LOTUS AROMA Ylang Ylang Essential Oil, $22, shoppersdrugmart.ca.
BLEU LAVANDE Tea Tree Essential Oil, $18, bleulavande.com.
VITRUVI Geranium Essential Oil, $18, vitruvi.ca.
LA MAISON LAVANDE Pure Lavender Essential Oil, $19, maisonlavande.ca.
PURESSENTIEL Helichrysum Essential Oil $35, amazon.ca.
DIVINE ESSENCE Cypress Evergreen Essential Oil, $14.50, divineessence.com.
SCENTUALS Lemon Essential Oil, $13, scentuals.com.
PURE ESSENTIAL OILS
PRECAUTIONS
BEFORE USE
Before integrating essential oils into
your beauty routine, here are some
questions to ask.
Does the essential oil
have to be pure?
It’s a mark of quality, so it’s important to
read the full list of ingredients to know
exactly what you’re using. Some oils, such
as pure lavender, are often diluted with
another oil or synthetic materials. In those
cases, say hello to allergies and adverse
reactions or reduced efficacy!
Can you put it directly
on your skin?
“Yes, if you have a sunburn, you can apply
pure lavender oil, or for a minor cut or
scrape, tea tree oil,” says Pacchioni. “But
it’s only good to do it if the area to be
treated is small, and the treatment time
doesn’t last more than a couple of days.”
In fact, certain essential oils can irritate—
or even burn—our epidermis. To avoid any
bad reactions, dilute them in a base oil.
Our favourite base oils are apricot, jojoba,
grape-seed, or sweet almond oil, which
are not strongly scented.
Can you mix essential oils?
As Colas explained, there surely exists a
singular oil that corresponds to your
needs, so why make it more complicated?
“Inform yourself as to which oils are
appropriate, then choose one among
those that appeals to your olfactory
senses,” he suggests. “If there are several
options, pick the one with the
most benefits.”
Can you consume
essential oils?
Be warned! Consuming these oils can be
dangerous, as some of them have halluci-
nogenic properties, while others can
cause serious complications to the liver
or stomach. “Unless you’re an expert,
absolutely avoid swallowing these
products,” says Colas. Using the oils in
the three ways that they are meant to be
administered—diffusion, inhalation or
topically applied—will give you their
maximum benefits.”
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- CLARINS Relax Bath &
Shower Concentrate with
with Essential Oils, $34,
clarins.ca. - KIEHL’S Midnight Recovery
Concentrate with Lavender
Essential Oil, $62, kiehls.ca. - WELEDA Gentle Cleansing
Foam with Witch Hazel
Extract, $20, well.ca. - BKIND Citrus Hand Balm
with Rosemary, Lemon and
Lime Essential Oils, $16,
bkindskincare.com. - PURESSENTIEL Beautiful
Skin Organic Essential
Elixir Face Care Oil, $33,
amazon.ca. - LOTUS AROMA Gel for
Heavy and Tired Legs with
Peppermint, Cypress, Lemon
and Camphor Essential Oils,
$20, shoppersdrugmart.ca.
ESSENTIAL
OIL-BASED
SKIN CARE
34 | CANADIAN LIVING SEPTEMBER 2019