Editorial

Amazing Benefits of Using Oil on your Skin

Ever wondered where the oils we use on our skin came from? Or who decided to use them in the first place? According to the history on Essential Oils by

  • PublishedApril 1, 2019

Ever wondered where the oils we use on our skin came from? Or who decided to use them in the first place?

According to the history on Essential Oils by Sallamander Concepts (Pty) Ltd 1998 – 2019, the extraction and use of oils in skincare can be dated back to 3,500BC where the ancient Egyptians discovered that oil extracts from various plants can be used for bathing and makeup.

The Ancient Greek soldiers used oil to make ointments to heal their bodies while Romans used oils for massages, fragrance and bathing. In the latter years, Marguerite Maury, the author of ‘The Secret of Life and Youth’ written in the 1950’s, massaged a combination of diluted essential oils into the skin along the spinal cord. This effectively made her the first person to start using individually prescribed combinations of oils. This has now been carried on by our modern society.

Today, skin care experts continue to discover benefits of blending oils for various skin types for overall wellness, health and beauty. This increase in knowledge has contributed to innovation in developing high quality more effective oil based products.

Some examples of oils formulations commonly used for skincare are: Lavendar oil, Rosemary leaf oil, Sunflower seed oil, soybean oil, Anthemis nobilis flower oil (Chamomile oil), calendula officinalis flower extract (Pot Marigold flower oil), among others. Olive oil, Almond oil and Coconut oil are also greatly used especially in the African context.

Erastus Ngemu, Bio-Oil Kenya’s Business Manager explains, “As the world’s population seeks to move to more organic solutions in their lifestyle, the use of natural plant extracted oils in skincare is on the rise.”
“Oils have extremely high nutrient and antioxidant levels. They are 100% active and are easily absorbed into the skin since they don’t contain any fillers. Oils have the amazing ability to balance the skin and all skin types can benefit tremendously from these gifts of nature,” he added.

Benefits of oils to one’s skin:

1. Oils efficiently lock in moisture and are easily welcomed by the skin as they mimic natural skin oils (sebum)
2. Since oils deliver antioxidants, vitamins and essential fatty acids to the skin effectively, they are the optimal choice for an anti-aging moisturizer
3. A little oil goes a long way, making them the more cost effective choice (applying to wet skin will increase absorption, providing complete coverage in as little as a few drops)

When shopping for oils go for those packed with other herbal extracts, vitamins and extra oils, as these ingredients will do different thing to repair and nourish based on the ingredient’s special components.

Bio-Oil contains a unique blend of natural plant oils and vitamins which are easily absorbed in the skin thanks to the skin breakthrough ingredient; PurCellin Oil that makes the formulation light enough to be absorbed in a non-greasy manner. Bio-Oil has been dermatologically tested and certified skin-safe by Skin Health Alliance, hypoallergenic, non-acnegenic, non-comedogenic and is suitable for even the most sensitive of skin types.

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