There are many products available on the market. But when it comes to natural facial moisturisers, even many of these include ingredients with long scientific names leaving me wondering if they are all natural. And in any case it can be tempting to go with a product with "scientifically-proven" claims, and ingredients like stem-cell-derived growth factors or other scientific molecules. Sometimes the all-natural products cost similar to the "scientifically-proven" products. When I used to see that, I used to think I was getting more for my money from a scientifically-formulated product.
I had wanted to make a gradual shift to all natural products for home, beauty and health for a long time, simply because of the effort of detoxification routines. A lot of people seem to do detox programs regularly nowadays; but if I could avoid becoming toxic in the first place, maybe all this detoxification effort would not be needed? It did however take me awhile to make the commitment to all natural skin care for dry face.
Discovering therapeutic-grade essential oils was what made me finally switch. These are beautiful not just for dry skin, but also for mind and spirit. Essential oils make sense for skin because they are fat-soluble, and can work themselves deep into the skin (which composed of lipid, i.e., fat). Plants have also co-evolved with humans on Earth for millions of years. So it seems plausible that the pure oils produced inside plants and trees are designed to protect them from wind, bacteria, fungi and other environmental factors; the same factors that affect our skin every day.
There are so many different essential oils for dry skin. Aromatherapy text books and PhD theses that I have read teach that your own sense-of-smell is an important guide to choosing an essential oil for any purpose, whether it be dry skin, relaxation or support for pain. If the aroma of an essential oil is pleasant for you, it is more likely to have a meaningful impact on your wellbeing.
I use a lot of different essential oils on my skin. But my tendency to use health economics, value for money and multi-tasking as my criteria when I shop, means that sandalwood oil is my favourite, and is worth mentioning here as a possible starting point for anyone searching for natural skin care for dry face:
- Renowned for its woody and sweet aromas, sandalwood has been widely used for its spiritual and uplifting qualities in temples to deepen meditation.
- A 2014 aromatherapy textbook that I read states that there is a high demand for the oil and that overharvesting has severely depleted the legal supplies (90% of India's supply and 20% of Australia's supply have been subjected to poaching apparently). But suppliers of essential oils that work with growers directly to create sustainable farming-practices, and reward them very fairly for their hard work growing the Santalum album tree species (which is the most renowned source of sandalwood oil) are saving the day.
- I use this oil daily morning and evening as part of my natural skin care for dry face routine.
- The fact that it is also wonderful to use in the bath for exhaustion, during yoga and pilates to deepen my movement practices, and to provide self-care at home for mild bouts of rashes and a few other niggly health issues (note: always check with a healthcare practitioner to decide if self-care at home is appropriate), makes it versatile and super good value.
For more information on natural skin care for dry face get my free e-book "Simple All Natural Strategies to Support Your Health and Vitality". Click here: http://www.rejuvenation-business.com
