The beauty of oil
Why oils?
When you look at young, luminous skin, you are seeing skin at its
healthiest; skin cells held together by an abundance of oils. As we age,
we produce less of the oils that give our skin a healthy glow. Adding
oils back to the skin provides a healthy lipid layer barrier to prevent
dehydration and help the skin retain moisture. When oils are applied to
the skin, they are absorbed directly into the top layers of the epidermis,
where they instantly go to work to improve the lipid barrier function.
Oils vs. creams?
Compared to water, wax and synthetic fragrance-based products, oil
blends deliver all of the benefits with none of the downside. The stratum
corneum, your top layer of skin composed of dead skin cells held together
by lipids, or oils, is your environmental protection barrier, protecting your
skin against the elements. Lipids provide protection from environmental
assault and retain moisture at deeper layers of the skin. Lipid barrier
damage occurs on a daily basis, so maintaining an effective barrier requires
a continuous input of lipids to the skin. Compromised barrier function can
lead to moisture loss, resulting in dry, scaly or even cracked skin, bacteriarelated acne, eczema, rosacea-type inflammation, atopic dermatitis and/or
skin congestion, among other problems.
Creams are a combination of water and an emulsifier along with wax. In
some cases, traditional creams and lotions can be up to 75% water. The
wax makes the cream sit on the surface of the skin, leaving a protective
film on the skin. A few of the concerns with creams and lotions is wax
buildup may lead to clogged pores and the wax barrier can prevent the oil
component of the cream from penetrating into the skin. Creams may work
at first because they help to hold in moisture, but as time goes on, the
wax barricade may prevent the delivering of nutrients, like essential fatty
acids, to the skin.
What are the benefits of oils?
Free radical protection
Many botanical oils contain antioxidant properties.
Improved skin tolerance
Oils can prevent the irritation caused by some antiaging ingredients. Oils can decrease inflammation.
Plumping skin
As we age, the skin’s natural oils decrease, the
moisture barrier breaks down and the skin dries
out. Most creams contain little oil, but not enough
to make a big difference in water loss. Because
oils are lipophilic, or fat-loving, they pass through
the lipid layer of skin faster, preventing water loss
and plumping skin with moisture effectively.
Better absorption
You want to apply an oil-based product before a
cream. The oil molecules are able to trick the skin
into letting active ingredients in creams and lotions
penetrate deeper into the skin and closer to the
collagen-producing fibroblasts, all without irritating
the surface of the skin.
Protection
Oils protect the skin’s lipid barrier
and are great at preventing moisture
from evaporating from the skin.
Skin Maintenance
Just as oils rich in fatty acids are required in our daily
diet to keep our bodies healthy, the right skin care oils
also are necessary to keep your skin healthy.
Can anyone use oils?
For mature skin, besides maintaining the integrity of the lipid
barrier, oils inhibit peroxidative and oxidative damage. The reason
you should care about this is, in one word, wrinkles. Upon contact
with light, lipids will undergo what is known as peroxidation. These
peroxidized lipids lose their barrier ability, and gaps occur in the lipid
matrix, resulting in loss of skin resilience and possibly causing the
formation of wrinkles.
For oily, blemish-prone skin, lipids are a great exfoliator without
stripping your skin of natural oils. Scrubs, harsh soaps and other
drastic treatments that strip off your topmost lipid barrier may
aggravate a blemish problem by eliminating the protection your
skin needs and by encouraging your skin to produce more oil of
the type you are trying to control, such as excess sebum. Topical
applications of fatty acids alleviate breakouts by re-stabilizing
the lipid barrier, thus restoring antimicrobial activity on the skin’s
surface. What’s more, because lipids dissolve lipids, oils actually
break up congestion at the source.
Bio-Oil
Now that we’ve established the general benefits behind oils, let’s take a look at Bio-Oil and the
ingredients that make it a great recommendation.
Ingredients
PurCellin oil™ is the breakthrough ingredient in Bio-Oil
that changes the formulation’s overall consistency, making
it light, non-greasy and easily absorbed. By reducing
the thickness, PurCellin Oil improves application and
spreadability, making Bio-Oil absorb quickly. It also acts as
an emollient, making the skin soft, smooth and supple.
Calendula oil has cell-regenerative effects and can be used
to treat sensitive, damaged or sunburnt skin. It reduces
inflammation and can be used to combat minor skin
infections, rashes and irritation.
Lavender oil is known to have skin-conditioning properties.
It provides a calming, soothing and aromatherapy benefit
and acts as a natural antiseptic.
Rosemary oil helps to invigorate and condition the skin,
as well as offers soothing properties and mild antiseptic
effects.
Chamomile oil is an anti-inflammatory, providing soothing
and calming benefits to the skin, and is particularly
beneficial for sensitive skin.
Vitamin A promotes the formation of new collagen and
assists in skin renewal, helping to improve elasticity, as
well as the skin’s texture and tone
Vitamin E is the most widely used antioxidant in skin care
products, and it protects from the effects of free radicals
that cause skin damage and premature aging. Vitamin E
also increases the moisture content of the epidermis.
Uses
Scars: Bio-Oil helps improve the appearance of new or old scars, whether from surgery, accidents, burns, insect
bites, scratches or such conditions as acne or chickenpox.
Stretch marks: It also helps improve the appearance of existing stretch marks formed during pregnancy,
teenage growth spurts or periods of rapid weight gain. While no product can guarantee to prevent the formation
of stretch marks, ensuring the skin maintains its maximum elasticity is the best defense. This can be achieved
by keeping the skin well-hydrated and supple at all times. Bio-Oil’s formulation works to maximize the skin’s
elasticity, thereby reducing the possibility of stretch marks forming.
Uneven skin tone: With regular application, Bio-Oil helps improve the appearance of uneven skin tone
caused by hormonal fluctuations, skin lighteners or excessive sun exposure. The synergistic effect of the active
ingredients in the product — specifically retinyl palmitate (vitamin A),
tocopheryl acetate (vitamin E) and bisabolol — have an inhibiting
effect on melanogenesis. Bio-Oil improves hyper-pigmented areas
of skin and offers skin lightening benefits.
Aging skin: Ingredients help to plasticize the skin, making
it softer, smoother and more supple, thereby reducing the
appearance of wrinkled and sagging skin. Bio-Oil also moisturizes
the skin — improving the texture, tone and appearance of fine
lines and wrinkles.
Other uses: Bio-Oil can be used for dry, cracked nails, cuticles,
heels, elbows and scalp treatments. Its soothing and moisturizing
properties can be used to support damaged and affected skin as
a result of radiotherapy. Bio-Oil can offer relief from the associated
symptoms of skin conditions like dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis
and heat rash — including dryness, redness and itchiness.
Application
Bio-Oil should be applied twice daily to the affected area for
a minimum of three months. Immediately after bathing is the
optimal time for application, while the skin is damp.