Plant Oils for Your Skin

Photo credit: Janine Joles

Plant oils have been used throughout history for a wide range of reasons.

Certain plant oils have therapeutic effects and can help improve the health of your skin. In fact, if you or your child has skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis, plant oils may help balance, soothe, and repair damaged skin when used topically.

With skin rashes like eczema, use oils rich in linoleic fatty acids (omega 6-rich fatty acids) like sunflower seed oil, jojoba oil, hemp oil, and rose hip oil. Oils rich in oleic acid, like olive oil, can be drying.

*Patch test for reactions before broadly using any topical product.

Olive oil: anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, wound healing, anti-aging, protective against skin cancer

Sunflower seed oil: skin barrier repair, anti-inflammatory, protective against skin cancer

Grape seed oil: antibacterial, antioxidant, wound healing, anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, protective against skin cancer

Coconut oil: skin barrier repair, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, wound healing, anti-aging

Safflower oil: anti-inflammatory

Argan oil: skin barrier repair, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, protective against skin cancer

Soybean oil: skin barrier repair, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant

Peanut oil: skin barrier repair, anti-aging, protective against skin cancer

Sesame oil: skin barrier repair, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-aging, protective against skin cancer

Avocado oil: anti-inflammatory, wound healing

Borage oil: skin barrier repair, anti-inflammatory

Jojoba oil: skin barrier repair, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, wound healing, anti-aging

Oat oil: skin barrier repair, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant

Pomegranate seed oil: antioxidant, anti-aging, protective against skin cancer

Almond oil: skin barrier repair, anti-aging

Bitter apricot oil: protective against skin cancer

Rosehip oil: skin barrier repair, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-aging

German chamomile oil: skin barrier repair, anti-inflammatory

Shea butter: skin barrier repair, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant

What should you use on your skin? Everyone is different, and everyone is on their own health journey!

*Patch test for reactions before broadly using any topical product.

Reference:

Lin TK, Zhong L, Santiago JL. Anti-Inflammatory and Skin Barrier Repair Effects of Topical Application of Some Plant Oils. Int J Mol Sci. 2017;19(1):70. Published 2017 Dec 27. doi:10.3390/ijms19010070

Chemical Food Triggers Behind Your Skin Rash Flares

Photo credit: Skinterrupt

I had the honor of being interviewed by Jennifer Fugo, Clinical Nutritionist, Founder of Gluten Free School, the Healthy Skin Show, and Skinterrupt for her Podcast, The Healthy Skin Show.

During our interview, we discussed:

Identifying natural chemical triggers found in many healthy foods that may be behind your skin flares...

Why this happens, and...

What you can do about it.

Here's a hint...

It's NOT about removing all these foods from your diet.

In fact, elimination diets and restrictive diets over time cause even more health problems and worsening of your symptoms, including your skin rashes.

Here's the deal...

“It’s well known that the source of many skin problems lies in the gut."

In the episode you'll learn:

• How impaired gut health impacts the skin’s health in a myriad of ways

• The differences between food allergies, intolerances, and sensitivities

• Some common chemical triggers you might want to watch out for in what you eat

• Simple steps you can take to see if you have a food sensitivity