Normal Skin and Skin Care Products

So called ‘normal’ skin is rare beyond puberty, and therefore - other than in children - not really normal at all! For the lucky few, normal skin is characterized by good hydration, muscle tone, a balanced metabolism and good circulation.

Normal skin has an attractive, natural bloom and colour, and looks soft and supple. The surface of the skin is free from blemishes and has a fine texture with no wrinkles, no crow’s-feet around the eyes and no enlarged open pores.

Suitable Aromatherapy Products

If you have normal skin, you can use almost any essential oil you like in your skin-care products, with the exception of essential oils that might cause irritation, such as the spice oils. However, the following essential oils are particularly recommended for normal skin care: german chamomile, rose otto, rose absolute, neroli, lavender, geranium, palma rosa and rosewood.

Flower or floral waters (also known as hydrosols) are by-products of distillation of essential oils, and are valuable in skin care alongside essential oils. Suitable flower waters for normal skin include rose water, chamomile water, orange-flower water, cornflower water and linden ­ blossom water.

Caring for normal skin is just as important as caring for other skin types, although in this instance the aim is to preserve the skin condition, rather than compensate for any deficiencies. As with other skin types, normal skin must be cleansed thoroughly, first thing in the morning and last thing at night before going to bed. Toning and moisturizing after cleansing completes thc basic daily skin-care regime.

Occasional exfoliation - perhaps once a fortnight - using a facial scrub is recommended, and using a face mask or pack once a week is also a good way to keep normal skin healthy. Specific recipes and instructions for incorporating essential oils into base creams and other skin-care bases are given for all skin types later on in this section.