Today, we will be focusing on the seven biggest benefits of eucalyptus oil for skin care.
Eucalyptus oil comes from the leaves of eucalyptus trees. These trees originate in Australia but are now found all over the world. Leaves from these trees are dried, crushed, and distilled to extract the eucalyptus oil.
Diluted versions of the oil can be used for a large variety of reasons. It can be used to keep your teeth healthy, keep bugs away, and reduce a myriad of internal and external ailments. Most importantly, it can be used to treat and improve one’s skin.
From cleansing and moisturizing to lightening dark spots and helping reduce acne, the skin care uses for eucalyptus oil are endless!
However, these seven benefits are our favorites—and the reason we decided to use eucalyptus oil in our potent, powerful cleanser, The Resetter.
Read on to learn the seven best benefits of eucalyptus oil in skin care.
The 7 Benefits of Eucalyptus Oil for Skin Care
There are many benefits to treating skin with eucalyptus oil. This is in large part because of its purported antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, as well as because the leaves from which it is derived are rich in antioxidants.
It’s important to remember that most studies on eucalyptus oil’s skin care benefits have not been performed on humans—yet.
While more research needs to be done to prove these skin care benefits, we think real-world results speak for themselves.
May Help Reduce Redness and Swelling
Redness and swelling occur when the body experiences harmful stimuli. When the skin on your face becomes irritated, there will be an increase in blood flow to that specific area, causing redness and swelling.
Eucalyptus oil is able to treat this response by promoting blood circulation and reducing blood flow to that specific area. This makes the essential oil ideal for treating such conditions as eczema and acne.
May Help Calm Skin Conditions
There are many chronic skin conditions that develop during the early onset of childhood. It is generally believed that an overactive immune system is responsible for causing such conditions and that the itchy rashes that accompany the condition are triggered by allergens, redness, and swelling.
When someone experiences a flare-up of eczema, their body produces a surplus of enzymes. Eucalyptus oil contains powerful compounds that can help reduce the levels of enzymes. Creams are often used to treat the itchiness of eczema. Eucalyptus oil can be used as an organic moisturizer in these instances.
May Help Fight Free Radicals
Eucalyptus leaves contain flavonoid antioxidants that can help your body combat free radical damage. Free radicals are reactive, unstable molecules with an unpaired valence electron. Pollutants like smog, dust, and pesticides can introduce free radicals into your skin, as can sun exposure.
In the hunt for an electron, free radicals damage cells and speed up aging. Specifically for skincare, free radicals tend to steal electrons from the collagen and elastin molecules that give your skin its structure and flexibility. Free radicals can cause wrinkles and fine lines, dark spots, dullness, and dryness.
Here’s where eucalyptus oil comes in—antioxidants have an extra electron that they’re able to donate to these unstable free radicals without becoming unstable themselves. By topically applying antioxidants like eucalyptus oil directly to problem areas, you can help reduce free radical damage and slow the signs of aging.
May Help Reduce Acne
Acne is a skin condition that occurs when hair follicles become clogged with sebum, dirt, and dead skin cells. Bacteria can then trigger the infection and redness and swelling of these spots.
Eucalyptus oil is known to soothe the discomfort associated with different types of acne. The essential oil is also antiseptic and antibacterial and can cleanse the skin’s surface of substances that may lead to acne breakouts if left alone.
May Help Lighten Dark Spots
There has not been enough scientific research conducted to guarantee that eucalyptus oil can lighten dark spots on the skin, but it is widely claimed that the product can successfully treat these blemishes. Many cosmetic products made to lighten the skin include eucalyptus oil as an ingredient to support this theory.
It is also generally believed that eucalyptus can be used to treat other signs of aging alongside dark spots. For example, eucalyptus oil is often used to tighten the skin and reduce the visibility of fine lines.
Provides Moisture
Eucalyptus oil can be used to improve the moisture levels of one’s skin. This is possible because the essential oil contains an antibacterial compound called macrocarpal A. This compound is known for boosting ceramide production. Ceramides are a type of fatty acid responsible for maintaining the skin’s barrier and retaining moisture.
Since eucalyptus oil can cause an increase in ceramide production, applying the product typically can heal damage previously caused to the skin’s barrier and help the skin to retain moisture. This fortification of your skin barrier can also help protect your skin from pollutants—now that’s a win-win.
Not only will this help hydrate the skin, but it also can reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. While dry skin doesn’t cause fine lines, wrinkles, and other aging indications, it makes them more noticeable.
By boosting your skin’s moisture with eucalyptus oil, you’re supporting graceful aging and helping to maintain your youthful glow.
Helps Reduce Stress
Did you know that emotional stress may affect your skin? Of course, there are clear links between stress and skin conditions like rashes, acne, and hives, but stress might even weaken your skin barrier and harm skin elasticity.
Eucalyptus oil’s scent has been used in aromatherapy to decrease feelings of stress for centuries. By using a topical cream with eucalyptus oil that maintains its refreshing, minty aroma, you can benefit from its antioxidant and barrier-boosting properties while promoting relaxation.
Eucalyptus oil can relieve your body and mind while harnessing the powers of your body-mind connection in a holistic approach to skin care.
Cleanses the Skin
As has been mentioned several times at this point, eucalyptus oil has antibacterial properties. This makes it particularly effective at cleansing the skin. When used as an ingredient in a cleanser, it is even effective at treating skin struggling with infections and targeting specific spots like boils and cold sores.
MadeMan’s cleanser, The Resetter, features eucalyptus globulus leaf oil as an ingredient. This cleanser is a 2-in-1 cleanser and shaving gel that facilitates a smooth shave and a deep and gentle cleansing. It is water-based and uses all-natural ingredients.
The function of the eucalyptus oil in this product is to increase ceramide production to keep the skin moisturized, reduce redness and swelling, and prevent UVB-induced collagen degradation.
How To Use The Oil
Before being applied to the skin, eucalyptus oil needs to be diluted. For this reason, the safest way to use the essential oil is to buy skin care products that already contain it. This can mean serums, creams, and cleansers like the Resetter.
Using these products will ensure that the oil is professionally diluted and safe to use.
However, if you choose to use the oil directly, make sure to dilute it with a carrier oil like almond, coconut, or avocado oil. For every ounce of the carrier oil, you can apply five to ten drops of the eucalyptus oil.
Of course, pre-made products like the Resetter will always be the safest and most effective way to reap eucalyptus oil’s skin care benefits.
MadeMan: Skin Care for Men
We here at MadeMan understand that many men were never taught the importance of skin care. We are committed to changing that. Skin Care is important for everybody, and we believe that every man is deserving of products that are easy to use and beneficial for their skin.
That is why, in addition to collaborating with one of the nation’s leading dermatologists to produce sustainable, simplified, all-natural skin care products, we are always on the lookout for organic and effective solutions.
We know that eucalyptus can help soothe, moisturize, and cleanse the skin. That’s why we’ve made products like the Resetter that harness that power of eucalyptus oil because these benefits are no joke.
Conclusion
Eucalyptus oil is an extremely versatile product. Whether you are looking to keep bugs away or get rid of a cough, this product might just do the trick.
When it comes to skin, the options are near limitless. Eucalyptus oil can be used to treat irritation, discoloration, redness, and swelling. It may even help lighten dark spots, reduce signs of acne, and moisturize your skin!
These six benefits make eucalyptus a powerful tool in your skin care arsenal—just be sure to dilute it with a carrier oil or use it in a professionally-made skin care product, like the ones found at MadeMan.
Sources:
Biological, medicinal and toxicological significance of Eucalyptus leaf essential oil: a review | PubMed
Eczema | PubMed
Acne in adolescents | PubMed