My own panades oil - DIY

Apart from the seductive tan, summer holidays often leave an unpleasant souvenir on our skin: dark spots or melasma. These spots are often quite large, and “feed” on the ultraviolet rays of the sun while we blithely enjoy our sunbathing, oblivious to the fact that they will start rearing their ugly head once we are back from holidays and our tan begins to fade. But, have no worries! My natural oil for dark spots is so powerful that it will help you get rid of these unwelcome souvenirs of the summer.

Melanin is our natural sunscreen

According to dermatologists, 90% of visible signs of skin aging are due to sun exposure and 75% of people over 60 have at least one skin discolouration! Photo-aging, which is manifested by dark spots, freckles, sunspots and senile spots, is a consequence of the over-secretion of melanin due to the excessive exposure to the sun (even more so if no sunscreen is used).

Melanin is the pigment produced by melanocytes and gives the skin its natural colour. When we sunbathe, melanocytes secrete melanin as a means of protection against UV rays. Melanin is essentially our natural sunscreen, as it absorbs 50-75% of ultraviolet radiation and redistributes it. However, excessive exposure to the sun can disrupt the smooth functioning of our melanocytes and cause melanin hypersecretion, leading to the appearance of discolourations.

 

Dark spots have a soft spot for...women.

Women, especially those with Mediterranean-type skin, are much more prone to dark spots (or melasma) due to hormonal fluctuations. Hormonal rearrangements during pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, menopause, but also in case of taking contraceptive pills, hormone replacement therapy or polycystic ovary syndrome also affect the function of melanocytes. More specifically, it has been estimated that dark spots appear in 90% of women!

Especially during pregnancy, with the overproduction of progesterone and estrogen, it is very likely that women will develop a type of dark spot (known as chloasma or mask of pregnancy), which will persist even after childbirth. Usually dark spots appear on the forehead, nose, cheekbones, chin or the area above the lips.

 

There is a natural remedy for dark spots

I remember that after my first pregnancy I also found myself with a large dark spot on my forehead. That's when I asked Katerina Vasilatou, a chemistry expert and cosmetic product innovation consultant, to recommend a natural treatment. And indeed, nature does provide substances with antioxidant and whitening action that can erase discolourations and offer a clean, colourless skin.

To make my oil for dark spots, I use four beneficial oils. Rosehip oil (wild rose), which is moisturizing, rich in fatty acids, antioxidant and anti-aging, acts as a base oil for the 3 essential oils that follow. Essential oils:

1) sandalwood essential oil, which erases blemishes and spots, acts against fine wrinkles and moisturizes dry and dehydrated skin;

2) ginger essential oil, which improves the texture of the skin, while controlling the production of sebum and tightening the pores;

and 3) lemon essential oil, the essential oil par excellence for bleaching dark spots and discolourations, which gives brightness and shine to the skin.

 

 

How to make the oil for dark spots

Ingredients

30 ml rosehip oil

3 drops of sandalwood essential oil

2 drops of rose geranium essential oil

5 drops of lemon essential oil

Directions: In a dark-coloured glass bottle, pour the base oil first and then add the essential oils one by one. Close the bottle and shake it well to mix the ingredients. I use the oil for dark spots every night, shaking the bottle before each use. I apply topically to the skin, only to the areas where there are dark spots. You can visit my channel Goodlife by Gina on YouTube and see how I prepare my own oil for dark spots.

 

Important tips:

• Always go for organic essential oils suitable for application to the skin.
• Always dissolve the essential oils in a base oil. Never apply essential oils directly to the skin!
• It is advisable to have patch test first, i.e. testing on a small sensitive area of the skin (for example the inside of the wrist) to check for any skin reaction.
• Apply the oil for dark spots in the evening, in order to avoid exposing the skin to the sun and causing photosensitivity.