Frankincense and acne the perfect match 

What is acne?

Acne is a very common skin condition occurs when your hair follicles become plugged with oil and dead skin cells. It usually starts at puberty and varies in severity from a few spots on the face, back, chest and neck which most adolescents will have at some time, to a more significant problem that may cause scarring and impact on self-confidence.

Types of acne:

Blackheads which are pores that are open and plugged.

Whiteheads these are pores that are closed and plugged.

Cysts these are lumps that are painful and filled with pus beneath the skin.

Nodules these are lumps that are large, solid and painful beneath the skin.

Papules these are small red tender bumps.

Did you know the root cause of acne is inflammation and natural oils are best remedy for acne?

Causes of acne.

Hormones.

Acne is generally caused by hormonal changes in the body and this mostly starts during the puberty stages. acne is directly attributed to the rise of androgen levels which causes the oil glands underneath the skin to enlarge and produce increased levels of oil which is sebum. when the pores get filled with the sebum, it causes surrounding cells to rupture creating a breeding ground favourable for acne.

Genentics

The role of genetics may be the main reason why there are people who are acne prone and those who are not. a study was done to show how genetics contributed to acne and it showed that genes explained a significant 81% of the difference in acne prevalence.

Contributing factors.

Poor diet.

Environmental pollution.

Insomnia.

Stress.

Poor hygiene.

Oily skin

Some medication

The process of treating acne can be a tiring one and it may lead to lots of frustrations because you can have immense trust in a product to do the work and not see the end results. Taking the natural route on your way to treating acne should be your priority. 

Frankincense Essential Oil for Acne

Frankincense also known as the king of oils is used to fight against a whole lot of ailments due to its amazing properties. These properties make frankincense one of the best oils for acne, blemishes and scarring. It is anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antifungal, antibacterial, astringent, antimicrobial, antiaging, noncomedogenic, therapeutic and also has healing properties. Frankincense essential oil cleanses, clarifies and gently tones the skin due to these properties.

Anti-inflammatory. Acne prone skin is inflamed with bacteria, pus and sebum. this often makes the skin so irritated. Frankincense has anti-inflammatory properties that cool down irritated skin, soothe the acne and provide relief.

Antibacterial. Acne prone skin has its pores clogged, leading to the build-up of bacteria within those pores. as the bacteria feeds on the sebum in the pores they begin to multiply faster leading to inflamed pores that are swollen causing the types of acne. Frankincense essential oil has antibacterial, antiseptic, antifungal and antimicrobial properties that fight the bacteria and prevent acne from forming.

Noncomedogenic. This simply means that it does not clog the pores. acne prone skin is mostly related to oily skin because oily skin can easily have clogged pores due to the excessive sebum production. Frankincense essential oil does not clog pores hence suitable for oily skin.

Astringent. This property in frankincense oil causes the contraction of skin cells making it useful in acne prone skin to reduce the appearance of pores that are inflamed.

Healing properties. When the acne comes and goes unfortunately they leave behind ugly looking scars and blemishes which can take ages to fade. frankincense has healing properties that heal the acne and the scars altogether.

Myrrh Essential Oil For Acne.

Just like frankincense myrrh has properties that enable it to protect and heal the body from certain ailments. Historically myrrh was use to promote skin healing and cleansing wounds. Myrrh oil properties are: anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, antiseptic, astringent and healing. Just like frankincense oil these properties work in the same way for acne prone skin. Healing the scars, reducing the appearance of pores, fighting bacteria cooling down inflamed skin just to mention a few. The antibacterial properties of myrrh seem to be amplified when used alongside frankincense oil. A research study discovered that topical application of myrrh oil helps elevate white blood cells around the skin wounds hence the faster healing.

How To Use Frankincense And Myrrh oil For Acne.

Frankincense oil can be used hand in hand with myrrh oil to treat acne in quite a number of ways:

Applying directly to the skin in case of a stubborn pimple. A drop of either frankincense or myrrh or both on the affected area then massage it to the skin.

Making your own face mask. You will need 2tsps of sandalwood or bentonite clay,2drops of frankincense and myrrh oil and 2tsps of rose water or just water, to make a thick paste then apply evenly on your face or the affected area and leave for 10-15 minutes. Rinse off with lukewarm water then pat dry with a clean towel.

In your facial steam. Steaming is a good way to soften the sebum that is clogging your pores. Boil a litre of water, add 4-5 drops of frankincense and myrrh oil after taking it off the stove. Steam your face as usual.

In your daily moisturizer. Frankincense essential oil + myrrh essential oil + tea tree oil + olive oil would work as a great moisturizer to fight acne.

Precautions of using myrrh and frankincense essential oil.

The use of myrrh and frankincense are not recommended for:    

Pregnant and nursing mothers should consult their doctor first before using myrrh.

Children under the age of 5. the older children can use myrrh only when diluted heavily with another carrier oil.

People undergoing surgery should stop using myrrh two weeks prior to the surgery.

Diabetics should not use myrrh as it may have interactions with their medication.                                                                                                                                                                     

Where to Purchase frankincense And Myrrh Essential oil

Natural living Supplies offers a variety of products incorporated with these two amazing oils to help you in your skincare routine.

• Acne (6)
• Aromatherapy (13)
  • Carrier oils (4)
  • Essential oils (8)
• Frankincense and Myrhh (11)
  • Frankincense king of all oils (8)
  • Myrrh (3)
• Natural Beauty (17)
• Soap (1)

By Eila Oketch.