When it comes to skincare benefits, pine essential oil is often overlooked. But just because the scent is basically the mascot of Christmas and probably reminds you of the inside of a bathroom of Target doesn't mean you should overlook it when you're stocking up vanity. Regardless of why you haven’t included it in your beauty routine, now is the time to indulge in the skin benefits of pine essential oil.
While the pine tree most likely first bloomed in Austria and Russia, it is now a native tree that we have at our disposal. The fact that it grows naturally and the oil can be steam extracted from the pine leaves is going to make it a more affordable essential oil for your beauty needs. The same desired properties that make pine essential oil found in many cleaning products are the same properties that make it great for treating skin conditions such as acne, boils, eczema, and psoriasis. Pine essential oil contains antioxidants that help fight off wrinkle-causing free radicals and it’s incredibly antibacterial and antiseptic. It can be used to balance skin, which includes reducing inflammation and redness, so I highly recommend it for anyone looking to cure acne.
If the smell and sound of using pine essential oil seems harsh on your skin, you're right to feel cautious. However, just like most essential oils, pine essential oil can be used topically as long as you dilute it with a carrier oil like olive or jojoba. Speaking of mixing up oils, pine blends nicely with many other essentials for you to have the scent you desire in your skincare. As always, test your diluted essential oil on your arm to make sure your skin isn’t extremely sensitive to the oil.
Here are some of my favorite ways to get a touch of pine in your skincare routine.
1. Soothe Super Dry Skin
There are plenty of oils that can help alleviate painful, cracked skin, but I especially like to recommend pine essential oil in combination with avocado oil, shea butter, and coconut oil for my pals that work extensively with their hands. The constant washing of hands and manual labor make it easy to strip their hands of their natural oils and getting them back can be a daunting task. Add pine essential oil with cedarwood after you’ve blended your oils to get lasting moisture.
2. Treat Acne
Acne can be incredibly painful, but according to sources at Ayurvedic Oils, pine essential oil brings down the inflammation and pain of a rather nasty zit. Dilute with a lightweight carrier oil like tamanu (which also has amazing healing properties) to create a spot treatment that could soothe your trouble spots.
3. Remove Makeup
For a natural makeup remover that you can make on the fly, just use your fave carrier oil (grapeseed, olive oil, and apricot all work great) and a few drops of pine essential oil on a microfiber cloth and gently remove makeup. Add rose water to your concoction to keep your mixture even more diluted and less oily. I tried this makeup remover on my eyes and was very pleased it didn't burn.
4. Brighten With A Toner
Speaking of roses and pine oil, a great option for a balanced complexion and lightening dark spots is a combination of rose water, pine and rosemary essential oil (a little bit of these essential oils goes along way, so don’t overdo it). According to StyleCraze, the antioxidants found in pine essential oil are great for the skin while rosemary has astringent and brightening properties. If your skin is dry or very sensitive, add a touch of a lightweight carrier oil to avoid dryness and tight feeling skin.
5. Relax With A Bath Bomb
A great way to detox the bod and cleanse out all the toxins from the day is to use a homemade bath bombs. You can get real fancy and leave them overnight to form or you can use a cheesecloth with Epsom salt, a few drops of safflower oil, and pine and juniper essential oils. Drop the cheese cloth in hot water while you soak up these beauty benefits.
Image: Kristin Collins Jackson (5)
