Recipes - Two Essential Oil Facial Serums

It has been a month since I posted about replacing your expensive skin care regimen with some simple essential oils, (EOs).  I spoke about the two least expensive and easily obtained EOs, lavender and tea tree.  If you would like to read that article before starting this one, you can view it here.  

Left - Day Serum, Right - Night Serum

Over the past month I've created two new blends which I find both effective and pleasantly aromatic.  Neither of these are as inexpensive as lavender and tea tree, however, offer a host of benefits for my particular skin type - (sun damaged and still prone to break-outs).... yes, wrinkles AND pimples at the same time.  Mother nature can be cruel at times.

Remember that I mentioned some EOs photo-sensitize your skin?  There are many that do and that is why I have created two recipes, one for day, and one for night. Luckily for me, the daytime serum has turned out lighter than the one for night.  Easy-peasy...

   Daytime

For daytime, I have come up with with a simple Frankincense and Myrrh blend.  Frankincense is used in aromatherapy for blemishes, dry and 'mature complexions', scars and wrinkles.  Yeah, I have all of those!  Frankincense is non-toxic, non-irritating and non-sensitizing.  

Myrrh is good for chapped and cracked skin, 'mature complexions,' and wrinkles.  It is an antiseptic and astringent, among having many other beneficial qualities.  Mixed together with a carrier oil, (I have chosen Meadowfoam), you have a facial serum of biblical proportions.  Myrrh is a non-irritant and non-sensitizing but should not be used during pregnancy.

Used in your handmade recipes, Meadowfoam Oil is known for its moisturizing and rejuvenating properties. This oil has a non-greasy feeling, blends well with other carrier oils and has binding qualities, allowing it to help your products retain scents longer.  

On left for day - Myrrh EO, Frankincense EO and Meadowfoam Oil
On right for night - Rose Absolute, Neroil EO, Bergamot EO and Rice Bran Oil

Night

For night time use, I have chosen three lovely smelling and functional EOs...  Rose Absolute, Neroli and Bergamot.

Using rose absolute for mature skin is a widely touted favorite amongst aromatherapists.  Valuable for all skin types, it's an excellent treatment for the face, hands, neck and lips.  It is moisturizing and stimulates cellular regeneration  It helps to clear blotchy skin, along with a host of other benefits relating to women's health.  Great before bed, it is sedating and an aphrodisiac.  Non-toxic, non-irritating and non-sensitizing.

Neroli, aka Orange Blossom, is used in aromatherapy for mature skin, as it improves elasticity.  On top of that, it is antibacterial, anti-depressive and guards from or prevents the spread or occurrence of disease or infection, (immuno-stimulant).  On top of that it aids in sleep, making it perfect before bed.  Non-toxic, non-irritating and non-sensitizing.  

Great for acne-prone skin types, Bergamot clears up loads of other skin ailments such as psoriasis, eczema and cold sores.  Mixed with the other two, you've got your wrinkles and pimples covered.  And like the others, it is a mild sedative making it great for bed-time use.  Non-toxic and low-irritant factor.  Photo sensitizing.  

With the night-time blend, I have chosen Rice Bran Oil.  Cold Pressed Rice Bran Oil is rich in Vitamin E and anti-oxidants. This oil has long been used in Japan as a base for soap, skin moisturizer and protector. It is said to be an effective substitute for lanolin. Rice Bran Oil is especially used for treating dry and mature skin.

If you are unsure as to how these should be mixed, please refer to my prior blog, located here.  I recommend mixing up your serums in roller bottles like the ones pictured above.  They are extremely handy for application and airport friendly.  

Coupling this EO regimen with a nice salty soap, and this DIY goat's milk facial cleanser/scrub recipe - you should be completely good to go.  

NOT INTERESTED IN BUYING ALL THIS STUFF?  BOTH FACIAL SERUMS ARE AVAILABLE ON MY WEBSITE.

Before starting any regimen,  a patch test should be tried in an out-of-the-way place to test for allergies or other sensitivities.    

DIY Facial Serum - Something To Do During That Football Game

DIY – Facial Serum

Over the past several decades, society’s remedies for everything from toe fungus to wrinkles have been largely serviced by the cosmetics/pharmaceutical industries.  Many of these products do in fact work, however, come with huge financial cost or unwanted side effects.  

It has been my recent epiphany that many such ailments/conditions can be remedied with basic ingredients which most of us may already have.  

Let’s take my $360 set of Obaji skincare which I purchased a year ago from a dermal institute.  Contained within the set of 7 jars and bottles were:

1 – cleanser
2 – toner
3 - “repairing cream” for day use
4 – “repairing cream” for night use
5 – bleaching cream for those miserable dark spots we older folks get
6 – vitamin serum
7 – sunblock

After closer examination and a much lighter wallet, I was surprised to see that the active ingredients contained in #s 3,4, and 6 were all the same.  My math tells me that the average price of each of those items was around $50.  Functionally speaking, it was only necessary for me to purchase one of the three to receive the benefit.  So why do they do it?  Because they know we don’t know any better.

That realization made me mad, and also motivated to figure out some great home remedies that were effective AND reasonably priced.  Here’s what I’ve come up with, and believe me, it’s not rocket science.

ESSENTIAL OILS - Essential oils are highly concentrated, potent oils produced by plants. They provide a concentrated dose of nature’s vast pharmacologically active ingredients in a single drop of oil.  Essential oils are the most concentrated form of any botanical and are the purest form of the plant’s living structure.  

Combining essential oils, (EOs), can be done for two purposes:  1) to create a serum for a particular ailment or remedy, or 2), blended solely for scent – aka perfume.  I will concentrate this discussion on the EOs as it relates to their functionality, (remedy), and specifically I’ll gear toward skincare.

Tea Tree EO is your best friend and one of the cheapest you can get your hands on.  Clearing up everything from toe fungus and cold sores, to absorbing the puss within a pimple, it has a high germicidal value.   I could go on forever about it because there’s not much that it can’t take on.  Yes, it smells medicinal, but remember, we’re concentrating on function.  Tea Tree included within a blended serum for your skin, (especially places prone to break-out), is imperative.  Over the course of a week or two, watch how your pimples break themselves down and becoming virtually nonexistent.  

Next, there’s Lavender EO.  It too is inexpensive and is great to add to your serum, encouraging skin cell growth and promoting healing of sores and wounds.   It has antiseptic properties, along with a host of other non-skin related benefits such as being an anti-depressant and slightly sedating, (relaxing).  

So far, you’ve spent about $12 on EOs.  Now check out the cooking/salad oils section in your fancy supermarket.  What are your choices?  Avocado Oil?  Hazelnut Oil?  Sweet Almond?   I know what you’re thinking… “You are nuts!  I’m not going to put oil on my face!”    

Avocado oil is excellent for dry and wrinkled skin as it moisturizes, nourishes and softens.  It has been found to significantly increase the water-soluble collagen content in the dermis skin layer.  It contains protein, vitamins A, D and E, and some amino acids.  

Hazelnut oil penetrates the skin easily.  It has some vitamin E content.  Cold pressed hazelnut oil is a wonderful, light, penetrating oil that is slightly astringent making it good oil for acne prone skin.  It is high in the essential fatty acids and is soothing and healing to dry irritated skin.  As a bonus, it has been shown to filter sunrays and is therefore commonly used in sun care products.
 

Sweet almond oil is a light, nearly odorless oil.  It is said to have great nutritional value for all skin types.  It has a similar make up to baby sebum, the oil naturally produced by the skin to protect a newborn’s skin, and is easily absorbed.  

Now that I have you convinced, go pick one that best suits your skin type and add it to your EO purchase.  By now I’d guess you’ve spent about $20.  That’s fantastic!

The last thing you’ll need is a small vial or glass container.  I don’t recommend plastic.  The Container store carries small glass vials for $1-$2.

Tea Tree EO should be mixed at about 1% of a solution…. So for every 1 drop of Tea Tree EO, you’ll want to add 99 drops of the carrier oil you’ve chosen.  Lavender is so benign you can almost use it straight up… but you don’t need to, so don’t waste it!  I’ve used up to 5 drops of Lavender EO to 100 drops of carrier oil.  Doing so will slightly improve the overall smell of the concoction, masking the medicinal odor of the tea tree somewhat. 

Now go wash your face with something gentle… like a salty or milk-based soap.  Pat dry, then apply your serum.  You will be glossy for a bit, but don’t fret… it will absorb.  Stay away from your eyes, mouth and nostrils.  Apply your foundation directly afterwards.  It makes application a snap.  Better yet, go to bed without any makeup.  In a few days you’ll see a marked improvement.    

There are many other EOs on the market to choose from.  I’ve chosen the two most economical and readily available.  Rose Absolute and Frankincense are both excellent in facial serums, however, are vastly more expensive.  (And smell better).  Some work really well, but sensitize you to sunburn, so make sure you know an oil's properties before you begin.

For inspiration, you might want to check out http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/  for a wide array of EO choices.  For more choices on carrier oils, you can look at http://www.brambleberry.com/ .   For more information about specific characteristics of EOs, have a look at The Art, Science and Busines of Aromatherapy on Amazon.  One of the best books around on EOs that is no longer in print, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils, can be found on Amazon if you’re lucky.

The possibilities are endless!  Now go cure something…