15 Best Pure Essentials Oils for Skin & Hair

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Popular beauty products may flood the market but when it comes to true beauty, you know you can always rely on the magic of pure essential oils to keep the skin and hair healthy and lovely. Natural is still the way to go, especially if you want to avoid the risks and worries that synthetic oils and additives bring. To help you find the best oils to look for in beauty products or for your own beauty recipes, here are 15 of the most important and safest pure essential oils to add to your skin care arsenal:

1. Peppermint

Peppermint is a very popular essential oil used in topical lotions, ointments and shampoos. Its aroma has a calming and soothing effect to the senses, hence its use for alleviating headaches and muscle pains. Applied onto the skin, peppermint produces a refreshing feeling, aiding in cooling skin during hot weather. Peppermint also has beneficial antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. When applied onto the skin, it can eliminate certain common microorganisms that may otherwise cause skin infections and irritations.

2. Lavender

Lavender oil has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties, making it effective in fighting acne. It is also used for treating burns and skin inflammations, including those associated with eczema. It helps kill common bacteria on the skin and scalp, thus aiding in the natural detoxification process.

Lavender is also effective as an insect repellant. Mixed with other pure essential oils such as witch hazel, lemon and lemongrass, lavender can help repel biting insects such as mosquitoes and fleas. To top it all, lavender oil even works well for treating insect bites.

3. Sweet Orange

Sweet orange oil is extracted from orange peel and may be used pure, diluted or mixed with other essential oils. It has sedative, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. It can be applied onto uninfected wounds to protect the skin and tissues, and aid in the healing process. It also helps fight bacteria and is a good natural treatment for acne and dermatitis.

Sweet orange oil also provides a soothing effect on itchy, irritated scalp, making it an excellent treatment for dandruff and scalp dryness. Due to its high Vit. C content, the oil will also help improve the health of your hair. It’s an excellent treatment for dry, brittle hair that leaves it smooth, shiny and fragrant.

4. Geranium

Geranium pure essential oil is widely used in cosmetics and food flavoring. The oil has antibacterial, anti-fungal and antiseptic properties, hence its popularity as a topical treatment for acne. Diluted for use as a facial cleanser, geranium oil helps soothe skin inflammation and improve blood circulation. It has excellent cleansing properties, able to remove excess oil, dead skin cells and dirt to improve skin texture and prevent infection. Its antioxidants help improve hair texture, promote natural shine and strengthen hair follicles.

5. Clary Sage

Relaxing, uplifting yet mellow, clary sage essential oil is also an effective antidepressant, antiseptic, astringent, anti-fungal and antibacterial substance. It contains linalyl acetate, a chemical that helps heal skin rashes and reduce skin inflammation. Clary sage oil improves skin texture and appearance by regulating the production of oil, making it ideal for use on oily skin. Due to its high antioxidant content, it may also be effective in retaining the youthfulness of the skin. Its astringent properties also helps tone and strengthen hair follicles, making hair stronger and healthier.

6. Sandalwood

Sandalwood essential oil is highly prized for its distinctly fragrant quality and for its many beneficial properties. It helps prevent pimples and protect sores, boils and wounds from becoming infected. It also hastens healing and has lightening properties that promote smooth, even-toned skin. It is also effective for oil control but due to its emollient properties, it also moisturizes, thus preventing rough, dry skin. It is also known to stimulate healthy hair growth and control dandruff.

7. Carrot Seed

Carrot seed oil is extracted from wild carrot seeds. It is not as popular as other pure essential oils but it packs plenty of benefits with every drop. It helps hasten the healing process and is frequently used for treating boils, pimples and abscesses. It is believed to have anti-aging properties. As a hair treatment, carrot seed oil helps maintain moisture in the scalp and condition the hair.

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8. Eucalyptus

Eucalyptus oil is generally applied onto the skin to treat minor cuts, wounds and blisters. It also helps alleviate the itching and inflammation associated with insect bites and minor skin irritations. It works well in fighting oily skin and pimples, and is a popular home remedy for treating herpes and chicken pox blisters. Eucalyptus oil also promotes strong, healthy hair when massaged into the scalp. Its anti-fungal properties also make it ideal as a treatment against dandruff and other common scalp infections.

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9. Tea Tree

Tea tree oil is a very versatile substance with a wide-ranging use in beauty treatments. It works as a spot treatment for pimples and acne due to its strong antibacterial properties, and helps protect the skin against scarring and infection when you have cuts or minor wounds. It also helps relieve the sting of a razor burn. As a once- or twice-a-week hair treatment, tea tree pure essential oil helps treat dry scalp and dandruff. It is also very effective in treating fungal infections of the feet and nails.

10. Cardamom

Cardamom is reputed to have anti-carcinogenic properties and may boost the body’s supply of the useful enzyme glutathione. As such, it helps promote a youthful, healthy complexion. It helps prevent skin infections and improve the quality of your hair strands by making them strong and shiny. Taken as an herbal supplement, it also helps detoxify the body from within.

11. Lemongrass

Lemongrass oil is rich in antioxidants which are essential for preventing the common symptoms of skin aging, including wrinkles and uneven skin tone. It may also help prevent and fight acne and other skin infections due to its antibacterial and anti-fungal properties. It acts as a moisturizer for the hair, helping combat dryness and dandruff.

12. Patchouli

Patchouli pure essential oil protect the skin by repelling insects and preventing infections. It also helps calm skin inflammation and prevent skin from sagging. Applied regularly onto the scalp, it can help strengthen hair and prevent hair loss. It is also effective in inhibiting the growth of fungi.

13. Bergamot

Bergamot helps fight common infections and aid in skin regeneration, thus promoting the growth of new skin cells. It also promotes even skin tone and prevents acne by fighting bacteria. Diluted to make a toner, bergamot can help restore tired, dull skin. It has moisturizing properties as well that work well for adding sheen to hair.

14. Frankincense

Frankincense is one of the oldest pure essential oils still used today. It is a powerful healing oil that is often used as a remedy for ingrown hairs, boils and acne. It helps tone the skin by preventing fine lines and lightening age spots and pigmentation caused by sun damage. It is effective against hair loss, promoting a healthy scalp by keeping hair follicles moisturized.

15. Rosemary

Rosemary oil is used to help prevent and treat skin conditions such as acne, psoriasis, eczema and dermatitis. It helps stimulate skin cell regeneration and treat minor cuts and burns. It can be used to improve the condition of the scalp and prevent dandruff and other types of irritations.

Remember, all pure essential oils are extremely strong ingredients and you should always dilute them by mixing them with something else. If you’re just starting out, use only two to four drops in a recipe. You can find them in your local health store or online. I found this Art Naturals started kit from Amazon a few months ago and it’s great. It has only 8 of the ingredients on this list, but it’s a good starter set to use your skin care recipes.

Source: Skin Cleanse by Adina Grigore. Grab the book on Amazon here!