Don't be fooled: seductively scented cosmetics with essential oils damage your skin

Essential oils are not necessary for the skin. They have no beneficial effect on your skin. Essential oils are mostly used in cosmetic products as a substitute for synthetic fragrances or as a preservative. Sometimes, essential oils are mistakenly attributed with certain effects. However, besides their disinfectant properties and fragrance, they have no other positive effects. Essential oils are extracted from plants. That sounds good, doesn't it? Plants need to protect themselves from other living beings. For example, fly agaric mushrooms and foxgloves have their own toxins. Other plants use essential oils to protect themselves from enemies. Fortunately, essential oils don't kill us humans. Nevertheless, they can harm our skin in various ways.

Essential oils are often confused with potent plant extracts. These can truly protect your skin. They have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, or soothing properties.

Sometimes you hear that if plants protect themselves in this way, it would also protect our skin. A nice analogy, but we humans aren't plants. Therefore, essential oils tend to irritate us. They are unstable and break down upon contact with sunlight and air. Together with air and sunlight, essential oils cause stress in your skin. More precisely: oxidative stress. This creates free radicals. And our skin really doesn't like that. On the contrary: we protect ourselves against free radicals in everyday life with healthy, vitamin-rich foods and exercise. Blueberries, for example, are really delicious and protect you from oxidative stress. Or how about a short workout in the morning? Do you love the beautiful scent? How about spraying the natural fragrance in your hair instead of using hair perfume? It won't harm your skin that way. Essential oils, as a spray or vapor, are also used for relaxation in aromatherapy. However, please note that essential oils can irritate the lungs. If you generally experience shortness of breath due to allergies, yoga or other mindfulness exercises are more suitable for you to help you relax.

And be careful with floral waters. These often contain essential oils that occur naturally in hydrosols. Therefore, they are not listed in the ingredients on the product. If you want to be on the safe side for your skin, it's best to avoid rose water or similar floral-scented waters .