Sesame oil is acquired from the seeds of Sesamum indicum plant. It naturally has yellow color, nutty flavor, and contains plenty of nutrients. Besides for cooking, the oil is possibly applied topically for cosmetic purpose, especially skin health. Some benefits of sesame oil for skin are listed in the following passages.
1. Natural Sunscreen
Vitamin E contained in sesame oil acts as excellent antioxidant thus it is useful as natural sunscreen lotion. Free radicals and oxidation that come with sun exposure can damage your skin. If you think applying chemical-based sunscreen is not good enough, sesame oil can be the best alternative.
Chemical-free sunscreen should not trigger skin problems, however you should consult dermatologist before applying the oil in order to prevent possible allergic reactions. You can also try applying sesame oil to a small area of your skin and check for unusual reactions to make sure that it is safe to use.
2. Moisturizes the Skin
Sesame oil can act as both moisturizer and emollient for full-body skin. Besides vitamin E, sesame oil also contains linoleic acids, stearic acids, and palmitic acids. It is even safe to use this oil regularly every day for optimum results. Please remember that sesame oil has strong fragrance, but you can eliminate it by mixing the oil with other essential oils such as castor or almond.
Such mixture can even handle dry skin problems in some areas for example knees and elbow. To prevent dry skin problem, simply pour some drops of sesame oil into your bath water.
3. Slowing down the skin aging
Another excellent benefit of sesame oil for skin is that it slows down skin aging. The oil has an antioxidant called sesamol which effectively prevents the appearances of wrinkles and fine lines. There are indeed plenty of anti-aging products that you can use, but sesame oil offers natural benefits without chemical ingredients. It is as well inexpensive as long as you know how to extract the oil at home.
4. Detoxification of the skin
As the outer layer of the body, skin is exposed to almost all dangerous toxins from the environment every day. Luckily, some toxins are soluble in oil, and you can remove them with the help of sesame oil. In this case, you need to apply warm oil to your skin, and leave it for approximately 15 minutes. Wash the oil with warm water without soap for best results.
5. Helps repair damaged skin cells
Although sesame oil is fairly thick and sticky, it is easily absorbed by the skin. In fact, it is often used as carrier oil or base oil, which functions to dilute other essential oils for massage. Different combination of oils is often required depending on individual’s skin condition. However, it is safe and easy to mix sesame oil with other types of vegetable oils. When used for massage therapy, sesame oil helps to repair damaged skin cells and improve blood circulation.
6. Reduces Antibacterial Infections
It is totally safe to apply sesame oil to inflamed or wounded skin. As a matter of fact, the oil can help to prevent bacterial infections as it has anti-inflammatory properties. It is not necessary to add other ingredients or mix it with other types of essential oils. As the oil is extracted from sesame seeds, it is already an antibacterial substance. Sesame oil is possibly used for treating certain skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis.
How to Use Sesame Oil for Your Skin
There are indeed plenty of benefits of sesame seed oil for skin, but you need to use it properly for optimum results. A different purpose may require different procedures. You can use this oil as regular moisturizer or as sunscreen lotion. In order to get the best results for each purpose, you need to follow the instructions listed below.
1. Daily Use
There are actually some possible methods to apply sesame oil as daily treatment for skin. The easiest one is to apply the oil after taking hot shower. Let the skin slightly wet, and then massage the oil into your face and full-body skin. Leave it for about 10 minutes, and then rub any remaining oil completely. Sesame oil basically traps moisture, so this method should keep your skin moisturized throughout the day.
Another good method is to apply the oil before taking hot bath. As mentioned earlier, sesame oil traps toxins. When you wash your body with warm water, the toxins will be removed. If sesame oil brings overwhelmingly strong smell for you, simply mix it with olive or almond oil. You can also mix sesame oil with turmeric, and then apply the solution 10 minutes before taking hot bath. Use this on daily basis to get glowing skin.
2. As a Sunscreen
Another good thing about sesame oil for skin is that you can use it as sunscreen lotion. Unless you work or live in a continuously sunlight-exposed environment, you will not need to use sunscreen every day. If you need such lotion in some occasions, sesame oil can protect you from oxidation and free radicals as well. You need to use cosmetic-grade sesame oil, not the cooking-grade type. Each type has different properties, so make sure you use the right type.
Use only 100% pure sesame oil to get all possible benefits. For more advantages, mix it with other essential oils such as clove, rosemary, lavender, thyme, or cedar wood. The most common proportion is 3 drops of any of those oils per teaspoon of sesame oil.
There is no special method or instruction in using the oil for sunscreen lotion. Simply apply the solution all over your body including facial skin. As a sunscreen, it is only intended for topical use on skin layers, so please be very careful when applying it around eye and mouth areas. In other words, do not swallow or allow direct contact with eyes. Sesame oil is easily removed, so you may need to re-apply the solution after heavily perspiring or jumping into water.
Conclusion
People with oily skin may not be very comfortable about using essential oils for skin treatment. Nonetheless, the benefits of sesame oil for skin are not limited for people with dry skin only. Its abilities to remove toxins, improve blood circulation, and protect skin from free radicals are beneficial for both skin types.