Love them or hate them facial oils do have a place in your skin treatment plan. The mere mention of the word ‘oil’ send some people into panic, conjuring up images of a greasy skin that contribute to breakouts and clogged pores but we need to have a full recap on how they work and why they are essential for overall skin health.

Generally facial oils tend to be a blend of vegetable and essential oils, the general sweeping statement of ‘my skin just doesn’t like essential oils’ is one that well I find hard to believe for a few reasons:

• Essential oils link in with the sense of smell, which have a direct effect to the limbic system of the brain. This is responsible for long term memory and emotion which is why sometimes we smell aromas they can instantly take us back to a past memory of a place, person or experience.
• Incorporating treatment oil blends are fantastic to combine the sense of smell and touch.
• Essential oils are volatile, if they are not blended correctly then they can certainly cause a sub-cutaneous reaction to the skin – itching, burning or inflammation.
• Essential oils are not and should not be placed in boxes, what I mean here is there are hundreds of variations of each essential oil and those variations change in environmental factors. For example there are literally hundreds of Lavender variations not only that differ in regions but also altitudes, the higher the altitude of lavender grown the less pollutants etc, very much like the grape on vines that differ in region and environment – you wouldn’t write off wine in general because you tasted a rotten synthetic cheap version.
• Be aware of synthetic essential oils this is like having cheese and onion flavoring on crisps and passing it off as the real thing – they are worlds apart in authenticity.
• Essential oils are plant hormones, yes – you read right – plant hormones. They have a direct impact on the emotional, mental and physical, in fact the blending of essential and base oils is an art form, the final blend can depend on many factors like the time of day, female cycle, age, pregnancy, serious illness and analytical type: Lung, Liver, Stomach, Hormonal, Elimination / Circulation. I used to do an experiment on each analytical type with the same blend of oil – every time the liver person would pull mandarin, the lung person would pull lavender, stomach person – peppermint and hormonal person – sandalwood. It proved that although it was one oil blend every type had a different experience of it.
• Pure essential oils are the life force of the plant and they resonate with the human being far more than any other substance known to man. Rose in particular has the highest energy resonance and has uplifting qualities.
• There is a difference between carrier (Vegetable oils) and Essential oils. Fixed oils are referred as carrier oils, they leave permanent oily marks on paper are lubricating, non volatile and are not soluble in alcohol. They are an abundant source of essential fatty acids, something the body can’t make itself so it is so beneficial to introduce to the skin. Essential fatty acids replenish and nourish the skin as well as supporting the skin’s lipid barrier which degrades from harsh peels, cleansers, exfoliators as well as daily pollutants. EFA also aids in healing and repair and acts as transportation of active ingredients such as essential oils.
• Pure plant extracts should be treated with the upmost respect and care and when applied to the skin should be blended appropriately with water for vaporizers or baths and carrier oils for face and body treatments.
• A 100% pure essential oil applied directly onto the skin would cause a skin reaction, nausea or further complications.
• Essential oils oxygenate – Oxygen not only helps with free radical attack but it kills bacteria, which thrives in anaerobic state (a place of no oxygen) introduce oxygen then hey presto! it will kill bacteria.
• Each plant has its own energetic pattern and character that has the ability to oxygenate, hydrate, stimulate, relax, detox and many other traits including anti-inflammatory and hydrating.
• The DNA of the plant is almost identical to that of a human being.
• Facial oils are absorbed via trans cutaneous absorption which takes an intercellular journey meaning the molecules of the essential oils will travel through structures that pass through every layer in the skin from the dermis up. i.e, hair follicles, sweat glands and sebaceous glands – this form of absorption allows for a greater ability of molecules to reach deep penetration into the body’s systems. Essential oil absorption has been tested in urine tests thirty minutes after oil blends have been applied to the feet. Take note I am talking about blends here so the fixed oils have a larger molecular structure, they stay on the surface playing their part to the lipid barrier, so facial oils have a double pronged action working above and below the skin.
• Essential oils are absorbed sub-cutaneaously and are lipo-solvent. If an essential oil is placed on the feet they will absorb like the root of the tree and will be found present in the body between 20 to 100 minutes of application.

• Facial oils are great for ALL skin conditions including OILY! like attracts like and apart from the previously mentioned fact that essential oils are anaerobic which bacteria hate, a facial oil is great for an oily skin. There are reasons why the skin produces additional oil, including the fact that when the skin is constantly being stripped (which is the focus of people with oily skin ) the skin actually produces more! when the skin is stripped from harsh topical ingredients it also strips it of essential fatty acids. When a facial oil is applied not only will it replenish lost EFA it will also slow down oil production.

• Facial oils are great to use in times of the skins SOS, they absorb faster into the skin and get to the root cause better than a moisturiser!
• Not all facial oils are oily – some facial oils penetrate immediately into the skin and some sit on the surface taking a while to penetrate, this is dependent on the fixed carrier oil and the molecular size.
• It is worth looking for high quality pure essential oils that are blended in a synergistic method for different skin and body conditions.(‘synergistically’ mean pure essential oils are blended and left to rest for three weeks.) Carrier oils of Soya, wheatgerm and avocado are blended, then the two blends are brought together and left to rest for a further three weeks to form a unique synergy that speaks for itself. Much like a fine wine maturing and gaining prestige.

Facial oils have been part of my skin treatment plan for many, many years. They have been a crucial part of the beauty regimes to the ancient Kings and Queens,especially Nefertiti, Cleopatra and Alexandra. Please also bare in mind as much as essential oils are AMAZING they can also be toxic and dangerous, so always seek professional advise if you would like to blend your own, never apply essential oils neat to the skin.

The MRL  skincare range consists of Elixir – a rich blend of Marula, Apricot, Frankinsence, Rose and Neroli. A beautiful combination that is rejuvenating, detoxinating, hydrating, soothing – rich in Vitamin C and with blended frequencies that are close to the skins own signature frequency. FACE beautiful combination of Buriti, Rosehip, Passionfruit and Apricot oil is a rich and natural source of pro Vitamin A, making it the perfect addition to your skincare routine. FACE is abundant in antioxidants and essential properties that help calm, sooth and support the skins lipid barrier and healthy ageing. The blend is a dry oil, instantly absorbing into the skin , paving the way for your night time skin regimen and feeding your skin with nutritional goodness. Anoint is an oil abundant in essential fatty acids, Omegas 3, 6 and 9 to support the integrity of the skin. Fabulous to use as a daily nourishment but to also aid skin healing and support the lipid barrier.