While we all wouldn’t mind being wise beyond our years, looking the part, however, won’t sit well with any of us. As the years roll on, the signs of aging are bound to set in. Even if at every birthday you try your best to wish away the wrinkles and the fine lines, there’s only so much you can do before you accept defeat.
Constantly stressing and fussing over your appearance do more harm than good and end up augmenting the skin damage. For instance, the tendency to overcompensate what you lack in terms of youthful skin by dawning excessive makeup is a complete no-no.
Commercial beauty products, including high-end skincare brands, are often heavily laden with toxins and chemicals that can yield instant results but can cause irreversible dermal damage in the long run. Besides, these harsh products tend to deplete the skin of its moisture and natural elasticity.
Thus, it is essential that you don’t get carried away by the tall claims of these beauty giants, but do your own research and make the final decision only after looking at the big picture.
What is required is a healthy and balanced approach that does not ask you to either give in to premature aging or be consumed by its dread, but a third alternative: adopt healthy lifestyle choices and preferably all-natural solutions, such as essential oils, to avoid and mitigate the skin damage to the best of your abilities.
Premature aging signs take away the charm and suppleness of your skin and replace them with ugly wrinkles, age spots, sagging skin, grey hair, and crow’s feet to name a few. Some of the common causes of premature aging include:
- Sun exposure
- Smoking and alcohol consumption
- Inadequate hydration on a regular basis
- Unhealthy and insufficient diet
- Excessive facial product application, especially products containing parabens
- Facial expressions such as repeatedly squinting, smiling, and frowning
- Environmental factors such as wind, dryness, and air pollution
- Stress
- Genetics
Granted there is no way to stop or reverse the steady, relentless march of time. Still, nobody wants the aging signs to show any earlier than they absolutely must. Proper skin care, a healthy lifestyle, a sound sleep of 6–7 hours daily, and a good diet can help a lot in keeping your skin youthful.
In addition, there are many essential oils that you can trust to set the clock back for your skin. Their soothing smell also helps reduce your stress, an important contributor to premature aging.
Essential Oils that Keep Aging Signs at Bay
Here are the 10 best essential oils that help delay skin aging.
1. Lavender Essential Oil
When it comes to essential oils, lavender oil is one of the best oils to include in your beauty regimen. It is suitable for all skin types.
The high antioxidant content in lavender oil protects the skin from harmful, free, and damaging ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun. In addition, lavender essential oil promotes good sleep, one of the best-kept secrets behind flawless and young-looking skin.
This renowned member of the essential oil family is also prized for stimulating blood circulation, which allows oxygen and nutrients to reach the skin cells more effectively. This helps with the regeneration of new skin cells.
- Mix 10 drops of lavender essential oil in 1 ounce of extra-virgin olive oil. Increase the quantities proportionately as needed.
- Use it to massage your skin first thing in the morning, just after taking your shower.
- Repeat again right before going to bed.
- Do this daily to get beautiful skin.
2. Pomegranate Seed Oil
Pomegranate seed oil is another excellent antiaging oil. Its powerful antioxidants fight and repair free-radical damage caused by the sun and environmental factors that age skin. It contains polyphenolic compounds that help prevent UV damage and wrinkle formation.
The oil strengthens the outer layers (epidermis) and repairs the deeper layers (dermis) of the skin. It also boosts collagen production to improve skin elasticity.
A 2006 study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology notes that pomegranate seed oil promotes regeneration of the epidermis, which helps set back skin aging.
Furthermore, it has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and healing properties that support skin health. This oil can be used on both the face and body. It gets absorbed quickly and effectively moisturizes all skin types.
Moreover, a 2009 study published in Experimental Dermatology gives credit to the photo-chemopreventive effect of pomegranate-derived products, which essentially means that this oil might prove effective against UVB-induced skin damage, including the proliferation of cancer cells.
- Use high-quality pomegranate seed oil to massage your skin once daily.
- You can also mix a few drops of rosehip oil in it and use this oil mixture to massage your skin.
3. Rosehip Essential Oil
Rosehip essential oil is another ingredient that you must include in your beauty care products, not just for its intoxicating aroma but for its host of other skin benefits.
Containing vitamin C and antioxidants, this antiaging tonic helps slow down collagen breakdown, improves skin elasticity and firmness, and reduces the appearance of fine lines, deep wrinkles, and brown age spots. It is one of the few essential oils that naturally contains retinol (vitamin A), which helps treat these visible signs of aging.
It even encourages the growth and regeneration of new skin cells, which helps rejuvenate the skin and delay the signs of aging.
In addition, as this oil is especially rich in antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory compounds, it helps manage skin conditions such as psoriasis and dermatitis.
- Apply a few drops of rosehip oil on your damp skin.
- Massage the area for a couple of minutes to help the oil absorb into the skin.
- Then, apply a thin layer of any mild moisturizer.
- Do this daily before going to bed.
4. Neem Essential Oil
With antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal properties to boot, this oil offers the dual advantage of delaying skin aging and preventing skin infections.
Moreover, the antioxidants in it protect the skin from environmental toxins that cause premature aging. It even aids in blood purification, which in turn supports healthy and flawless skin.
Neem oil is also high in polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamin E, both of which prevent premature aging. To add to that, a 2001 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition notes that polyunsaturated fatty acids protect the skin from UV irradiation.
- Mix 1 tablespoon of neem essential oil in 1/3 cup of lukewarm olive or coconut oil.
- Before going to bed, massage your skin with this mixture for 5 minutes in circular motions.
- Leave it overnight.
- Do this daily.
5. Frankincense Essential Oil
Frankincense is a truly unique essential oil that offers many skin and health benefits.
Being a natural cytophylactic, it protects existing cells and encourages new cell growth. This is an important factor in keeping the skin tight and radiant for years. It fixes skin discoloration and acne blemishes, reduces sun and age spots, minimizes the appearance of pores, and works as an astringent to restore the skin’s pH balance.
It aids in restoring elasticity to the skin, tightening loose sagging skin under the eyes, and reducing under-eye wrinkles and crow’s feet.
- Dilute 6 drops of frankincense essential oil in 1 ounce of any unscented carrier oil.
- Mix thoroughly and apply it directly on your skin.
- Use it to massage any skin area that has become saggy, such as the abdomen, jowls, or under the eyes.
- Do this once daily.
6. Rose Essential Oil
When talking about the most effective essential oils for the skin, you cannot give rose essential oil a miss! Beneficial in every way, rose essential oil is an excellent hydrating and brightening agent.
Serving as a cicatrizant, it is highly effective in reducing any kind of marks and scars on the skin and thus acts as an excellent antiaging agent.
It has a rich antioxidant content that prevents radical damage and delays the formation of fine lines and wrinkles. Plus, its anti-inflammatory properties help reduce redness and inflammation.
In addition to using this essential oil topically on your skin, you can also inhale its soothing aroma to relieve stress.
- Put 3 teaspoons of olive oil or any other carrier oil of your choice in a bowl.
- Add 1 teaspoon of rose essential oil to it (the ratio must be 3:1).
- Massage your skin with this mixture in circular motions for 5 minutes.
- Leave it overnight.
- Rinse it off with lukewarm water the next morning.
- Do this once daily to help maintain a young-looking skin.
7. Geranium Essential Oil
To keep your skin young and prevent premature signs of aging, the geranium essential oil is another good choice.
The antioxidants in this oil work as free-radical scavengers to improve skin elasticity and tighten the skin, thus reducing the appearance of wrinkles, age spots, and fine lines.
Geranium oil also stimulates blood circulation just beneath the surface of the skin, which is fundamental to getting flawless skin as well as for overall physical health.
Being a natural cytophylactic, it promotes cell health and encourages the recycling of dead cells and the regeneration of new cells.
It also helps regulate oil production and reduces acne breakouts. Plus, it helps treat dermatitis and other skin diseases.
- Mix 5 or 6 drops of geranium essential oil in 1 teaspoon of olive or coconut oil. Thoroughly massage the oil blend into your skin once daily before going to bed.
- Another option is to add 2 drops of geranium oil to your daily face or body wash and use it as usual.
8. Carrot Seed Essential Oil
Carrot seed essential oil also has skin-regeneration properties that will keep your skin looking young and flawless for years. Extracted through the process of steam distillation of wild carrot seeds, this oil is high in vitamin A. This vitamin is a powerful antioxidant that helps prevent free-radical damage to skin cells.
The carotenoids in carrot seed oil rejuvenate skin cells and aid in the detoxification process, which is essential for healthy and glowing skin. This oil also protects the skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays and helps repair damaged skin tissue.
- Add a few drops of carrot seed oil to your regular massage oil and use it to massage your skin.
- Also, add carrot seed oil to your antiaging face masks to delay the aging process.
9. Neroli Essential Oil
Neroli essential oil also helps keep premature signs of aging at bay. It is one of the best beauty secrets of ‘Ayurveda’ that help keep skin strong and resilient, even while advancing into the golden years. It is especially great for oily, sensitive, and mature skin.
This essential oil contains a natural chemical called citral, which helps regenerate cells and prevents premature signs of aging.
Its antioxidant nature helps smooth out fine lines and tone sagging skin, while its antiseptic property helps combat skin infections.
In addition, the nice aroma of neroli essential oil soothes and relaxes your mind and prevents stress.
- Put 2 tablespoons of any carrier oil of your choice in a small glass jar.
- Add 5 to 7 drops of neroli essential oil to it.
- Close the jar and give it a nice shake.
- Apply a very small amount of the oil on your skin every night before going to bed.
10. Myrrh Essential
Myrrh essential oil acts as an antiaging agent.
Its antioxidant nature combats wrinkles, age spots, and other premature signs of aging by preventing free-radical damage and reversing the oxidative damage. Plus, it aids in improving the skin texture that tends to deteriorate with advancing age.
This oil is also rich in antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties that help heal skin diseases and even out skin tone. It even protects the skin from harmful UV sunrays.
- Add 2 or 3 drops of myrrh oil to your regular face cream or body moisturizer.
- Apply it thoroughly on your skin and massage for a couple of minutes.
- Do this twice daily.
Additional Tips
- Before using any essential oil on your skin, do a patch test on your inner forearm to make sure you are not allergic to the oil.
- Unless otherwise mentioned, avoid using an undiluted essential oil on your skin as it can lead to adverse side effects. Dilute essential oils in any carrier oil of your choice.
- For pregnant women, nursing mothers, and young children be sure to consult your doctor first before using any of these oils as some varieties can prove to be harmful.