Essential Oils - What's The Deal?
As a lover of all things natural, it was beyond eye-opening to discover the many skin concerns that essential oils can address years ago. These concentrated plant and seed extracts have been used for hundreds (and in some cases thousands) of years to address a host of issues - from wound healing and skin clarifying, to alleviating indigestion and fighting insomnia.
To my memory, essential oils probably had their first moment in 'mainstream' skincare about two decades ago during the craze about tea tree oil - an effective essential oil originally used by the indigenous people of Australia. Whilst tea tree oil is just one of many effective essential oils with a long history, I've noticed a recent campaign against incorporating these wonderful oils into skincare that is equal parts surprising and frustrating.
A Gift From Nature
Why are essential oils so beneficial to our skin? Whilst they each have their unique properties depending on the specific plant or seed they come from, most essential oils are anti-inflammatory and rich in antioxidants, two crucial characteristics that help our skin regenerate in the face of daily wear and tear and exposure to the elements. Many essential oils are also anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. Some, like citronella, are even proven to act as natural insect repellants!
These fighting properties of essential oils aren't a coincidental miracle of nature – on the contrary, they often exist to support and protect the plant itself in its natural environment.
Essential oils are also a joy to use because of the rich, distinct scents they have from the plants or seeds they have been distilled from. Fresh grapefruit, Christmassy clove, floral geranium, spicy cardamom, earthy sandalwood - the list goes on. Essential oils, after all, put the aroma in aromatherapy and I certainly enjoy using them for their fragrance almost as much as for their natural properties!
With Great Power…
Comes responsiblity! Of course essential oils have to be used with care - in their concentrated form, they can be quite potent and that is why they should always be properly diluted in skincare, whether you buy your products or make your own. Any reputable maker of pure essential oils will always include instructions for safe use on the packaging. Use of essential oils by pregnant women and very young children should also be in line with medical advice on the kind and doses of essential oils that are appropriate. However this is the case for all substances - especially those with therapeutic effects - and this shouldn't scare anyone away from enjoying the many, wonderful benefits of essential oils for the skin!
Many essential oils have been studied extensively since the advent of modern science and there are a number of them widely found to be gentle enough for almost all users -lemongrass, frankincense, chamomile and lavender are just a few of the more popular ones. Whats more, the technology used to distill essential oils has only gotten better with time. The natural extraction methods currently available allow essential oils to be certified organic by reputable bodies and at Kanobe, we only use entirely natural, certified organic essential oils.
A success story of more modern extraction is with citrus essential oils, which have always been tricky to use on the skin due to their photo (light) sensitivity. Fortunately, most citrus essential oils extracted through steam distillation don't have this issue, allowing us to enjoy their many skin benefits without worrying about spending time in the sun.
Knowing all this and their long history, why have essential oils been getting such a bad rap lately?
I'd say part of this is well-meaning. People should know how to safely use essential oils and which ones to avoid or use in moderation, depending on their health, age and other circumstances. That said, following usage instructions goes a long way in being confident about using essential oils in skincare - whether you buy your skincare products or make your own.
On the flip-side, it is pretty clear that the rise of natural skincare challenges a lot of the prevailing skin care orthodoxy and that's not always great for sales of more synthetic skincare! The face cleanser that I stopped using in university, once I realised my kitchen olive oil and essential oils worked much better, probably wasn't too happy! 👀 (this funny accident was actually how I discovered oil cleansing and I’ll definitely be writing about how balancing for the skin it can be in another post).
Essential oils are also widely available and there is something very democratic about having such easy access to effective, natural ingredients. I'd take the blanket scaremongering about essential oils with a large pinch of salt!
Just One Piece Of The Puzzle
Essential oils are (undeniably) incredible but they remain just one part of an effective, holistic skin routine - organic oils and butters, plant extracts and natural infusions work harmoniously with essential oils across the range of Kanobe products to make great skincare. And for the best skin health, you can never go wrong with a healthy diet, drinking lots of water and many nights of good, cosy sleep!
Thanks for reading!
