In astronomical terms, the start of summer can be defined very precisely: it begins on the summer solstice, which occurs this year on June 20th (today). I’m a huge believer that we move through life in alignment with the rhythms and cycles of nature. And so, when we arrive to the season of summer, we often need to begin to contemplate a whole different skincare routine to that of our winter one – so that we synch with the natural world and Mama Earth’s seasons.
Summer, in particular, can bring challenges like excess oiliness or sun-burned dryness, and our skin can lack hydration, creating premature aging and wrinkles. Whilst there are so many benefits to having some sun exposure – like topping up our Vitamin D and improving our mental-emotional health – Summer is generally also a time where our skin can take a bit of a bashing – if we don’t contemplate how to protect and nourish it.
Of course, nature also normally grows the medicine cabinet we need most – just when we need it! For example, you’ll often find Arnica growing right in the mountains, because it’s a remedy for bruising. The same goes for plants that we source our essential oils from – there’s a cyclical wisdom to them. So, our ‘summer’ growing essential oils often become the ones that are able to be the medicine for our skin, to help it stay balanced.
So, let’s explore how to create glowing summer skin, harnessing nature’s own remedy kit to cleanse, exfoliate, tone and hydrate – whatever your skin type!
Which oils suit your skin condition?
Before we even get to the ‘how’, it’s firstly helpful to know what oils are going to suit your skin condition. There’s a lot out there about ‘skin type’ – but our skin can change over time, so it’s helpful to tune into “what is the condition of my skin this summer season?” rather than just assuming it’s doing its normal ‘thing’. Contemplate questions like – is my skin oily, is it dry? Is it oily in some places and dry in another? Is it ageing? Is it sun-damaged? These sorts of questions bring us back into our own bodies rather than trying to fit into a box – and are helpful to ascertain what season our own skin is in.
Next, we want to know what kinds of oils can help the different skin conditions, so that we can begin to get creative with your own blends. So, here’s an exploration of essential oils that can help each type of skin.
Dry skin:
Some of the best oils for dry skin are:
- Rose – this sweet floral essential oil is one of the best skincare oils, and is particularly moisturising, hydrating and soothing for dry and sensitive complexions.
- Lavender – a floral favourite, this oil is soothing and nurturing for dry skin – and also a range of other skin challenges, including oily, damaged, burned and sensitive skin.
Combine with: Rosehip Seed oil (rich in vitamins and essential fatty acids) mixed with a lighter carrier oil like Grapeseed – or Rose Hydrolat.
Combination skin:
There are quite a few oils that overlap and suit dry or oily skin that can be added into all blends:
- Sweet Orange – a fruity, sweet essential oil, Orange has a balancing and toning effect on the skin and can help acne, mature and dry or sensitive skin.
- Geranium – with a rich, floral aroma, Geranium is a deeply balancing oil, which is great for balancing sebum and treating acne – and is also great to heal wounds – it makes a nice toner and cleanser for all skin conditions.
- Palmarosa – with a sweet, lemony, floral aroma Palmarosa is hydrating, balancing for sebum levels and regenerates new cells, making it a beautiful oil for all types of skin.
Combine with: Jojoba oil (most closely resembles the skin’s natural sebum).
Oily skin:
- Helichrysum – with a honey-like aroma, Helichrysum is wonderful for acne and oily skin, given its astringent properties – though it is also great for sensitive skin, healing lines, wrinkles and dark spots.
- Lemon – a sweet, citrus oil, Lemon is great for oily skin and acne – it is photosensitive though, so it’s not to be used in blends before you go out in the sun.
Combine with: Coconut oil or Orange Flower (Neroli) Hydrolat.
Ageing or (sun) damaged skin:
- Frankincense – with a woody, spicy aroma, this calming oil is excellent for rejuvenating and balancing ‘mature’ or ageing skin – sun damage or wrinkled skin. It’s great for scars, and healing wounds, too.
- Carrot Seed – with a dry, earthy, slightly sweet aroma this oil also has excellent regenerative properties that are particularly beneficial for tired, ageing, dehydrated scarred or damaged skin.
Combine with: Aloe Vera Gel.
The ‘glowing summer skin’ routine:
Now we know what oils are good for your unique skin condition, let’s talk about the skincare routine that will help you create glowing summer skin!
In summer season, especially, we can’t just splash water on our face and hope for the best; we really need to be creating a routine of cleansing, toning and moisturising at the very least – and ideally, we would also exfoliate our skin and use a mask once a week.
Here are some blend ideas for your daily skincare routine.
Cleansing:
Whatever your skin condition, cleansing your skin – ideally morning and night – is really vital in the summer. Cleansing will help to keep your skin free of dirt, sweat and impurities, and help balance sebum.
Keep this simple with essential oils:
Use 1 drop of your choice of essential oil (chosen according to your skin condition) mixed in 5ml of Micellar Water.
For example:
- Dry skin, you might use 1 drop Rose in 5ml Micellar Water.
- Oily skin, you might use 1 drop Helichrysum in 5ml Micellar Water.
Each morning and evening, begin your routine by soaking cotton facial pads in the Micellar water, and wiping your face with these, to cleanse your skin. If you prefer a cream cleanser then substitute the Micellar for our Cleanser with Cucumber Extract.
Toning:
To give a deeper cleanse, and to hydrate and balance your skin a little bit more, we then use a toner. I recommend using a natural hydrolat – either Rose Hydrolat for dry skin, or Orange Flower (Neroli) Hydrolat for oily, mixed with an all-round balancing and cleansing oil like Geranium.
Misting: You could also create a bottle of this blend to carry round with you and use as a hydrating mist in the warm summer months – add up to 20 drops of essential oil to 100ml of hydrolat and spritz to keep your face hydrated (if using in the sun, note not to use photosensitive oils).
Moisturising:
Moisturiser is essential for skin, regardless of whether your skin condition is dry or oily. Adding a moisturiser into your daily routine keeps your skin hydrated – which is vital in summer months. Likewise, it’s a misconception that oily skin doesn’t need moisturising, because if we strip it of its natural oils (when cleansing), without adding some hydration, our body is clever enough to think that it needs even more oil, so it will produce more and become even more oily.
Here’s a blend for you, whatever your skin condition:
To keep it simple, you can choose one of our Moisturising Cream or Lotion bases. Creams are better for dry, mature skin, and lotion is better for oily skin.
Mix up to 50ml of your cream or lotion with 5ml of carrier oil (Rosehip, Jojoba or Coconut oil) and add up to 10 drops (total) of your favourite 3 essential oils.
For example:
- Dry skin: add 50ml Moisturising Cream, to 5ml Rosehip oil, and mix in 3 drops Rose oil, 3 drops Lavender and 4 drops Sweet Orange.
- Oily skin: add 50ml Moisturising Lotion to 5ml Coconut Oil, and mix in 5 drops Helichrysum, 3 drops Geranium and 2 drops Palmarosa.
Massage into your skin after cleansing and toning, each morning and night, using light-touch mini circles, in an upwards and outwards direction.
Exfoliation:
It’s also good, ideally once a week, to exfoliate our skin – especially when our skin has been sun damaged during summer (though don’t exfoliate if you have burned your skin recently – leave it to settle down and then exfoliate to remove the peeling skin).
We can exfoliate by creating a glowing skin mask with microfoliant Bamboo Powder which removes dead skin cells, keeping skin glowing and fresh! Aloe Vera Gel and Frankincense are great for sun damaged skin, so I’ve incorporated these into the following blend too.
Combine 3 teaspoons of clay (Kaolin clay for dry skin, or French Green clay for oilier skin), with a ‘quarter’ teaspoon of Bamboo powder. Mix in enough Aloe Vera gel to make a thick paste (perhaps 2 teaspoons) – you could use a few drops of a carrier oil (e.g. Rosehip Seed Oil or Jojoba), if you want to make this more moisturising. Add in 2 drops of Frankincense oil (or your choice of essential oil) and mix well.
Apply to your skin, gently massaging using light-touch mini circles in an upwards and outwards direction. Leave for up to 15 minutes before rinsing off with an exfoliating glove or cotton pads.
Overall, the invitation is to get creative with your oils this summer to help keep your skin glowing and healthy! Enjoy!
Nicole Barton
Consultant Aromatherapist
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