Oil is the fountain of youth.
Everyone I know who has radiant, glowing skin uses oil.
I’m not kidding you- I really can’t recall a single person who I’ve asked about their skincare (and I have asked soooo many) only to hear they didn’t use oil.
Oil = a must.
But I get it! It can be tough to determine exactly what to try. It can be both daunting and exciting to start the quest to find your holy grail oils! Once you find the ones that work best for you, you’ll be sad you didn’t discover them sooner!
I also just love me a facial massage with some oil. Do some moisturizing along with a little lifting and keep that skin aging as gracefully as possible- you know? Divine. Always take that moment to treat yourself to some effective self-care.
Oils 101- Need To Know
1. Not all oil is created equal! Some oils are cut with different ingredients to save cost, some aren’t organic when it’s best they should be (not all need to be), some provide specific benefits that others do not.
2. Some are better suited for those with oily skin and some are better suited for those with dry skin.
3. Essential oils are what gives us that strong, often quite pleasant scent. BE CAREFUL. These can be highly phototoxic and often irritating for the skin- especially sensitive skin. I always stay away from essential oils.
4. Plant oils (which we will be discussing and what I recommend) are loaded with antioxidants and healing properties. Mineral oils are those that are often found in products to give it a creamier texture. They can be good emollients. But they don’t provide many healing benefits.
5. It’s good to really press oils into the skin. It’s the absorbing where the magic happens. Don’t just slather it on and call it a day. Really press it in- facial massage is also great during this time as it helps the absorption process.
6. Linoleic + Oleic acids. These are fatty acids and something to pay attention to! Linoleic tends to be better for oiler/acne-prone skin as this oil is thinner and absorbs into the skin quicker. People with acne-prone skin tend to have less linoleic in their sebum, so higher linoleic acid oils tend to be best. Oleic acids are best for dry skin.
PICKING AN OIL FOR YOUR SKIN TYPE
Keep in mind it is always trial and error, nothing is ever guaranteed and sometimes our skin needs a few weeks to acclimate to a product. But hopefully it would be a slam dunk right away! 😉
Just so you know- there may be some overlap in these categories! Some oils can definitely be multi-purpose.
Oils for acne-prone skin
(These oils are higher in linoleic acid)
3. Sesame oil
6. Tamanu oil
7. Rosehip seed oil (I have used this one for years- great for evening out skin tone)
Oils for acne-prone AND aging skin
(Oils that are balanced in linoleic and oleic BUT they closely match our skin’s natural sebum so they are great for those with acne)
1. Camellia oil
2. Jojoba oil
3. Apricot oil (not AS high in linoleic but still does well with acne-prone skin. I am a huge fan of this oil.)
4. Seabuckthorn oil (One of THEE best oils)
5. Plum oil (I am a huge fan of plum oil as well!)
Oils for dry/aging skin
(Oils that are higher in oleic acid)
1. Avocado oil
2. Shea nut (I love shea butter in general)
3. Argan oil
4. Marula oil
…. When in doubt, look up the fatty acids in oils! You will be able to determine what could work for you and what might not!
Below enjoy a chart I made! It’s just my opinion but I think this could be useful!
