How to nourish your skin naturally in the colder months
Autumn and winter are the ideal seasons to feed your skin and to treat yourself (and others) to skin conditioning treatments. Many oils such as argan oil, jojoba oil or rosehip seed oil, will not only help to moisturise your skin and your scalp naturally, but also provide valuable nourishment in the form of a multitude of different vitamins and minerals. These healthy nutrients can be found a wide range of carrier oils, whereas vitamins and minerals are not found in essential oils at all.
However, carrier oils and essential oils are a ‘marriage made in heaven’ when applied to the skin as a blend, since the rich nutritional qualities of carrier oils combine seamlessly with the aromatic, bio-chemical health-benefits of essential oils to make a perfect synergy. Our range of Aromatherapeutic Body Oils each contains a unique blend of nourishing carrier oils and bio-active essential oils, such as our best-selling ‘Aches & Pains’, our award-winning ‘After Dark’ or our super-soothing ‘Tranquility’, which is specially formulated to soothe away stress.
‘Feed You Skin’ with our fantastic special formula
‘Feed Your Skin’ is a deluxe fragrance-free, uni-sex Body Oil which offers an intense conditioning and rejuvenating skin treatment since it combines eight nutrient-rich carrier oils, including ‘Carrot Oil’ which is made from the extraordinary Dunaliella Salina. This is a unique unicellular micro-alga harvested from the Dead Sea containing very rich concentrations of carotenoids, antioxidants, essential fatty acids, vitamins (especially B12) and minerals. On a gram for gram basis, D. salina is arguably the most concentrated, nutrient-rich source on earth! It is also nature’s richest source of beta-carotene and mixed carotenoids, including 9-cis beta-carotene isomer one of most powerful natural antioxidants.
Vitamins & Minerals: Your skin’s best friends
A hydrated and nourished skin encourages a youthful and glowing complexion. Conversely, if your skin is dehydrated then you will be more prone to wrinkles, while if it is undernourished, your skin will have a lack-lustre and dull appearance. A lack of essential vitamins and minerals is also one of the primary causes for many common skin problems such as inflammation, eczema, acne, dermatitis or itchy and flaky skin. For example, dandruff or seborrheic dermatitis, which commonly occurs on the scalp or face, is linked to deficiencies in Vitamins D, B2, B3, B6 and B7 as well as a lack of zinc. This is because a deficiency of vitamins directly impacts the immune system reducing the effective regeneration of cellular tissue.
In addition, many carrier oils contain other valuable nutrients, for example, Borage oil provides the richest known source of natural gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an essential fatty acid which maintains the skin’s protective barrier and improves hydration. While Argan oil, apart from containing high levels of Vit. E, is also rich in potassium and magnesium plus it contains plentiful amounts of the fatty acids omega 6 and 9, which are vital for stimulating skin and hair growth – great as a hair conditioning treatment.
A-Z Guide of Vitamins: Their Benefits & Sources
Vitamin A/Retinol:
This is one of the best vitamins for anti-aging, having antioxidant properties which helps slow down the development of wrinkles. It also enhances collagen production, improving firmness and suppleness of the skin. It is found in argan oil, avocado oil, calendula oil, peach kernel oil, wheatgerm oil and especially in apricot kernal oil.
Note: Beta-carotene is a type of carotenoid that can be converted to vitamin A, which is found plentifully in grapeseed oil and especially in carrot oil and rosehip seed oil.
Vitamin B Complex:
- Vitamin B1 / Thiamine helps combat red, irritated or acne-prone skin. It also improves the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Found in avocado oil, jojoba oil, peach kernel oil, St. John’s Wort oil, sweet almond and wheatgerm oils.
- Vitamin B2 / Riboflavin improves skin tone, making the skin more radiant and balanced, beneficial for both dry skin & oily skin. It is found in in avocado oil, peach kernel oil, St John’s Wort oil, sweet almond oil and wheatgerm oils.
- Vitamin B3 / Niacin supports your skin’s natural defences, valuable for mature, dry and sensitive skin, found in jojoba oil, peach kernel oil, sweet almond oil and wheatgerm oil.
- Vitamin B5 / Pantothenic acid promotes cellular growth preventing loss of elasticity and keeping the skin hydrated and supple, found in jojoba oil, peach kernel oil, sweet almond oil and wheatgerm oil.
- Vitamin B6 / Pyridoxine helps diminish the effects of hormonal imbalance, which can lead to breakouts. Combats hormonal acne, inflammation and redness plus regulates magnesium levels. Found in jojoba oil, peach kernel oil, St John’s Wort oil, sweet almond oil and wheatgerm oil.
- Vitamin B7 / Biotin revitalises the skin, recommended for dull or aging skin. It’s deficiency may contribute to hair loss. Found in jojoba oil.
- Vitamin B9 / Folate helps combat acne, blackhead and congestion skin, found in avocado oil.
- Vitamin B12 / Cobalamin boosts the radiance of dull and mature skin and helps diminish dark spots and uneven skin tones. It is found in avocado oil, carrot oil, jojoba oil, St John’s Wort oil, sweet almond oil and wheat germ oil
- Vitamin C / Ascorbic Acid
This water-soluble vitamin is vital for enhancing skin hydration, elasticity, promoting collagen production and preventing wrinkle formation. It one of the main anti-aging vitamins, as it plays a functional role in normal body processes like inflammation and immune control and can even help fade hyperpigmentation since it impedes melanin production. Found in calendula oil, grapeseed oil, evening primrose oil, apricot kernel oil and rosehip seed oil.
Vitamin D:
This vitamin is needed her strong bones, hair and nails and can also be produced by the action of sunlight on skin. Found in avocado, oil, oil, grapeseed oil, St John’s Wort oil and Wheatgerm oil.
Vitamin E / Tocopherol:
This one of the vital anti-aging vitamins. It is essential for numerous body processes, including the immune system, inflammation regulation and for maintaining skin health, especially valuable for dry, mature and sun damaged conditions. Found in argan oil, avocado oil, apricot kernel oil, borage oil, calendula oil, coconut oil, , grapeseed oil, jojoba oil, peach kernel oil, rosehip seed oil, sweet almond oil and notably wheatgerm oil (which can also provide preservative properties to a blend).
Vitamin F:
Repairs creates cellular tissue and healing generates the skin and encourages hair growth, found plentifully in rosehip seed.
Vitamin K:
An important vitamin healing the skin and providing immunity against infection, found in apricot kernel oil and sweet almond oil.