The "basic" essential oils in skincare:
(Madeleine teaches a basic tool kit of ten essentials, all readily available and quite effective. In this lesson she reviewed their best known uses, and mentioned some that I had forgotten. Emphasis on paliative skincare:)
Blue Chamomile and CO2 (known to us as German Chamomile)
Recommended for sensitive and irritated skin, for itching, *allergic reactions* (we reach for Blue Tansy and recommend this more readily available "blue oil". Adjuvant for oncological ulcers. She recommends combining the Total CO2 extract and the distilled oil for more effective healing. There was a question about candida and other fungal diseases. German chamomile will not kill the fungus, it is not anti-fungal, but will definitely help with the inflammation that results and should be added to anti-fungal blends for this reason.Roman Chamomile
Recommended for dry eczema, and for psoriasis and scaling skin. (I tend to reach for Roman Chamomile as a relaxent and don't think of it for skin care.)Geranium
Madeleine says this is the most versatile essential oil for skincare. Powerful anti-fungal, star at wound healing, effective against Staph, Strep, and MRSA. Use for infected wound. Calming to the nervous system, use it in blends for scarring in nerve-rich areas. Safe at up to an 8% dilution (although I would patch test first, geraniol is a component of the "Fragrance Blend" used in allergy patch testing.) Use for ear infections in an inhaler. Did you know that if an oil is inhaled through the mouth, not the nose, that it goes directly to the inner ear and can help combat both infection and pain? Neither did I! (Need to remember to add this to our Personal Inhaler description.)
Ginger CO2
Use for skin with poor circulation, directly on Stage 1 decubitus (bed sores) or around stages 2 to 4. Best use: Stimulating surface circulation, use at 0.25% to 0.5%, best diluted in either St. John's Wort Macerate/infusion or in Sesame oil.Lavender
"For anything that needs soothing." She recommends diluting in food grade Aloe Vera Gel for use around an ostomy bag, puncures sites, etc. for any site that skin is subject to irritation. Acne and infected acne. (perhaps with Geranium?)Sweet Marjoram
Anti-oxidant and antibacterial. Use for any sort of skin infection. Add to bandaid/bandage, use to cover the wound. ie, add to the dressing, not directly to the wound itself. Use for infected wounds, necrotic tissue (to help with the smell) ulcers and abcesses. Madeleine recommends a blend of Lavender, Helichrysum, Geranium and Sweet Marjoram to add to wound dressings, to clear infections and speed healing.Peppermint
Cooling, pain from wound edges, post herpetic pain, itching. Low dilution!Pine, Scotch
(May substitute other conifers.) Use at very low dilution, for candida, for peripheral vascular disease. for poorly perfused skin.Other valuable oils for skincare, outside of the basic 10:
Benzoin
An alcohol extract, not a true essential oil. (My note, any "pourable" benzoin is diluted in a solvent, important to know what the solvent is. Most common are phthalates.) Anti-inflammatory, useful addition to an anti-bedsore cream. Treating scars. Use at less than a 1% dilution.Helichrysum
Has a cortisone-like effect without the side effects.. Use for the swelling of lymphedeme. Any sort of inflammation. Swelling of mucous membranes. Anti-histamine.Manuka
Strongly recommended instead of tea tree. Milder, less prone to oxidation. Effective against MRSA and fungal infections. Madeleine cautions us never to use teatree on mucous membranes, that it stings. Manuka is much gentler yet more effective.
Neroli
Highly skin soothing, painrelieving. Use for skin irritation, and redness, helps control perspiration. For clinicians - infiltrates and extravasation may be treated by a 1% dilution of Neroli in food grade Aloe Gel.
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