To oil or not to oil? One for inflammation, another to detoxify the skin. There’s no denying that there are way too many essential oils out there, and everything may not be useful to you. We spoke to Dr Kancan Pandey, a health practitioner and Dr G. P. Kaushal, a dermatologist, and got to know more about essential oils.
The best bit about essential oils is that they’ve actually been around for a long, long time. Made from plant extracts of flowers, leaves and seeds, these oils have always undertaken the taxing task of bettering our skin. Here are some oils that you can definitely add to your list of essentials for some TLC.
Tea Tree Oil
One of the most common oils, tea tree oil comes from the leaves of Melaleuca alternifolia. Tea tree oils are best used for treating acne attributing to their anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial properties. It quells the inflammation and redness. It also reduces acne scarring.
Eucalyptus Oil
Derived from the leaves of the eucalyptus tree, the leaves are crushed, dried and distilled to extract the robust properties of the oil. Enriched with eucalyptol (cineole), it’s brimful of anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, pain-relieving and aromatic chattels. It soothes the sunburns and protects the skin from infections.
Lavender Oil
Extricated from the plant of Lavandula Angustifolia, lavender oil harps of thriving features. Fortified with anti-inflammatory properties, it keeps any sort of swelling at bay. It also soothes the itchy, blotchy patches of dry skin, eczema, and also detoxifies the skin and prevents wrinkles from leaving a pleasant scent behind.
Sandalwood Oil
Chandan or sandalwood oil is gleaned from the Santalum Album tree, which is native to India. Chandan is one of the most quintessential parts of the Indian skincare routine. Teemed with puissant astringent, anti-ageing and disinfectant traits, it shields the skin from wrinkles, scaling, flaking, dry skin and crackling. It also works wondrous on blackheads and removes blemishes as well.
Neroli Oil
Obtained from the Citrus Aurantium tree, also known as a bitter orange tree, neroli is replete with skin fortifying characteristics. It is gainful in reducing stretch marks, psoriasis, eczema and acne. It eliminates the free radicals, microbes and cleanses the bloodstream. It also functions to truncate redness from the breakouts.
Lemongrass Oil
Quite obviously, the oil is extracted from the lemongrass tree, another indigenous to India. And, brings a fragrant whiff and will leave your skin gleaming. It fights acne, oily skin, and purifies the skin from within. It contains limonene, a substrate that lightens and brightens the skin. Also pumped with antioxidants, it combats free radicals that are the main concern in the rapidity of blemishes.
