The Most Buzzed About Essential Oils

Lately, the internet has been abuzz with the praise and popularity of essential oils, and their uses in self care. From using essential oils for face and hair to scenting your room with an essential oil diffuser, there are plenty of different uses for these pure, plant-based ingredients.

Shopping for essential oils can quickly become overwhelming, though, because there’s such an abundance of different oils! In this post, we’ll discuss some of the most popular essential oils for skin, to help you figure out which ones are worth adding to your DIY cabinet.

After hearing that Khloé Kardashian uses tea tree oil on her skin as an acne spot treatment, people were pretty much sold on the unassuming shrub. Not only is tea tree oil a celebrity favorite for fighting acne breakouts, it also has science-backed benefits for acne-prone and oily skin:

• Antibacterial and antifungal properties to eliminate harmful microbes

• Astringent properties to eliminate excess oil, reducing risk of future breakouts

• Stimulates circulation, promoting overall skin health

It’s important to note that tea tree oil should be diluted before being applied to skin, as the undiluted oil can cause skin serious skin irritation. You can make a blemish-busting spot treatment with tea tree oil by combining 1-2 drops of tea tree essential oil with 1 tablespoon of bentonite clay, ½ tablespoon of apple cider vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of raw honey.

Eucalyptus oil is often used in spa steam rooms — and is a popular choice for essential oil diffusers — due to its calming effects, its ability to boost your immune and respiratory systems, and its benefits for your skin. Here are some of the ways that eucalyptus oil can benefit your skin:

• Creates an ozone barrier that protects open wounds and encourages healing

• Antibacterial and antifungal properties to fight acne and infection

• Antioxidant properties to defend the skin against damage from free radicals

• Anti-inflammatory properties to promote a more even skin tone

To experience the benefits of eucalyptus oil for skin, you could try adding a drop or two to your favorite moisturizer, or mixing up a DIY concoction with eucalyptus. To make an anti-inflammatory PM face oil with eucalyptus, just combine 1-2 drops of eucalyptus essential oil, 1-2 drops of rosehip oil, and 1 cup of rosewater. You can apply a thin layer of oil to your skin in the evening using a cotton ball or cotton pad.

Geranium oil was first used in early Egyptian society as a popular health and beauty treatment. It’s easy to see why, and there’s even been scientific research to support the idea that geranium oil can benefit your skin. Here’s how this floral essential oil works:

• Anti-inflammatory properties to fight puffiness, redness, and itching

• Antibacterial and antifungal properties to fight acne and infection

• Balances skin’s sebum (oil) production

• Antioxidant behavior helps to mitigate damage from free radicals

Due to its combination of acne-fighting and anti-aging powers, geranium oil makes an especially good treatment for oily skin, prematurely aging skin, and for mature, acne-prone skin. You could add a couple of drops of geranium oil to your favorite moisturizer, or apply diluted geranium oil directly to your skin as a PM treatment. We recommend diluting 1-2 drops of geranium oil with 1 cup of a carrier oil that’s rich in antioxidants and fatty acids, like avocado oil or sweet almond oil.

You may already be familiar with bergamot, even if you’ve never heard the word before: it’s the citrus fruit (or should we say, the citrus peel) that gives Earl Grey tea its unique, invigorating taste. Bergamot essential oil is an ideal oil for anyone with acne-prone skin, as it’s packed with acne-fighting properties:

• Anti-inflammatory properties to soothe redness, itchiness, and swelling

• Anti-bacterial properties to fight acne-causing and infection-causing bacteria

• Traditionally used to stimulate wound healing and scar prevention

To use bergamot oil for acne, you should dilute it with a gentle, non-comedogenic carrier oil in order to prevent irritation. We recommend combining 1-2 drops of bergamot oil with 1 cup of oil-balancing jojoba oil. You can use your bergamot face oil as an everyday serum to calm inflammation and promote healthy, acne-free skin!

We suspect that bergamot oil is trending right now because of its ability to help heal and prevent acne breakouts (something that unfortunately, is always in style). It’s a multitasking oil that has many applications: in addition to using bergamot oil for acne, you can also use it as a natural deodorant or a mouthwash.

Ylang ylang is another flower-derived oil that’s prized for its scent, as well as its skin-boosting powers. The benefits of ylang ylang essential oil for skin include:

• Balancing oil production

• Anti-inflammatory properties to calm redness and swelling

• Antibacterial properties to fight acne and infection

• Antioxidant properties to fight damage from free radicals

As with the essential oils above, you can add ylang ylang essential oil to your favorite moisturizer, or include a few drops in a DIY face oil. You can also use ylang ylang oil to treat skin blemishes like pimples and boils. To use ylang ylang oil for blemishes, bring 1 cup of water to a boil, and pour it into a bowl or mug. Add 1-2 drops of ylang ylang oil, 1-2 drops of tea tree oil, and 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. Allow the mixture to cool until it’s comfortably warm to touch, then soak a clean washcloth in the mixture and press it gently against the affected area for 3-5 minutes. Rinse and repeat daily as needed!

For most of us, the word “chamomile” brings to mind soothing cups of chamomile tea. But chamomile has much more to offer: chamomile essential oil has aromatherapy applications, and can also be used on your hair and skin. Here are some of the ways that this essential oil can benefit your skin:

• Chamomile naturally detoxes your skin, fighting environmental pollutants

• Antiseptic properties fight skin infections and acne

• May help to diminish the appearance of dark spots and scars

• Anti-inflammatory properties ease redness, itching, and swelling

Chamomile essential oil can be added to your favorite moisturizer, or diluted to make a DIY face oil. We recommend diluting 1-2 drops of chamomile oil with a fragrant carrier oil that will work to boost your skin’s lipid barrier and promote healing, like avocado oil or sweet almond oil.

There’s a lot more to learn about the world of essential oils: an rapid and exponentially growing niche within the natural beauty industry. To discover more about different essential oils and their uses in skin care, check out our recent guide to essential oils!