Women seem to get all the attention when it comes to both skin care AND aromatherapy. Blends for “mature” skin care are often designed around floral notes, with hormone balancing constituents mostly designed for feminine skin. Well here’s a look at oils and recipes using oils actually proven to reduce wrinkle appearance, with mild and “earthy” aromas just for men.
Blends for helping the skin look younger are based on essential oils and carrier oils with regenerative, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties. These are really the three main therapeutic requirements of anti-aging skin care. We’ll look at three groups of essential oils first, from which you can choose one oil from each type. We’ll then look at the “carrier oils” into which the essential oils are blended, which have therapeutic properties as well.
Certain aromatic ingredients have a very long “track record” of anti-aging use; specifically the resins of frankincense and myrrh are highly regarded for this purpose. In aromatherapy, these are available both as “essential oils” and as “CO2 extracts”; for skin care, the latter is best, as it they are most similar to the actual medicinal resin. These oils have a range of properties, including all three that most interest us. They’re also perfect from a “men’s fragrance” standpoint, with their earthy scents.
Next up are the oils that are known specifically for their regenerative and cell-stimulating effects. Helichrysum italicum and rosemary verbenone are found in nearly every “scar reduction” recipe; the features which make them so useful in these blends make them great anti-aging essential oils as well. Helichrysum is anti-inflammatory and high in regenerative “di-ketones” (the only oil in common use to have these specific molecular components). Rosemary of the “verbenone” chemotype is considered a “specialty skin care oil”, as it too has unique regenerative ketones. It is also thought to enhance skin cell metabolism, increasing the nutrients-in and waste-out processes.
We’ll also select one or more oils with high levels of anti-oxidant and rejuvenative nutrients. These oils have a deep reddish-orange color, indicating the presence of these vitamin-like compounds: carrot root, whole rosehip and whole sea buckthorn. While these can be found as “carrier oils”, it is the “CO2 extracts” of these plant parts that are best for our men’s anti-aging formulation. They’re a very concentrated extract, providing an incredible concentration of carotenoids and polyphenols.
And no “men’s” skin care formula would be complete without sandalwood essential oil. In addition to being a soft, relaxing aroma, it’s very balancing and protective at the same time. Sandalwood balances skin oils (helps both “too oily” and “too dry” become “normal”), and has even been shown to protect against skin cancers.
There are several carrier oils to choose from, with three that are highly regarded for their anti-aging properties: Rosehip seed oil (pressed from the seed, different than the rosehip CO2), tamanu nut oil and argan nut oil. Rosehip seed’s use is backed by research showing smoothing of skin texture, lines and wrinkles. Tamanu is a very therapeutic oil with a highly regenerative nature — it is though to almost triple the speed of new cell formation. Argan is high in antioxidants, and has recently made big waves in the natural beauty industry for its anti-aging action. You can use any of these oils singly as your base, or blend all three together in equal parts.
On to the recipes! Each recipe is for each one ounce of final formula. You can simply multiply these numbers for whatever amount you’d like to make. So, for those with “normal” skin, use a base of equal parts rosehip seed, tamanu and argan oils. For each ounce of blend, add 8 drops each of frankincense, helichrysum, rosemary verbenone, and rosehip essential oils. It’s that simple! This is an incredibly therapeutic blend for regular daily use. You an also consider adding myrrh, and any of the other carbon dioxide extracts mentioned to enhance your recipe.
For variations of skin type, consider these: For those with acne-prone skin, DO NOT use rosehip seed oil carrier — either eliminate it or replace it with organic virgin coconut (which cures acne alone for some users). And use sea buckthorn “CO2” instead of rosehip “CO2” For those with sensitive skin, reduce each oil by two drops and add four drops of lavender (don’t worry, it won’t be enough to smell like a flower)!
Feel free to modify further! The only caution to heed is that it’s easy to use too much essential oils in your formula. Only four or eight drops seems like so little, yet if you use too much, you’ll find you can make your eyes water with the intensity. Imagine essential oils acting almost like signaling agents — just a little bit of them tells your skin cells what to do, and in this case, it’s to give you a healthy, smooth, youthful glow (yes, men can glow too)!
The author is a regular contributor to several sites in the areas of using Aromatherapy and Bach flower remedies. She can be contacted at www.AnandaApothecary.com