Top 10 Essential Oils for Skin Care and 5 to Avoid

Top 10 Essential Oils for Skin Care and 5 to Avoid

It’s no secret that I LOVE essential oils! They can be used for so many different things and they’re a safe alternative to using synthetic scenting agents in bath and body products. One thing I really like is how some oils are SO good for the skin! Today we’re going to be looking at 10 essential oils that are great for the skin, and 5 that you should avoid in skincare products!

10 Great Essential Oils for the Skin

Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia)
Tea Tree (Melaleuca alternifolia)
Clary Sage (Salvia sclarea)
Frankincense (Boswellia carterii)
Copaiba (Copaiefera officinalis)
German Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla)
Cypress (Cupressus sempervivens)
Geranium (Pelargonium asperum)
Blue Tansy (Tanacetum anuum)
Carrot Seed (Daucus carota)

5 Essential Oils to Avoid in Skin Care Products

Although citrus oils are some of my favorite oils, they’re unfortunately not good for use in skin care products. These essential oils are considered phototoxic, which means when they’re applied to the skin and then exposed to the sun, they can cause burns to your skin.

Way back when I first started using essential oils, I used a blend containing lemon oil for allergies. Not thinking anything about it I went out to mow grass about 4 hours after I used the blend. Later on that day I started noticing that my skin was sore and felt like it was burning, and wouldn’t you know it was right in the area that I used the blend. It was an uncomfortable experience, so hopefully my mistake will keep you from doing the same!

Lemon (Citrus limon)
Lime (Citrus aurantifolia)
Bergamot* (Citrus bergamia)
Grapefruit (Citrus paradisii)
Tangerine (Citrus reticulata)

*A note about Bergamot essential oil. Bergamot contains furanocoumarins, which is the component responsible for making it phototoxic. There are Bergamot oils on the market where the furanocoumarins have been removed, making it safe for use in the sun. If you’re wanting to use Bergamot in your recipes, look for FCF Bergamot (furanocoumarin free).

This Apple Tart Soap is such a sweet little soap-making project, and I love how it turns a simple melt and pour soap base into something that looks almost good enough to eat. The idea of using clear glycerin soap with apple pie fragrance oil, cinnamon, and a whipped white soap topping gives this project a warm, cozy dessert-inspired feel without making it overly complicated.

What makes this project especially appealing is how beginner-friendly it is. Melt and pour soap is one of the easiest ways to get started with handmade soap, and this recipe keeps the ingredient list short while still creating a finished soap that feels fun and gift-worthy. The whipped topping detail is a clever touch because it instantly makes the soap look more like a tiny apple tart or bakery-style treat.

I also really like the packaging potential for this project. These soaps would look beautiful wrapped in clear cello, brown kraft paper, or a small handmade gift box. Adding dried apple rounds, a cinnamon stick, twine, or a rustic gift tag would make them perfect for fall gifts, teacher presents, craft stalls, Christmas hampers, or homemade bath and body gift baskets.

Because the soap uses cinnamon and fragrance oil, I would treat this as more of a novelty hand soap or decorative gift soap rather than something for very sensitive skin. As with all handmade bath and body projects, it is a good idea to use skin-safe fragrance oils and soap-safe colorants where possible.

Overall, this is a charming little melt and pour soap project with lots of handmade gift appeal. It is simple enough for beginners, pretty enough for gifting, and has that cozy apple pie scent that makes it especially lovely for autumn, holiday markets, and homemade Christmas gifts.

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