Lavender Essential Oil and Skin Care
by Lynda Sorenson
After Hair Removal: Massage a blend of one ounce Jojoba oil, and 3 gtt Lavender Essential oil and 2 gtt German Chamomile oil onto the treated skin to reduce irritation and prevent razor burn or the �plucked chicken� effect and breakouts common after waxing.
Mild Acne: There are several ways that one can use Lavender in caring for mild acneic conditions. First - the most universal reaction to acne is to use the harshest and most drying cleansers and treatments that one can find. Everyone thinks that by drying the skin and its secretions one can prevent further breakouts and speed the healing of existing acneic lesions. Unfortunately for them, just the opposite is true. When the surface of the skin becomes dry, the sensory nerves signal the sebaceous glands to provide extra secretions in order to moisten and lubricate the skin. These secretions then mix with the dry skin cells on the surface and form clogging, or comedomes, in the pores. These comedomes may remain as blackheads, or sebum may begin to back up underneath the comedome, and bacteria to feed on this sebum. Voila! Pimple.
So my first suggestion to my clients is always to switch to a very mild cleanser. To this they can add up to 0.1% Lavender Essential oil for twice-a-day cleansing. A gentle scrub can be used lightly no more than twice a week for exfoliation. Rose hydrosol makes an excellent moisturizer for acneic skin, enough moisture to prevent the skin from becoming too dry, and not so much as to clog the pores. If greater moisturizing is needed, make a blend of one ounce Fractionated Coconut oil, one drop Lavender Essential oil, one drop Geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) and one drop Tea Tree Essential oil. Use once a day at nite.
Once a week you can do a skin care treatment following your cleanser by pouring two cups of boiling water into a heat-proof bowl. Wait approximately five minutes for the greater amount of the steam to dissipate, and then add one drop Lavender Essential oil, one drop Lemon (Citrus limon) and one drop Tea Tree Melaleuca alternifolia) Essential oil, drape a towel over your head and steam your face from a safe distance for ten minutes. Make sure to keep eyes tightly closed while steaming. After patting the skin dry with your towel, apply a mask of two ounces aloe vera gel, a half ounce of jojoba oil, and one drop Lavender Essential oil to the face, throat and chest. Relax for ten minutes and then remove the mask with tepid water. Spray the skin with Rose hydrosol to moisturize.
Mild Skin Infections: Again, a word to the wise, use Aromatherapy only on skin conditions that you would not normally find serious enough to seek medical care. If any condition worsens or persists, seek qualified medical help immediately. A mild infection can be treated by soaking each day for ten to fifteen minutes in tepid water with a mild solution of Epsom salts, and then pat the skin dry. Dab the area with the Witch Hazel/Lavender blend mentioned above.
Eczema and Psoriasis: Again, seek medical help for any but the most mild and transient of these conditions. Aromatherapy would be contraindicated where the skin is greatly inflamed, irritated and �raw�. Be certain to conduct a skin patch test on anyone when caring for these conditions with Essential oils. Relief for eczema and psoriasis may be found by taking Flax Seed or Evening Primrose oil supplements as directed. Extremely diluted formulations of terpeneless Lavender and German Chamomile oils can be blended into distilled water or into Lavender or Yarrow hydrosols and sprayed lightly onto the skin for relief from itching and inflammation.
Baths: For sheer indulgence, enjoy a Lavender/Milk bath. Add a equal amounts of lavender buds and powdered milk to a muslin bag and hang under the faucet while filling the tub. Lay back and enjoy the relaxing effects, and use the bag to exfoliate the skin when you have finished soaking.
Remember that the above suggestions are not meant to take the place of competent medical treatment for any skin condition. When in doubt, call your Doctor. But for common and mild skin conditions, Aromatherapy can provide great relief and faster healing when mainstream solutions cannot.
Lynda Sorenson has worked in the beauty services industry as a Licensed Cosmetologist for over 17 years, the last twelve as an Aesthetician. She started her own business in 1998. She is a certificate holder in Clinical Aromatherapy Studies from the Australasian College of Herbal Studies. Lynda has pursued continuing education in skin care and Aromatherapy both here and abroad. It is her belief that a healthy and relaxed state of mind contributes to healthy and beautiful skin. Lynda's current projects are the research and writing of a book on the use of Aromatherapy in skin care, and the development of Luna Aromatics, an Aromatherapy skin care line. Along with her husband, Graham Sorenson, Lynda is soon to open an Aromatherapy retail shop and therapeutic center in Tucson, Arizona, also called Luna Aromatics. www.luna-aromatics.com