ELAINE ORROCK, COMPLEMENTARY THERAPIST
Kirkintilloch Herald
Here are some articles from my weekly Health and Beauty column in the Kirkintilloch Herald.
Natural
Essential oils can be beneficial in all sorts of ways. Nowadays many people are looking for a more gentle and natural way to help them along whilst in labour. Jasmine and lavender are two of the oils that can be used in the latter stages of pregnancy.
The oils should be blended in advance as once you are in labour it’ll be the last thing on your mind. Mix between five and ten drops of oil in a 100ml bottle of vegetable oil. Jasmine helps strengthen and deepen the contractions whilst lavender is refreshing mixed in some water and sponged onto face and body.
Essential Oils
An essential oil is a product that is extracted in one way or another from natural material such as leaves, flowers, bark or fruit to name but a few. They each have a variety of properties ranging from antiseptic to anti-inflammatory. When looking for an essential oil you should make sure that you buy one that states pure essential oil on the label.
Many oils available in the shops are blended in a carrier oil which means that there is a small amount of pure essential oil mixed in a high percentage of oil such as jojoba. These oils offer poor value for money as they are often priced on a par with pure oils and are in my opinion a bit of a con.
Winter
Lack of moisture is the reason for dry flaky skin therefore it is important to drink at least two litres of water per day. A dry atmosphere will take water from wherever it can so you will probably find yourself applying moisturiser more often than usual. Another reason for skin feeling tight and itchy can be wrong choice of cleanser.
Our skin has an acid mantle layer which is a protective barrier. Soap is usually alkaline in nature therefore disturbs this protective layer. For this reason you should be careful about choosing the correct cleanser. A general guideline is to use a creamy cleanser for dry, dehydrated and sensitive skins, a cleansing lotion for younger, excessively oily skins and a gel or foaming cleanser for oily and combination skin.
Rosehip Oil
Rosehip seed oil is an excellent natural source of Vitamin A. It’s rich in essential fatty acids making it a valuable product for treating skin that has been damaged in one way or another. Skin that has been scarred by acne or marked with stretch marks can benefit from the nourishing and revitalizing properties of rosehip seed oil.
This base oil is easily absorbed into the skin which makes it a fantastic night moisturiser. It’s useful for treating dry and wrinkled skin and can be used on its own or blended with essential oils of your choice.