I wasn’t sure if I should post this in the Pre-Shave or Skincare forum…but since this is primarily about Essential Oils (EO) and how they can benefit your skin I decided to post it here. And just to be clear...I am not an expert...I am just reading and experimenting. I have been experimenting with pre-shave oils….and have been reading up on the benefits of various oils for my skin. As some of you may know I tend to use unscented products, but I find I am able to tolerate EO smells as opposed to chemical-based fragrances. I recently found a website that explains the benefits of various kinds of EO based on your skin type. The article is entitled, “The Top 10 Essential Oils for Skin Care”. There is a chart to describe the benefits of each EO. http://bodyunburdened.com/essential-oils-for-skincare/ I have determined that there are two EO that are potentially good for my skin type (and age). I have mixed two batches of pre-shave oil…one with lavender EO (5 -10 drops) and one with rose (absolute) EO (5 - 10 drops). (more drops = stronger smell). I start with a basic pre-shave oil mix: 1 Tbsp. of: olive oil, grapeseed oil, jojoba oil, almond oil and 1 tsp of liquid lanolin. This basic oil mix works great for me. There are other very good home-made pre-shave oil recipes on TSD. I have heard it is not good to apply the EO directly on your skin unless it is diluted in another oil, e.g. olive oil. And it is a good idea to do a test (diluted in oil) on your skin to make sure you can tolerate them well...and if you like the fragrance. You are the best judge of what will work well for you. While this mix is for pre-shave oil and is intended to rub into my stubble, I also apply this oil to dry patches on my face. The good news is these pre-shave oils smell great…and since I have been using the oil and EO mix I feel the condition of my skin has improved. I would be interested to hear of your experiences with EO and oils…and if it has benefited your skin.
You are correct in saying that undiluted EO's should not go directly onto the skin. I use EO's in my soaps & PSO's. They smell great because there is nothing like the real thing. But I can not say that they have added anything in terms of skin care. (At least not that I have experienced) EO's that I have used include lavender, spearmint, eucalyptus,, cedar, pink grapefruit & blue spruce. Some have other helpful properties, such as repelling insects (e.g. citronella, cedar, eucalyptus) or creating a cooling sensation that can provide minor pain relief (such as eucalyptus, camphor & menthol.)
