Facial Oil for skin? Sounds counter-intuitive right? But what if we told you that’s exactly what you need to combat your skin problems ranging from acne to inflammation?
What is Facial Oil and How Does it Work?
Facial oils for skin are a category of emollients, as in, they help strengthen and nourish the outer layer of your skin, that is your epidermis, by softening and sealing moisture. Your skin usually suffers the wrath of strong chemicals and toxins from your facewash to pollution from the environment. Using a facial oil can help protect your skin from these adversities and replenish lost moisture from washing your face.
What are the Benefits of Facial Oil?
Facial oils for skin have many benefits:
1. They can reduce your wrinkles!
Usually, Ultraviolet rays from the sun are rough on your unprotected skin and can even cause premature aging, yes we’re talking about wrinkles at 25.
But many facial oils are loaded with plenty of antioxidants which help slow down the aging process and make your skin much more youthful and rejuvenated. The best facial oil for this is grapeseed oil.
This doesn’t mean you should skip sunscreen though!
2. They can rid you of acne
Yes, you read that right. Sounds absurd, doesn’t it? Oil for acne-prone skin? But some of the facial oil benefits come from their pimple obliterating properties. Facial oils like tea tree oil and jojoba oil can help slow down sebum production in your face and also have antibacterial properties, helping fend off any looming zits and pimples.
3. They’re really REALLY good for dry skin
This one seems pretty obvious, right? But some facial oils are even better than those lotions and creams formulated for dry skin. Oils like coconut oil help revitalize your skin and seal in moisture. On the other hand, Almond oil is rich in Omega-three fatty acids making it perfect for hydration to sensitive skin types.
4. They can shrink your pores
Sounds impossible, but oils like macadamia, jojoba, and camellia are specifically known for this. They can pull out the gunk from within your pores and make them appear smaller and less noticeable. Also, unclogged pores are the key to maintaining healthy skin without any acne, whiteheads, and blackheads.
5. They help with rashes
Most of these facial oils have anti-inflammatory properties, making them perfect for sensitive skin that’s prone to rashes and allergies. Argan oil and geranium oil are best known for their properties of reducing swelling and redness while leaving your skin supple and glowing.
6. You can use it as a primer for makeup
Say goodbye to drying overpriced primers, facial oils like mandarin and pumpkin seed oil are the perfect blanket to cozy up your skin with before applying any heavy makeup. And did we tell you? They’re long-lasting AND hydrating!
7. They protect your face from pollution
Living in a big city or not, everyone’s face needs protection from pollutants in the air and toxins flying around us. Lucky for you, these facial oils are super good at forming a barrier on your skin to protect it. Use rosehip oil on an especially dusty day and you’re good to go!
How should you Select a Facial Oil?
Ahh, we were just coming to that. Well, the facial oil for you depends on your skin type.
Oily skin
No, they won’t make your skin oilier, yes it’s true! The best facial oils for oily skin are Jojoba oil and Grapeseed oil. Jojoba oil helps in breaking down the production of excess sebum and helps you maintain a healthy glow without looking extra oily and shiny.
Grapeseed oil, on the other hand, is a little more drying and acts as a natural astringent. So only opt for it if you have extremely oily skin as it makes your skin a little drier than usual and helps matte down large pores.
Acne-prone skin
If you struggle with acne you would have a hard time believing that a facial oil would help you with it. However, oils like pomegranate and rosehip oil are super helpful for acne-prone skin.
Pomegranate oil is an anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory oil, so it naturally fights acne-causing bacteria and reduces swelling and redness on your skin.
If you suffer from severe acne, consider rosehip oil. It’s the one-stop destination to better skin, it has fatty acids that penetrate deep into your skin and help rid your skin of harmful bacteria while combating redness, swelling, and irritation.
Dry Skin
Oils enriched with oleic acid are the best match for dry skin. Oleic acid is a fatty acid that helps hydrate your skin and lock it in to prevent moisture loss.
The best facial oils for dry skin are almond and marula oil. Almond oil with its vitamin a is perfect for anyone with severely dry skin as it is super hydrating while being gentle on the skin.
If your skin is normal to dry then marula oil is your best bet, it gets absorbed into your skin within minutes of application and hydrates your skin all day long. Yes, all day long!
Sensitive skin
Sensitive skin reacts to almost anything. The best facial oils for it are moringa oil and aloe vera oil. Moringa oil is filled with antioxidants and fatty acids to nourish your skin while its anti-inflammatory properties work their magic on your skin to reduce redness, irritation, and rashes.
Another great alternative for sensitive skin is aloe Vera oil. If your skin is oily and sensitive, try aloe oil. This oil has anti-bacterial and astringent properties while also being gentle on your skin and soothing it.
Normal or Combination Skin
If you have problem-free skin, first of all, we’re jealous of you. However, this means you can use the more mainstream face oils such as argan oil and retinol oils. Rich in vitamin E, argan oil is quickly absorbed by your skin and leaves your skin moisturized and supple for hours on end.
For a night routine option, try retinol-based oils, these oils are derived from sources rich in vitamin A and help in keeping your skin glowing and youthful while preventing wrinkles and any other sign of premature aging imaginable.
When should you use Face Oil?
You’re probably wondering how to use facial oil, right? Facial oil is typically recommended to be used right at the end of your skincare routine to seal in everything that you just slathered on to your face and lock it in. As for the time of day,
You can use it during the day but using it right before bedtime is invariably the best choice. This way the oil works its magic on your skin without any stress in your daily life. However, if you want to use it as an anti pollutant, use it before you step out of your house.
Happy face oiling!