It’s summertime again, and time to break out the sunscreen to help protect our skin and keep it happy and healthy. Much of the unwanted effects from sun over-exposure are due to the generation of free radicals in our dermal layers — a process that continues long after we’ve stepped out of the sunlight. Inflammation and tissue damage occurs on a cellular level, and long term sun damage can result if this occurs frequently. Fortunately, we can apply antioxidant and anti-inflammatory formulas topically to keep our skin happy and healthy after sun exposure.
Some essential oils are among the most potent natural antioxidants known, with ORAC values of over 100,000. All essential oils have some level of antioxidant activity, and each used in skin care is selected for its unique skin care properties. For example, a study just released by French scientists note that Myrrh essential oil has a profound oxygen quenching effect on free radicals produced by the interaction of UV rays and the skin’s sebum. Myrrh is one of many oils found in recipes for “mature” skin.
Creating a personal formula tailored to your family and children is especially fun and satisfying. Making an after-sun skincare formula is as easy as adding a few drops of one or more essential oils to a natural carrier oil base. That’s all it takes! The first and most obvious choice for an after-sun formula is lavender essential oil. We all know that lavender began the modern aromatherapy revolution by healing burns that were caused in an accident — and it will have the same effect on skin inflamed by the sun. Lavender can be used full strength on severe sunburns, and included at low concentrations with other oils for daily use.
Blue tansy is a wonderful essential oil that is frequently used for its anti-inflammatory action in skin care. Blue tansy is seen in many blends for dermatitis and skin irritation, and it will impart its deep blue cooling nature in your after sun healing recipe. It has a lovely ‘blueberry patch in the forest’ aroma loved by everyone who comes across it. It will also reduce allergic reactions that give us itchy skin in the summertime. Use in relatively small concentrations, of approximately one to two percent in your overall formula. If blue tansy is not readily available, blue chamomile is a perfect substitute.
Everlasting, also known as Helichrysum essential oil, is a skin healing super-power. Included in almost every therapeutic-grade skin healing blend, Helichrysum contains an array of natural anti-inflammatory and regenerative constituents. It is an absolute must for mature skin, or when skin has really been over-exposed to the sun’s rays. It has a great many other uses as well, and will be a welcome addition to your aromatherapy medicine chest.
Sandalwood and frankincense are two exotic oils often found in skin care formulas having properties especially suited to helping your skin recover from sun exposure. Both oils have been researched for their anti-cancer activity; sandalwood in particular has been found to be protective when applied before exposure to UV rays, and is very likely to be supportive after exposure as well. Frankincense is considered one of the most broadly therapeutic essential oils of all, with anticancer activity, and proven support for mature skin care. These features add up to a very protective oil for those spending a good amount of time in the sun.
Finally, a lovely essential oil that should be perhaps be in every aromatherapy skin care formula is Sea Buckthorn. This oil is extracted from tiny red berries from a bush wildly grown across Europe. This fruity smelling, deep red oil is dense with vitamin A – like nutrients for the skin which dramatically increase healing and regeneration rates. You’ll see this oil recommended in nearly every skincare formula these days — it can help in conditions ranging from acne to dermatitis, from general skincare to improving the appearance of healthy mature skin. Sea Buckthorn has even been studied for the protection of astronauts’ skin from the powerful raise beyond the Earth’s atmosphere — how’s that for a recommendation?
You also have the option of adding other active-ingredients like natural vitamin E and fat soluble vitamin C to your mixture. You can simply empty or two capsules into each ounce of blend that you make. When seeking vitamin E, naturally made vitamin E with high levels of “gamma-tocopherol” is best. The oil-soluble form of vitamin C is also known as ascorbyl palmitate.
All your “active-ingredients” will be based in carrier oils. These are cold-processed seed or nut oils carefully made for therapeutic applications. The most useful for after-sun formula are jojoba, avocado, apricot kernel, tamanu, and rosehip seed oils. Jojoba, avocado, apricot kernel are soothing, hydrating, and nutritive. Tamanu and rosehip seed are specialty skin care oils are particularly suited to this use. Tamanu is mentioned in the medical aromatherapy literature as called for in various wound healing and skin care recipes; Rosehip seed has been the subject of numerous studies, helping create healthy skin numerous and diverse conditions. Rosehip has been specifically indicated for reduction of appearance of fine lines from sun over exposure.
The recipes are really flexible and easy to make. You can easily tailor them to your own needs, or to those of your children and other loved ones. Simply choose one or more essential oils and add them to your carrier oil mixture at the rate of between 14 and 35 total drops per ounce. The idea is that you want to have a total essential oil concentration of somewhere between 2 and 5%. Seven drops of essential oil in one once of carrier oil equals a one-percent concentration.
For example, for an excellent one ounce blend, begin with a carrier base of one-third Rosehip seed, one-third tamanu oil and one-third avocado. To this you could add 14 drops each of lavender and sea buckthorn, and 7 drops blue tansy. This blend will smell so wonderful; you’ll want to use it all the time! It will be gentle enough for everyone who has had a happy day in the sun. For after-sun protection and care of mature skin, use a base of one-third each apricot kernel, tamanu and rosehip seed. To this add equal parts each of helichrysum, sea buckthorn, lavender, and myrrh. This blend should be used after any long-term sun exposure to really protect your skin, and give it a long-lasting healthy glow. Now you get the idea, you can easily mix and match the oils in any combination that suits you best.
The author is a consultant for Ananda Aromatherapy. Find more resources are available on aromatherapy supplies & essential oil blends through the website.
