I was blessed with the naturally oily skin that many of my relatives have. It was a tremendous pain in the teenage years, but I say “blessed” because everyone in the family with that skin type has aged incredibly well.
In fact, it has only been recently after five kids and muchas stress that I have ever experienced dry skin or the beginnings of wrinkles. Many of my friends are turning to botox (which kind of blows my mind because they look great without it) but not being one to spend money to inject “the bacterial toxin botulin” into my face *shudder* I wanted to find a natural way to ward off wrinkles.
This herbal face oil is amazing for skin. It is somewhat expensive to make (though I’m guessing it is still cheaper than “the bacterial toxin botulin”) but it smells incredible and works even more.
Also, only a tiny drop is needed each day so my tiny bottle should last approximately 6-8 months and it is the only face moisturizer I need.
Herbal Face Oil Ingredients
The special blend of oils in this recipe is especially good for skin, including:
- Argan Oil (I used this one)
- Rose Essential Oil
- Lavender Essential Oil
- Frankincense Essential Oil
- Myrrh Essential oil
Another great thing about this recipe is that it takes seconds to make because you are just mixing oils with other oils and no water or emulsification is needed.
I keep this by my sink and use a drop after oil cleansing each night or after washing my face with honey in the morning. It smells incredible and I love smelling the oils as I drift off to sleep or as I work in the morning.
If you’re looking for a natural anti-aging and skin smoothing serum or face oil, give this a try!
Face Oil Ingredients:
- 2 ounces argan oil
- 15 drops each of Rose, Lavender, Frankincense Myrrh essential oils
How to Make Herbal Face Oil:
- Mix all ingredients in a small glass dropper bottle or pump bottle that can release only a drop or two at a time.
- Use 2-3 drops per day as needed on face.
Note: If you have drier skin, another oil like jajoba, olive or sea buckthorn can be used.
What do you use on your face?
Which one of these Rose essential oils did you use for your recipe?! The link you provided just directs my browser to Mountain Rose Herb’s main Essential Oil page and there are 3 different types of Rose oil offered by MRH! I really want to try this recipe!!!! Thank you for ALL the AMAZING information/recipes you bring us…I have no idea how you do all you do but BRAVO, sister!!!
Holiday Blessings to you and your family!
Here are the three different types of Rose I found on MountainRoseHerbs.com:
ROSE ABSOLUTE (SOLVENT EXTRACTED)
Rosa damascena
From $43.75
or…
OG
ROSE, BULGARIAN ESSENTIAL OIL
Rosa damascena
From $179.50
or…
ROSE, CHINESE ESSENTIAL OIL
Rosa rugosa
From $63.00
I use the Chinese Rose, but this oil can be omitted if needed.
Katie I love your site! I can’t figure out how to post, only “reply” as a piggyback on someone else ???? sorry! I love using so many of your recipes and this one made me wonder if you’ve ever tried Nerium AD? I have similar skin and have had tremendous success with it!
How about Rose Absolute?
I say helllooo YES!! The rose absolute is not of the same quality as the EO. They use fat (there are some chemicals used unfortunately but it is MOST controversial as to whether enough of the chemical residue goes into the absolute to make it “unhealthy” – when something is THAT heavily debated it’s usually cuz the difference is too small, like borax Vs no borax – we’re talking itty, itty, bitty difference in terms of safety if there is any at all. I don’t think so!!! But technically there are trace chemicals in it, maybe, I don’t think it’s even measurable!!) to render the oil instead of water but we’re still talking really good stuff!! I would SOOO buy it in an instant if I could afford to. Alas rose geranium will have to do for me. The differences in terms of what each of these oils do for you, including the Rose geranium EO – mountainrosehrbs.com just calls it geranium but it is technically Rose geranium and it smells similar -therapeutically is not much. JImy-not-so-HO. And when you get into the pricier rose EOs the differences therapeutically are practically nil. The point in getting one over another is fragrance preference. (Gosh what I wouldn’t give to be able to buy ANY of them!!! If you can afford it, get it. I’ve smelled it once and it’s divine!!, like I could happily die right now lovely! You can probably tell I’m really into EOs lol 🙂 ).
Do it!!
Cyn
If I leave out the Rose oil as you suggested could I substitute it with another oil like; lavendar, Rosemary, fennel, or lemon? I have read a little about these
I don’t know about the others, but lemon might be a bad idea as I believe it can make you sensitive to light.
Geranium EO would be a great substitute for Rose EO. It is excellent for the skin (always use diluted as in this formula by Wellness Mama). It is much more affordable, too.
Hi there, always love all of your recipes and this one seems wonderful!! Just wondering which Rose essential oil you recommend? There seem to be a few to choose from the Mountain Rose herbs site. I’m guessing it’s the Rose Bulgarian Essential Oil?
I use the Chinese Rose, but this oil can be omitted if needed and any good quality rose essential oil will work.
I have extremely dry and sensitive skin so I got on the non chemical cosmetics and cleansing path and have found that by the end of the day I won’t have burn spots on my cheeks. I’m just having a really hard time finding something that soothes and moisturizes my face that doesn’t seem to be fading off within an hour. I wash with honey and used emu oil for a while but after a couple of months I started getting mild cystic acne and read other comments of people getting the same reaction from the emu oil. I now take makeup off with jojoba + 1 vitm E capsule mixture, wash with honey, and had to start using emu oil again to clear up the burning redness that started up again. I just purchased some argan oil after reading that it does wonders for the face hoping that will do the trick. I see that you mentioned to use a different oil for drier skin for this recipe and would like your opinion on a better oil or if the argan oil is a better choice for dry sensitive skin.
I have the same problem. I’m already prone to dry skin, plus I live in the Southwest, so it can be difficult to stay moisturized. I’ve discovered plain old shea butter works wonders! I use it just like face cream (without adding anything to it) and it lasts all day without drying out. Been a life saver! In addition (in case you care) I use honey for face wash and almond oil to take makeup off. Good luck! =D
I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH APPLE CIDER VINEGAR
ITS ACTS LIKE A PEEL WHEN MIXED WITH BAKING SIDA OR CRUSHED AIRIN? MY SOLUTION WAS PURE ALOE CUT FROM MY PLANT.
ITS NOT IMMEDIATE BUT DOES ELIMINATE THE RED ABOUT AN HOUR OR SO.
Hi, I’ve had the same issues with my skin and so far it sounds like you’re making all the right choices. A big part of your skin care routine starts with what you put in your mouth as well. Eliminating things like daily or wheat can possibly really help you as well. Dairy was a big one for me. Hope you find relief!
if you don’t have argan oil what other oil can i use for oily skin, or do I have to use that, also I have rose/geranium not rose… will this work just curious I made your magnesium oil spray and I love it gave some as a gift to my foot zoner for Christmas she loved it!!!!
It depends on your age, any additional skin issues you might have, whether you’re prone to breakouts & why you might be getting breakouts, etc etc. Hazelnut, jojoba, macadamia, calendula, kukui & many others are great for oily skin, especially when mixed with specific essential oils. But some of these oils are made by infusing herbs into an oil, while others are extracted directly from the raw materials. You need to know which are which, and also need to know *why* this is important to know.
Do a little research on carrier oils & infused oils to determine their properties/benefits & then test out which works best for your skin. Some may not work well for others with oily skin but they may work great for you.
Where did you get the glass bottle?
Check out the bottles at mountainroseherbs.com – they rock (although I’m not sure which one she used (if you’re interested in plastic bottles, I know off topic but good info, go to midwestbottles.com – sooo cheap!))
And finally if you need them in bulk bulkapothecary.com is best in my opinion for the brown .5oz or 2oz bottles. Good luck ( oh and I’ve gotten bottles off Amazon and ebay for good prices – if you go to Amazon for anything use Katie’s link so that she’ll make a little cash!!).
Cynthia
I’ve checked Mountain Rose Herbals for the bottles, but I’m also interested in that pump top – where can I purchase some of those for facial oils? Thanks!
Love this recipe! I’m going to add these oils to my maracuja oil, which I prefer on my skin to argan oil
Do the essential oils help with the wrinkles or are they just for smell? I ask because I tried the incredibly expensive Josie Maran argan oil for over a year and wasn’t impressed. In fact I developed a laugh line during the last year. (I’m 36).
The oils are very healthy for the skin, and do help with the wrinkles and other facial topography.
Love all your recipes. can I put it around my eyes?
If you use any EOs do NOT put it around your eyes!! If you accidentally get some in your eye then wash out with some kind of milk product that has some fat in it – I do believe any milk will do except nonfat, as you need a fat to wash out a fat and then afterwards rinse with water. Be careful with EOs!
Cynthia
Would coconut oil work instead of argan? Im new to this stuff and I only have coconut oil. I dont even know if its the right coconut oil lol.
Use Apricot Seed oil for cleansing. It’s the bomb and will literally melt makeup off. Also rosehip seed oil would be a wonderful addition to her recipe.
Hi, Katie
Would you mind me asking how you choose how many drops of essential oils to add?
Thank you!
Trial and error 🙂
Can I use a little coconut oil, as well as olive oil? I love the feel of coconut oil on my face, and I made a mixture of coconut oil and vitamin C powder. It makes my skin glow, and is wonderful for the wrinkles I am getting, being 60 years old. I do have great skin, not sensitive, and no blemishes ever, so….?
I love the vitamin c serum recipe of yours and use it each night after oil Cleansing. I’m in my 20s so I don’t have wrinkles but I do have oily skin. Did you replace the vit c serum with this oil recipe in your skin regimen? How do you recommend choosing between the two?
It’s really up to you…
Would love to try this but the Rose essential oil is way too steep for my budget 🙁
Native American Nutritionals/Rocky Mountain Oils has a blend of Melissa that is Melissa already diluted with FCO (no other ingredients). So it’s a great budget friendly way to try it out. They have a few others like that too of the more expensive oils.
….Barbara, I think Rose Absolute is less expensive? I’m quite sure it’s the Rose e.o. in Jojoba oil….typically, if I can find something comparable for less $$, I go with the least expensive!
…..strike my post above…..rose absolute on the Aura Cacia site is almost $60 for < one ounce. I would not have paid that kind of money!
I’ve been doing this for about a year already! I use Rosehip Oil every night though, and alternate in Argan oil once or twice a week. Whenever I get a breakout, I mix in a drop each of Lavender and Tea tree. My face got so much healthier when I added this to my nightly routine 🙂 Great post!
I loooooove rose hip seed oil. I alternate between these two as well 🙂
Just curious as to the benefits or down falls of using Almond oil as a carrier? I have combination/break out prone skin. Thanks!
Sweet Almond and coconut made my dry skin absolutely full of blackheads. Then I tried Jojoba, my face peeled off. Literally.
This recipe looks amazing. I can’t wait to try it. Which Rose essential oil from Mountain Rose Herbs you you recommend? The link in your post just sends you to the essential oils page. Quite the price difference between the Rose oils, I’m thinking it’s the one that’s over $100.
I use the Chinese Rose, but this oil can be omitted if needed.
I just recently started using argan oil on my face. I never thought of mixing it with the essential oils. I can’t wait to give this a try. Would it be possible to explain why you chose these specific oils? What do they do for our skin?
Which rose essential oil do you use?
I use the Chinese Rose, but this oil can be omitted if needed.
Can I use rose hip oil as the base, and geranium?
I live in a tropical country so I prefer to use a lighter carrier oil – sunflower oil with a few drops of lavender, about 1 drop per 1 ml of carrier oil. That’s basically my night time moisturizer for several years now, and I also use that for little rashes here and there, and to soothe the underarms after waxing, but then I’d like to address the issue of fine lines under the eyes, so I’m thinking of adding rosehip oil to the mixture. Would love to know your thoughts on this. Thanks!
I love rosehip oil! I started using that on my face a few weeks ago, and it’s wonderful.
Don’t get EOs too close to your eye. You’d jump so high in the air if you got EO in your eye!! Wash out with milk! Beeee careful!!
Cyn
I’m excited about making this and trying it. I’d love to know where you get the glass bottles that you use, particularly the one pictured in this article? Thanks!!
Most stores that carry essential oils carry bottles in the same section. They can be found at your local pharmacy as well. If you’re looking for bulk amts., ck. online. Mountain Rose Herbs offers them as well.
Hi Katie!
Which Rose EO do you use? Mountain Rose Herbs sells 2 of them.
One is the Bulgarian $179.50 for 1/8 ounce. The other is Chinese Rose $63 for 1/8 ounce. Thank you very much…….Also, why/how do you choose between the two?
I use the Chinese one, but it can be omitted for cost reasons.
When you say you can use another oil like olive oil if you have dry skin, is that in place of the argon oil or in addition to it?
I have a question about the oils that you use. Do you find them to be any better or at least comparable to those that DoTerra and Young Living produce? I have been looking into oils for a long time and I would really like to use the oils in all the ways that DT and YL state that you can. Topically, diffusing, and ingestion. Do you take any of Mountain Herbs oils internally? Could you if wanted? Do you, or have you, ever used DT or YL oils? How do MH compare? So many questions, I know, but I see that there is a huge price difference in the oils on MH vs the other brands and I would LOVE to save the money and just get them from MH if they are just as good.
I’m not katie, but I got some misinformation from a DT rep. She, of course said their oils were ok to ingest, and use neat. In talking w/a local apothecary owner (and aromatherapist), I was told that one should NEVER ingest essential oils, no matter what brand, unless under the care of a practioner!! She further said that oils should always be used with carrier oil, as they were too potent to put directly on the skin.
I know there are differing views on this, but for me, I know natural remedies are powerful medicine, and prefer to err on the side of caution. Besides-the oils last a LOT longer with a carrier oil!! 🙂
Hi, I’d like to add this: Remember that essential oils are basically concentrated. That’s why it’s best to dilute them in a carrier oil. Some essential oils, for ex. thyme oil, can give you a chemical burn if used without diluting them first. They are safe to use if you take these precautions. And only ingest things that are sold by reputable companies as “food safe.”
no. they are not safe to ingest. please research this and be careful.
DO NOT INGEST ESSENTIAL OILS! Much controversy has arisen about this as they are plant material. EOs oils are concentrated and recent testing by Dr. Papas of EOU and IUS indicates that while consumption of many of the the plants the oils come from is safe, not so the oils, at least in all but a VERY FEW cases. Severe internal damage can easily result from error, overdoses, and overuse. While the world of EOs is fascinating, before using EOs externally or internally you must educate yourself. It’s not child’s play. One area of aromatherapy which CAN be set upon with reckless abandon – room deodorizers, soaps, perfumes, etc. On a therapeutic level, caution, knowledge and experience in the field are mandatory when using essential oils.
You seem to know about EOs Lynn. Do you think it’s safe to put a citrus in a perfume or would the person only be ok to wear that perfume if she/he were not going to be in the sun for 24 hrs?
Hi Katie!
I am definitely going to try this with the oil cleansing method 🙂 I do that at night and I always use my magnesium body butter. Do you have any suggestion for where to rub the magnesium body butter? I typically rub it on my stomach and my calves and soles of the feet. Do you think I should rub it anywhere else? I moisturize with your homemade body butter 🙂
Thanks as always!!
-Elle
I’d like to know too. I rub in same places.
Hi Katie! I would love to try this recipe but can you make it without the rose oil? It is really pricey! Or could you substitute another oil for the rose? Thank you so much!
So far, at close to 60, I have no need for a moisturizer! I’m still having the very oily skin I’ve been cursed/blessed with all my life, and though it’s mostly a huge pain, I think I do look pretty good as far as (lack of) wrinkles go!!! I’ll bookmark this recipe in case I ever do get dry skin, though if I haven’t by now……….
I have done the oil cleansing in the past with macadamia oil and it worked wonderfully. However one batch I was lazy and used olive oil, this cause a cystic acne. It may work fine on others but the oil is too dense for the pores and clogs it. So if you are on a budget I would warn against using the olive oil instead of the argan
you seriously only need ONE DROP????!!! for your whole face?? that would be amazing! how long have you used it? when did you start noticing a difference?
it would be worth the money if there was noticeable improvement!
right now i am using a serum made by a local apothecary that has marshmallow root, calendula and evening primrose oil in an olive oil base. i like it, but have not noticed HUGE results…and i tend to use more than noted. (the dropper is drippy, and i’m an overachiever-haha)
I have been using that same kind of Argan oil on my face and hair for 13 months and i still have some left. It works great for moisturizing as well as the OCM. I only use 2 pumps on my face or hair every day. Check groupon I have seen the argan oil for as low as 15$ on there.
i’m so, so, so terribly disappointed that mountainrose no longer ships essential oils, at least not to California!!! I used to use them exclusively. Now I bounce around a bit but I think I like bulkapothecary best, even though they don’t put reducers on their bottles (which is a royal pain in the you know what!!).
I use chamomile/jojoba (I have drier skin) which is not cheap either but smells awesome and is obviously effective. In addition to every once in a while just slathering my face/body in coconut oil. You cannot or at least I cannot use coconut oil, lots of it that is, daily because it, at some point, starts to go backwards and actually dry you out. But if you use it here and there it is the best moisturizer!! And also either a rose or chamomile or lavender water (hydrosol), I switcheroo between the three, is great for toning!!!
LOVE essential oils!!
Cynthia
Is there something else to use in place of the Rose DO? It’s just too expensive.
Hi Katie. I’m a big lover of your blog. Your recipes are fantastic, and I appreciate your hard work. I am wondering what specific Rose essential oil you used from MRH for the face oil since there are several different ones. Was it the Rose absolute solvent, Bulgarian Rose (yikes!), or the Rose Chinese one? I would be willing to invest in making this if it works because certainly I’ve spent so much more for chemically laden products! Thanks for all you do!
P.S. I would love to see a DIY fiber mascara recipe. I’m sure you’ve heard of it but it really builds volume and some brands use green tea fibers. If anyone can come up with a DIY natural recipe you can.
I use the chinese one. I’ll see what I can figure out on fiber lashes 🙂
Myrrh is contraindicated for pregnancy and lactation – FYI to everyone. Katie do you have a substitute for this oil?
Thanks,
Sara
The timing for this is great! I’m looking for a new moisturizer for my face! Its hard, I’ve been avoiding the rose oil because of price? I’m almost 60 and I don’t want botox either? But there are no miracles! I always thought I would wear my wrinkles proudly but, i look old?
My mom loves the idea of being all natural, but has a hard time giving up anti aging serums. If this really works, I’d love to make it for her! Can it be used on the sensitive skin around the eyes?
What a wonderful site…so much useful, healthy information. Forgive me if there is already something about this topic on your site but I cannot find a way to incorporate water into a lotion [body and face]. Oils are great as emollients but my dry skin needs water badly!!
I apply your oil recipes directly on to my damp skin but I need more!
It would be much appreciated if you could suggest a way to modify your already-great lotions with a dose of water…I am very interested in seeing how oil and water can mix and stay mixed. Thanks a bunch!
Linda
Is this safe to use while pregnant? (due to the essential oils)
I’d ask a doc or midwife to be sure.
I made this recipe tonight, and I must say, bravo! I have been using a face serum I created for the last few months, but still had a bit of dryness. I think this one might make it into the rotation! The only thing I changed was to use rose-geranium EO instead of the pure rose oil, since I do not keep that on hand. It smells great.
Hi Katie! I am constantly amazed at your content. Not just how frequently you post, but all that you do post. I am inspired every time I check out your site…and I spend a lot of time here. How does one not read more than two, three, seven of your articles at one sitting? Again, I state, I appreciate the research you do and the fact that you share your information with everyone. Thank you for doing the hard and time consuming work!
Would rose hip seed oil work well in place of the rose EO? Also what are the benefits of using the frankincense and myrrh oil… I don’t have either and I wonder if it’s just a scent preference or if the are major skin benefits. I’m trying to only buy the most necessary EOs due to $$.
Thanks!
You can leave out rose if needed. Frankincense and Myrrh are great for the skin and high in antioxidants but even the argan oil alone is good for skin so just use what you can/have 🙂
Ok, so Ive been using olive oil, ditched my creams, and since I have lavender and myrrh atm, I could just add some drops to it. I have dry skin. Thanks for the info!!!Learn so much from your tips!
Katie, can you recommend something for psoriasis?
Well instead of using a drop or two (even though don’t know how that would be enough for the whole face), I splashed on more and then my whole face felt a little itchy, due to the lavender oil, even though mixed? so it really has to be one or tow drops!
I read tamanu oil is supposed to be good for psoriasis. It is a little pricey, but not awful. Good luck!
Hi great recipe could i use something else for arGan oil thanks
Yes, any food grade oil like olive, alone, or coconut will work
I have been using a mixture of aloe vera with a jojoba oil to get a good consistency and jojoba is very light and absorbs extememely quickly, so i’m not left over with any excess oil on my skin. I also add a carrot root CO2 for the beta carotene antioxidant plus it gives the moisterizer a bright orange color.
Just received all of the ingredients to make this today and I’m thrilled to be introduced to new oils like Myrrh. It’s beautiful and earthy. I’ve also ordered ingredients for oil cleansing and the honey cleanser on your blog. Thank you for everything you do! I am loving all your posts and advice.
I love myrrh too 🙂 Thanks for reading!
Hi Katie, I read this article about a month ago and noticed something has changed. I saved this in my email as a reference for an argan oil product I wanted to buy, but it’s no longer there. The link has been replaced and now leads to Amazon… Is there a reason it’s changed?
Hi Katie,
Came across your website when I was looking for DIY skin care recipes. I love all your recipes!
Do you mind to share your daily and weekly routine for skin care and hair? As I found that you made different lotion bars, face oil, cream etc……but not possible to use them all the same time, right? I am planning to make the necessary one to start with, hope to get some insight from you.
Thanks.
Hi Kati,
Which Myrrh Essential Oil did you use from Mountain Rose?
MYRRH ESSENTIAL OIL
Commiphora myrrha
From $23.50
or
OG
MYRTLE ESSENTIAL OIL
Myrtus communis
From $20.25
Hi, I just realized that some of the essential oils I ordered online already contain grapeseed oil and are pre-diluted. How many drops would you suggest I add for this recipe?
I’ve got oily, breakout prone skin (hormonal) and have found evening primrose oil & unrefined sea buckthorn oil – which is intensely orange in the bottle, not clear – to be amazing. This mixture, along with my own custom blend of essential oils mixed in, helps keep my breakouts to a minimum. I’d highly recommend them along with kukui nut, hazelnut, perilla & macadamia nut oils. If you just want a simple moisturizing oil blend which also helps calm breakouts, just use the evening primrose oil with the essential oils you prefer. Good choices for oily/acne prone skin are sage, lavender, juniper, palmarosa, rosemary, ylang-ylang, carrot seed, amongst others. I wouldn’t recommend this product for use around the eyes. I see very positive results with these oils overnight, even moreso if I’ve exfoliated well immediately beforehand.
In the winter my skin gets drier, but is still oily, so I change up my oils. I use my own custom blend, but I’d highly recommend a mix of avocado oil, evening primrose oil & rosehip seed oil as a base for dry skin along with your choice of rose, neroli, jasmine, rosewood, carrot seed or frankincense essential oils, amongst others.
I personally wouldn’t use either of these moisturizing oils around the eyes unless the essential oils were omitted as I’ve found they can irritate the eyes when off-gassing, which all essential oils do.
For those who normally don’t work with these types of product ingredients, please do at least a moderate amount of research on essential oils & carrier oils before buying or using them as there is always the possibility of eye/skin irritation or even allergic reaction, as well as getting ripped off by shady suppliers who sell substandard & fake products at inflated prices.
I have really sensitive skin and so before I make up my facial serum, I wanted to try out just using the carrier oils. I have since tried coconut oil and rosehip oil (separately). I’m not sure if its because of allergy season and that I my skin is ultra sensitive but I find my skin still has a lot of dry spots and its a little bit red in some areas. Do you think this might be because I haven’t added any essential oils to the mix? Or does it take time for the skin to get used to the carrier oil? Or could I just plain be allergic to all of these carrier oils? Any comments would be much appreciated =)
Rosehip seed oil has a very high vitamin C and antioxidant concentration, which can irritate sensitive skin. I would dilute it in another oil or something. I personally add it to witch hazel, aloe, glycerin and honey and use it as a morning cleanser, which I then rinse off. Some of the oil does absorb, but I moisturize immediately afterwards. I use an oil blend at night to clean off the days gunk and wipe it off with a warm washcloth. Some people find coconut oil alone to be irritating or drying. You might try shea butter if you tend to be dry, jojoba if you are oily. Sunflower seed oil (you can get it in the cooking and baking aisle of many groceries) is pretty gentle and is non-comedogenic. It also soaks in nicely. Avocado is another good one, very nourishing to the skin. I have dry skin, so I use a blend of oils that I know I am not allergic to. There is lots of info online about the properties of different oils, so play around with the ones you can get at your local organic grocery and see what works for you.
I found your site while researching essential oils, as there are so many companies to buy from. I suffer from mild cystic acne and am looking for a more natural cure. I thought essential oils could possibly help, as I’ve read Frankincense is great for cystic acne. Do you know anything about this, or if this face oil recipe would work for me? I’ve been using Mario Badescu products which are okay, but my skin is feeling so dry and depleted with all of the acne products. Help!
I’ve read your recipe but you do not mention the size of bottle you use? how many ml is the bottle 5, 10, etc….
Do we have to use all the oils? If we substitute some of the oils for other essential oils that work topically, would it have a different effect? I was just wondering because some of the essential oils are really pricey.
You could definitely sub and experiment with what works best for your skin.
I would like to comment on the safety of your blend. For daily use it should be only 12 drops TOTAL for 2oz of carrier oil. This would be a 1% dilution. Your dilution is almost 4%! This is going to be more like a chemical wash on your face if you use it daily. There are some great websites that teach about essential oil safety. I would recommend learning a bit more before posting such recipes. As for my credentials: I am finishing up my aromatherapy certification via aromahead.com. Thank you.
Will this recipe work for getting rid of sun spots/age spots? Anything else you would recommend for sun spots?
Thanks,
Tamara
Where would this fit into my skin care routine?? After my moisturizer and serums?
Hi Katie,
I would love to try this recipe but I live in a hot and humid country. Is it possible to use this recipe but in a cream or lotion form? If yes, then what ingredient would you suggest I add?
Thanks,
CK
love your recipes. I’m new to this. how much do you convert 2 oz coconut oil into cups? or is that tsp or tbsp.?
Have used your facial oil recipe before, and liked it! I also am a great believer in only putting natural stuff on my skin!
Hi! I love your site and I follow it regularly. I came across this post and I felt I had to comment. I love essential oils! Due to my own auto immune disease, I have been leaning to all natural products and have been consistently adding oils into my life routines. However, I find myself today recovering from one of the worse allergic reactions I have ever had.
About 3 months ago, I started with a homemade facial routine, where I incorporated Frankincense oil. My face and neck developed a severe case of Allergen contact dermatitis. It was painful, swollen till my eyes were shut and itchier than anything I’ve experienced. At this point is taking almost a week to heal after having stopped using the frankincense oil. After this happened, I immediately started researching frankincense oil. Through my research, I have discovered that this oil is particularly known for this type of reaction. Therefore, I just want to let those of you know, who tend to be sensitive to allergies. (I do tend to be very sensitive to many things from pharmaceuticals, to many things found in nature).
I’m sad about it too. Frankincense is definitely one of my favorite oils. However, I just cannot use it topically. I may try it again after time, on the bottom of my feet, but never neat and never again on my face. Although, then again, I may not ever try again, given the circumstances.
Just thought I would share my experience.
Katie, I love your posts! Can you help educate me about e.oils? I have bought a few & understand that quality & potency are very important. I see that the place you’ve gotten these oils is much cheaper than what I have bought. You are a very credible, trustworthy source so these must be quality oils. Can you help me understand the difference or is it just that some oil companies are jacking up the prices? Thanks for your insight!
There can be a big difference in quality between companies and many of the MLM type companies artificially inflate the price. Always do your research before purchasing to make sure the quality is good.
I learned that lavender is cytotoxic, personally I feel it works well when I mix it with jojoba as a zit spot treatment, but I would not recommend putting it all over your face!
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15144499
http://roberttisserand.com/2011/08/lavender-oil-skin-savior-or-skin-irritant/
Of course it is cytotoxic, that is part of how it acts as an antimicrobial agent. Your second link went on to discuss additional studies that proved its efficacy and safety. Any essential oil should be diluted to avoid irritation, as they are very strong and can irritate skin when used full strength. Lavender oil has been used for hundreds, maybe thousands of years with excellent results in most cases. It promotes healing and cell regeneration, as well as inhibits unwanted “germs” from taking up residence. It is soothing to minor scrapes, cuts, and burns, it smells wonderful and aids in repelling flies and mosquitoes, can be taken internally in food preparations (usually the whole bud, not just the oil), and it fights the organisms that cause acne. I use it daily in my skin cream on my very sensitive skin with no problems at all.
Hey Katie,
Do you put the oil around your eyes, on top of eye lids? I know that EOs alone can burn near eyes but wanted to make sure it won’t hurt mixed with argan oil – and applied with care to not get in eyes of course?
I love all your hard work that you put into these amazing recipes and thank you for sharing them with us! Btw, I am from Bulgaria so obviously endorse the Bulgarian rose oil <3
Love ~
Thanks! Although the essential oils are diluted, I avoid the entire eye area just to be safe 🙂
Thank you for your wonderful posts first! And my question is it safe to add carrot seed oil to your recipe since it’s good for wrinkles?
And can is it ok to substitute Rose oil with Rosehip oil?
Thank you, can’t wait to try your recipe!
I don’t see why this wouldn’t work. Please let me know how it does if you try it.
I do something similar to this, with a few twists. I have very dry, sensitive skin that is prone to acne, so I have to be very diligent and careful about what I use. I did Accutane (I know, but I had bad cystic acne and was already following a Paleo diet with no improvement) about a year and a half ago, and it has made my skin even more sensitive, though it did eliminate the the majority of the acne. I found an eczema cream recipe online that uses shea, jojoba, and coconut oils with a little beeswax mixed in. So that is my base. I add a little avocado oil, not much, but it is so nourishing. It is very oily, though, so might be too much for less dry skin. This gets all melted together. When it starts to cool and thicken a little, I stir in the rest. I add in 15 drops of lavender, 10 of frankincense, and a dropperful each of raspberry seed oil and rose hip seed oil. It has really done a great job nourishing and protecting my skin, and I have even seen some improvement in sun damaged areas and reduction in fine lines.
Can you double the recipe? What is the shelf life of this serum, please?