Here is a comprehensive list of essential and base oils that are used in skin care products:
ALMOND OIL
Made from: Pressed almonds
Useful for: Moisturizing lotions, creams, balms. Can be used straight as a moisturizer on its own or as a carrier base for essential oils.
Benefits for skin: High fatty acid concentration so very moisturizing and great for itchy inflamed skin
ANISE SEED OIL
Made from: Essential oil of anise
Useful for: A warming stimulating oil that is used for scenting skin care products and lip balms
Benefits for skin: Fragrance
Cautions: Avoid using if pregnant or epileptic and can irritate sensitive skin
APRICOT KERNEL OIL
Made from: Essential oil apricot kernels
Useful for: A moisturizing soothing base for serums, moisturizers and cleansers
Benefits for skin: Light moisturizer, penetrates into skin well, moisturizing, delivers other ingredients deep into skin.
AVOCADO OIL
Made from: Avocados
Useful for: Creams, lotions, face masks.
Benefits for skin: Penetrates skin well and contains fatty acids as well as vitamins. It prevents moisture evaporation.
ARGAN OIL
Made from: Argan nuts
Useful for: Hair, skin and scalp moisturizer and conditioner
Benefits for skin: Moisturizer topically applied will not only help to soften up your skin, but it also helps with ski problems. The polyunsaturated fatty acids as well as the vitamin E are good antioxidants which promote oxygenation within the cells neutralizing adverse effects of free radicals. Protective and renewing. Good penetration properties.
BASIL (SWEET)
Made from: Essential oil
Useful for: Great for hair, scalp and stimulating hair growth
Benefits for skin: Like Rosemary oil it has hair growth stimulating properties and is antibacterial so helps with scalp pimples and irritation
Cautions: Avoid if you are pregnant or epileptic
BERGAMOT
Made from: Essential oil (orange citrus scented)
Useful for: Creams, lotions and balms for acne prone skin and relaxation
Benefits for skin: Great for acne and boils
Cautions: Avoid while pregnant or epileptic and avoid too much sun
CASTOR OIL
Made from: Made from castor oil plant
Useful for: Lip gloss, lipsticks and on cracked heels etc
Benefits for skin: Very moisturizing glossy agent in makeup
CALENDULA
Made from: Flower petals (an essential oil)
Useful for: Healing anti inflammatory balms and kids, similar to chamomile
Benefits for skin: Great for windblown chapped lips and skin. Especially soothing for sensitive or damaged skin
CALOPHYLLUM OIL
Made from: Seeds of a native Tahitian tree
Useful for: Oils blends for analgesic, anti inflammatory purposes for scarring, burns, chapped skin, eczema and psoriasis
Benefits for skin: Soothing calming healing oil
CARROT SEED OIL
Made from: Carrot seeds
Useful for: Facial serums, eye treatment creams
Benefits for skin: Saggy wrinkled sun damaged skin. High in vitamin A so good for all skin types. Regenerating, rejuvenating essential oil that stimulates circulation and aids in repairing and toning the skin while increasing skin elasticity, helping reduce wrinkles.
Cautions: Avoid while pregnant or epileptic and avoid too much sun
CEDARWOOD
Made from: Essential oil of cedar
Useful for: Insect repellent
Benefits for skin: Biting insect deterrent
CHAMOMILE (GERMAN)
Made from: Chamomile flowers (tea and essential oil)
Useful for: Calming irritated skin and itching
Benefits for skin: Calms babies rashes, toning skin and lightening hair. Good for normal or dry skin. Chamomile is great for Inflammation and is renowned for its cosmetic and conditioning benefits to skin and hair. It makes a great conditioner for hair and also enhances color in blond and red hair. Splash your face with chamomile tea a few times a week to add a glow to your skin.
CINNAMON
Made from: Cinnamon bark
Useful for: Fragrance for balms and lotions
Benefits for skin: Smells nice but can be irritating
CITRONELLA
Made from: Essential oil of citrus
Useful for: Natural insect repellent
Benefits for skin: Biting insect deterrent
COCONUT OIL
Made from: Coconuts
Useful for: An emollient and used in creams, lotions and on its own to penetrate skin
Benefits for skin: Softening and moisturizing
STARFLOWER (BORAGE) OIL
Made from: Starflower plant
Useful for: Anti ageing moisturizing serum
Benefits for skin: Very moisturizing anti ageing smoothing oil
EUCALYPTUS
Made from: Essential oil of Eucalyptus trees
Useful for: Acne related facial masks and clearing sinus passages
Benefits for skin: Antiseptic, antibacterial and sinus clearing. Cools the skin (tingling sensation)
EMU OIL
Made from: Emu oil
Useful for: Creams, on its own, in blends and face masks
Benefits for skin: Hypoallergenic, anti inflammatory, antibacterial and moisturizing. Also good for scars and stretch marks
EVENING PRIMROSE OIL
Made from: Evening primrose pressed oil
Useful for: Serums, moisturizers and straight application. Dietary supplement
Benefits for skin: Hormone balancing, great for reducing acne, breakouts and skin smoothing. Balances skin sebum so you have the right amount of oil production in your skin.
FENNEL
Made from: Essential oil
Useful for: Toning, steaming, cleansers and toners. Makes a good foot scrub and body cleanser too
Benefits for skin: Deodorizing, moisturizing and refreshingly sweet
FISH OILS
Made from: Fish oil and packaged in capsules
Useful for: Meals and dietary supplement
Benefits for skin: Omega 3 Vitamin B oils are great for all aspects of skincare. Moisturizing, plumping and making your skin glow.
FRANKINCENSE
Made from: Essential oil
Useful for: Addition to moisturizers, lotions and carrier oils applied to skin
Benefits for skin: For tired, sagging, blemished skin. Helps heal skin and is great to add to a blend for mature, acneic or mature skin. Encourages skin cell growth.
GOTU KOLA (BRAHMI)
Made from: Gotu Kola leaves
Useful for: Removes excess oils from skin and hair
Benefits for skin: Balancing skin and improving mental function/memory
GRAPE SEED OIL
Made from: Grape seeds pressed oil
Useful for: Add to carrier base oils, moisturizers, masks
Benefits for skin: Moisturizing, penetrating (takes ingredients deep into skin) protective. Rich in antioxidants and OPCs, otherwise known as oligomeric proanthocyanidin complexes. A little too greasy for very oily skin.
GERANIUM
Made from: Geranium flowers and plant oil
Useful for: Facial masks, sebums and moisturizers
Benefits for skin: Repairs damaged exposed skin and helps balance sebum production
GINGER
Made from: Ginger root (fresh or oil)
Useful for: Facial masks and scrubs
Benefits for skin: Stimulates circulation and enlivens the skin. Renews cells and gives a tingling sensation
HAZELNUT OIL
Made from: Hazelnuts
Useful for: Facial serums and moisturizers
Benefits for skin: Very moisturizing
HYDROSOLS (FLOWER WATERS)
Made from: Byproduct of essential oil distillation process
Useful for: Spray spritzing bottles, toners and for hydration. Can be added to moisturizers and toners.
Benefits for skin: They are generally very gentle and soft for your skin
There are many hydrosols listed below:
Chamomile: Soothing calming floral type fragrance, good for sensitive irritated weathered or mature skins.
Clary sage: Perfect for dry and aging skin, clary sage relieves skin problems associated with hormone issues and menopause.
Rose: Balancing astringent properties, again good for sensitive irritated or environmentally damaged skin.
Lavender: An astringent, calming and has antiseptic qualities so its good for acneic or irritated skin and wind or sunburnt skin.
Neroli: Freshly fragranced (orange blossoms) good for sensitive irritated or environmentally damaged skin as well as acneic or irritated and wind or sunburnt skin.
JOJOBA OIL
Made from: Jojoba seeds
Useful for: On its own its a great moisturizer but can be added to moisturizers, creams or as a base oil to add other essential oils to.
Benefits for skin: Moisturizing, great for hair skin and nails. Mimics skins sebum and helps deliver other ingredients in skin care products deep into the skin.
JUNIPER OIL
Made from: Juniper berries
Useful for: Creams, lotions and oils
Benefits for skin: Balances oily and acneic skin as well as cellulite
Cautions: Avoid if pregnant epileptic and can irritate skin if too concentrated
KARANJA OIL
Made from: Bark of tree related to Neem oil
Useful for: Adding to base oils and creams and insect repellants
Benefits for skin: Relief for itching, wounds, antibacterial and insect repelling. Anti bacterial and anti fungal
LANOLIN
Made from: Sheep gland secretion
Useful for: Emollient and waxy type moisturizer ingredient
Benefits for skin: Good for dry skin and is an emulsifier (absorbs moisture)
LAVENDER OIL
Made from: Essential oil or leaves and flowers
Useful for: teas and infusions or added to base oils and moisturizers, lotions, creams and masks
Benefits for skin: Calming for sensitive irritated or itchy skin. Lavender is great in cleansers and toners for acneic skin also
MACADAMIA OIL
Made from: Macadamia nuts
Useful for: Facial masks and oil blends
Benefits for skin: Soothing, moisturizing and mimics skins sebum
MANUKA OIL
Made from: Manuka tree
Useful for: Creams butters, lotions, acne masks
Benefits for skin: Has good antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties providing an effective natural acne treatment
MYRHH
Made from: A tree resin
Useful for: Facial masks and lotions
Benefits for skin: Antiseptic, antibacterial and anti fungal. Great for infections too. Balances and adds hydration. Aids with removal of toxins and promotes tissue repair.
NEEM OIL
Made from: Bark of Neem tree
Useful for: Adding to base oils and creams and insect repellants
Benefits for skin: Relief for itching, wounds, antibacterial and insect repelling. Antibacterial and anti fungal. Also has a low SPF but smells very strong so not popular as a sunscreen
NEROLI OIL
Made from: Blossom of the bitter orange tree
Useful for: Masks and oil blends
Benefits for skin: Stimulates cells and aids in repairing broken capillaries. Increases elasticity of mature skin so good for wrinkles and sagging skin.
OLIVE OIL (EXTRA VIRGIN)
Made from: Olive tree pressed oil
Useful for: Facial masks, moisturizing blends of oils, cleansers and scarring blends
Benefits for skin: Moisturizing, scarring, stretch marks, contains loads of vitamins and minerals for skin and hair
ORANGE OIL
Made from: Orange juice, rind (peel), flesh and oil from skin
Useful for: Facial masks, cleansers, toners, creams and lotions (oil)
Benefits for skin: Astringent, antioxidant. Good for oily skin and cellulite
Cautions: Not recommended if pregnant, epileptic or after sun exposure
PARSLEY OIL
Made from: Parsley leaf or oil
Useful for: Infusions, facial masks, moisturizers and lotions
Benefits for skin: Astringent, soothing and healing especially for skin with acne, psoriasis, eczema. Also used regularly in oil blended form can reduce red veins
PATCHOULI
Made from: Essential oil
Useful for: Facial masks and oil blends or serums
Benefits for skin: Promotes and stimulates new cell growth. Calms red or inflamed skin.
PEPPERMINT
Made from: Peppermint leaves or oil
Useful in: Cleansers, facial masks and scrubs
Benefits for skin: Cooling stimulating and refreshing. Good for oily or normal, combination and acneic skin. Also good for foot scrubs as its deodorizing
ROSE OR ROSE OTTO OIL
Made from: Flower petals
Useful for: Hydrosols, spritzers, cleansers, toners, moisturizing lotions and creams as well as in oil blends.
Benefits for skin: Astringent, great for mature or damaged skins and regenerates and renews cells. Excellent hydration properties and promotes skins elasticity
ROSE HIP (BOIS DE ROSE)
Made from: Rose hip seeds
Useful for: Facial masks, moisturizers, oil blends especially
Benefits for skin: Loaded with fatty acids so has powerful anti aging and repairing qualities for damaged lackluster skin. Very healing, softening and rejuvenating. Rich in omega acids to rejuvenate aged and sun-damaged skin, and penetrates the skin quickly.
ROSEMARY OIL
Made from: Rosemary oil or leaves
Useful for: Scrubs, lotions, oil blends and facial masks
Benefits for skin: Antiseptic and antibacterial, good for itching, acne and problem skin. Refreshing, stimulates skin and circulation, it’s mildly astringent so is also good for oily skin.
SAFFLOWER OIL
Made from: Safflower seeds pressed
Useful for: Base oil for blends and as a base for moisturizers, creams and lotions also
Benefits for skin: Good base moisturizer as it’s high in fatty acids and also as an antioxidant because of the high levels of A, D and E it contains. Penetrates well into skin and can be a little heavy for oily skins
SANDALWOOD
Made from: Sandalwood tree oil
Useful for: Facial Masks and oil blends
Benefits for skin: Balancing and nourishing
SAGE
Made from: Sage leaves or oil
Useful for: Facial masks, infusions and teas.
Benefits for skin: Antibacterial for acneic and oily, combination and normal skin
SESAME OIL
Made from: Sesame seeds
Useful for: Scrubs, exfoliators, facial masks, moisturizers and healing moisturizing oil blends
Benefits for skin: Loaded with vitamins A and E so good for repairing damaged skin and has some SPF protection. Normal to dry skin benefits best from this oil and penetrates deep into skin tissues.
SOYBEAN OIL
Made from: Soy beans
Useful for: Base oil for blends and as a base for insect repellant
Benefits for skin: Good base moisturizer
SUNFLOWER OIL
Made from: Sunflower seeds pressed
Useful for: Base oil for blends and as a base for moisturizers, creams and lotions also
Benefits for skin: Good base moisturizer as it’s high in fatty acids and also as an antioxidant because of the high levels of A, D and E it contains. Penetrates well into skin and can be a little heavy for oily skins
TEA TREE (MELALEUCA OIL) OIL
Made from: Tea tree
Useful for: Facial masks, cleansers, acne treatments, scrubs, moisturizers, in base oils and lotions
Benefits for skin: Numerous benefits for problematic or acneic skin. Antibacterial, anti fungal and anti viral as well. Great for cuts, sores, grazes and in insect repellants
THYME
Made from: Thyme leaves or essential oil
Useful for: Facial masks, cleansers, acne treatments, scrubs, moisturizers, in base oils and lotions
Benefits for skin: Problematic or acneic skin and antibacterial, anti fungal skins. Good from treating rashes and itching
VITAMIN E OIL
Made from: Vitamin E capsules
Useful for: Addition to base oils and moisturizers, lotions and creams. Has preserving qualities. Also use in face masks our on its own
Benefits for skin: Antioxidant
WHEAT GERM OIL
Made from: Fresh wheat germ
Useful for: Facial masks serums and moisturizers
Benefits for skin: Good for very dry skin, nourishing for sensitive skin due to the high fatty acid contact and vitamin content
YARROW
Made from: Leaves and flowers
Useful for: Infusions and facial masks
Benefits for skin: Good for oily acneic problem skin or cuts and grazes
These essential oil excerpts are taken from Natural Homemade Facemasks And Skincare Recipes
OZNaturals- Vitamin C Serum For Your Face Contains Professional Strength 20% Vitamin C + Hyaluronic Acid - Anti Wrinkle, Anti Aging Serum For A Radiant & More Youthful Glow! ALLURE MAGAZINE'S Best In Beauty Vitamin C Serum - Widely considered the most effective Vitamin C serum available - Helps stimulate the production of collagen for smoother texture and even skin tone ANTI AGING SERUM Protects Skin from free radical damage and helps reverse damage caused by previous sun exposure USING THE HIGHEST concentration of natural and active ingredients possible giving you beautiful skin in eco-friendly ways Fragrance-free UNIQUE Vitamin C serum contains a proprietary blend of 20% Vitamin C and Astaxanthin |
Organic Body Care Recipes: 175 Homemade Herbal Formulas for Glowing Skin & a Vibrant Self. Radiantly healthy skin, hair, feet, hands, eyes, and nails. Recipes for hand and footcare, nail treatments, shaving cream, and even popular spa treatments such as microdermabrasion exfoliants, detox and cellulite soaks, ayurvedic oils, and herbal cold salves. |
Natural Home Made Skin Care Recipes: Three steps to great looking skin with everyday ingredients. Enjoy beautiful clear glowing healthy skin every day! Natural Home Made Skin Care Recipes are simple to make and completely natural, yet many are so powerful they can erase wrinkles, blemishes, blackheads and uneven skin tone, leaving your skin looking and feeling radiant. |