5 Best Essential Oils for Rosacea (PLUS Recipes that Use Them) (2024)

Using essential oils for rosacea is a great, natural way to care for your skin. It lets you treat your skin concerns in a toxin-free way.The oils take a little bit of knowledge to apply properly, but that’s what I’m here to help you with!

Most rosacea cases affect the face. When it comes to essential oils on facial skin, I am always a bit more careful. The skin of our face can be quite sensitive, so I always pay a bit of extra attention to what products I use.

What is Rosacea?

Rosacea usually affects the skin of our face. It is classified as a chronic inflammatory skin condition. Oftentimes, people mistake rosacea for eczema, acne, or an allergic skin reaction.

The main symptoms of rosacea are facial flushing and dry, irritated skin. This can cause stinging and a tingling, burning pain. Other symptoms may include pimples or blushing more easily ¹.

Most Rosacea affects skin underneath the cheek or nose. Sometimes it may affect other parts of one’s face too. It occurs at most among women of middle age with onset usually between the ages 30 and 60.

5 Best Essential Oils for Rosacea

There are many ways to treat rosacea. If you can work with a Certified Dermatologist, that would be amazing! But other choices are a bit more easily available and can be done at home. Essential oils are a popular home remedy choice for natural skin care treatments.

Dealing with my own rosacea, I can recommend the following essential oils.

1. Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender essential oil is one of the most powerful oils for rosacea. Its anti-inflammatory properties gently calm down the irritation of rosacea-plagued skin. Because Lavender is so gentle, it is safe to use on the face and I’ve never had any problems with it.

This amazing bottle of Organic Lavender from Rocky Mountain Oils is my favorite!

2. Tea Tree Essential Oil

Tea tree oil is a staple in natural skin care. Its powerful anti-oxidants support your skin from the inside out. Tea tree is used in treating acne, pimples, burns and rashes alike. As part of a rosacea treatment, it fights the skin’s tendency for inflammation.

But tea tree is a rather strong oil. If you have very sensitive skin, only put a few drops into a rosacea facial treatment, and use Lavender for the rest. But if you have very oil skin, tea tree might have to make up 100% of your recipe.

3. Cypress Essential Oil

Cypress oil is an antimicrobial oil that can kill certain bacteria. With this quality, it is often recommended for treating acne. In cases of rosacea, using Cypress can help with the redness, swelling and puffiness in the face.

4. Chamomile Essential Oil

Chamomile essential oil is a gentle all-around oil. Adding the oil to your skin care regimen can promote a natural glow instead of feeling red and puffy in the face. It has many active components that reduce inflammation.

German Chamomile essential oil also has a calming effect on the emotions. If your rosacea is stressing you out, this is a great oil to add into your facial moisturizing lotion or facial oil.

When shopping for Chamomile, don’t be surprised by the steeper price tag. It is a more costly oil to produce, hence you won’t find a bottle of it for $10. It also very often comes in a 5 ml bottle size rather than 10 ml or 15 ml. This is completely normal also and there is no need to feel alarmed.

5. Helichrysum Essential Oil

Helichrysum essential oil is my first choice of an all-around first aid oil. It can help calm the skin and reduce redness, itchiness and acne bumps.

Paired with German Chamomile, Helichrysum makes for a luxurious rosacea facial care treatment.

Further, and also like Chamomile oil, you will notice a higher price for Helichrysum. The reasons are the same: production is more expensive, the oils more costly to get. Helichrysum also usually comes in smaller bottle sizes.

Because the oil is so valuable, I wouldn’t use it in a face mask that you wash off. Use it in a home remedy treatment that stays on the skin, such as a facial moisturizer (recipes below).

DIY Rosacea Face Treatments

NOTE: If you experience extreme rosacea, please book an appointment with your dermatologist. Skin care professionals can offer personalized treatment solutions.

But (and in the meantime), there are some home remedies you can try to help with rosacea.

Using essential oils is a natural, gentle approach. With any new product that you wish to use, it is a smart idea to do a small test patch. Use the inside of your wrist or elbow. Those are areas with sensitive skin. They can give a good idea of what would happen if you use your DIY product on the face.

Add to Regular Facial Moisturizer

The simplest place to start is with what you already have at home. Add 1-2 drops of essential oil to your regular dab of facial moisturizer. Rub in as per usual.

You can use many essential oils in conjunction with creams and moisturizers. This solution is quick, easy, and inexpensive to start. That said, it does have drawbacks.

For example, the current moisturizer you’re using may not actually be good for your skin. We sometimes use a generic facial moisturizer that’s easy to buy at the store, but it isn’t matched to what our skin actually needs. I made this mistake ALL through my 20’s.

And then I discovered the power of personalized skin care through the world of essential oils! See the next recipe.

Make Your Own Rosacea Skin Moisturizer

If you know your skin, and you’re happy with all natural products, the best way is to mix up your own rosacea skin moisturizer. Use it after washing your face instead of a drug store brand cream.

1. Get a small 1 oz amber glass bottle to hold your recipe (such as these ones here)
2. Fill it almost to the top with Rosehip seed carrier oil or Jojoba (or a blend of 50% – 50% each). Don’t use just any type of carrier oil. You want to pick one that is safe for the face and doesn’t clog the pores. Good choices for that are Rosehip seed oil and Jojoba oil.
3. Top this up with 18-20 drops of essential oil
4. Close the lid.
5. Roll your blend gently to combine all oils. Do not shake!
6. Use daily instead of other moisturizing lotions, at morning and night after washing your face.

Use A Rosacea Face Mask

If you’re just starting to make an effort in treating your rosacea naturally, a face mask is an easy place to start. Optimally though, make this part of your weekly skin care routine. At my house, when Sunday evening rolls around… it’s time for a face mask! 😉

I originally found this recipe from lovely skin care expert Kelsey Formost. I adapted it a bit to suit my needs, including the addition of essential oils instead of Apple Cider Vinegar. That stuff just smells too strong for me.

Here is what my own DIY face mask recipe for rosacea looks like:

• 2 tsp plain yogurt (greek is best)
• 1 tsp honey (raw organic if you can)
• 3 drops Helichrysum essential oil
• 3 drops Chamomile essential oil
• 3 drops Lavender essential oil

You can also use this face mask if you’re experiencing sudden rosacea flare ups.

Precautions

Essential oils are not regulated by the FDA. In a similar manner in which unsupervised use of medications can lead to complications, unsafe use of essential oils can lead to skin irritations, itching, burning or rashes. To avoid any irritation, perform a patch test of your DIY lotion, on your arm before putting anything on your face. If you do not experience any symptoms within 24 hours, your DIY recipe can be absorbed into other parts of your body.

Please also always research the essential oil brand you’re considering to buy, before buying and using their essential oils. Quality ingredients are of utmost importance. You can find guidance on what the best essential oil brands are (and why), in this overview here.

References

¹ Medical News Today: What is rosacea?