Summer is here and many of us are spending more time out in the sun. And though we may apply sunscreen liberally, at the end of long hot days our skin will still feel the effect of the sun’s rays. Friends in that natural health sciences tell us that most damage from sun exposure to our skin is our result of ultra violet rays creating free radicals within our skins cells. Our skin becomes inflamed as a result. Fortunately, topically applied antioxidants can quench these free radicals, reduce inflammation, and leave our skin with a happy healthy glow. Application of the proper formula can have a marked effect in reducing premature aging for yourself and everyone in your family.
Essential oils are exceptionally potent antioxidants, with some being researched specifically for this activity in our skin. Oil of Myrrh was recently studied for its free radical inhibiting effect specifically in the chemical interaction between UV rays and the skins natural oils. Myrrh has long been used to natural healing, and the studies show evidence of its healing potential. Every essential oil found in skin care formulas has antioxidant action, and each one has a unique skin healing property.
Creating a personal formula tailored to your family and children is especially fun and satisfying. Making an after-sun skincare formula is as easy as adding a few drops of one or more essential oils to a natural carrier oil base. That’s all it takes! The first and most obvious choice for an after-sun formula is lavender essential oil. We all know that lavender began the modern aromatherapy revolution by healing burns that were caused in an accident — and it will have the same effect on skin inflamed by the sun. Lavender can be used full strength on severe sunburns, and included at low concentrations with other oils for daily use.
Blue tansy and German chamomile are somewhat more rare essential oils with profound anti-inflammatory action. Choose one or the other to include at a very dilute amount — only 1 or 2%. Their deep blue colors indicate high levels of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory components which make them an excellent choice for after-sun skin care.
Helichrysum may be the most dramatically anti-inflammatory and regenerative oil used in skin care. While expensive, just a small amount will have important healing effects. Helichrysum is used in wound healing and scar removal blends, and will do just as well for daily facial care for “mature” skin.
Sandalwood and frankincense are two exotic oils often found in skin care formulas having properties especially suited to helping your skin recover from sun exposure. Both oils have been researched for their anti-cancer activity; sandalwood in particular has been found to be protective when applied before exposure to UV rays, and is very likely to be supportive after exposure as well. Frankincense is considered one of the most broadly therapeutic essential oils of all, with anticancer activity, and proven support for mature skin care. These features add up to a very protective oil for those spending a good amount of time in the sun.
Finally, a lovely essential oil that should be perhaps be in every aromatherapy skin care formula is Sea Buckthorn. This oil is extracted from tiny red berries from a bush wildly grown across Europe. This fruity smelling, deep red oil is dense with vitamin A - like nutrients for the skin which dramatically increase healing and regeneration rates. You’ll see this oil recommended in nearly every skincare formula these days — it can help in conditions ranging from acne to dermatitis, from general skincare to improving the appearance of healthy mature skin. Sea Buckthorn has even been studied for the protection of astronauts’ skin from the powerful raise beyond the Earth’s atmosphere — how’s that for a recommendation?
Other additions to your formula outside the realm of common aromatherapy include fat-soluble vitamins. Vitamin E in its natural form can even be squeezed from a capsule — be sure to find it labeled “natural”, as the synthetic form is considered not all that good for you. The fat-soluble form of vitamin C is becoming a very popular skin care ingredient as well. Found as ascorbyl palmitate or “Ester-C”, you can open up the dry capsules of powder and add this to your blend.
All your “active-ingredients” will be based in carrier oils. These are cold-processed seed or nut oils carefully made for therapeutic applications. The most useful for after-sun formula are jojoba, avocado, apricot kernel, tamanu, and rosehip seed oils. Jojoba, avocado, apricot kernel are soothing, hydrating, and nutritive. Tamanu and rosehip seed are specialty skin care oils are particularly suited to this use. Tamanu is mentioned in the medical aromatherapy literature as called for in various wound healing and skin care recipes; Rosehip seed has been the subject of numerous studies, helping create healthy skin numerous and diverse conditions. Rosehip has been specifically indicated for reduction of appearance of fine lines from sun over exposure.
Once you’ve chosen which essential oils and carrier oils you’d like to use, just add ten to fifteen drops of each essential oil per ounce of carrier oil mixture. The important thing to consider is not going over thirty-five drops total of essential oils in each ounce of your final product — the reason being that the essential oils are so potent, that they can become irritating if used at too high a concentration.
Here’s an example recipe: Make 4 ounces of base using one third apricot kernel, one third tamanu, and one-third rosehip seed (you can simply estimate each in an empty 4 ounce bottle). To this, add 56 drops lavender, 28 drops blue tansy, sea buckthorn and sandalwood — include 15 drops of vitamin E and 2 grams of ascorbyl palmitate for that extra nutraceutical enhancement. You can substitute or add any other essential oil you like, noting that in this formula, 28 drops equals a 1% concentration (and the essential oil concentration is already at 4%). While simple, these formulas will reduce inflammation and quench oxidative radical activity in your skin. These oils are gentle enough for family members of all ages, though for the very young ones use only a quarter as much essential oil in the recipe.
More on the healing effects of essential oils can be found at http://www.anandaapothecary.com.
Alternative Medicine
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