| Keeping Your Skin Healthy Through A Summer Of | | | | particularly sensitive, Blue Tansy will be a great addition |
| Sun Exposure | | | | to your recipe. |
| We all do our best at keeping ourselves and our kids | | | | Everlasting, also known as Helichrysum essential oil, is |
| saturated with the best Sunscreens. But even mothers | | | | this skin healing super-power. Included in almost every |
| with the best of intentions may sometimes miss an | | | | medical-grade skin healing land, Helichrysum includes an |
| application for themselves or their children. Some | | | | array of natural anti-inflammatory and regenerative |
| damage is cumulative; it creeps up on us bought | | | | constituents. It is an absolute must for terror of mature |
| through years and years of exposure to the Sun's | | | | skin, or when skin has really been over-exposed to the |
| rays. UV light is well known to cause a cascade of | | | | Sun's rays. It has a great many other uses as well, and |
| oxidative radical formation within our skin's tissues, thus | | | | will be a welcome addition to your aromatherapy |
| leading to long-term degradation of collagen and other | | | | medicine chest. |
| proteins. Damage does not only occur while we are in | | | | A newcomer on the block is Sea Buckhorn, the oils is |
| the Sun -- much of it actually happens in the hours | | | | cold-distilled from the berries of a bush found in |
| after Sun exposure. Free radicals form upon first | | | | Eastern Europe. Sea Buckthorn 'CO2 Extract' is now |
| interaction with the Sun's rays, and 'cascade' into | | | | found in many of the world's most exclusive skincare |
| various different forms until they've been quenched by | | | | products, and is very cost-effective when added to |
| our own natural antioxidant defenses. Fortunately, | | | | your own creations. It's sweet fruity aroma is very |
| simple home-made aromatherapy formulas can | | | | appealing, and its deep red color indicates the many |
| effectively do the job as well. | | | | beta-carotene compounds naturally occurring in this oil. |
| Therapeutic grade essential oils all have antioxidant | | | | Sea Buckhorn is highly-recommended for addition to all |
| activity. Many oils have exceptionally high 'oxidative | | | | daily-use aromatherapy skin care blends, and is |
| radical absorbance capacity' readings found through | | | | particularly suited for an after-Sun formulation. |
| laboratory testing. From the hard work of scientists, | | | | You also have the option of adding other |
| we can select essential oils that will have beneficial | | | | active-ingredients like natural vitamin E and fat soluble |
| effects on our skin, not only through their antioxidant | | | | vitamin C to your mixture. You can simply empty or |
| protection, but through other skin healing actions as | | | | two capsules into each ounce of blend that you make. |
| well. A recent journal publication reported that the | | | | All these ingredients will be based in natural 'carrier oils'. |
| essential oil of Myrrh did even better than a potent | | | | Carrier oils are common seed and nut oils like |
| man-made antioxidant at quenching singlet-oxygen | | | | Avocado, Apricot Kernel, Evening Primrose, Jojoba, |
| free radicals generated by UV exposure. And all we | | | | Hemp, and the specialty skincare oils Tamanu and |
| have to do is rub a little of this precious oil into our skin! | | | | Rosehip seed. Any of these oils alone will work |
| Making your own formula can be fun, and it's really | | | | wonderfully, though you can use two or more together |
| easy to do. You only need to select a few essential | | | | to provide a synergy of healthy action for your skin. A |
| oils that will be best for your skin type (or the skin of | | | | general-purpose formula may include Avocado and |
| your children or other loved ones) and blend them into | | | | Jojoba; a potent formula for extra skin health support |
| a natural carrier oil base. The oils absorb particularly | | | | might include Evening Primrose, Tamanu, and Rosehip |
| well into the skin within a few minutes, without any 'oily' | | | | seed. |
| feeling -- leaving the skin with a healthy glow. The | | | | Once you've chosen which essential oils and carrier |
| essential oils are easy to choose: Lavender essential | | | | oils you'd like to use, just add 10 to 15 drops of each |
| oil, particularly Lavendula angustifolia, may be your first | | | | essential oil per ounce of carrier oil mixture. For |
| choice when blending for your kids. Lavender has a | | | | example, you might use one-third parts each Jojoba, |
| great many healing properties for the skin; it is | | | | Tamanu and Rosehip seed, and to this add 10 drops |
| syngergistically anti-inflammatory, regenerative, and | | | | each of Sea Buckthorn, Helichrysum and Blue Tansy. |
| soothing at the same time. It is perfect for general | | | | This is a very potent, effective (and nice smelling) |
| skincare and after-Sun use, and is called for by many | | | | formula for those with the most concern for the Sun's |
| aromatherapists in cases of Sunburn. | | | | effect on their skin. For a more simple formula, |
| For even greater anti-inflammatory effect, try Blue | | | | perhaps for your children, you might use just Lavender |
| Tansy, also known as Moroccan chamomile. It's deep | | | | and Sea Buckthorn in a Jojoba base. These oils are |
| blue color is indicative of its natural cooling effect. It has | | | | particularly gentle, and should be suitable for even the |
| an absolutely delicious aroma, smelling like a berry | | | | most sensitive, youthful skin. Use your intuition as a |
| patch deep in the forest. Blue Tansy is included in | | | | guide, blending with lower concentrations for the young |
| many natural health skincare formulas for all sorts of | | | | ones. Whatever formulation you choose, it is sure to |
| dermatitis including itchy allergic reactions which often | | | | have a positive effect on the long-term skin health for |
| occur in the summer heat. If you or your child's skin is | | | | you and your family. |