The selection criteria depends not only on the type of cosmetic or product that we are going to prepare but, above all, on the type of skin and the problem we want to treat.

The skins are generally classified as dry or oily. Combination skin, many times, is normal or sensitive skin that is not totally uniform and whose treatment must be, in many cases, an intermediate treatment. Sensitive skins are usually the ones that suffer the most dermatological affectations such as couperose, dermatitis, spider veins and facial blemishes, etc.

When we formulate a cream to hydrate and nourish the skin, we must take these characteristics into account, and include the appropriate vegetable and essential oils to treat it.

Thus, for example, if we want to make a facial cream with a sun protection factor, it will be convenient for us to choose carrier oils with biological protection filters.
Among the best base oils for this need, we will have those of: karanja, buriti, macerated urucum oil, and monoï oil, and, to a lesser extent, sesame, coconut and olive oil. To help us avoid stains and prepare our skin for the sun, we have oils with a high content of carotenoids such as carrot or apricot.

If, in turn, we use the appropriate essential oils synergistically, we will be able to increase the biological photoprotection factor exponentially. For example, if we combine carrot carrier oil with an EA of raspberry seeds whose photoprotection index is quite high, then we will have a mixture or “synergy” with interesting photoprotection properties.

COSMETIC PROPERTIES OF BASE OILS

The best oils to treat mature skin are argan, damask rose, wheat germ, evening primrose, borage, perilla, camelina, rosehip and carrot.

With avocado, argan and almond oils we will treat, above all, dry skin.

If, on the other hand, our skin is oily, the best treatment oils will be those of jojoba, hazelnut, babassu, safflower and evening primrose (the latter due to its hormone-regulating capacity).

If we have sensitive skin, perhaps also with problems with couperose or dermatitis, it would be better to use nigella oil, calendula oil or hemp oil.

And if we suffer from psoriasis, neem oil will be our best ally.

If what we want is to make a treatment cream for tired legs, orange peel, or even to improve the microcirculation of our face and reduce the visibility of our dark circles, then it would be better to use the recognized calophyll or tamanu oil because of its circulatory properties, or also calendula oil.

The action of these base oils will be reinforced if we include in our recipe the essential oils that reinforce the action we intend to achieve.

For example, to treat sensitive skin, we will use oils such as calendula, hemp or nigella that we can combine with essential oils such as feverfew or noble chamomile, mint, cedar, patchouli or ylang ylang. We know that these essential oils, combined with the appropriate butters and vegetable oils, reinforce their action by calming and softening sensitive skin or those affected by dermatitis and itching.

In a synergy to treat oily skin we will use, for example, a serum with jojoba oil and essential oil of rosemary, lemon, tea tree or lavender.

OLEOGELES in which natural aloe vera gel is combined with vegetable oils and essential oils are also of great help to treat oily skin and to regenerate unsightly scars, blemishes and small wounds.

If to prepare our Oleogel we also use rosehip oil, which is known to all for its regenerative capacity for spots and skin scars, then we will reinforce the repairing effect of aloe vera gel. Together with an essential oil of rockrose, sandalwood, Egyptian geranium, or even lavender, the effect we are looking for will be enhanced.

 

THE PROPERTIES OF THE DIFFERENT ESSENTIAL OILS IN NATURAL COSMETICS

The main EO for treating couperose, spider veins, and facial flushing are Helichrysum, Cedar, Cypress, Patchouli, Carrot, and Rockrose (Cistus ladaniferus). These EOs are both firming and anti-wrinkle due to the elasticity they confer on the skin.

Eucalyptus radiata is an effective anti-dandruff in shampoo preparations.

Black spruce (picea mariana) soothes dermatitis, as do feverfew and mint.

Cedar is especially effective in treating wet eczema.

Atopic dermatitis is usually accompanied by itching. When it comes to antipruriginosis treatments, patchouli and mint, as well as feverfew and noble chamomile (which is also antihistamine and anti-inflammatory) are the best. Ylang ylang also soothes dermatitis and fights associated itching, as well as strengthening hair.

The mint also fights the heaviness of the legs, as well as the cypress, which has a clear circulatory effect.

Lavender, (Spica and Angustifolia), is more indicated to soothe the bites of insects. Lavender in general calms and relaxes the nervous system, and is both healing (the best remedy against both accidental and sunburns).
Lavender, and also lavandin, are generally good for cleansing the skin and fighting acne and pimples.

For psoriasis, myrrh EO, combined with a carrier oil, is also a good choice.

Egyptian geranium (pelargonium asperum) is a good skin astringent, detoxifier and regulator that acne-prone skin also appreciates. With it, facial and purifying masks are prepared.

Rockrose (cistus ladaniferus) is also used in firming and anti-wrinkle treatments with remarkable success.

In the case of mycosis and toenail fungus or vaginal and oral candidiasis (fungi), etc. the best EOs for treating these problems are tea tree and niauli. They also treat cold sores and cold sores and skin acne. Niaouli works in much the same way as tea tree.

With toenail fungus, oregano EO is also especially effective.

Grapefruit and lemon EOs are used to combat cellulite as they eliminate subcutaneous fat, detoxify and give firmness and elasticity to the skin.

Lemon also whiten teeth. Lemon is a good treatment for oily hair and skin, as is rosemary, and also lavender. You just have to be careful with exposure to the sun as both are photosensitive.

Rosemary verbenone is especially effective against oily dandruff and cellulite.

Laurel is a basic remedy to purify and treat oily and abscessed skin as it has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. Its aroma is also delicious.

Jasmine can be used on all skin types, also the most delicate as it helps soothe irritations. In addition to being moisturizing, it provides elasticity to the skin. It is used to improve the appearance of stretch marks and scars, as well as acne and rashes or eczema.

Damascene rose, although expensive, is the best EO for treating mature skin.

Carrot (daucus carota) lightens blemishes and blemishes on the face and evens out the complexion.

In case of hair loss, the best AE are those of ylang ylang, spruce, rosemary and cinnamon.

Cellulite, orange peel skin and dark circles due to poor circulation are treated with the base oil of calophyll and the essential oils of helichrysum, rosemary, sage, lemon and grapefruit.

In general:

To regulate sebaceous secretions – Geranium, lavender and palmarosa

With anti-aging and toning properties – Orange blossom, incense and bitter orange

For oily and acne skin – Tea tree, cedar and rosemary

 

We hope you liked our entry, and that you leave us a comment.

WHY WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF OUR SKIN

The skin is our most voluminous organ and, at the same time, a double entry barrier. On the one hand, it isolates us from the environment, but, on the other, it is the organ that keeps us in contact with our environment and therefore needs special care.

It is a living organ with the capacity to regenerate, it is waterproof, resistant and flexible, it breathes and remains active 24 hours a day, performing all kinds of fundamental actions for our body. The skin is a vital organ for the human body that works as a protective barrier against the outside thanks to its complex cellular and immunological mechanisms, it takes care of us of diseases, extreme temperatures and injuries such as blows and burns. She selects and filters what is harmful to our body and takes what is beneficial. Regulates our body temperature and synthesizes vitamin D through exposure to sunlight.

As you know, this vitamin, which is so necessary to keep our bones and tissues healthy, is not abundant in food, hence the importance of using adequate sunscreen. We wanted to start on the blog with this topic of sunscreens and therefore we include a recipe for sunscreen cream without chemical filters or endocrine disruptors.

ABOUT SUN PROTECTION

Summer is coming and the sun is shining in all its intensity. However, we all want to go to the beach and the mountains to enjoy life outdoors. So, we have decided to write some tips on sun protection.

The sun creams that we usually find in the market usually contain a high percentage of sun protection filters, mostly chemical filters. These chemical filters have the advantage that our skin absorbs them relatively well and that they are easy to apply, but they also have many drawbacks, as we will see below:

-They damage the skin: There seems to be more and more controversy regarding conventional sunscreen creams. There has been an increase in skin and lip cancers in recent years, which are associated with the use of sunscreen with chemical filters. Apparently, these sunscreens do not form a protective barrier between our skin and the sun as we might think, but that ultraviolet rays penetrate the skin and protection is done thanks to reactions that take place in our skin. The danger is that since we don’t have the sensation of burning, we can stay in the sun for hours, but since ultraviolet rays do penetrate our skin, they end up damaging our cells. And of course, the sun is cumulative and the cells of our skin have a memory effect.

-They work as hormonal disruptors: Many of you already know what endocrine disruptors are, but for those who don’t, we will tell you that they are substances that have the ability to alter our hormones. This is a very serious issue and one that deserves our full attention. For example, there is a study linking a type of sunscreen, called benzophenone, to an increase in women with endometriosis problems. Retinol palmitate and oxybenzone are also apparently disruptive.

-They harm the environment: Chemical filters are not biodegradable, in fact, it is estimated that 4,000 tons of these chemical filters are deposited and accumulate on the seabed every year. According to a study by the EHP (Environmental Health Perpectives) carried out by Professor Donovaro in different parts of the world; It was concluded that sunscreens with chemical filters have a negative impact on coral reefs. Today it is estimated that more than 60% of coral reefs are in poor condition. Many marine animals live and depend on these reefs, so they too would be affected. In some marine reserves, such as the Tulum Biosphere Reserve in Mexico, the use of sunscreens with chemical filters is prohibited. And let’s not lose sight of the fact that these sun creams, apart from sunscreens, contain other substances (parabens, phenoxyethanol, silicones …) that should also be avoided.

In our experience, if we really want to take advantage of the time of solar exposure to synthesize vitamin D, it is best not to wear anything that prevents the synthesis of vitamin D. Of course, you have to take precautions such as avoiding the central hours of the day, wearing clothes cotton and straw hats to protect our face and eyes, maybe use some natural oil to hydrate the skin. The massive use of sunscreens is perhaps the reason why today everyone is deficient in vitamin D and this is not only the case in countries that receive few hours of sunshine per year, by the way. What is clear is that, if we cannot respect these rules and we have to expose ourselves dangerously to solar radiation, it is important, if we want to get away from the dangers of skin cancer, that we use a natural sunscreen cream whose possible formulation we detail below.

And there is an alternative to chemical filters that are physical filters, also called mineral filters. They are zinc and titanium oxides. Unlike chemical filters that interact with the skin to protect us, these filters make a reflective protective layer on the surface of the skin like a mirror or screen. We are only going to use zinc oxide in our formulations because there are also studies carried out on rats in titanium dioxide that the nanoparticles of titanium dioxide are able to cross the skin and reach the nervous system with the risk of damaging the brain. Therefore, we think, it is better to be cautious and use only the protectors based on zinc oxide and, in any case, natural bronzers based on biological filters of vegetable photoprotective oils, which, although they will not be able to protect us for a long time, neither will they do us any harm.

These biological filters, although their level of protection is lower than that of mineral filters, have the advantage of nourishing and hydrating our skin, favoring a soft tan. They are vegetable oils and extracts that protect the skin avoiding cellular oxidative stress and the alteration of our skin immune cells.

Among the biological filters are: vitamins A, C and E, flavonoids, ferulic and caffeic acids, vegetable oils such as carrot, jojoba, argan, coconut, avocado and shea butter, aloe juice, coffee, buriti (which is an oil with a protection factor as high as that of raspberry oil that we will talk about later), pomegranate, known for its high antioxidant power.

SOME RECIPES:

As prevention, the simplest measure that we can implement to protect ourselves from the sun’s rays is a simple water spray spray in which we will dilute the mint and lavender EAs. These essential oils have a sunburn prevention effect and refresh the skin. Peppermint is not only refreshing; it also prevents the skin from itching. Lavender, in synergy with mint, prevents our skin from burning.

We can, for example, dilute 20 drops of each essential oil in a spray spray with a content of about 250 ml of water. Simply, it will be enough to spray ourselves in the exposed areas when we go for a walk in the summer sun, to prevent us from burning ourselves.

And we can make a very simple cream with a mineral filter such as zinc oxide, the protection factor of which will be somewhat higher, thus preventing us from burning ourselves when we go to the beach or the country. Of course, it will be necessary to always avoid the central hours of the day and long exposures, as we already know. With the sun, prudence will be the most appropriate measure to take care of our skin and maintain adequate levels of vitamin D.

Basic sun protection cream with SPF of approximately 30:

A simple sunscreen recipe whose effectiveness is due to the physical mineral protection action of zinc oxide is this that we detail below. When smearing this cream on the skin it will leave it a little white, but that is normal because it is the protective screen effect of zinc oxide. As long as our skin remains white, we will not burn. In addition, this cream is in itself quite waterproofing and does not usually go when bathing in the beach or the pool.

Ingredients:

40 gr of sesame oil

15 grams of beeswax

15 grams of zinc oxide

We will melt the beeswax in a bain-marie and add the oil and zinc oxide. It is important to beat very well with a rod so that the ingredients mix well.

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