Enhance, customize, and personalize your DIY skin care recipes.

One of the most daunting aspects of diving into the DIY skin care movement is the unfamiliarity of the ingredients. When I cook, I have general notions of how using onions and peppers or adding herbs and sauces will impact my dish. Starting out, I was clueless when it came to why one essential or carrier oil might be preferable over another. As I splashed (flailed!) around in a virtual ocean of recipes and possibilities, my shopping list began to resemble the inventory list of a medieval apothecary.

My goal for this tri-part post is to simplify the jumping off point for others.

  • Oily Pantry (Click here for Part 1, a list of oils and unguents to keep on hand.)
  • Oily Starters (Click here to explore Part 2: four basic skin-care processes to help you get your toes wet oily.)
  • Oily Personals (Part 3, which follows below, is a set of charts with information to help you customize your DIY skin-care venture.)

The Oily Personals are quick references or cheat sheets that will help you make purchase and blending decisions. The information was collected from close to 100 resources. When information was contradictory and I could not resolve the contradiction, I excluded it. This post includes fourteen charts focused on specific conditions, problems, or areas. This will be expanded later with two additional charts of that list the properties of essential and carrier oils that are popular for DIY skin care.

Oily Tips:

  • Use cold-pressed, unrefined, organic oils.
  • Lavender and tea tree oils can be applied neat (undiluted and directly to skin). But most other essential oils need to be diluted in a carrier oil. A 1% or 2% ratio (essential to carrier oil or total emulsion) is a good rule of thumb.
    • 1% = 6 drops of essential oil to 1 oz. carrier oil
    • 2% = 12 drops of essential oil to 1 oz. carrier oil
  • Most essential oils have about a 2 year shelf life, but the shelf life of a carrier oil can be as brief as 3 months. Do not use rancid oils. Quinessence Aromatheray and Viva Woman offer information on why oils go rancid and tips on how to prevent that from happening.
    • Store oils in a cool place. They can be stored in a refrigerator, but a cool, dark pantry or cabinet is sufficient. Keep in mind some carrier oils become cloudy when refrigerated.
    • Keep bottles tightly closed.
  • Always test oils on “tough” skin before applying them liberally elsewhere, especially if you have nut or other allergies.
  • Avoid these citrus oils if you’re sensitive to the sun or will be exposed to it for a long period of time: bergamot,  grapefruit, lemon (cold pressed), lime (cold pressed), bitter orange (cold pressed).

Oily Personals Cheat Sheet List

These charts are provided for informational purposes only, not in lieu of professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

To jump to a cheat sheet, click on the title.

  1. Improving Skin Appearance
  2. Treating Skin Conditions
  3. Treating Aging/Damaged Skin
  4. Treating Acneic Skin
  5. Treating Fungal Problems
  6. Treating Injuries, Infections, Growths
  7. Treating Diseases and Infestations
  8. Treating Disorders and Inflammation
  9. Treating Muscle, Joint, Nerve Problems
  10. Treating Blood-Related Problems
  11. Treating and Protecting Against Exposure and Bugs
  12. Treating Feet
  13. Treating Mouth Problems
  14. Treating Hair

1. Improving Skin Appearance

Improve Elasticity

Regenerate Tissue

Rejuvenate Skin

Smooth Skin / Fine Lines

Tighten Skin

Tone Skin

Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils

Back to List

2. Treating Skin Conditions

For normal skin, oils that nourish and regenerate are advisable, for example frankincense, geranium, chamomile, lavender, neroli, and rose essential oils with carrier oils such as sweet almond, hemp seed, and jojoba. The chart lists oils for other skin types and conditions.

 

Dry

Oily

Dull

Mature

Sensitive

Thin

Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils  
Essential Oils

 

Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils

Back to List

3. Treating Aging/Damaged Skin

Age Spots / Discoloration

Cellulite

Sun Spots / Damage

Scars

Stretch Marks

Wrinkles

Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils

Back to List

4. Treating Acneic Skin

Acne

Blemishes

Enlarged Pores

Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils

 

Essential Oils
Carrier Oils

 

Back to List

5. Treating Fungal Problems

Athlete’s Foot

Candida (Yeast)

Jock Itch

Ringworm

Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils

Back to List

6. Treating Injuries, Infections, Growths

Blisters, Boils, Burns

Cellulitis

Cuts, Wounds

Skin Infection

Sores, Abscess

Warts

Essential Oils
Carrier Oils

 

 

Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils

 

Essential Oils
Carrier Oils

 

 

Essential Oils

Back to List

7. Treating Diseases and Infestations

Chicken pox

Dermatitis

Eczema

Measles

Scabies

Insect / Spider Bites

Essential Oils
Carrier Oil
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils

 

 

Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils

 

 

Essential Oils
Carrier Oil
Essential Oils

 

Back to List

8. Treating Disorders and Inflammations

Hives / Inflammation

Itchy Skin

Rosacea

Psoriasis

Heat Rash

Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils

Back to List

9. Treating Muscle, Joint, Nerve Pain

Aches, Muscle Pain

Neuralgia

Sprains, Strains

Arthritis

Gout

Rheumatism

Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Essential Oils

Back to List

10. Treating Blood-Related Problems

Broken Capillaries

Bruises

Chilblains

Nosebleed

Varicose Veins

Essential Oils
Carrier Oils

 

Essential Oils
Carrier Oils

 

 

Essential Oils
Carrier Oils

 

Essential Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils

Back to List

11. Treating and Protecting Against Exposure and Bugs

Chapped Skin

Sunburn

Sunscreen

Windburn

Head Lice/Mites

Insect Repellent

Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oil
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils

Back to List

12. Treating Feet

Athlete’s Foot

Corns

Sweaty Feet

Essential Oils
Essential Oils
Essential Oils

Back to List

13. Treating Mouth Problems

Bad Breath

Canker (Cold) Sores

Gum Disease

Mouth Infection

Sore Throat

Toothache

Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils

Back to List

14. Treating Hair

Oily

Normal

Dry/Damaged

Dandruff

Fine

Thinning

Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils
Essential Oils
Carrier Oils

Back to List

Copyright © Pennie Nichols, 2016. All Rights Reserved.