sage essential oil

If you have combination skin -- skin that is oily in some places and dry in others -- switch the sage for chamomile. The chamomile will give a moisturizing boost to the dry parts.

Other essential oils in your aromatherapy kit are recommended for oily skin and hair: basil, cedarwood, eucalyptus, lemon, palmarosa (which is in the lavender family), and patchouli. Mix up a combination that is pleasing to your nose AND will help tone down your oily skin!

Learn more about Aimee Amodio

Aimee is a fiction writer... dog lover... music lover...

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