Healing Botanicals for Thin Skin

Do you suffer from sensitive skin?

Then now’s the time to break out the botanicals.

There you can make a permanent fixture of your beauty routine.

Inflammed skin? They have you covered.

Irritated and red by the wind? Fixed.

Is your skin thin and fragile, almost translucent?

The beautiful botanicals fix that too. Whatever you need, there’s an oil for you.

Healing Botanicals

Why are some skin types so reactive?

Many things cause our skin to become reactive – sensitive and thin skin types can be genetic, while others develop it over time.

Environmental factors such as temperature fluctuation or overexposure to the sun can exacerbate the condition; further, even pollution can upset your acid mantle over time.

Studies show that over two-thirds of women experience some skin sensitivity in their lifetime.

Whilst it’s not common knowledge, the fatty acid profile in beautiful botanicals is incredibly healing and repairing and can re-densify a thin skin type.

Here at NC, we felt it wasn’t enough to write a list of great oils; we believe dit’sessentialtggng deeper and fully understanding their properties is essential so our readers can know how they genuinely benefit their skin.

If you’d like further reading on this tricky skin type, we’ve got you covered; this article looks at the truth behind the inflammation triggers.

The Beautifying Benefits of Botanicals

Oleic acid
This resembles the fatty acids found in our own oil on the skin – sebum.

It is a potent anti-inflammatory and skin softener, offering excellent moisturisation and regenerative properties; this is an exciting study on the anti-inflammatory and skin barrier repairing oleic acid benefits.

Linoleic acid
This is crucial to barrier function. If you have dry skin or hair, chances are you missed this essential fatty acid, which you can read more about here.

Palmitoleic acid
A building block found naturally in the skin, this particular fatty acid prevents burns and wounds and is a potent anti-microbial.

Carotenoids
These give an oil a beautiful deep orange colour and have excellent anti-ageing properties – the darker the colour, the more carotenoids are within the oil.

Our biolipid skin shot is brimming with antioxidants and carotenoids, which help fight free radicals, replenishing a damaged barrier and warding off premature ageing.

Phytosterol
ß Sitosterol is a phytosterol that behaves like cortisone, reducing itchiness, redness, and inflammation – so really important if you suffer from sensitivity or fragile, thin skin.

Miracle cleanse has been intelligently formulated with healing botanicals, rich in phytosterols and carotenoids to protect as it cleanses, perfect for delicate, thin skin types.

Nectar treatment balm is packed with nourishing omegas, carotenoids, herbs, exotic butters, and phytosterols, facilitating healing on a much deeper level for sensitive, inflamed and thin skin that needs re-densifying.

What are the best oils for thin skin types?

• calendula oil
• tamanu oil
• hemp seed oil
• pomegranate oil
• sea buckthorn oil
• grapeseed 16% oleic,  70% linoleic acid
• olive oil contains 80% oleic acid
• safflower oil 8 – 21% oleic, linoleic 60 -80%
• hazelnut oil contains 60 to 80% oleic acid
• soybean oil contains 25% oleic, 45 to 55 linoleic acid and 5 to 10% linolenic acid, alpha and gamma
• sunflower oil has 15 to 40% oleic acid and 50 to 70% linoleic acid
• evening primrose oil helps to reinforce the barrier function; it contains 10% oleic acid, 50 to 7% linoleic acid, and 10% linolenic acid
• avocado contains around 70 to 80% oleic acid and 1% phytosterols, perfect for chapped, itchy, and sunburnt skin
• sweet almond oil contains 60 to 80% oleic acid, along with ß sitosterols and phytosterols, known anti-inflammatories
• virgin coconut oil has the antioxidant p.coumaric and ferulic acid, known for its anti-inflammatory properties
• apricot kernel oil contains ß Sitosterol around 2730 mg per kilogram of oil, 60 to 70% oleic acid, and 20 to 35% linoleic acid
• macadamia contains around 60% oleic acid and ß sitosterols 1506 mg per kilogram of oil, with some campesterol and stigmasterol and phytosterols that behave like cortisone, reducing redness and itchiness
• raspberry oil is a potent antioxidant that helps to promote healing
• rosehip seed oil, a dry, smooth oil. 15% oleic and 44% linoleic acid,33% linolenic acid, alpha and gamma, this oil has a natural affinity with thin, sensitive skin; we like it so much we have sourced the most precious cold-pressed oil and bottled it, which you can find here.
• Sesame oil contains around 45% linoleic acid and 40% oleic acid. It is incredibly high in phytosterols. Sesame also has a polyphenol called lignan, the structural backbone for most antioxidants, which exhibits anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties

Camellia oil

This lovely light-healing oil contains 80% oleic acid, highly rejuvenating and moisturising; it also has anti-inflammatory properties.

Like jojoba, olive, and squalane, the camellia is said to mimic our sebum due to its high levels of oleic acid.

Squalane oil

A lovely oil rich in fatty acids, squalane is similar to our sebum, making it incredibly repairing and protective for the skin’s barrier.

Rice bran

This oil is rich in palmitic, oleic, linoleic acid and tocopherols.

It delivers healing Vitamin E to your skin, making it the perfect oil for dry, sunburned skin to reduce inflammation and irritation.

To conclude. The naked truth

There are so many oils perfect for treating sensitive skin that we think you’d agree; who needs synthetic ingredients when nature provides everything your skin requires in abundance?

Sensitive, dry and thin skin is usually a result of skin that doesn’t produce enough oil.

And skin that lacks oil will also let your skin’s natural moisture evaporate more quickly, making you more likely to notice flakiness, irritation, and visible fine lines.

This skin loves oils full of rich oleic, linoleic acid, phytosterols and carotenoids, which will supplement your protective barrier, balance an impaired acid mantle and lubricate areas where expression lines are starting to form.

Like us, I’m sure you don’t need any more convincing that there is a lot of skin healing from lovely botanicas.

We recommend introducing them into your skincare routine if sensitive, thin skin is a significant concern.

As always learning how to be lovingly nurtured by nature.