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It’s summertime again, and time to break out the sunscreen to help protect our skin and keep it happy and healthy. Much of the unwanted effects from sun over-exposure are due to the generation of free radicals in our dermal layers — a process that continues long after we’ve stepped out of the sunlight. Inflammation and tissue damage occurs on a cellular level, and long term sun damage can result if this occurs frequently. Fortunately, we can apply antioxidant and anti-inflammatory formulas topically to keep our skin happy and healthy after sun exposure.

Essential oils are exceptionally potent antioxidants, with some being researched specifically for this activity in our skin. Oil of Myrrh was recently studied for its free radical inhibiting effect specifically in the chemical interaction between UV rays and the skins natural oils. Myrrh has long been used to natural healing, and the studies show evidence of its healing potential. Every essential oil found in skin care formulas has antioxidant action, and each one has a unique skin healing property.

It’s simple to compound your own formula: Choose from a select group of oils commonly used in skin care, add them to one or more nourishing carrier oils, and there you have it — your own personally-tailored recipe. The obvious first choice of essential oils is lavender. Lavender reduces inflammation and has natural constituents which stimulate healthy skin cell regeneration. Lavender in fact began the modern aromatherapy revolution with its quick healing of burns. Really, when we come in from sun over-exposure, even without a sunburn, we do have a mild burn on a cellular level — making lavender and excellent choice for every recipe.

Blue tansy is a wonderful essential oil that is frequently used for its anti-inflammatory action in skin care. Blue tansy is seen in many blends for dermatitis and skin irritation, and it will impart its deep blue cooling nature in your after sun healing recipe. It has a lovely ‘blueberry patch in the forest’ aroma loved by everyone who comes across it. It will also reduce allergic reactions that give us itchy skin in the summertime. Use in relatively small concentrations, of approximately one to two percent in your overall formula. If blue tansy is not readily available, blue chamomile is a perfect substitute.

Helichrysum may be the most dramatically anti-inflammatory and regenerative oil used in skin care. While expensive, just a small amount will have important healing effects. Helichrysum is used in wound healing and scar removal blends, and will do just as well for daily facial care for “mature” skin.

Sandalwood essential oil has recently been the subject of research noting its protective effects for the skin, actually preventing skin cancer when applied before sun exposure. The mechanism of action implies that this same protective effect should occur when applied after sun exposure as well. Another exotic oil has also been researched for anticancer activity: Frankincense. You’ll also find this oil prominently in blends for aging skin, having been researched to actually reduce the appearance of wrinkles, and result in smoother skin texture. Its range of effects makes it an excellent addition to your recipe.

Finally, a lovely essential oil that should be perhaps be in every aromatherapy skin care formula is Sea Buckthorn. This oil is extracted from tiny red berries from a bush wildly grown across Europe. This fruity smelling, deep red oil is dense with vitamin A - like nutrients for the skin which dramatically increase healing and regeneration rates. You’ll see this oil recommended in nearly every skincare formula these days — it can help in conditions ranging from acne to dermatitis, from general skincare to improving the appearance of healthy mature skin. Sea Buckthorn has even been studied for the protection of astronauts’ skin from the powerful raise beyond the Earth’s atmosphere — how’s that for a recommendation?

Other additions to your formula outside the realm of common aromatherapy include fat-soluble vitamins. Vitamin E in its natural form can even be squeezed from a capsule — be sure to find it labeled “natural”, as the synthetic form is considered not all that good for you. The fat-soluble form of vitamin C is becoming a very popular skin care ingredient as well. Found as ascorbyl palmitate or “Ester-C”, you can open up the dry capsules of powder and add this to your blend.

All these ingredients will be based in natural “carrier oils”. Carrier oils are common seed and nut oils like avocado, apricot kernel, evening primrose, jojoba, hemp, tamanu and rosehip seed. Any of these oils alone will work wonderfully, though you can use two or more together to provide a synergy of healthy action for your skin. A general-purpose formula may include avocado and jojoba; a potent formula for extra skin health support might include evening primrose, tamanu, and rosehip seed.

Once you’ve chosen which essential oils and carrier oils you’d like to use, just add ten to fifteen drops of each essential oil per ounce of carrier oil mixture. The important thing to consider is not going over thirty-five drops total of essential oils in each ounce of your final product — the reason being that the essential oils are so potent, that they can become irritating if used at too high a concentration.

As an example recipe, you might use one-third parts each jojoba, evening primrose and rosehip seed, and to this add 7 drops each of sea buckthorn, sandalwood, lavender and German chamomile. This is a very potent and effective formula for those with the most concern for the sun’s effect on their skin. For a more simple formula, perhaps for your children, you might use just lavender and sea buckthorn in a jojoba base. These oils are particularly gentle, and should be suitable for even the most sensitive, youthful skin. Use your intuition as a guide, blending with lower concentrations for the young ones. Whatever formulation you choose, it is sure to have a positive effect on the long-term skin health for you and your family.

The author is a consultant for Ananda Aromatherapy. Find more resources are available on aromatherapy supplies & essential oil blends through the website.