Have you tried using oils on your face? Yuck! No! Never! No way! It will cause my face to break out with pimples! It will make more oily skin more greasy! Not in this hot tropical weather!
I hear you. And I have some very good information why oils, particularly plant oils which are not only BENEFICIAL for the health of your skin and are ESSENTIAL in maintaining your skin lipid (natural oils) levels. I use a blend of facial oils as a moisturiser and for facial massage too. I literally coat my body with body oils every morning and night. I swear by oils as a body moisturiser for my children too especially after their swimming lessons, you know how dry our skin gets after a swim in the heavily chlorinated pools!
Broad use of oils on our skin
The usage of oils (plant or animal) have long existed in ancient times. Oils were used for religious and beauty purposes. Olive oils are the most commonly used plant oils in ancient times and records included the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, used the oils for cleansing and as an emollient to protect their skin from the harsh weather. Cleopatra loved coating herself with olive oils which she also used as hair removal with an ancient blade-like tool. Herbal oils are a big part of Indian Aryuvedic, Indonesian Jamu, Thai Herbalism holistic healing and the list goes on.
Essential fatty acids for our skin
Many if not all plant oils provide us with Essential fatty acids (EFA) and these are building blocks for our immune health. We can get EFA through our food and also by applying topically on our skin to replenish our deficiencies in fatty acids. Did you know that if our body is low in fatty acids, dry skin can occur.
Here is a simple breakdown of the essential fatty acids for optimum skin health:
• Oleic acid (Omega 9) is a monounsaturated fatty acid. It is commonly found in Sweet Almond oil, Camellia oil, Argan oil, Acai, Buriti to name a few. Oleic acid helps to maintain the skin's suppleness. It offers anti-inflammatory and regenerative properties.
• Linoleic acid (also known as Omega 6) is a polyunsaturated fatty acid. Cranberry seed oil, Raspberry seed oil, Strawberry seed oil and Watermelon seed oil are some oils that contain Linoleic acid. It helps to nourish the skin with it's quick absorption into the epidermis.
• Alpha-Linolenic acid (Omega 3) is a super-unsaturated fatty acid. We can find them in Chia seed oil, Raspberry seed oil, Sacha inchi seed oil, Strawberry seed oil, etc. The alpha-linolenic acid with it's anti-inflammatory function helps to relieve itchiness, redness and also irritation on the skin. It is a protective and nourishing EFA.
• Gamma-Linolenic acid (GLA) is an Omega 6 fatty acid. Borage oils, Evening Primrose oil and Black Current seed oil are some oils high in GLA. This fatty acid is highly prized for it's regenerative properties and offer much relief to problematic skin conditions such as eczema, dermatitis and psoriasis.
How to use oils on your skin
You can use it as a facial moisturiser, facial cleansing oil, body oil and massage oil. A few drops will do the trick to moisturise your skin and maintain optimum skin health on a daily basis. Once you have discovered the beauty of using oils on your skin, you will never leave home without them!
Try our non-comedogenic facial oils Omega Booster facial oil (suitable for combination to dry skin) and Balancing Prebiotics facial oil (suitable for combination to oily skin) for a good balance of Oleic acid, Linoleic acid, Alpha-Linolenic acid for promotion of well-moisturised and healthy skin barrier. Your skin deserve a healthy glow!
Extra reading:
http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/micronutrients-health/skin-health/nutrient-index/essential-fatty-acids
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7373078
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21088453
For educational purposes only. This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
