WHEN THE GOING GET DRY, GET THE OILS FLOWING

Oils come in all colours and textures.

Mother Nature has provided every area of the world with an abundance of oils. Why? Because they are absolutely necessary in our diet and on our body, especially for the maintenance and repair of the nervous system and the skin. Think of coconut oil and shae butter everywhere in the tropics, olive and sesame and almond in the mediterranean area, rice oats oils in Asia, canola, sunflower and grape seed in more temperate areas. People from northern countries, living above the tree line, found their source of oil
in sea mammals and still do to some extent.

For the longest time, most North Americans relied almost exclusively on corn oil, which has become more and more adulterated and genetically modified, to say nothing of margarines and palm oil found in most manufactured foods. Fortunately, good quality oils mentioned above, often organic, are now available in health food stores and some food chains with an organic section.

Yum, a bit of rice oats oil with plum vinegar and
shredded coconut. A delight for taste buds and
skin alike.

All these oils can be used in salads and other dishes, as well as carrier oils in massage. The best are those that match your constitution (Vata, Pitta, Kapha).

There are other excellent oils that can be purchased in small quantities such as avocado, rosehip, carrot, apricot kernel, hazelnut, castor oil (this is not from the animal but from a beautiful plant), jojoba, pumpkin seed, flaxseed and argan seed. Why small quantities? Because the plant matter has less oil to give, they don’t last as long, and the production and retail costs are higher. Most of those are difficult to find in their organic state. They are well worth the cost when you consider the benefits, and can be purchased occasionally for a special treat.

Yearning for a peachy textured skin? Think.... apricot kernel oil.

1. Avocado and castor oil will do an amazing job with any extra dry skin patch. 
2. Rosehip loves to take care of wrinkles and prevents them when you start at an early age (eg., late 20s-early 30s). 
3. Jojoba is not only great for its nutriments but also as a natural preservative for your products.
4. Pumpkin seed is full of the essential zinc and vitamin K. 
5. Argan oil, a warming oil, is excellent for vaginal dryness and anything else you can think of.
6. Carrot oil has carotene, a natural around the eyes.
7. Apricot kernel a blissful oil for peachy skin, best for Pitta. 
8. Hazelnut oil is light (so best used in summer) has vitamin E and maintains the integrity of the outer layer of the skin. 
9. Flaxseed is great for skin inflammations.

And there are medicated oils. Those are made with carrier oils that have the ability to extract the medicinal properties of plants. They are olive oil, sesame oil and sometimes coconut oils. My favourite ones are macerations of lavender, comfrey, yarrow, calendula, plantain, vanilla. I also purchase ayurvedic medicated oils such as brahmi oil.

Face to Grace products all contain a combination of some of the carrier, specialty and medicated oils mentioned above. In addition, The Book of Beauty: Making Skin Care Products with Ayurveda and Aromatherapy lists all of them with their individual properties.

So for your next  home party with the girls experiment with oils, Face to Grace products or make a moisturizer you can share. I would be glad to provide tips. Simply send me an email at info@facetograce.com.