While oil provides resilience to the tissues, emollients help soften and smooth the scales of the skin by filling in tiny gaps where skin may be flaked or cracked. In the plant based oils used in our active blends are occlusive ingredients that seal humectants and emollients into the skin so it can stay hydrated, soft and glowing. By preventing water reserves in the skin from evaporating and escaping into the air, these healing agents help to form a natural barrier that keeps the skin protected from the outside world and being drained by external sources like wind and dry environments. 

The potential benefits of topically plant oils are many and can address problems and issues such as dermatitis, skin ageing, skin barrier function, skin cancer and wound healing. * The essential fatty acids are responsible for the regulation of the cell membrane, but as we age the body’s natural ability to retain moisture within cells diminishes, resulting in skin that appears loose and wrinkled.
Even if it may seem contradictory, high quality lightweight and quickly absorbing plant oils can actually be good for oily skin too, as they can help rebalance and control sebum production and dissolve excess grease that can build up on the surface of the skin by overactive pores, meanwhile providing hydration.

Oils are one of the most ancient forms of natural herbal medicine. And the soothing and smoothing action and medicinal benefits of emollient fats and oils have been known and used in cosmetic preparations for millions of years. Discovered by trial and error from the abundance of nature’s curative plants and minerals, humans made infusion from leaves, roots and flowers and created unguents to rub on fevered skin or to salve a wound.
The application of herbal oils and extracts for medicinal purposes originated in Chinese, Indian and Egyptian medicine. And meanwhile the Egyptians were specialists and trendsetters when it came to embalmment, this ancient practice quickly spread to other cultures as well. And the positive effects of these particular preparations lead to the development of other skin preservation and beautifying concoctions.
Famed for turning beautification into an art, Cleopatra, as well as other queens and famous historical women, had a love affair with fragrant oils. The use of oils and ointments were prevalent and also a necessity to protect the face and body from the sun and dryness of the climate. And aromatic oils were used in baths, for massage, sacred anointment and in cosmetics. 
The nourishing quality of an oil is intensified when it is infused with flowers, herbs and spices and many of the perfumed oils made from healing herbs doubled as medicine.

Back to our own time, but before botox and cosmetic surgery, the legendary Italian Sophia Loren famously stated that her secret to ageless beauty was using olive oil on her skin.
And as you may have noticed, Alabastra botanics also has a passionate love for beautiful fragrant and emollient oils! In fact they serve as a foundation in all our various potions. 
We infuse our oils the old traditional way by letting them sit in the gentle warmth of the natural sunlight for weeks on end, steeped with herbs or flowers harvested in the wild forest or collected from the garden. The herbs are carefully and graciously chosen, and the aroma and nutrients are gently being coaxed out by the oil over time. To best preserve the vital forces and healing properties, we use dark violet Miron glass containers which protect the oils from the degenerative light rays for the extraction process and storing of our oils.