| essential oils have a long history of use in natural skin | | | | Sage can be used in stretch mark formulas, but |
| care. These wonderful phytochemicals provide a | | | | should only be employed post-partum because of the |
| great breadth of natural, medicinal components | | | | high thujone content of the oil. |
| well-known for healing damaged skin, as well as | | | | Rosemary is an essential oil with a wonderful aroma |
| reducing the appearance of old scars from wounds, | | | | that is used in many skin care blends. The Verbenone |
| acne and other incidents. Essential oil blends for these | | | | chemotype is called for here as, like Helichrysum and |
| applications are gentle, safe for regular use, and have | | | | Lavender, contains regenerating ketones (the Cineol |
| a wonderful aroma to boot! | | | | type does not). Rosemary will also stimulate cellular |
| There are a few primary oils used in skin repair; | | | | metabolism, improving the nutrition and waste cycling |
| additional oils may be added to your liking (to improve | | | | of skin cells. |
| aroma, or add further skin-supportive properties), but | | | | Finally, these essential oils need to be diluted carrier |
| here, we'll concentrate just on the commonly used | | | | oils, which are seed or nut oils made up of fatty |
| oils for skin damage. First, and possibly most | | | | acids. These oils help the skin absorb the essential |
| important, is Helichrysum Italicum, also known as | | | | oils, and provide important nutritive oils to help the |
| Everlasting. This oil with a lovely earthy aroma is | | | | skin heal and look its best. The most important is |
| distilled from the brightly-colored, daisy-like flowers of | | | | Rosehip Seed oil, cold-pressed from Rosehip Seeds |
| a strongly aromatic herb native to the Mediterranean | | | | native to mountainous regions of South America. In |
| region. Helichrysum is one of the most highly | | | | addition to its unsaturated fatty acids, this oil contains |
| regarded oils in aromatherapy for it's broad range of | | | | natural vitamin A compounds similar in effect to the |
| healing properties for body tissues. It is strongly | | | | pharmaceutical preparation Retin-A but without the |
| anti-inflammatory, and has a high concentration of | | | | over drying or redness that often accompanies its |
| regenerative diketones found only in this oil. It is a bit | | | | use. Hazelnut oil is also a wonderful carrier well |
| more expensive due to it's low yield in processing, | | | | tolerated by all skin types; its gentle astringent |
| but produces it's wonderful effects in very small | | | | qualites prevent the skin from feeling oil upon |
| doses. | | | | application. |
| Helichrysum is the foundation of many blends for | | | | Now for the recipes. For effective wound healing of |
| healing the skin, and can be used by itself in a | | | | recent cuts and scrapes (and has been used |
| synergistic carrier oil such as Rosehip seed. This | | | | successfully on surgical incisions), to 1 ounce Hazelnut |
| combination may be all that is needed to speed the | | | | oil and 1 ounce Rosehip seed oil add 1 milliliter of |
| healing of recent wounds - though often a little | | | | Helichrysum essential oil and 1 milliliter of Lavender |
| Lavender oil is added as well. Kurt Schnaubelt, one of | | | | essential oil - apply twice a day for 7 to 10 days. For |
| America's leading aromatherapists notes in his | | | | older scars from wounds or acne, including keloid |
| quintessential guide "Advanced Aromatherapy" that | | | | scars, replace the Lavender in the previous recipe |
| Helichrysum essential oil and Rosehip seed can "heal | | | | with Sage essential oil. Apply regularly for 3 to 6 |
| wounds with minimal or no scarring". | | | | months. For the healing of stretch marks, post |
| As mentioned above, Lavender is often included in | | | | partum, use 1 ounce Rosehip seed and 1 ounce |
| skin care blends - it has gentle anti-inflammatory and | | | | Hazelnut oil with 1 milliliter Sage essential oil and 2 |
| tissue regenerative properties, along with very | | | | milliliters with Rosemary Verbenone essential oil; again |
| soothing, anti-anxiety aroma. Lavender essential oil | | | | use for 3 to 6 months. |
| itself began the modern aromatherapy revolution | | | | So these are just a few skin care formulas |
| when a scientist burned his hand in a laboratory | | | | commonly used in aromatherapy. Many more exist |
| accident, and after cooling the wound in a beaker of | | | | for a great variety of skin conditions - there is much |
| Lavender found the wound to heal remarkably | | | | information available on the internet or in bookstores. |
| quickly. It is also thought to 'synergize' or improve the | | | | Remember, when creating your own blends, be |
| efficacy of other essential oils in combination. | | | | conservative with the amounts of essential oils - they |
| Next up is the essential oil distilled from the leaves of | | | | do work in small amounts. Also, it's always fun to add |
| common Sage, or Salvia officinalis. Sage is used in low | | | | to these recipes one or more of your favorite |
| concentrations in very specific conditions - where the | | | | aromatic oils - Jasmine, Ylang Ylang, Rose or other |
| scars are old and require a little extra phytochemical | | | | oils can add a lovely complex aroma to the blend; |
| power to heal. Sage oil can bring circulation to the | | | | one that you'll enjoy wearing. Be creative, be safe |
| area, and can assist the scarred area of the skin to | | | | and have fun! |
| regenerate, particularly in concert with other oils. | | | | |