Olive Oil for Tan: Natural Sun-Kissed Glow or Skincare Myth?
If you’re looking for a natural way to get a glowing skin, you might want to consider using olive oil. With the desire for a golden complexion ever-present, many have turned to this natural remedy as an alternative to commercial tanning products. In this article, we delve into the concept of using olive oil for tanning, exploring its effectiveness, potential benefits, and important considerations to keep in mind. While some swear by its ability to enhance the skin’s glow, others question its safety and potential drawbacks. So, whether you’re a sun-seeking enthusiast or simply curious about this age-old practice, join us as we uncover the truth behind using olive oil for tanning and how it can either be your radiant glow secret or just a skincare myth.
Why Is Olive Oil Beneficial for Your Skin?
Moisturizes and Nourishes
Olive oil is an excellent moisturizer that helps to keep the skin soft and supple. It penetrates deep into the skin, providing hydration and nourishment to the cells. Additionally, olive oil contains healthy fats that help to strengthen the skin’s natural barrier, protecting it against environmental stressors and preventing moisture loss.
Fights Aging
Olive oil is rich in antioxidants that help to fight aging. These antioxidants neutralize free radicals that can cause damage to the skin cells, leading to wrinkles, fine lines, and other signs of aging. By incorporating olive oil into your skincare routine, you can help to keep your skin looking youthful and radiant.
Soothes Irritation
Olive oil has anti-inflammatory properties that help to soothe irritated and inflamed skin. If you suffer from eczema, psoriasis, or other inflammatory skin conditions, using olive oil can help to reduce redness, itching, and discomfort.
How Does Olive Oil Help You Get a Tan?
Olive oil is rich in vitamins and nutrients that are essential for healthy skin. It contains antioxidants, such as vitamin E, which protect the skin from free radicals that can cause damage and aging. Additionally, olive oil contains healthy fats that moisturize and nourish the skin, helping to keep it soft and supple.
When you apply olive oil to your skin before sunbathing, it helps to accelerate the tanning process. This is because olive oil contains a small amount of SPF (Sun Protection Factor), which provides some protection against UV rays. However, it’s important to note that olive oil should never be used as a substitute for sunscreen, as it doesn’t provide adequate protection against harmful UV rays.
How to Use Olive Oil to Get a Tan
Using olive oil to get a tan is easy and straightforward. Here’s what you need to do:
Choose a high-quality extra-virgin olive oil. Look for an organic, cold-pressed variety that’s free from additives and preservatives.
Before sunbathing, apply a generous amount of olive oil to your skin. Massage the oil into your skin using circular motions, focusing on areas that are prone to dryness and flakiness, such as elbows, knees, and feet.
Wait for a few minutes to allow the oil to absorb into your skin before exposing yourself to the sun.
Reapply olive oil every 30 minutes to 1 hour, especially if you’re swimming or sweating.
Precautions When Using Olive Oil for Tan
While using olive oil to get a tan can be effective, there are some precautions that you should take to avoid skin damage and sunburn. Here are some tips to keep in mind:
Never use olive oil as a substitute for sunscreen. Olive oil has a low SPF and doesn’t provide adequate protection against harmful UV rays.
Always apply sunscreen before applying olive oil. Choose a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30, and reapply every 2 hours.
Avoid sunbathing during peak hours when the sun’s rays are strongest. Plan your outdoor activities for early morning or late afternoon when the sun is less intense.
Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated and avoid heat stroke.
Wear protective clothing, such as a hat and sunglasses, to shield your skin from the sun.
Conclusion
Olive oil is an excellent natural alternative to chemical tanning products. Not only does it help you get a beautiful tan, but it also nourishes and moisturizes your skin, leaving it soft and supple. However, it’s important to use olive oil responsibly and take precautions to protect your skin from harmful UV rays. By following these tips, you can enjoy a healthy and glowing tan while keeping your skin safe and protected.
DIY LAVENDER SALVE: A SOOTHING BALM FOR SKIN AND MIND
Lavender salve is a versatile and effective topical remedy that can be easily made at home. It offers a range of benefits, including: Skin healing: Soothes irritation, moisturizes dry skin, and can help heal acne, scrapes, and eczema; Stress relief: The calming aroma of lavender is scientifically proven to reduce anxiety and promote relaxation.
Making lavender salve is surprisingly simple. If you’ve followed along with our previous tutorials on calendula or cannabis salve, you’ll find many familiar steps. However, lavender offers its own unique set of benefits. Let’s get started on creating your own soothing lavender salve!
What is Lavender Salve?
Not familiar with salve? Simply put, a salve is a healing solution applied to the skin, which can take the form of creams, ointments, or balms. Typically, salves are thick, shelf-stable, and contain nourishing oils such as coconut oil, olive oil, or sweet almond oil.
In addition to a base oil (or a blend of them), salves usually incorporate natural waxes or butters to help bind the ingredients and give them a semi-solid consistency at room temperature. Beeswax is a popular binding agent due to its availability, ease of use (especially in pastille form), and ability to create smooth, cohesive results.
If you prefer a vegan alternative to beeswax, check the ingredient list below for recommended substitutions. When you incorporate lavender-infused oil (or lavender essential oil) into a salve recipe, you create a delightful lavender salve, enriched with the medicinal benefits of lavender.
Lavender-infused oil vs. lavender essential oils
When you glance at the concise ingredient list below, you’ll notice our preference for a blend of homemade lavender-infused oil and a dash of lavender essential oil in our lavender salve recipe.
But what’s the difference? Lavender-infused oil is made by steeping dried lavender flowers in a carrier oil of your choice for a period of time. This process allows the natural essential oils from the lavender to be drawn out and infused into the carrier oil, which is then strained. In contrast, lavender essential oils, often found in small bottles, are produced through a distillation extraction process, which is typically done on a large industrial scale. While some hobbyists use small distillation stills at home, it’s not the most common method for making essential oils.
We love using lavender-infused oil because it utilizes our homegrown lavender and adds a personal touch along with an extra boost of natural lavender scent to the salve. However, if you prefer, you can also create lavender salve using plain oil and essential oils. If you’d like to make lavender-infused oil for this salve recipe, check out our instructions for preparing homemade lavender oil, and then return to the recipe once it’s ready!
The Health Benefits of Lavender
The soothing yet cheerful aroma of lavender is both calming and uplifting, making it a favorite for promoting relaxation. Scientific studies have shown that lavender can effectively reduce anxiety, stress, depression, and insomnia, helping individuals find peace in their daily lives.
Beyond its calming effects, lavender boasts powerful anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant properties, making it a versatile ingredient in natural remedies. It is well-known for deterring pest insects such as mosquitoes and flies, which is why many natural insect repellents include lavender in their formulations.
Additionally, lavender has remarkable healing capabilities. It can relieve pain and itching while promoting new cell growth, aiding in the repair of damaged skin tissue and healing wounds. In her book Medicinal Herbs: A Beginner’s Guide, Rosemary Gladstar highlights lavender’s effectiveness in treating a variety of infections, including staph, strep, colds, flus, ringworm, and yeast infections. She also notes its ability to ease headaches and migraines, further showcasing its extensive benefits.
With its multitude of uses, lavender is not just a delightful fragrance; it’s a powerful ally in both physical and emotional well-being.
What can lavender salve be used for?
While lavender is often utilized in culinary and medicinal applications, its true gift lies in its ability to soothe our skin and nerves. You may have noticed that lavender features prominently in many natural skincare products, and it’s not just for its delightful fragrance! When applied topically, lavender can alleviate, heal, or treat a wide range of skin issues. Enter homemade lavender salve!
This versatile salve can be applied to irritated skin to reduce swelling, redness, and discomfort. It effectively addresses conditions such as rashes, bug bites, burns (including sunburn), acne, scrapes, eczema, stings, scars, and psoriasis. I find it particularly soothing after shaving, helping to prevent or treat razor burn, and it also calms the small rashes I sometimes get from brushing against certain plants in the garden.
Beyond treating ailments, homemade lavender salve is an excellent remedy for everyday issues like chapped lips, rough elbows and feet, or dry hands, providing essential moisture. After a long day of gardening, I love applying it to my dry, cracked cuticles!
If you’re looking for a natural way to unwind, simply dab some lavender salve on your temples, neck, wrists, and under your nose, then take a few deep breaths. The calming aromatherapy properties of lavender can help you relax, enhance your meditation or yoga practice, or prepare for a restful night’s sleep. I keep a tin on my bedside nightstand and often reach for it in the middle of the night when my mind is racing.
Lavender oil is generally safe for children and babies, making homemade lavender salve ideal for addressing issues like diaper rash or cradle cap. In fact, one study even found that lavender oil may help alleviate colic! Just remember never to use undiluted essential oils directly on the skin, and always double-check the safety of your other salve ingredients for use with infants.
Finally, lavender salve can also assist in shrinking skin ulcers, softening the appearance of scars, and reducing the swelling and discomfort associated with varicose veins.
If you’re skeptical, take a look at these testimonials from our satisfied customers who have experienced remarkable results with our Homestead and Chill organic lavender salve. People have found relief from various skin issues, including cystic acne and persistent large rashes that resisted other treatments. I am genuinely delighted and humbled by this positive feedback. It reinforces my commitment to helping individuals lead their most naturally healthy lives—this is the very reason I started this journey!
Now, without further ado, let’s dive into the process of making your very own lavender salve! Here’s a simple guide to creating a soothing, effective salve at home.
HOMEMADE LAVENDER SALVE RECIPE
INGREDIENTS FOR LAVENDER SALVE
Lavender-Infused Oil: 1 cup (8 ounces)
OR 1 cup of your preferred carrier oil (like jojoba, olive, sweet almond, sunflower, or coconut oil) with additional lavender essential oils. To help you choose, check out our article on lavender oils, which details the unique benefits of various carrier oils.
Beeswax Pastilles: 3 to 4 tablespoons (approximately 1 ounce if using shaved, block, or other forms of beeswax)
Note: If you decide to add shea butter, you can use only 3 level tablespoons of beeswax. If you skip the shea butter, use 4 tablespoons of beeswax.
Vegan Alternatives: Consider soy wax or candelilla wax.
Lavender Essential Oils (EOs):
When using lavender-infused oil as your base, add about 20-25 drops of organic lavender essential oil per cup of oil for a delightful scent that isn’t overpowering.
If you’re using only essential oils, you can add up to 12 drops of lavender EOs per fluid ounce of carrier oil (up to 96 drops per cup). This is the maximum recommended amount based on a safe dilution ratio of 2%. It’s best to start with half that amount and adjust according to your scent preference.
Optional Ingredients:
Shea Butter or Cocoa Butter: 2 tablespoons
This adds rich moisture and essential nutrients to your salve.
Other Essential Oils: Add a few drops of complementary essential oils, such as chamomile, rose, pink grapefruit, lemon, rosemary, sweet orange, ylang ylang, bergamot, geranium, or sandalwood. Experiment with different blends to create a custom scent, each with its unique benefits.
These ingredients come together to create a soothing and healing lavender salve perfect for various skin needs!
Other Supplies Needed
Double Boiler:
You can use a traditional double boiler or create a makeshift version. For example, place a smaller pot or a glass Pyrex or stainless steel bowl on top of a saucepan filled with water.
Using a double boiler is crucial to prevent overheating the volatile lavender essential oils, which can diminish their healing properties.
Storage Containers:
Small glass jars or salve tins are needed for storing your finished product.
Common choices include 2-ounce amber glass jars for personal use or gifts, and larger 4-ounce jars. For easy shipping, consider using 2-ounce salve tins.
Recipe Yield
The quantities provided will yield just over 1 cup of finished salve (approximately 10 ounces, or five 2-ounce tins).
Feel free to scale the recipe up or down as needed. A general guideline for salve is to use about 1 part beeswax/butter to approximately 4-7 parts oil. A higher beeswax-to-oil ratio results in a firmer salve, while using less beeswax creates a softer consistency.
Note on Quality Ingredients
When making salve, herbal oils, or other homemade body care products, it’s essential to use high-quality ingredients. Opting for certified organic options is even better.
Aim to create a healing medicinal product. For instance, use virgin, unrefined, cold-pressed oils whenever possible. Avoid lesser-quality oils that are extracted with solvents, which can introduce contaminants like hexane—known to be a neurological toxin.
Be cautious with non-organic essential oils; as the natural oils in the plant become concentrated in essential oils, so do any pesticides or contaminants present on the plant.
Using high-quality, organic ingredients ensures that your lavender salve is not only effective but also safe for your skin. Enjoy the process of creating a natural remedy that promotes healing and well-being!
INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING LAVENDER SALVE
Prepare Storage Containers:
Have your salve tins, glass jars, or any storage containers ready for the lavender salve.
Set Up Double Boiler:
In the top portion of a double boiler (or a makeshift double boiler), combine 1 cup of lavender-infused oil (or your chosen carrier oil) and 3 to 4 level tablespoons of beeswax (refer to the sliding scale notes above).
If you’re using it, also add 2 tablespoons of shea butter at this point.
Add Water:
Fill the bottom portion of the double boiler with enough water so that the top bowl or pot is resting in the water. This helps create a gentle heat for melting.
Heat the Mixture:
Place the double boiler on the stovetop and heat it over medium-low heat. It’s important to avoid overheating the lavender oil more than necessary to melt the beeswax.
Melt and Combine:
Monitor the mixture closely and stir it routinely until the beeswax (and shea butter, if added) is completely melted. Once fully melted, stir to combine thoroughly.
Remove from Heat:
Immediately take the mixture off the heat once everything is melted and well combined.
Add Essential Oils:
After removing the salve from heat, add the lavender essential oils. Essential oils are volatile and dissipate quickly when exposed to high temperatures, so it’s important to add them at this stage. Whisk the mixture to ensure even distribution.
Pour into Containers:
While the mixture is still hot, carefully pour the liquid lavender salve into your prepared containers. If it starts to solidify while you’re filling the containers, place it back on medium-low heat until it liquifies again.
Cool and Harden:
Set the filled lavender salve containers aside with the lids off, allowing them to fully cool and harden.
Enjoy Your Salve:
Once cooled and set, enjoy your homemade lavender salve for healthy, moisturized skin! Use clean fingers or a salve spoon to collect a small amount and apply as needed. Remember, a little goes a long way!
Feel free to customize your salve with different essential oils or carrier oils to suit your personal preferences. Happy crafting!
CONCLUSION
I hope you’re feeling inspired and ready to create your own healing homemade lavender salve! It’s a personal favorite of ours and makes for a thoughtful gift for loved ones, whether for a special occasion or just because. For storage, keep your salve containers in a cool, dark place. I like to keep one accessible for daily use while storing the others in a cabinet. Homemade lavender salve can last for several years, although its medicinal potency may gradually diminish over time. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask in the comments below! And once you’ve made your own, I’d love to hear your thoughts. Feel free to share this post with others. Thank you for reading!
