Although skin care preparations alone won't give your skin a healthy glow, regular use of essential oils, singularly or combined in creams and lotions, will keep your skin looking healthy and supple.
Essential oils work cosmetically to help slow the aging process. Their nourishing and regenerative properties stimulate the reproduction rate of new skin cells, reducing the time it takes for new skin growth and the removal of dead cells.
At the same time, essential oils prevent congestion of the elimination process of the skin and expedite the removal of toxins, improve circulation, act as bactericides and anti inflammatories and calm sensitive and damaged skin.
Natural skin care products are not the sole answers, and are by no means 'miracle products'. A holistic approach, which includes regular exercise and a good diet, is also essential to keep the body trim and the skin soft and supple.
A daily cleansing routine, is the first and single most important step to skin care! It entails removal of all the grime and dirt that accumulates on your skin every day.
When gently massaged on to the skin, a natural oil cleanser frees particles of grime, dirt, grease and stale make-up, without being harsh. The cleanser should then be wiped off with a soft piece of sterile cloth so that it doesn't become absorbed into the skin along with the suspended particles of grime.
A suitable cleanser for all skin types can be made by blending together 65 millilitres of grape seed oil, 25 millilitres of sesame oil, 10 millilitres of wheat germ oil and five drops of lavender essential oil. Store in an airtight, amber-coloured glass bottle and shake before use.
To use your cleanser, pour a little of the oil into the palm of one hand and warm by rubbing the palms together. Smooth over the entire face and neck, and then massage into the skin using small, circular movements.
Gently wipe away all traces of the cleanser with a face flannel wrung out in tepid water, rinsing at least twice more with tepid water. When all traces of the oil have been removed, splash the skin with cold water and pat dry with a towel, then tone and moisture to keep the skin supple.
For your toner, dissolve 10 drops of lavender essential oil in 10 millilitres of cider vinegar and mix this with 140 millilitres of distilled water. Store in an airtight bottle until needed. Apply to your face with a clean piece of sterile cloth or a cotton wool ball, using an upward and outward circular movement.
A very light and a gentle moisturiser, suitable for all skin types, can be made by mixing together 40 millilitres of rose water, available from most chemists and health food stores and even some
supermarkets, 30 millilitres of glycerine and 10 drops of apricot kernel oil. Combine the ingredients in an airtight, amber-coloured glass bottle, and shake well before use.
Natural skin care products are easy to make and will leave your skin with a healthy glow that everyone will notice.
