Stilblut's Musings: Evening Primrose Oil - the magic Oil for inside and outside Beauty
One of the most frequently asked questions I receive, is one of the hardest to answer: What do you recommend to achieve beautiful skin? Obviously there is no magic formula, nothing which will give you better skin overnight. It's a combination of genetics, skincare, nutrition and hormones.
My personal Holy Grail, provided by Nature
But there actually is an ingredient, provided by nature, that is very very close to magic: Evening Primrose Oil. Originally, the Evening Primrose is a plant native to North America, however nowadays it grows in Europe and parts of the Southern hemisphere too. We have it in our garden and I love the bright yellow flowers, which start to bloom in the evening - which is the reason for the daytime in the name. I've been taking this amazing product for so many years and it completely deserves to be labelled as a Holy Grail product - I'm not giving away this praise light-headed, but in this case, it's fully justified. The oil helps with so many things: digestion, reduction of premenstrual syndrome (I have much less pain before and during menstruation) and of course skin. It contains gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), an omega-6 fatty acid that has both anti-inflammatory and analgesic (pain-relieving) properties. GLA is a fatty acid which is also found in soybeans, walnuts and vegetable oils like linseed, blackcurrant seed, borage seed and hemp seed oil.
Rule of thumb: Patience is required
Regarding the effects of oral intake: Like with most supplements, you have to be patient. One month is the minimum it takes to see and feel results. I've been taking it for many years, a minimum of 500-milligram dose daily. I always check the quality, origin and ingredients. An important note: Always coordinate with your doctor if you are taking supplements to avoid drug interactions and potentially serious side effects.
External use: Healing and Soothing
Beside the internal use you can also use it topically to reduce inflammation and help with rashes. During my childhood, I had a friend who suffered from neurodermatitis and my mother made her a cream with evening primrose oil for her hands and neck, which helped her a lot. Of course, it can also be used as a pure oil: aside from the skin, it can help to soothe itchy and irritated scalp. I always wonder why this wonderful natural remedy isn't known by so many people and I really hope, that I can contribute to spread the word about this truly amazing and powerful plant agent by sharing my love and strong belief in it.
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Find Veronika on Instagram @Stilblut.
All Credits Ph: Veronika Haslinger
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