Essential Oils

Anti-Aging Essential Oils: The 6 Best, Plus Carrier Oils

Six essential oils for aging skin, starting with frankincense, what the research shows for each, the carrier oils to blend them into, and how to make a gentle face oil at home.

By Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNS·17-min read

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Evidence-based34 sources citedUpdated October 7, 2026

Published Oct 7, 2026Last updated Oct 8, 2026Editorial policyMedical review policyFact-checking policy

Anti-aging essential oils at a glance

The essential oils I recommend for aging skin are frankincense, lavender, geranium, helichrysum, myrrh and rose, each blended into a carrier oil before it touches your face.1 2 3 In a randomized trial of 60 older adults with dry skin, a massage oil of olive oil with 3% lavender and chamomile oils raised skin moisture within 2 weeks, and in a randomized trial of 15 women, a cream with boswellic acids from frankincense resin, used on one side of the face, softened fine lines in 30 days.4 5

For your face: 3 to 6 drops of essential oil per ounce of carrier oil, a 0.5% to 1% blend3
Patch test first: dab the blend on your inner forearm and wait 24 hours3
Carrier oils such as jojoba, pomegranate seed and rosehip seed oil are pressed from seeds and carry research of their own
Pregnant, on a blood thinner or heading into the sun? Read who should take extra care first

Open a bottle of frankincense oil and a clean, woody scent fills the room. Essential oils are concentrated plant oils, distilled from resins, flowers and leaves, and a few drops stirred into a carrier oil pressed from seeds or nuts make a simple serum you can smooth onto your face every day.

The anti-aging serum my wife, Chelsea, and I have used starts with a little jojoba oil and a little pomegranate seed oil; then we mix in lavender, myrrh and geranium, and a lot of times frankincense.6 You need only a good carrier oil, a few well-chosen essential oils and a few minutes each day.

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Skin ages from the outside and the inside, so this guide starts with what wears skin down and where oils fit. Then it ranks the six essential oils I recommend, beginning with frankincense, with what the research found for each, followed by the carrier oils, how to mix a face oil and who should take extra care.

Use age-fighting oils like pomegranate and carrot seed oil, lavender, geranium, and myrrh.Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNSFrom Simple Anti-Aging Secrets to Look Younger Than Your Age, The Dr. Axe Show (2017), at 10:04

What ages your skin, and where do essential oils fit?

Quick answer

Poor sleep and stress age your skin fastest in the short term, while sun and diet do their damage over years, and up to 80% of visible skin aging is due to sun damage.7 8 Essential oils are daily care on top of good habits, and in rat studies, frankincense and rose oils calmed the oxidative stress and inflammation behind sun damage.9 10

If I had to rank what ages you faster, I'd put lack of sleep first, then stress, then UV light, then diet, because sleep and stress work on your skin within days while sun and diet add up over the long term.7 In 32 Korean women in their 40s who slept 8 hours a night for six nights and then 4 hours a night for six nights, skin hydration dropped after the first short night and kept falling, and elasticity and wrinkles worsened, with each woman compared against her own week of full sleep.11 See sleep deprivation for more on what short nights do.

Stress raises cortisol, and when cortisol goes up, your body starts breaking down collagen.7 Sugar is the number one cause of sagging skin on my list, because it drives glycation, the process that breaks collagen down.7 Collagen-destroying foods lists the worst offenders.

Up to 80% of visible skin aging is due to sun damage.7 That figure comes from a study of 298 Caucasian women aged 30 to 78, sun-seekers and sun-avoiders, in which 12 trained experts graded 22 signs of aging; the researchers concluded that UV exposure seems responsible for about 80% of visible facial aging signs.8 You still need sunlight for vitamin D, and about 20 minutes a day is typically enough, so I recommend a little sun on your skin, just a few minutes on your face, and then a hat, sunglasses or a mineral sunscreen with zinc oxide.7

Feed your skin from the inside too. I recommend about 20 to 30 grams of collagen a day for most people, from a protein powder made from bone broth or a collagen product, along with drinking bone broth.7

Taking care of our skin isn't just about vanity. It's about longevity and it's about us living our best life possible.Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNSFrom The BIGGEST Causes of Fast-Aging Skin (How to Reverse Aging), The Dr. Josh Axe Show (2025), at 1:17

Here's what sun does inside skin, step by step, from a study in which rats with shaved backs got 10 days of UVB light, and where frankincense oil stepped in:

1UVB drains the skin's defenses

Of the study's 30 rats, the ones given 10 days of UVB light without treatment had less of the skin's own antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase and catalase, than unexposed rats.9

2Inflammation switches on

Inflammatory signals, including IL-6 and NF-κB, were higher in the same skin.9

3Collagen gets cut

Collagen-cutting enzymes were far higher than in unexposed rats, MMP-1 at 5.135 vs 1.05 ng per gram of tissue and MMP-9 at 36.35 vs 8.2, while procollagen I, the raw material for new collagen, was 11.65 vs 40.65.9

4Frankincense oil pushed back

Rats that had frankincense essential oil put on their skin 2 hours before each dose of UVB kept more of their antioxidant enzymes, had lower IL-6, NF-κB and MMPs, and made more procollagen I; the oil packed into tiny lipid particles did best.9

In Heal Your Cells, Dr. Will Cole and I count oxidative stress and inflammaging, the low-grade inflammation that builds with age, among the nine hallmarks of aging.12 Those are the processes frankincense and rose oils calmed in rat skin exposed to UVB.9 10 Use them as daily care alongside deep sleep, a calmer mind, sensible sun and real food, and see anti-aging foods for the eating side.

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Which essential oils help with wrinkles and aging skin?

Quick answer

Frankincense, lavender, geranium, helichrysum, myrrh and rose are the essential oils I recommend for aging skin.3 1 2 Human studies stand behind three of them, two through creams made from the same plants: a cream with frankincense resin's boswellic acids softened fine lines in a randomized trial of 15 women who used it on one side of the face, a massage oil with lavender and chamomile oils raised skin moisture in a randomized trial of 60 older adults, and a night cream with helichrysum extract and other actives lowered wrinkle counts in 31 women, with no comparison group.5 4 13

Frankincense comes first on my list, and the rest follow the human research on skin and how often each oil turns up in what I recommend. Two of the human studies tested creams made with extracts of frankincense resin and helichrysum, and one tested a blend of lavender and chamomile oils, so each entry below says exactly what was studied. For other skin concerns, see essential oils for skin and essential oils for scars.

Frankincense: smoother skin and softer fine lines

Emerging evidenceHuman studyRandomized split-face trial · 15 women; study of 30 rats

Frankincense is one of the five oils I'd start with if you bought only five, for your skin and for prayer, and my field guide, Top 50 Healing Herbs & Essential Oils, lists aging skin and scars among its best uses.3 I've also called it great for evening out skin tone.2

The human research comes from the resin. In a randomized trial in which neither the 15 women nor the researchers knew which side of the face got what, a cream with 0.5% boswellic acids, compounds from frankincense resin, smoothed skin, softened fine lines and improved elasticity in 30 days compared with the same cream without them, with no side effects.5 Distillation carries some boswellic acids into the oil, in amounts that depend on how long and how hot the resin is distilled: under 1 mg per milliliter in fractions collected in the first 10 hours, and 19.6 to 30.1 mg in fractions distilled for 11 to 12 hours, the higher figure at the higher temperature.14 15 The oil itself protected collagen in the rat study shown in the diagram above.9

Use it in the face oil described below, and see frankincense oil for its history, its research beyond skin and how to diffuse it.

Study takeaway: a cream with frankincense resin's boswellic acids smoothed skin and softened fine lines in 30 days.

Lavender: more moisture for dry, aging skin

Emerging evidenceHuman studyRandomized trial · 60 older adults with dry skin

Lavender is great for all types of skin, and I count it among my anti-aging oils.2 It also has a randomized trial on skin behind it. In that trial at a nursing home in Turkey, 60 older adults with dry skin were split into three groups of 20. Two groups had a 10- to 15-minute whole-body massage after bathing, twice a week for 4 weeks, one with 10 mL of a 3% blend of lavender and chamomile oils in olive oil (1 part lavender to 2 parts chamomile) and one with plain olive oil; the third group had no treatment, and the blend group averaged about five years younger.4

Both oil massages helped. Compared with no treatment, skin was moister on the arms, legs and back with either oil, and on the chest the lavender-chamomile blend raised moisture while plain olive oil didn't. On the chest, median moisture readings rose from 21.00 before the first massage to 24.10 at week 2 and 27.00 at week 4 with the blend; they went from 21.05 to 22.30 and 22.10 with olive oil alone, and from 22.30 to 21.00 and 20.80 with no treatment.4

Study takeaway: a lavender-chamomile massage oil raised skin moisture in all four areas measured within 2 weeks.

Chest skin moisture over 4 weeks with a lavender-chamomile oil massage

Source: Karadağ et al. · Holistic Nursing Practice, 2021 [4]Median skin moisture readings on the chest. Higher is better.

Geranium: hydration for dry, mature skin

PreclinicalIn vitro (lab)Lab studies

For dry skin, especially aging skin in women over 40, geranium is an oil to use on a consistent basis, because it's very hydrating.2 I've also said frankincense and geranium are good for both dry and oily skin, because they help balance out the oil on your skin.6

In lab tests, creams carrying geranium oil showed antioxidant activity and blocked collagenase and elastase, the enzymes that break down collagen and elastic fibers.16 My herbs and oils guide uses geranium at 1% in a face serum.3 See geranium oil for its research on calm, pain and more.

Study takeaway: geranium-oil creams blocked the enzymes that break down collagen and elastin in lab tests.

Helichrysum: scars, age spots and wrinkle counts

Emerging evidenceHuman studyStudy of 31 women, no comparison group · multi-ingredient night cream

Helichrysum is one I like for scarring and age spots,2 and my herbs and oils guide pairs it with rosehip oil for scars. Its nickname, immortelle, comes from flowers that never wilt.3

In 31 women aged 43 to 59 who used a night cream of helichrysum extract with melatonin, carnosine, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and peptides every night for 12 weeks, the average count of wrinkles around the eyes fell from 6.6 to 5.3, UV spots fell from 254.1 to 231.3 and brown spots from 327.4 to 315.9, and skin firmness and elasticity improved, compared with each woman's own starting point.13 The researchers worked for the cream's maker, and no one reported side effects. In the lab, helichrysum's flower water, what's left after the oil is distilled, helped scratched skin cells lay down collagen.17

Helichrysum is often adulterated, so buy it from a trusted source.3 See helichrysum oil for more.

Study takeaway: a night cream with helichrysum extract and other actives lowered the count of wrinkles around the eyes from 6.6 to 5.3 in 12 weeks.

Wrinkles around the eyes fell from 6.6 to 5.3 with a night cream of helichrysum extract and other actives

Source: Granger et al. · Dermatology and Therapy, 2020 [13]Average count of wrinkles around the eyes at the start and after 12 weeks. Lower is better.

Myrrh: comfort for very dry, flaking skin

Traditional useTraditional useTraditional use · lab study of a six-oil blend

Myrrh ranks high on my list for red, dry, flaking skin and for very dry skin in general,6 2 and my herbs and oils guide uses it at 1% to 2% in a balm for dry, cracked skin.3 It's a little thicker than most essential oils.6

In lab-grown human skin cells primed for inflammation, a blend of frankincense, sandalwood, lavender, myrrh, helichrysum and rose oils mainly calmed proteins involved in tissue remodeling, in a study by researchers at an essential-oil company.18 See myrrh oil for more.

Study takeaway: a six-oil blend that included myrrh calmed tissue-remodeling proteins in lab-grown skin cells.

Rose: a floral oil for hydration

PreclinicalAnimal studyRat study

Rose is one of the floral oils I recommend blending with carrier oils to help hydrate the skin.1 When rats were exposed to UVB light, steam-distilled Taif rose oil, from Rosa damascena, in a gel and in a nanoemulsion kept antioxidant enzymes up, lowered inflammatory markers and MMP-9, and protected collagen from breaking apart, with the nanoemulsion working best.10 The researchers called it evidence for the traditional use of rose oil in skin aging. See rose oil for more.

Study takeaway: rose oil protected collagen in UVB-exposed rat skin.

What are the best carrier oils for aging skin?

Quick answer

Pomegranate seed, carrot seed and apricot kernel oils are the carrier oils on my list of age-fighting oils, and rosehip seed oil is the one my herbs and oils guide pairs with helichrysum for scars.1 3 Carrier oils are pressed from seeds, nuts and kernels, they make up about 99% of a face blend, and several have skin research of their own, from a rosehip pilot study to an argan trial in which 60 postmenopausal women rubbed it into one forearm and left the other untreated.19 20

A carrier oil does two jobs: it spreads a few drops of essential oil over your whole face, and it brings its own fats and antioxidants. Carrot seed oil is sold two ways, as a cold-pressed seed oil and as a steam-distilled essential oil under the same name; on my list it's a carrier, so choose the pressed seed oil.1 You can use one carrier or mix two.

Carrier oils for aging skin and what the research shows (updated October 2026). Grades are editorial judgments that compare these oils with each other.
Carrier oil	Evidence	What it is	What the research shows
Rosehip seed oil	Emerging	Cold-pressed from the seeds of wild roses; rich in linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids21	Lower wrinkle scores after 5 weeks of 3 drops on the face daily, with no comparison group19; may shrink and fade surgical scars, in a review of two human trials22
Argan oil	Emerging	Pressed from argan kernels	In 30 postmenopausal women who ate olive oil daily during the study, the forearm rubbed nightly with argan oil for 60 days ended more elastic than the untreated one (net elasticity 0.993 vs 0.850)20
Olive oil	Emerging	Pressed from olives	As a massage oil on its own, left dry skin moister than no treatment on the arms, legs and back over 4 weeks4
Jojoba oil	Preclinical	Pressed from jojoba seeds; a liquid wax rather than a true oil23	Cut inflammatory signals by about 30% and raised collagen III and hyaluronic acid23
Pomegranate seed oil	Preclinical	Pressed from pomegranate seeds; rich in punicic acid24	Calmed inflammatory signals (IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α) and sped wound closure in skin cells by about 20% in 24 hours24
Carrot seed oil	Preclinical	The cold-pressed seed oil	Creams with 2% to 6% carrot seed oil showed antioxidant activity25
Apricot kernel oil	Traditional	Pressed from apricot kernels	One of the three carriers on my list of age-fighting oils1
Beef tallow	Traditional	Rendered beef fat, used as a rich balm for dry skin on the body	I've found tallow works well when skin dries out, as it can during menopause, and I've liked combining it with lavender or chamomile oil26

Rosehip seed oil comes from rose hips, the fruit left after wild roses bloom. In the five-week pilot study, the 27 volunteers were aged 30 to 65, and the biggest improvements came in people who started with deeper wrinkles; their UV spots faded too.19

How do you make an anti-aging face oil?

Quick answer

Stir 3 to 6 drops of essential oil into 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) of carrier oil, a 0.5% to 1% blend, test it on your inner forearm for 24 hours, then smooth a few drops onto clean skin every day.3 1 That works out to about 1 drop of essential oil per teaspoon of carrier oil.3

My herbs and oils guide sets that 0.5% to 1% range for the face, sensitive skin and older skin, and 2%, or 12 drops per ounce, for everyday use on the body.3 Frankincense can go a little stronger in a face serum, 1% to 2%,3 and in Ancient Remedies I give about 6 drops of frankincense per ounce of unscented oil, roughly a 1% blend.27

Pick your base. Pour 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) of carrier oil into a small dark glass bottle: jojoba, pomegranate seed or rosehip seed oil, or a mix of two.
Add 3 to 6 drops of essential oil in total. For example, 2 drops each of frankincense, lavender and geranium make a 1% blend. Cap the bottle and roll it between your hands to mix.
Patch test. Dab a little on your inner forearm and wait 24 hours; redness or itching means skip that oil.3
Use it daily. Smooth a few drops onto clean skin, morning or night.1
Store it cool and dark. Old, oxidized oil irritates skin, so cap it tightly and mix small batches.3

Buy oils that are certified organic, 100% pure and indigenously sourced, with nothing synthetic added; in Ancient Remedies I warn that synthetic oils can do more harm than good.27 For another recipe, see this homemade anti-aging serum; for your face, keep any blend within the dilution above.

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Who should be careful with anti-aging essential oils?

Medication interactions are low for essential oils diluted on your skin. Helichrysum and myrrh call for care if you take a blood thinner, and lavender if you take a sleep aid; the steps are below.

Quick answer

Diluted on the skin, these oils are gentle for most people, and allergic reactions are uncommon but real.28 The list below covers pregnancy, children, medications and the sun.

Allergic reactions are the main thing to watch for. Of 10,930 people with dermatitis who were patch-tested at skin clinics over 10 years, 908, or 8.3%, reacted to at least one of 12 essential oils, and women, people 40 and older, and massage therapists and cosmeticians were over-represented among them.28 Lavender oil has no natural protection against air: once it's exposed, its main compounds oxidize into stronger skin allergens, shown in mouse tests and in people already allergic to oxidized linalool.29 A published case report describes an allergic rash from frankincense oil.30

My rule from the show is simple: don't put citrus oils on your skin and then go out in the sun.31 Bergapten, a compound in cold-pressed bergamot oil, reacts with UV light.32 Two people developed blistering burns after using bergamot aromatherapy oil and then getting UV light, one of them from oil evaporated in a sauna,32 and in human photopatch tests, 3 of 8 samples of orange, lemon and Litsea cubeba oils caused reactions at strengths a lab skin model had rated safe.33

Take extra care with anti-aging oils if any of these apply:

Every new oil: dilute it and patch-test it as in the face-oil steps above, and wash it off at any redness, itching or rash. If you feel dizzy or nauseated while using an oil, stop using it.27
Citrus oils and sun: cold-pressed bergamot, lemon, lime and grapefruit oils can burn skin in sunlight. Keep treated skin out of the sun for 12 hours, or choose bergapten-free bergamot.3
Sun protection: carrot seed and rosehip seed oils measured an SPF of 2.5 and 2.6 when tested on people's skin, too low to count on, so cover up or use a mineral sunscreen.34
Pregnancy: skip myrrh and clary sage, avoid lavender in the third trimester, and confirm any oil you use with your OB.3 27 31
Blood thinners: ask your prescriber before using helichrysum or myrrh oil, a caution in my herbs and oils guide; myrrh may also lower blood sugar.3
Sleep aids: skip lavender if you take a prescription or over-the-counter sleep aid, since it can add to the sedative effect.27
Children: use smaller amounts and more carrier oil, and use lavender only once in a while on young children.31 27

See essential oil safety for storage and dilution guidance that applies to every oil.

The bottom line

Do anti-aging essential oils work?

Yes, as daily care for aging skin. A few drops of frankincense, lavender or geranium in a good carrier oil is one of the simplest natural habits you can start, and the research is encouraging: a lavender-chamomile massage oil raised skin moisture in a randomized trial of 60 older adults, a cream with frankincense resin's boswellic acids softened fine lines in a randomized trial of 15 women, and a night cream with helichrysum extract and other actives lowered wrinkle counts in 31 women, in a study with no comparison group. These oils were part of beauty care long before anyone studied them,1 and I give that history weight, because it reflects generations of people noticing what helped their skin.

Mix 3 to 6 drops into an ounce of jojoba, pomegranate seed or rosehip seed oil and test it on your forearm for a day. Then care for your skin from the inside: deep sleep, a calmer mind, a little sun and real food. Your body was made to repair itself, and a few minutes of care each day helps it do that work.

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Anti-aging essential oils: frequently asked questions

What is the best essential oil for anti-aging?

Frankincense is the one I'd start with: my herbs and oils guide lists aging skin and scars among its best uses, and a cream with 0.5% boswellic acids from frankincense resin smoothed skin and softened fine lines in 30 days in a randomized trial of 15 women who used it on one side of the face.3 5 Lavender, geranium, helichrysum, myrrh and rose round out my list.1 2

Do essential oils really reduce wrinkles?

Creams made from the same plants have: in 31 women aged 43 to 59, a night cream of helichrysum extract with melatonin, niacinamide and other actives lowered the average count of wrinkles around the eyes from 6.6 to 5.3 over 12 weeks, with no comparison group, and a cream with frankincense resin's boswellic acids softened fine lines in 30 days in a randomized trial of 15 women who used it on one side of the face.13 5 Use the oils daily in a carrier oil, alongside good sleep, stress relief and sensible sun.

How do I use frankincense oil on my face?

Mix about 6 drops of frankincense into an ounce (2 tablespoons) of unscented carrier oil, roughly a 1% blend, and smooth a few drops onto clean skin every day.27 1 Test the blend on your inner forearm for 24 hours first.3

Can you put essential oils directly on your face?

No, dilute them first: 3 to 6 drops in an ounce of carrier oil, a 0.5% to 1% blend, is the range my herbs and oils guide sets for the face.3 Essential oils are highly concentrated, and used carelessly they can burn skin or cause reactions.3

Is rosehip oil an essential oil?

No, rosehip seed oil is a carrier oil, cold-pressed from the seeds of wild roses.19 21 In a five-week pilot study with no comparison group, 27 adults aged 30 to 65 who put 3 drops on their faces daily had lower wrinkle scores, and my herbs and oils guide pairs rosehip oil with helichrysum for scars.19 3

What carrier oil is best for aging skin?

Pomegranate seed, carrot seed and apricot kernel oils are the carriers on my list of age-fighting oils, and jojoba and pomegranate seed oil are the base of the serum my wife and I have used.1 6 Rosehip seed oil and argan oil have human skin research of their own: lower wrinkle scores in a 27-person pilot study of rosehip oil, and better elasticity in the argan-treated forearm than in the untreated one in 30 postmenopausal women who ate olive oil daily during the study.19 20

Which essential oils help tighten skin?

Frankincense and myrrh: a cream with boswellic acids from frankincense resin improved skin elasticity in 30 days in a randomized trial of 15 women who used it on one side of the face, and my herbs and oils guide describes myrrh as astringent, tightening and protecting tissue.5 3 Among carrier oils, argan oil rubbed nightly into one forearm for 60 days left that forearm more elastic than the untreated one in 30 postmenopausal women who ate olive oil daily during the study.20 See skin tightening for more.

Is helichrysum oil good for your skin?

Yes: I like helichrysum for scarring and age spots, and in 31 women aged 43 to 59, a night cream of helichrysum extract with melatonin, niacinamide and other actives lowered wrinkle counts over 12 weeks, with no comparison group.2 13 Buy it from a trusted source, since it's often adulterated.3

Is geranium oil good for your face?

Yes, diluted: geranium is very hydrating and a good oil to use on a consistent basis for dry, aging skin, especially for women over 40, and my herbs and oils guide uses it at 1% in a face serum.2 3 In lab tests, creams carrying geranium oil blocked the enzymes that break down collagen and elastin.16

Which essential oil boosts collagen?

Frankincense oil raised collagen's raw material in a rat study: put on rats' shaved skin before UVB light, it raised procollagen I and lowered the enzymes that cut collagen.9 Jojoba, a carrier oil, raised collagen III in donated human skin kept alive in the lab, and from the inside, I recommend about 20 to 30 grams of collagen a day for most people.23 7

Can essential oils help with age spots?

Helichrysum is the one I like for age spots, and in 31 women, a night cream of helichrysum extract with other actives lowered UV spots from 254.1 to 231.3 and brown spots from 327.4 to 315.9 over 12 weeks, with no comparison group.2 13 I've also called frankincense great for evening out skin tone.2 See hyperpigmentation for more.

Is lavender oil good for your face?

Yes, diluted: lavender is great for all types of skin, and in a randomized trial of 60 older adults with dry skin, a massage oil of olive oil with 3% lavender and chamomile oils raised skin moisture within 2 weeks.2 4 Keep the bottle capped and stored cool and dark, since lavender oil oxidizes into stronger skin allergens once it's exposed to air.29

Are anti-aging essential oils safe during pregnancy?

Some are, with care: skip myrrh and clary sage, avoid lavender in the third trimester, and confirm any oil you use with your OB.3 27

Which essential oils should you avoid before going in the sun?

Cold-pressed bergamot, lemon, lime and grapefruit oils: they can burn skin in sunlight, so keep treated skin out of the sun for 12 hours, or choose bergapten-free bergamot.3

How long do anti-aging essential oils take to work?

Give them 4 to 12 weeks: skin moisture rose within 2 weeks in the 4-week randomized lavender-chamomile trial, the frankincense-resin cream smoothed skin in 30 days in a randomized trial of 15 women, and wrinkle counts fell over 12 weeks in 31 women using the helichrysum night cream, with no comparison group.4 5 13

Can I mix essential oils with tallow?

Yes: I've found tallow works well when skin dries out, as it can during menopause, and I've liked combining it with essential oils such as lavender or chamomile.26 Use it on dry skin on your body, at the 2% my herbs and oils guide sets for the body, 12 drops per ounce, and patch-test the blend first.3

Freshness & method note

October 7, 2026 — Rewrote the page in full. The previous version ranked ten essential oils and five carrier oils by evidence grade, compared them with sunscreen, retinol and vitamin C, and recommended sandalwood, neroli, carrot seed and tea tree essential oils for aging skin. This version ranks the six essential oils Dr. Axe recommends for aging skin, starting with frankincense; presents carrier oils as carrier oils, each with its own research; adds a randomized trial of a lavender-chamomile massage oil in older adults with dry skin, two charts and a diagram of how sun damage unfolds in skin; corrects the descriptions of the helichrysum night cream (which also contained niacinamide, hyaluronic acid and peptides) and the helichrysum flower-water study; sets the patch test at 24 hours and lists Dr. Axe's credentials as DC, DNM, CNS; and gathers the cautions into one safety section, with 34 references.

September 11, 2026 — Previous version published.

References

Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CNS

Doctor of Natural Medicine · Founder, DrAxe.com

Dr. Axe is a certified doctor of natural medicine, clinical nutritionist, and multiple New York Times bestselling author. He has spent 20+ years in clinical practice helping people heal at the root cause and founded one of the most-visited natural-health platforms in the world.

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