The use of so-called natural cosmetics has recently become a real fashion trend, which is followed by more and more women of different ages. Today it is almost impossible to find cosmetic products that do not contain natural ingredients - vegetable oils, extracts and other products of natural origin. Fashion trends promoting the use of natural cosmetics have gradually revived interest in forgotten folk remedies that have been tested for more than one generation.
One of the most popular products today, most often used in home cosmetology, is sunflower oil, which, unlike other vegetable oils, is affordable even for consumers on a limited budget. Based on sunflower oil, you can prepare a wide variety of cosmetics intended for facial skin care - creams, masks, lotions and compresses.
This product is suitable for any skin type, since its use has no serious contraindications and is practically free of any side effects. Sunflower oil can be used in its pure form to remove makeup and gently cleanse the skin of impurities, or in combination with other products selected according to the type of epidermis. With this product you can provide complete facial skin care aimed at deep nutrition, hydration and cell rejuvenation.
Properties
Oil obtained from sunflower seeds is a widely known and affordable product that is present in the kitchen of every housewife. It comes in two types: refined (processed) and unrefined. It is the latter that is best used for cosmetic purposes, because it contains all the useful ingredients:
- Mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids (palmitic and oleic, linolenic and linoleic, arachidic, stearic, etc.).
- Phospholipids (lecithin).
- Polysaccharides (inulin).
- Vitamins (tocopherol, carotenoids, ergocalciferol).
- Minerals (calcium, zinc, magnesium, selenium).
- Phytosterols.
- Fitin.
The chemical composition of vegetable oil may differ, depending on the place where the sunflower grows. Each of the components of this valuable product has unique properties. Polyunsaturated fatty acids, tocopherol and selenium are powerful antioxidants that protect tissues from the harmful effects of free radicals and premature aging.
Vitamin A is formed from carotenoids, without which normal development of the epidermis is impossible; it accelerates regenerative processes and stimulates collagen production. Lecithin is also necessary for cell repair, enhancing the transport of nutrients and minerals into them. Inulin moisturizes the epithelium well, and phytin has rejuvenating properties. The benefits of vegetable oil for the skin are very extensive:
- Activation of metabolism and microcirculation.
- Elimination of dryness and small wrinkles.
- Increased elasticity and tone.
- Improvement of relief and complexion.
- Elimination of the consequences of acne.
- UV protection.
Vegetable oil, oddly enough, can also be used for acne. It helps dissolve fatty plugs without increasing sebum formation. Oil-based products, when used rationally, help narrow large pores without clogging them.
Sunflower oil for the face can confidently be called a truly universal remedy, suitable for all skin types. It is well absorbed by the epithelial layer, without leaving a greasy sheen on the surface. This product provides delicate and effective care at any time of the year.
Thanks to sunflower oil, the skin is saturated with nutritional components, metabolic and regenerative processes are stimulated, and aging is slowed down.
Selection and Application
Sunflower oil can be used in many cosmetic products, being the basis for creating a mixture and its main ingredient. But in any case, before using such a product, you must consult a specialist and pay attention to his recommendations. They include certain information about the selection and use of the product in question:
- It is better to use cold-pressed oil (unrefined), without any additives.
- Do not boil it, just heat it in a water bath to a temperature of 40 degrees.
- After creating the mixture, you need to do a test for individual sensitivity - apply a little to the skin of the forearm and leave for half an hour (a safe product does not cause redness and itching).
- Before the procedure, the face needs to be cleansed (washing, light scrub) and steamed (over a bath or with a damp towel).
- The mixture is applied to the skin along massage lines, including the area around the eyes, nose and mouth (using patting movements).
- Exposure time ranges from 15 to 60 minutes, depending on the nature of the additional ingredients.
- The oil mixture is washed off with warm water, to which you can add a few drops of lemon juice.
- After the procedure there is no need to use nourishing creams.
If sunflower oil is planned to be used on the face for wrinkles or increased dryness, then the number of procedures should be at least two per week. For preventive purposes, it is recommended to undergo up to 5 sessions within a month. An 8-week interval should be maintained between courses. More frequent use of vegetable oil will not only not help with acne, but will also become a source of additional problems: increased oiliness, closing of pores and the appearance of blackheads (comedones).
Popular recipes for face masks with sunflower oil
Anti-wrinkle cream for dry, sensitive skin
Oils: cocoa (15 g) and sunflower (15 ml) + beeswax (5 g) + pantothenic acid (1 capsule).
Melt the cocoa butter and wax in a water bath, remove from heat and add everything else. Pour into a glass (porcelain, ceramic) container with a lid and let cool. Use the cream in the evening after cleansing procedures.
Oil massage
Take a dessert spoon, moisten it first in hot water, then in heated sunflower oil. Gently, with light pressure, move the spoon along the massage lines for 5-7 minutes. Course: 1-2 rubles/week.
On a note
Used to improve blood circulation, tonify, soften and nourish the skin.
Antiseptic lotion for problem skin
Sunflower seed squeeze (100 ml) + vodka (30 ml) + alcoholic tincture of calendula (2 teaspoons) + esters of geranium, eucalyptus and tea tree (3 drops each).
Mix and store in a dark glass bottle. It is better to use locally, on problem areas 2-3 times a day, shaking the contents of the bottle each time.
Advice
The mixture can dry out the skin, so using a good moisturizer in this case is a must!
Mask for lightening freckles, age spots and evening out tone
White cosmetic clay (5 g) + sunflower seed oil (5 ml) + fresh strawberries (2-3 berries) + grapefruit essential oil (3 drops).
Grind the berries to a puree, combine first with clay, then with everything else. And the last one should be broadcast. Apply the mixture to your face and leave it on for 15-20 minutes. Wash with chamomile decoction.
For information
It is better to prepare the mask in the evening, and use sunscreen on your face in the morning.
Acne mask that tightens pores
Extract from sunflower seeds (10 ml) + green tea and colorless henna (5 g each) + mint ether (3 drops).
Grind the tea in a coffee grinder or mortar and mix with henna. Pour boiling water to form a paste and leave for 10 minutes. After this add the rest of the ingredients. Mix until smooth, apply a thick layer to problem areas (forehead, chin, cheeks). Let it work for 15 minutes, wash with cool water. Course: 1-2 rubles/week.
Compress for wrinkles, crow's feet and bruises around the eyes
Heat the oil product in a water bath to 40-45°C. If desired, add a couple of drops of lavender, mint, bitter orange, rose or ylang-ylang ether. Cut the base for the compress from several layers of gauze, cotton or linen fabric in the shape of the eyes. You can use a piece of fabric over the entire face for dry skin or to care for the neck and décolleté areas.
Moisten it in heated oil. Squeeze and place on eyes (face, décolleté). The top can be covered with polyethylene and a warm cloth (towel, napkin). Rest for 15-20 minutes. Blot excess with a clean paper towel and wash with water acidified with lemon or apple cider vinegar. Course: no more than 3-4 rubles/month.
Method of use
The scope of application of sunflower oil in cosmetology is quite wide. What ways to improve the condition of facial skin with its help is a question that worries many women. There are a lot of recipes, but you need to choose the best one. It all depends on the specific problem and skin characteristics of each person.
If oil can be used in its pure form for dry epithelium, then this technique is unlikely to be suitable for people with combination and especially oily skin. In such situations, sunflower oil is usually combined with fruit juices, fermented milk products, and plant extracts.
It is better to ask a cosmetologist how to use vegetable oil in each specific case. Only a specialist can correctly assess your skin type and select the optimal composition of products.
Sunflower oil for skin: important tips
- Warm the vegetable oil before mixing it with other ingredients. However, please note that boiling the product is not recommended.
- Any cosmetic product with oil should be applied with light whisking movements, moving your fingers along the massage lines.
- Do not over-squeeze your face and always follow the instructions for using a particular mask. Otherwise, you risk getting reddened skin that begins to peel.
- When creating face masks, it is very important to choose the perfect combination of sunflower oil with other products. In particular, adding seaweed powder and viburnum extract helps against wrinkles, and adding aspirin, white charcoal and cucumber pulp helps against acne. Nourishing oil masks contain kefir, rice starch and quail eggs, and moisturizing masks contain mango butter, strawberries and oatmeal. Finally, for rejuvenation, you should add ground ginger and banana to sunflower oil.
- Use oil in cosmetology with caution if you have oily skin. Constant exposure to the product can lead to disruption of the sebaceous glands. In this case, it is best to combine sunflower extract with citrus juices, essential oils and fermented milk products.
- When using sunflower oil on the body, do not rush to apply the product to the entire surface of the skin. First, test your body for an allergic reaction, using the product only on your wrist. After half an hour, wash off the oil and look at the condition of your hand after 2-3 hours. If there is itching or irritation, it is better to refuse the plant extract.
- To remove the product with the addition of sunflower oil, just wash your face with filtered warm water. You can add lemon juice to it. You should not apply cream at the end of the procedure, because the oil forms a film on the skin, and it prevents the delivery of nutrients to the deeper layers of the dermis.
- A preventive course of using oils for the body and face includes 4-5 procedures per month. To get rid of some serious problem, you will need 10-12 cosmetic sessions, and then you need to give the skin a rest for 2-3 months, otherwise cell respiration will be impaired and the number of blackheads will increase.
Information sources
Masks for any skin
Various masks made from sunflower oil have become widely used. When caring for mature and aging skin, you can add the following ingredients to it:
- Honey.
- Cream.
- Yeast.
- Lemon oil.
First add yeast to the heated cream, and then all the other ingredients, whisking the resulting mixture with a whisk. The mask is applied not only to the face, but also to the neck and décolleté area. This gives the skin nutrition and hydration, the epithelium softens, small wrinkles smooth out, and facial color improves.
For those with dry or depleted skin, recipes may include various ingredients. For example, butter can be mixed with cottage cheese, egg yolk, and a solution of tocopherol (vitamin E) can be added to the mixture. In order for normal skin to acquire tone and elasticity, it is recommended to make a mask of butter with the addition of oatmeal, honey and milk.
If your face is too oily and for acne, you can recommend another remedy. In addition to the main component, this mask contains wheat flour, lemon juice and sea salt. It removes sebaceous plugs well, tightens pores and reduces the severity of the inflammatory reaction.
Do it yourself: rejuvenation at home
Let's talk about anti-age philosophy? Every woman dreams of preserving her youth and beauty, but, alas, nature is inexorable and age always takes its toll. It is impossible to deceive the insidious aging process, but you can slow it down - that's one thing - and reduce the visibility of its manifestations - that's two things.
Rejuvenation of the body, as well as the face and body, is possible in beauty salons. This is effective, but very expensive, and in some cases it does not bring the desired result, only disappointment. Many women prefer to carry out anti-age facial treatments at home.
What should you know when deciding to take this step, what products and means will you need, as well as what besides them, and what authorities should you rely on?
Acne lotion
Many people are concerned about the question of whether it is possible to smear their face with sunflower oil for acne. There is a lotion recipe that will help in such a situation. It contains the following components:
- Vegetable oil.
- Tincture of calendula flowers.
- Vodka.
The solution is recommended to be used in the morning to wipe the face. It is suitable for any type of epithelium, since it does not dry it out and prevents the appearance of excess fat.
Beneficial properties of sunflower oil
If it were not for Peter I, who ordered the import of sunflowers from Holland to Russia in the 18th century, we might not have become acquainted with this wonderful plant in every sense. Well, or they would have found out about it much later. At least, all the possibilities and beneficial properties of the flower in Russia would not have been known for another 100 years. Its only function was decorative - yellow hats of sunflowers decorated vegetable gardens, parks and gardens.
The beneficial properties of sunflower were not immediately known © Getty Images
Thanks to the peasant Daniil Bokarev, who was the first to think of squeezing oil from the seeds of a plant using a hand press, it became clear: there is a lot of oil in sunflowers, it is tasty, and also incredibly healthy.
Anti-aging cream
You can also use sunflower oil for your face as a base for an anti-aging cream. It won't be difficult to prepare it. Take a peeled onion and puree it in a blender until it reaches a paste-like consistency. Then oil and crushed dandelion flowers are added to the composition, placing the resulting mixture on the stove. Without bringing to a boil and stirring occasionally, cook it for 10–15 minutes. After cooling, the mass is filtered and poured into a glass container.
The cream can be stored in the refrigerator for no more than 5 days. It is used for daily care - applied to the face in the evening (before bed). First, as with other products, the skin must be cleaned and steamed. As a result, the epithelium is softened and saturated with nutrients, the face becomes refreshed, and small folds are smoothed out.
A vegetable oil-based cream that helps fight signs of aging will be a good helper in daily facial skin care.
About the benefits and advantages of the “solar product”
It should be mentioned right away that to improve the health of the body and care for the skin, you should use only unrefined sunflower oil. Yes, the one that smells strongly of seeds. Unlike refined deodorized oil, which is devoid of nutrients and is suitable only for cooking, unrefined oil contains a large percentage of fat-soluble vitamins A, E and D, as well as phospholipids, Omega-3 and Omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids, minerals and carotenoids.
Due to the Omega-3 and Omega-6 content, the oil for cosmetic purposes should also be taken internally. Doctors recommend, as in the case of flaxseed oil, taking one tablespoon on an empty stomach: this will help enhance the effect of cosmetic masks with this product, improve the condition of hair and nails, and even help improve metabolism.
The use of masks with unrefined sunflower oil gives the first positive results within two weeks:
- The top layer of skin is softened and moisturized, the problem of dryness and flaking disappears;
- The epidermis becomes more elastic, tone increases;
- The use of oil on areas of the skin with facial wrinkles helps to gradually smooth them out.
Face masks with sunflower oil
For facial skin care and solving the problem of dryness and flaking, sunflower oil comes in handy. It creates an invisible protective layer on top of the epidermis, while affecting the cells, nourishing them.
Recipe No. 1: express mask before washing
You will need:
- 1 tsp. sunflower oil,
- 1 drop of your favorite essential oil (ylang-ylang, rose, jasmine are recommended).
The recipe for this quick mask is recommended to her subscribers by Russian-Dutch blogger Katya de Bruijn. It is ideal for those with dry skin who, because of this, cannot use tonics, gels and cleansing foams.
The mask is as follows. Apply sunflower oil and a drop of your favorite essential oil to two tightly held cotton pads; then apply with slow movements to the entire face, except for the area around the eyes. Leave the mask on for 3-5 minutes, you can massage your face with your hands (pre-washed with soap) or a cotton pad. Then remove excess oil with a clean cotton pad and wash off with foam.
Result: the skin stops flaking, it looks smooth and radiant. The cleansing properties of the oil help to better cleanse the skin of impurities and restore oil balance.
Recipe No. 2: the power of fields, sea and forests
You will need:
- 1 tsp. sunflower oil;
- ½ tsp. viburnum extract;
- ½ tsp. fucus or kelp powder.
To prepare the mask, mix viburnum extract and sunflower oil in a non-metallic bowl in a water bath, stir until the oil disperses.
The algae powder can be poured with boiled water and left for some time to infuse. The components are mixed with each other - now the mask can be applied to the face.
After first cleansing and washing your face, apply the finished product using a brush, avoiding the area around the eyes and lips. Leave the mask on for 30-40 minutes (you can do it for an hour, as you wish). When time is up and the product dries, it is washed off with boiled water, and the face is rinsed with a solution of water with calendula or chamomile.
Cosmetologists recommend accompanying this mask by wiping the eyelids with frozen oil and herbal infusions.
Result: the mask has powerful antioxidant and rejuvenating properties due to the content of algae extract, and the viburnum included in its composition increases the elasticity of the epidermis and restores the water-fat balance. In addition, fucus or kelp powders help solve the problems of jowls, sagging skin and facial fat deposits.
Recipe No. 3: acne, goodbye!
If you suffer from pimples and blackheads, then you should try this mask, and don’t be confused by the presence of sunflower oil in it. At its core, this is a sorbent mask that will simultaneously remove all impurities from the skin, dry out acne and restore fat balance, and also moisturize the epidermis, making it smooth and elastic.
You will need:
- 1 tsp. sunflower oil;
- 2 tsp. cucumber puree;
- 1 aspirin tablet;
- 1 tablet of activated carbon.
The preparation of this cosmetic product is so simple that even a beginner can handle it. The tablets need to be crushed to a powder, mixed with oil and cucumber puree. The resulting paste is applied to a previously cleansed face, avoiding the area around the eyes and lips. It is recommended to apply a light heat compress to open the pores.
After twenty minutes, the mask will finish working on the skin, and it can be washed off with either boiled water or a decoction of calendula or plantain. It is recommended to complete the procedure with a spot application of skinoren.
Result: the tablets act as sorbents, clearing the pores of impurities and helping to prevent acne. Cucumber moisturizes the skin and restores water-fat balance, and sunflower oil nourishes and smoothes it.
Recipe No. 4: the perfect winter mask
During frosts and central heating, the skin suffers from dry air and temperature changes, becoming dull, less elastic, dry and flaky. She needs additional nourishment, for example, a nourishing mask with sunflower oil.
You will need:
- 1 tsp. sunflower oil;
- 2 tsp. homemade curdled milk;
- ½ tsp. potato or rice starch;
- 1 egg yolk.
The yogurt and butter are diluted in a water bath, adding the yolk to them, stirring, and adding starch for thickness. The result is a homogeneous mass, which, if desired, can be flavored with an organic flavor or your favorite essential oil.
Apply the resulting mixture in a thin layer to previously cleansed facial skin with a cosmetic brush so that it dries faster. Then you can apply a second layer, and so on until the end. Leave the mask on the face for 30-40 minutes, then wash off with boiled water, wipe the face with alcohol-free toner or micellar water and apply a nourishing cream.
Result: velvety, elastic skin without a hint of dryness or flaking. Weekly use of the mask helps to gradually smooth out fine wrinkles.
Recipe No. 5: the power of the tropics
You can moisturize your skin and nourish it with vitamins if you take a two-month course of this mask. It is recommended to perform the procedure 2 times a week. A nice bonus: the mask smells very fragrant of fruit.
You will need:
- 1 tsp. sunflower oil;
- 1 tsp. mango butter;
- 1 tsp. mango or banana puree;
- ½ tsp. rice starch.
The oils are mixed with each other, mango puree and starch are added to them. It is recommended to beat all the ingredients in a cappuccino maker to obtain a homogeneous, slightly liquid mass. It is applied to the face, lightly slapping and making massage movements, avoiding the area around the eyes. Half an hour after application, the oil-fruit mixture is washed off with boiled water or chamomile.
Result: the skin becomes more radiant and elastic after the first use. Regular use helps saturate the epidermal cells with vitamins and nutrients, moisturizing it and stopping the first aging processes.
Proper use of masks with sunflower oil in combination with regular intake of the miracle product orally can bring the first results after just a month of use. The skin becomes elastic, moisturized and nourished.
