How Oil Transformed My Skin
I've struggled with acne for as long as I can remember and it has affected my self-esteem for almost as long. As a teenager I tried everything. From harsh chemicals like benzyl peroxide to natural alternatives like acupuncture. I visited naturopaths, dermatologists, doctors and iridologists. I applied zinc creams, tea-tree oil and every chemist-brought pimple cure that saturated my teenage media streams. I cut out dairy and started the pill. I hate to think how much money I spent.
Finally, after many years on the pill, I was in my twenties, on the other side of puberty and finally my skin seemed to settle somewhat. I went off the pill (that's a whole other story) and, like horrible magic, my spots and related self-esteem issues came flooding back. My experiments began once again. I would buy a cleanser, toner, moisturiser combo then give them up a few weeks later when my skin either remained unchanged or, in some cases, got much worse.
I had heard talk of people using oil on their face and I was surprised to hear of something I hadn't tried throughout my decade of experimental cures. I gave it a go with what I had on hand and discovered that coconut oil, while delicious and with many benefits, does not agree with my face. Some googling told me it probably wasn't just me and that perhaps I should have done some research before slathering myself in the stuff. A while later I tried rosehip oil and was pleasantly surprised. Within a few weeks the tiny whiteheads caused by my latest moisturiser experiment had cleared.
After purchasing some DōTerra Essential Oils, I wondered if they too could be incorporated into my oil routine. I began mixing a few drops of Frankincense into my rose hip oil and found the perfect concoction. Not only did the Frankincense thin the consistency of the rose hip oil nicely, it smelt divine and my skin seemed to glow, even it was just a little.
My routine these days looks like this:
Morning
* Cleanse with a five cent piece amount of Sukin Cream Cleanser
* After letting my face dry, mix two drops of rose hip oil and one of DōTerra Frankincense in my hand and apply gently a thin layer all over my face
Night
* Cleanse with a five cent piece amount of Sukin Cream Cleanser (because I don't wear makeup, this is more than enough to get my face clean. It's taken me a long time to realise that your skin doesn't need to feel dry and stiff to be clean.)
* After letting my face dry, mix three drops of rose hip oil and two of DōTerra Frankincense in my hand and apply gently, but liberally, all over my face and neck.
Additionally
* Once a week I gently scrub my face with a ten cent piece of Sukin Revitalising Facial Scrub. Sukin is one of the brands I brought the cleanser, toner, moisturiser combos in my experimental phase. While the moisturiser did horrible things to my skin, the other products seems to work well and, while I know there are more natural alternatives out there, I'm not ready to mess with a skin-care regime that finally works.
* Twice a week (or sometimes twice a fortnight, depending on when I remember) I use EcoTan Face Tan Water instead of my oil mixture in the morning. I simply cover a cotton pad with the Face Tan Water and wipe all over face and neck, being careful not to miss any patches (because nobody wants white eyebrows on a bronzed face). It gives me a little bit of colour and also seems to calm my skin down, especially if I'm breaking out at the time, and because it's non-comedogenic I don't need to worry about it clogging my pores. EcoTan is an Australian made and owned company that uses certified organic ingredients so I feel good about using it. Additionally, the Face Tan Water has won Cosmopolitan Magazine's 'most innovative beauty product' award so my teenage self would be pleased.
DōTerra Oils are distilled to create therapeutic-grade quality. They're also a company with a pretty lovely humanitarian focus so I'm more than happy to cover my skin in them. Ever heard the expression "when in doubt...Frank." Neither had I until I started my essential oil research. Frankincense is referred to as being the 'king of oils' and has been said to cure a whole number of ailments. More specifically, frankincense is used to promote peace and wellness and has skin-healing benefits. It rejuvenates the skin and reduces the appearance of imperfections.
When combined with the brightening properties of rosehip oil, I'm not surprised I'm left feeling fresh and glowy. Rose hip is full of fatty acids that help our skin repair itself. It can also enhance the appearance of scars which, for someone who has suffered from acne for such a long time, is essential.
At night, because I apply more oil, I tend to look a little oily for a few minutes but the combination soaks in quickly and leaves me feeling moisturised but not greasy. I still break out once a month but every now and then somebody tells me I have nice skin and my teenage self heals a little. And every time I look in the mirror and my skin is smooth, I glow a little from the inside out. Who knew that after years of scrubbing oil from my face, I'd be applying it liberally and loving it.
