photo Take your pick of dried flowers and frankincense / by Ash Chuan / CC BY-NC-SA

As you know, I spend a LOT of time in the sun, wind and weather as an integral part of my work and my recreation time with my horses.  As a fellow horse lover, you probably do too.  For thousands of years women have searched for the solution to the age old problems of skin weathering and aging.  But it turns out that the answer was there for us to find all along in the historical record and has actually been since Biblical times.  Queen Ester used one of the ingredients we’ll talk about and several of them are mentioned multiple times in the Bible and were even included in the gifts given to Jesus from the 3 Wise Men.  The ancient Greeks, Romans, Chinese and Egyptians used several of these ingredients because of their benefits for the skin as well. 

If you haven’t figured it out yet, I’m talking about Frankincense, Lavender and Myrrh!  I started using a single drop of Myrrh essential oil added to a small dollop of my night cream before bed every night.  In less than a week I noticed a significant difference in the look and feel of my skin!  My skin had been feeling so dry even with using just the straight night cream, which I’ve used for years.  The skin of my neck was feeling paper thin and very saggy/wrinkly.  I was starting to develop a “turkey neck”!!!  And the small lines that were developing around my eyes and mouth didn’t look like they were planning on going away any time soon!  But once I started to add the Myrrh, oh my!  What a difference.  Then a friend of mine told me she was using using a single drop of Lavender and Frankincense essential oils before bed.  In some recent pictures she posted, I could actually see a difference in her skin.  So I decided to combine all three!  Just a small amount of oil can make such a huge difference for your skin. 

It never ceases to amaze me that we are always trying to re-invent the wheel!  But time and time again, when we look back to history, our ancestors already had the solution figured out.  God had already provided us with what we needed in our natural environment. 

Frankincense has been used for thousands of  years in religious ceremonies in the Middle East.  The ancient Chinese used it to support overall good health, and it is still in use today all across the globe for its many well-known benefits.  One of the primary uses of frankincense today is for its positive effect on the skin.  It can be found in many skin and cosmetic products. 

In addition to its many references in the Bible, Myrrh was used in Ancient Egypt to help make their outdoor lives more bearable and annoyance free.  Not to mention that it was also an integral part of the embalming process – yes I want to preserve my skin for as long as possible!!  Because Myrrh is so high in sesquiterpenes (75%), which have been found to stimulate the emotional centers of the brain, it is an excellent oil to use to help uplift the spirits and is a good choice to diffuse in the home.  Myrrh essential oil is also a powerful antioxidant. 

Lavender has a long and rich history of uses throughout the world.  Ancient civilizations like the Greeks, Romans, and Ancient Egyptians have used lavender for its varied uses as a relaxing aromatic essential oil in both perfumes and bathing and as an aide for the skin.  The Latin derivative of Lavender means “to wash”.  The Romans used lavender in their baths to wash and for its cleansing properties.

If you are looking for a unique gift idea, you can make your own skin balm or lotion quite easily.  Put it in a pretty decorative container or dispenser and give it to someone you love:

“Save Your Skin” Balm Recipe

• 1 cup of your favorite carrier oil (almond, jojoba, coconut, etc.) or skin lotion
• 30 drops each – Frankincense, Lavender and Myrrh pure therapeutic grade essential oils (you can of course adjust the amounts up or down to meet your needs – this is a good starting point)
• Mix all together thoroughly and put in a jar or lotion dispenser for easy use. 

Note:  Coconut oil makes the best balm since it stays solid at room temperature. 

Hope you like it!

You can find excellent quality pure therapeutic grade essential oils here. 

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Lisa Generali-Perez is a Certified Equine Massage Therapist (CEMT), with multiple certifications from several different equine bodywork schools.  She incorporates her knowledge and experience with Parelli Natural Horsemanship, equine bodywork, using essential oils for animals and as a veterinary technician to provide her clients with the resources they need to make informed decisions for their horses.  She encourages and facilitates network building between equine health care professionals, working together to find the best combination of therapies to meet the needs of the “whole horse”.  

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