Feel-Good Hydration Tips & Essential Oils for Dry Skin

By Caryn Gehlmann

Dry skin is no fun. It’s easily irritated and can even lead to a rough surface and red patches. Dry skin also lends itself to premature aging since it tends to get fine lines and wrinkles sooner than oilier skin types. Our tendency is to apply heavy creams but this can backfire with clogged pores and blemishes. So many of us, myself included, are looking for hydration tips and essentials oil for dry skin.

To explore this subject I turned to Joni Keim and her book, Natural Skin Care: Alternative and Traditional Techniques. Joni is on our panel of experts here at e3 and is a licensed aesthetician and has certificates in aromatherapy, holistic health sciences, and nutrition with over 30 years of experience.

In addition to a daily routine of compressing, cleansing, toning, and moisturizing with gentle, high-quality products, here are five recommendations from Joni if you have dry skin:

Stay hydrated! Drink plenty of pure water as this is an internal moisturizer. Remember that alcohol, coffee, tea, and diuretic foods can be dehydrating so either avoid them or drink extra water to compensate.

Protect yourself from the sun. Wear long sleeves and a hat when you know you’re going to be out in the sun. Use sunscreen every day. Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF 30 that uses non-nano particles of zinc oxide for the active ingredient.

Eat healthy. Essential nutrients from a balanced, natural diet are necessary for your body, including your skin, to function properly. Omega 3 oils are especially important to keep skin soft and supple. They are found in foods such as salmon, sardines, walnuts, flaxseed, and chia seeds, and they may need to be supplemented.

Benefit from aromatherapy. You want essential oils that gently stimulate and support skin health. Good essential oils for dry skin care include: Chamomile (German and Roman), Lavender, Neroli, Rose, Carrot Seed, Frankincense, Helichrysum, Geranium, Ylang Ylang, Rosemary, and Patchouli. They can be used in a compress, cleanser, toner, moisturizer, facial oil, facial mask, facial mister, serum, and for steaming.

Apply facial mists. Facial mists can be one of the single best treatments for dry skin, as long as it is done correctly. It’s important not to apply it too many times during the day because too much water can be drying. You can use a flower water (aka hydrosol) or a pre-diluted spritzer that combines water with essential oils that are beneficial for dry skin. Use it to refresh and rehydrate your skin throughout the day. Water-based spritzers are convenient, easy to make, and use. They do not require refrigeration to keep fresh and can be carried in your purse, backpack, or tucked into an office drawer for use throughout the day. Here are 3 of our favorite moisturizing recipes for dry skin:

Dry Skin Facial Mist

Add 15-25 drops of Sandalwood, Geranium, Rose, Ylang Ylang or e3’s Skin Care blend to a glass 1 oz spritzer bottle; fill with spring or filtered water. Shake and spritz. Avoid getting into eyes.

Compress for Dry Skin

1. Fill the basin with warm water. Avoid using water that is too cold or too hot.

2. Put one or two drops of an essential oil for dry skin, such as Sandalwood, Geranium, Rose, or Ylang Ylang in the basin of warm water and agitate the water to mix well.

3. Lean over the basin, dip the washcloth in the water, wring slightly, and hold the washcloth to your face for a few moments. Keep your eyes closed. Breathe in the aroma. Use a fresh, clean washcloth each time you use face compresses. Repeat the dipping and applying process at least five times. At this point, you can continue with the rest of your skincare routine. More tips are available in the article Essential Oils for Face Compresses for Your Skin Type.

Dry Skin Facial Oil Serum

1 oz of Super Carrier oil or Jojoba
6 drops of Frankincense, or Roman Chamomile, or e3’s Skin Care blend

Lightly massage several drops onto your face once or twice per day to promote healthy skin.

We have more skin care recipes on our blog. Joni’s book “Natural Skin Care: Alternative & Traditional Techniques”, has many more suggestions if you want to explore this topic further. It’s definitely our go-to resource for skin care advice so we keep it in stock to make it available to our customers.

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