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Home > Skin & Beauty > 8 Best Essential Oils for Skin Problems and How to Use Them

8 Best Essential Oils for Skin Problems and How to Use Them

August 31, 2022 - Updated on September 2, 2022
7 min read
By Sarita Sanke, MD | Dermatology

In this article:

  • Why Use Essential Oils for Skin Problems?
  • Some of the Best Essential Oils for Skin Problems
  • Things to Know When Using Essential Oils
  • Final Word

Essential oils are plant extracts that contain all the natural compounds and properties of the plant. They are popularly used for medicinal purposes, aromatherapy, and skin care.

essential oils for treating different skin problems

Read on to take a better look at essential oils and their dermatological uses. (1)

Why Use Essential Oils for Skin Problems?

Essential oils are known for their natural antioxidant and therapeutic qualities. They have been widely used in traditional medicine to cure diseases and infections, especially skin-related conditions.

Currently, around 100 essential oils are used in skin care. Most of these are recommended for the treatment of acne and other skin infections due to their potent antimicrobial and antiseptic properties.

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Note: Always perform a patch test before using essential oils as they are potent and can irritate the skin.

Some of the Best Essential Oils for Skin Problems

Here are some of the most widely used essential oils for treating skin issues:

1. Tea tree oil for sensitive skin and acne

tea tree oil for managing sensitive skin and acne

Tea tree oil is one of the most popular essential oils. It contains a compound called terpinen-4-ol, which exhibits strong antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory qualities.

Hence, tea tree oil is recommended as a potential cure for skin infections that cause acne, seborrheic dermatitis, etc. (2)(3)

How to use:

  • Add a few drops of tea tree oil to your bath water and soak in it for 10–15 minutes every day.
  • Alternatively, add a couple drops of tea tree oil to 1 teaspoon of carrier oil, and apply the oil blend to the affected area.

2. Lavender essential oil for wound healing

lavender essential oil can help accelerate the wound healing process

Lavender essential oil is another potent remedy for skin infections (especially those caused by fungi). (4)

Lavender has been used in many Asian and European countries since ancient times to promote wound healing and skin regeneration. (5) It contains strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. (6)

How to use:

  1. Mix a few drops of lavender essential oil with 1 teaspoon of carrier oil.
  2. Apply the mixture to your skin.
  3. Let it rest for 10 minutes before washing off.
  4. Repeat at least twice a day.

3. Chamomile oil for dry skin

chamomile essential oil usage can help improve dry skin

Chamomile is a medicinal herb known for its calming properties. It has powerful anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and analgesic (pain-relieving) qualities.

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Hence, chamomile can help provide relief from skin inflammation and irritation in people suffering from acne, dermatitis, rashes, and other skin infections. (7)(8)

How to use:

  1. Add a couple of drops of chamomile oil to ½ tablespoon of any carrier oil.
  2. Massage it on the affected skin.
  3. Repeat twice a day.

4. Eucalyptus oil for skin allergies, bruises, cuts, and wounds

eucalyptus oil can help manage skin allergies, bruises, cuts, and wounds

Eucalyptus oil is another popular traditional medicine remedy for several ailments. It contains antioxidant, anti-allergic, and anti-inflammatory properties that can help provide quick relief from painful wounds and bruises.

An active compound, 1,8-cineole is present in eucalyptus oil and helps suppress allergic reactions and heal skin allergies. (9)

How to use:

  1. Dilute eucalyptus oil with a carrier oil such as coconut or olive oil.
  2. Apply it to the affected area.

5. Lemon grass oil for fungal infections

lemongrass oil can be helpful in treating fungal skin infections

Lemongrass oil contains citral, a compound that has antifungal and antibacterial properties. It is used in many natural skin care formulations to treat acne and other conditions. (10)

How to use:

  • Add lemongrass oil to your bath water to help treat fungal infections.
  • Alternatively, add a few drops of lemongrass oil to a carrier oil and apply the mixture to the affected area twice a day.

6. Peppermint essential oil for sunburn

peppermint essential oil can help soothe sunburns

Peppermint essential oil contains anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can help soothe irritated skin. It also has a high SPF value and protects your skin from sunburn.

How to use:

  1. Mix a few drops of peppermint oil with coconut oil.
  2. Apply the mixture to areas affected by sunburn to promote healing.

7. Geranium essential oil for wrinkles

geranium essential oil can help with wrinkles

Geranium essential oil is filled with many antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds such as geraniol and citronellol. (11)

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It can help preserve the elasticity of your skin, promote collagen synthesis, and prevent wrinkles. It has also been found to be useful in treating skin conditions such as eczema and dermatitis. (12)

How to use:

  1. Add 3–4 drops of geranium oil to a carrier oil such as coconut oil.
  2. Massage this mixture over the affected area twice a day.

8. Juniper essential oil for cellulite

juniper essential oil usage can help manage cellulite

Juniper essential oil is touted as a natural way to prevent fat accumulation and cellulite in women. It also helps fight inflammation and fungal infections. (13)

How to use:

  1. Add a few drops of juniper essential oil to 1 tablespoon of coconut oil.
  2. Massage the mixture on the affected area.

Things to Know When Using Essential Oils

Keep these things in mind when using essential oils:

  1. Essential oils are highly concentrated and can be harsh on the skin. Always dilute them with a carrier oil before application.
  2. Make sure that the essential oils you are using are authentic as they are usually not regulated by the FDA. Buy them from trusted sources only.
  3. Always perform a patch test before applying essential oils to your skin.

Final Word

Essential oils have become the new rage in skin care town. Although they have been around for ages, there has recently been an upsurge in their popularity and sales.

Essential oils have natural anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. They help fight infections and treat a number of skin conditions from allergies to acne.

References
  1. Orchard A, van Vuuren S. Commercial Essential Oils as Potential Antimicrobials to Treat Skin Diseases. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2017;2017:4517971. doi:10.1155/2017/4517971.
  2. Pazyar N, Yaghoobi R, Bagherani N, Kazerouni A. A review of applications of tea tree oil in dermatology. Int J Dermatol. 2013;52(7):784-790. doi:10.1111/j.1365-4632.2012.05654.x.
  3. Enshaieh S, Jooya A, Siadat AH, Iraji F. The efficacy of 5% topical tea tree oil gel in mild to moderate acne vulgaris: a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled study. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2007;73(1):22-25. doi:10.4103/0378-6323.30646.
  4. Ayaz M, Sadiq A, Junaid M, Ullah F, Subhan F, Ahmed J. Neuroprotective and Anti-Aging Potentials of Essential Oils from Aromatic and Medicinal Plants. Front Aging Neurosci. 2017;9:168. Published 2017 May 30. doi:10.3389/fnagi.2017.00168.
  5. Samuelson R, Lobl M, Higgins S, Clarey D, Wysong A. The Effects of Lavender Essential Oil on Wound Healing: A Review of the Current Evidence. J Altern Complement Med. 2020;26(8):680-690. doi:10.1089/acm.2019.0286.
  6. Behmanesh F, Pasha H, Sefidgar AA, et al. Antifungal Effect of Lavender Essential Oil (Lavandula angustifolia) and Clotrimazole on Candida albicans: An In Vitro Study. Scientifica (Cairo). 2015;2015:261397. doi:10.1155/2015/261397.
  7. Stallings AF, Lupo MP. Practical uses of botanicals in skin care. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2009;2(1):36-40.
  8. Srivastava JK, Shankar E, Gupta S. Chamomile: A herbal medicine of the past with bright future. Mol Med Rep. 2010;3(6):895-901. doi:10.3892/mmr.2010.377.
  9. Nakamura T, Yoshida N, Yamanoi Y, et al. Eucalyptus oil reduces allergic reactions and suppresses mast cell degranulation by downregulating IgE-FcεRI signalling. Sci Rep. 2020;10(1):20940. Published 2020 Dec 1. doi:10.1038/s41598-020-77039-5.
  10. Boukhatem MN, Ferhat MA, Kameli A, Saidi F, Kebir HT. Lemon grass (Cymbopogon citratus) essential oil as a potent anti-inflammatory and antifungal drugs. Libyan J Med. 2014;9:25431. Published 2014 Sep 19. doi:10.3402/ljm.v9.25431.
  11. Narnoliya LK, Jadaun JS, Singh SP. The Phytochemical Composition, Biological Effects and Biotechnological Approaches to the Production of High-Value Essential Oil from Geranium. Essential Oil Research. 2019;327-352. Published 2019 Mar 9. doi:10.1007/978-3-030-16546-8_12.
  12. Lohani A, Verma A, Hema G, Pathak K. Topical Delivery of Geranium/Calendula Essential Oil-Entrapped Ethanolic Lipid Vesicular Cream to Combat Skin Aging. Biomed Res Int. 2021;2021:4593759. Published 2021 Sep 11. doi:10.1155/2021/4593759.
  13. Höferl M, Stoilova I, Schmidt E, et al. Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Properties of Juniper Berry (Juniperus communis L.) Essential Oil. Action of the Essential Oil on the Antioxidant Protection of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Model Organism. Antioxidants (Basel). 2014;3(1):81-98. Published 2014 Feb 24. doi:10.3390/antiox3010081.
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