Top 7 Essential Oils for Tightening Skin
Are you looking for non-toxic ways to pamper and tighten your skin to look younger? Although you cannot stop the aging process, there are certainly things you can do to slow it down! How? Using essential oils for skin tightening is a clean way to promote healthy skin, as they contain phytochemicals (plant compounds) your cutis loves.
Some plant extracts, for example, contain natural alcohols, phenols, lignins, flavonoids, terpenoids, and many others. These beautiful chemicals are wealthy with nourishing, cleansing, moisturizing, regenerative, and protective benefits for your skin.
Using some of the essential oils to tighten skin is a sure-fire way to promote skin tissue regeneration and look better.
In this article, we talk about 7 skin firming essential oils and DIY skin tightening recipes that are simple to try at home.
Table of Contents
Top 7 Essential Oils for Saggy Skin
While this isn’t an exhaustive list, we’ve highlighted some of the best essential oils for tightening skin, and the phytochemicals that make them awesome for skin pampering.
1) Patchouli Essential Oil
This is one essential oil that gets better as it ages. Patchouli’s rich viscosity is more than just a stabilizer for DIY perfume blends. It’s an ideal skin tightening oil to add to your list of products.
The steam-distilled, musky-earthy essence contains over 140 constituents. These include alcohols, flavonoids, organic acids, and others.
The alcohol and flavonoid phytochemicals of the oil are notably responsible for its antiseptic, astringent, and antioxidant activities.
To highlight its antioxidant properties, research showed that patchouli EO prevents oxidation and aging associated with sun exposure. One of the most common causes of skin sagging is to be exposed in the sun without protection. If you do enjoy getting suntan in the summer, it’s time to integrate patchouli essential oil into your skincare regime.
It protects your skin from unnecessary damage, keeps it firm and healthy, and even increases the recovery rate of skin lesions from UV.
Overall, patchouli oil works to maintain the structural integrity of the skin. So if you’ve been struggling for years with a mature complexion and sun-damaged, loose dermis, it’s never too late to start the repair process to tighter, vibrant skin.
⇒ See Best Patchouli oil on Amazon
2) Frankincense Essential Oil
Frankincense is an ancient extract, with several Biblical references. Its use in today’s cosmeceuticals is widespread because of its skin-enhancing properties. Frankincense essential oil contains a powerful naturally occurring chemical called alpha-Pinene. This makes up about 2% – 64% of the essential oil.
This compound, along with alpha-Thujene (1.0%–52.4%), makes frankincense one of the most potent essential oils to tighten skin and rejuvenate tissue damage. The presence of alpha-Pinene protects the skin from free radicals which causes premature aging.
Also, frankincense essential oil may stimulate the release of collagen through dermal fibroblast. Collagen is the principal protein found in the body which strengthens the skin and gives it a youthful bounce. As the skin ages, we produce less collagen, which eventually causes the skin to lose its elasticity and sag.
Using skin firming essential oils, like frankincense, may help your skin retain a youthful appearance because of the stimulant activity it has on collagen.
⇒ See Best Frankincense oil on Amazon
3) Neroli Essential Oil
Neroli essence is extracted from the blossom of the bitter orange tree. It’s known for its use in high-class perfumery and positive impact on psychological health.
Neroli’s benefits, however, go beyond making you smell and feel good. It is one of the best essential oils for skin tightening.
Research shows that this citrusy oil is a strong antioxidant. Antioxidants protect the skin from elements that could cause sagging and aging.
When added to your skincare routine, neroli oil infuses the cutis with limonene and (E)-nerolidol. These are rich constituents that form a protective wall around the skin to ensure it looks supple and highly moisturized.
Nerolidol is also a sesquiterpene alkene alcohol that’s toning to the skin. It may cleanse the pores and remove excess sebum, all factors that cause the skin to sag.
⇒ See Best Neroli oil on Amazon
4) Bergamot Essential Oil
Although limited, animal research suggests that bergamot essential oil increases collagen content in the body. Consistent use could improve the skin’s elasticity and tightness.
The main constituent of bergamot EO is limonene. Limonene contains antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. How do these chemicals support skin tightening?
These chemicals are antioxidants that protect your skin by neutralizing free radicals.
Free radicals are unstable atoms that damage cells, cause illness and aging. They destroy building blocks of your skins such as elastin and collagen. Once collagen and elastin begin to decline, premature aging will set in which causes wrinkles and fine lines. Antioxidants act as the body’s defense system and help neutralize free radicals, thus they slow down aging.
You can soak in the benefit of these antioxidants by incorporating this skin tightening oil into your routine.
⇒ See Best Bergamot Oil on Amazon
5) Helichrysum Essential Oil
Helichrysum, also called immortelle, is an essential oil that’s rife with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It’s especially ideal for sensitive and dry skin. As a regenerative floral extract, immortelle EO assists with speeding up wound healing when there’s a cut or bruise. This regenerative action may also help the skin recover from oxidative stress.
To add, helichrysum essential oil is a collagen stimulator. With more of this structural protein in the body, the softer, firmer, and smoother your face becomes.
To improve the overall health of your skin, helichrysum is an oil to have ready.
⇒ See Best Helichrysum oil on Amazon
6) Lemon Essential Oil
Lemon essential oil wears more than just a pick-me-up aroma. The invigorating, citrusy extract is affluent in antioxidants and skin toning properties. It richly purifies your skin and supports skin tightening by cleansing the pores and removing excess oil.
Lemon essential oil contains up to 95% limonene. With its protecting and purifying properties, this compound works to brighten the skin by washing away dirt and other unwanted agents that often cling to it. While the oil cleanses the cutis of dead cells and muck, its astringing properties tighten and constrict, leaving it smooth and dewy.
As lemon EO is illuminating to tired-looking and congested skin, those with enlarged pores and acne will see marvelous results when used consistently. The oil reaches below the surface and digs up all the nasties lying below.
It’s no secret that loose skin in the face gives you a ‘tired’ look. Lemon is one of the best essential oils for sagging skin, as it brightens and constricts the dermis.
⇒ See Best Lemon Oil on Amazon
7) May Chang Essential Oil
Unlike frankincense and lemon, may chang is a lesser-known and used essential oil. However, it’s a hidden gem for the skin that a lot of people overlook. It is on one of the best essential oils for sagging skin
More popularly known as litsea, may chang has skin-balancing properties. It’s rich in constituents like geranial (25-40%), neral (26-24%), and limonene (8-15%). The synergistic activity of these natural chemicals gives litsea EO its powerful astringent properties. It improves the appearance of the skin with consistent use, cleanses the skin to oust impurities and blemishes, and astringes areas where fine lines congregate.
If you do opt to use may chang, ensure to dilute very well. The chemical geraniol found in the essential oil is a known skin sensitizer that could cause contact allergen if it isn’t diluted properly.
With a better understanding of what essential oils to use for skin tightening, let’s look at a few factors to consider before using these oils.
⇒ See Best May Chang Oil on Amazon
How to Add Essential Oils into Your Skincare Routine
You don’t need to be a rocket scientist to add essential oils to your existing skincare program. However, there are a few rules to play by to use these beautiful plant extracts safely.
If you’re allergic to certain plants, always conduct a patch test to ensure there’s no unpleasant reaction.
To perform a patch test, dilute a few drops of an essential oil and apply it to your elbow. Cover over the area with a band-aid. If there’s an unpleasant reaction, such as redness, swelling, or itching, remove the covering and wash using soap and water. If the discomfort persists, apply a carrier oil to the area.
An adverse reaction to an essential oil could indicate a skin sensitivity, an allergic reaction, or insufficient dilution.
If there’s no adverse reaction, start adding essential oils to your routine by introducing a few drops to your moisturizing lotion.
As some essential oils produce a photo-toxic reaction once exposed to sunlight, it’s best to apply at least 12 hours before exposure. Most citrus oils are known to produce such a reaction, so be careful when using oils like bergamot and lemon, since they can cause permanent skin discoloration, should a photo-toxic reaction occur.
DIY Skin Tightening Recipes
One of the best things about using essential oils for skin tightening is their versatility. Regardless of the skin type, there’s an essential oil to match up to the challenge. Below you’ll find 5 simple DIYs that can be used for various skin types:
1) Oily Skin or Acne-Prone Skin
For this recipe, we’ll use bergamot and may chang essential oils to make a face wash. The oils are astricting to the skin and contain naturally occurring alcohols that are cleansing and toning. We’ll also throw in tea tree EO for blemish control. This is a skin tightening face wash that will balance out your face oil and control pimples.
Ingredients
- Bergamot oil
- May Chang essential oil
- Tea Tree essential Oil
- Liquid castile soap
Instructions:
- Add 200 ml of liquid castile soap to a bottle, preferably one with a dispensing cap for seamless use.
- Add 40 drops of bergamot and 10 drops of may chang and tea tree essential oils each.
- If you choose to use less liquid castile soap (i.e., 100 ml) cut your essential oils in half to ensure the ratio is safe.
- Shake well to combine your soap and essential oils. Use to wash the face twice daily.
2) Dry Skin
Moisturizing your skin regularly refines its appearance. Skin that is dry and brittle peels easily and appears a lot older. That’s not how you want your skin to look! A well-moisturized skin looks vibrant and plump. There are many ways we can use essential oils for saggy skin.
We’ll be using patchouli essential oil diluted in rosehip carrier oil. Rosehip oil has its therapeutic benefits, and it contains vitamin C and A. It’s also rich in antioxidants that protect the skin and may reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. To create your skin tightening recipe to improve dryness, follow the steps below:
Ingredients:
Instructions:
- Add 30 ml of rosehip oil to a bottle (you may substitute with jojoba oil).
- Follow up with 12 drops of patchouli essential oil.
- Close the bottle and shake well.
- Before applying your blend, spray witch hazel all over the face. Applying your blend over witch hazel to lock in moisture into the skin.
- This can be applied up to 3 times daily.
3) Normal Skin
If you’re looking for a simple, everyday recipe, this is your go-to blend. We’ll use neroli and patchouli for this DIY oil moisturizer. They are both balancing and nourishing to the skin.
Ingredients:
- Patchouli oil
- Neroli oil
- Hazelnut oil
Instructions:
- Mix 12 drops of patchouli and 12 drops neroli oil into 60 ml of hazelnut carrier oil.
- Combine the 2 essential oils with the carrier oil.
- Apply to the skin twice daily.
4) Sensitive Skin
For this blend, we’ll marry Lavender EO with apricot seed oil. Lavender essential oil is known for its skin healing properties. Apricot is a light and comforting oil that gets absorbed into your skin very quickly.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
- 100 ml of apricot seed oil.
- 40 drops of lavender essential oil.
- Combine the oils and shake well.
- Use up to 3 times daily.
5) Aging Skin
To protect your skin against free radicals and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, a DIY with frankincense essential oil and rosehip oil is regenerative.
Ingredients:
- 30 ml of rosehip oil
- 30 ml of carrot seed oil
- 12 drops of frankincense EO
- 6 drops of helichrysum EO
- 6 drops of myrrh EO
Instructions:
- Combine the ingredients and shake well.
- Allow to sit for at least 8 hours before applying to the skin.
- Use daily up to 3 times.
Conclusion
Don’t be afraid to add essential oils for skin tightening to your skincare regime. No matter what skin type you have, you will definitely reap the benefits of these oils. They’ll help repair skin damage, especially after sun exposure. Offering astringent activity, they constrict the skin so that it appears plump and soft. You’ll feel and look younger.
