In the past year, I have received more queries and requests for custom blends for using essential oils in men’s skincare products. Although I cannot claim to be an “expert” on men’s skincare, certain essential oils do lend themselves more to men’s skincare products than others. This post will briefly discuss some of those essential oils (and suitable bases), which will be followed up in the next post with a few aromatherapy recipes.

Types of Product Bases for Men’s Skincare

Men use a variety of skincare products such as beard oils, moisturizers, and aftershave splashes. These particular product bases can be made to accommodate essential oils. Men also need to pay attention to the type of skin that they have – oily, dry, mature, or combination. This topic is discussed briefly in my book Authentic Aromatherapy.

The aromatherapy product bases that I recommend for the men’s skincare products mentioned in this post are:

• Beard oil – use a carrier oil base such as jojoba, pomegranate, olive, hemp seed, hazelnut, sunflower, or sweet almond oil.

• Moisturizer – use a pre-made white lotion base, or custom make your own lotion or butter base (which is covered in the Sedona Aromatherapie Certification in Professional Aromatherapy course).

• Aftershave splash – use a custom made cologne (alcohol-based) such as the one outlined in the Sedona Aromatherapie Natural Perfumes with Essential Oils course. You could also use a distilled water or hydrosol base, if you prefer.

Recipes using each of these bases are covered in a following post.

Tree Essential Oils for Men’s Skincare

You often find that many skincare products for men include a “tree” aroma. Tree aromas, often balsamic in nature, are traditionally thought to be more “masculine” but there are a variety of different tree essential oils to choose from – and each has its own unique aroma and benefits.

Tree essential oils for men’s skincare products include:

• Black spruce (Picea mariana) – warm, balsamic, pine-like aroma suitable for acne-prone skin and eczema.

• Cedarwood (Cedrus atlantica) – Woody-balsamic aroma suitable for acne-prone skin, eczema, and dermatitis.

• Cypress (Cupressus sempervirens) – Woody-balsamic aroma suitable for oily skin.

• Frankincense (Boswellia spicta) – Rich, balsamic aroma suitable for dry and mature skin.

• Sandalwood (Santalum album) – Woody-balsamic aroma suitable for acne, dry skin, and cracked skin.

Fresh Essential Oils for Men’s Skincare

Essential oils with a “fresh” aroma are frequently added to men’s skincare products, too; these include:

• Spearmint (Mentha spicata) – Fresh, spicy-herbaceous, strong, minty aroma suitable for acne-prone skin and dermatitis.

• Juniper (Juniperus communis) – Fresh, woody-balsamic aroma suitable for acne-prone skin, eczema, and dermatitis.

• Peppermint (Mentha piperita) – Penetrating, minty, camphoraceous aroma suitable for acne-prone skin and dermatitis.

Citrus Essential Oils for Men’s Skincare

Citrus essential oils add a light top note to men’s skincare products. Citrus essential oils include lemon (Citrus limon), sweet orange (Citrus sinensis), lime (Citrus aurantifolia), and bergamot (Citrus bergamia). Note, however, that many citrus essential oils are photo-toxic and should not be used prior to going out in sunlight.

Cautions for Using Essential Oils in Men’s Skincare Products

You should be familiar with any contra-indications for using essential oils (both specific to the essential oil and in general) before adding them to skincare products. You should also be familiar with your (or the person who is going to use the product) health history to make sure that the correct dilution of essential oils is used.

For further information, consult a certified aromatherapist who has studied with an accredited provider, and who is experienced in the area.

Learn More About Essential Oils with Sedona Aromatherapie

If you are interested in learning more about essential oils in skincare, consider one of the Sedona Aromatherapie home study aromatherapy courses. To learn more, visit the courses home page.

References:

• Lawless, Julia, 1995, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Essential Oils, UK: Thorsons

• Author is a UK-certified aromatherapist, published aromatherapy author, approved NAHA aromatherapy educator, aromatherapy business owner, and Chief Editor of the NAHA Journal.