The topic of essential oils in skincare products has long been debated. Some say they are dangerous and over the longterm can damage your skin, and others say they are therapeutic and have the ability to heal and repair your skin.
As a consumer, I can share my personal experience of using skincare products containing essential oils for well over two decades. Essential oils aren’t only found in natural skincare products, but also mainstream products too. I’ve had both amazing results using products containing essential oils, and also terrible reactions.
The worst reaction I’ve ever had to essential oils is getting a deep burn from a product.
The best results I’ve had using skincare products containing essential oils is fading stubborn melasma, and accelerated healing of breakouts and spots.
As you can see, I’ve had the extremes of both good and bad reactions.
With that being said, I’m not against essential oils being in some skincare. But, at the same time, I’m extremely cautious with what products I use, what essential oils they contain, where they come from, and what other skincare products and active ingredients I use simultaneously.
And that’s what I want to share with you today. I don’t want to get into the debate if essential oils are good and safe for the skin or not, that’s something you need to decide for yourself.
Instead, I want share my “safety” guidelines I follow to protect my skin from a bad reaction or photosensitivity from essential oils.
But first, I need to be clear about one thing. I don’t advocate making your own face care products with essential oils (body care and hair care treatments can be safer). Essential oils are concentrates, they’re super strong. I don’t believe in risking hurting your face from a DIY recipe. When it comes to using skin care containing essential oils, I recommend purchasing your products from brands and professional formulators that have a good reputation and expertise, and use quality ingredients.
If you are currently using product(s) containing essential oils, and you want to make sure you get the benefits, and not setting yourself up for a bad reaction, check out today’s video (at the top of the post).
In today’s essential oils video I go over:
- What skincare products and ingredients you should never use in your skincare routine if you are using skincare products containing essential oils?
- Can active ingredients like retinoids/retinols, AHAs, salicylic acid, or benzoyl peroxide be used at the same time as using products containing essential oils?
- What skin types should avoid essential oils?
- If you were to choose just one product containing essential oils, what would be the safest for your skin?
- What if all the products in your skincare routine contain essential oils (like your cleanser, toner, serum, moisturizer)? Is that ok, and is there a way to make sure you don’t overburden your skin?
- What about some essential oils causing photosensitivity, what essential oils should you avoid, and how to better protect yourself?
More on essential oils
4 Comments
Hi Natasha,
thank you for this cool and informative video (and also for all the posts you share with us), I really love your site 🙂
xo
M.
Thank you Mariane for watching 🙂
hi natasha !
I am loving your website ! I have recently started a detox phase where I followed your advice to only use raw , unfiltered, organic honey during the morning and night to cleanse my skin (so far so good !) However, I was wondering what your thoughts are on using a few drops of 100% jojoba oil mixed with one drop of tea tree oil as an occasional moisturiser/ serum .
Thank you
Mariana, 22 years old, combination skin.
Hi Mariana,
I’m so happy the honey is working out for you! You can use jojoba oil as a moisturizer but I wouldn’t add the tea tree oil to it. I find tea tree oil is too strong to use all over your face. You can use the tea tree oil as a spot treatment on pimples at night, but not all over you face.