We’ve compiled a list of the best essential oils for dry skin this winter for you to incorporate in your daily skincare routine!
It’s very common for the skin to become dry and flaky during winters. Due to dryness of the season, the skin loses all it’s moisture to the atmosphere and starts to become rough, itchy, and even cracked at certain spots. This can happen on your face, legs, arms, or anywhere in your body.
If you see such spots on your skin, then it’s time to hydrate your skin. Of course, you can drink water to keep yourself hydrated but since our body doesn’t sweat in winters so we don’t need much water in winters. But it’s recommended to keep yourself hydrated by drinking the optimum amount of water. There are many great essential oils to hydrate your skin and get rid of dry and flaky skin naturally. But which are the best ones that you can use this winter?
Best Essential Oils for Dry Skin This Winter
1. Lavender Essential Oil
Lavender essential oil is very useful in treating rough, dry, or irritated skin. It is derived from the lavender plant and benefits the skin in numerous ways. It has the ability to reduce wrinkles, reduce fine lines, lessen acne, and even help in skin lightening.
2. Frankincense Essential Oil
It soothes dry and flaky skin, even aids in skin cell regeneration, heal the skin, and get rid of irritations. In winters its common to see fine lines on the skin, Frankincense Essential Oil helps in fighting off fine lines, reduces the appearance of wrinkles, age spots, and scars.
3. Rose Essential oil
It has anti-inflammatory properties that heal dry and flaky skin by proving much-needed moisture in winters. Rose essential oil soothes the skin and promotes good skin health. It even reduces the burning sensation or irritation of the skin.
4. Geranium
Geranium essential oils are effective in eliminating dead skin cells, promote skin regeneration, and even fights the signs of aging. It has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties and is very good for your skin. You can even apply this powerful essential oil to your face, it balances the sebum production, evens the skin tone, tightens the skin, and even eliminates the bacteria that causes acne and eczema.
5. Sandalwood Essential Oil
Sandalwood essential oil has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and anti-proliferative properties. It can soothe your skin and keep it hydrated. Also, it can be a good alternative treatment for acne, eczema, psoriasis, and other skin related problems.
6. Chamomile
Chamomile essential oil has strong anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial properties. It can be applied topically on the skin to get rid of inflamed and cracked skin in winters. One of the most common tea ingredients can really help your skin this winter.
7. Cucumber Seed Essential Oil
Just like cucumber, it’s extracted essential oil also can hydrate your skin. It can help you in reducing fine lines and wrinkles.
8. Patchouli
It has anti-inflammatory properties to soothe your skin. It can help you get rid of cracked skin which is pretty common in winters. Common winter skin conditions like dry hands, chapped and cracked lips, rough skin, these all skin conditions can be eased using Patchouli Essential oil.
9. Vanilla
The niacin, thiamin, and pantothenic acid found in the vanilla essential oil help in promoting overall skin health, keeping skin clear of acne, pimples, and getting rid of free radical damage. It is rich in antioxidants. It also prevents and reverses skin damage. It’s good for your hair also, Vanilla Essential Oil contains Vitamin B which is important for shiny and healthy hair.
10. Jasmine Essential Oil
Jasmine essential oil’s scented smell has a calming and soothing effect on our skin as well as to the mind. It helps in hydrating your skin and keeping it young and radiant. Its antibacterial properties help the skin heal faster.
Note: Avoid using Jasmine Oil during Pregnancy
11. Helichrysum essential oil
One of the most potent essential oil to be used for skin. It’s anti-microbial, anti-biotic, and regenerative compounds promote new skin cell generation. Helichrysum essential oil speeds up the process of healing wounds, burns, and rashes.
It will keep your skin hydrated and with its anti-aging properties, your skin will be young and radiant even in the winters.
12. Carrot Seed Essential Oil
Studies have shown that carrot seed essential oil has antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant properties. It can speed up the healing of dry, chapped, and cracked skin while balancing the moisture of the skin. It may even help in reducing fine lines and wrinkles.
How to Use Essential Oils for Dry Skin
Essential oils are concentrated compounds extracted from plants. Never apply them undiluted because it may cause irritation and may have a drying effect on the skin, it could worsen the situation.
They are diluted into a carrier medium such as plant or vegetable oil which increases the action of the essential oils to heal and soothe. Other methods of diluting them include adding them to a good quality unscented lotion of your choice.
Don’t think of using these oils as your carrier oil, especially in winters:
- Lemongrass oil
- Tea tree oil and
- Cinnamon oil.
These oils can dehydrate your skin, defeating the whole purpose.
So, which carrier oils can be used?
Oils like coconut oil, almond oil, olive oil, apricot kernel oil, shea butter, jojoba oil, argan oil, and rosehip oil could be the perfect carrier mediums in winters.
Mix 2-3 drops of essential oil with the same quantity of carrier oils. Don’t add more than 3-4 drops of essential oil since they are concentrated and adding more won’t do any good but can make it worse.
You can start experimenting with different combinations of essential oil with different carrier oils. Our choice of carrier oil is Jojoba Oil. You can try different permutations and combinations of essential oils and carrier oils but first always perform a patch test!
Please Note: Before applying any essential oil do a patch test first. Apply it on a patch of your hand and observe if you are allergic or have any problem with that oil. Try some other oil from the above list of best essential oils for dry skin this winter, if you are allergic to one.