Top Face Oils (For All Skin Types) To Include In Your Regime Right Away!

Have you ever wondered why using coconut oil on dry skin feels so good? Or, why do so many skincare brands highlight the use of natural oils in their skin care products? You must have never imagined that your oily and acne-prone skin can actually get better with a face oil, right?

Believe it or not, natural face oils are great for your skin! Whether you have clear or problematic skin, dry or oily skin, there are oils for each skin type.

So get your glow the natural way by learning about which face oil you should be using.

Highlights:

• Are Face Oils Good For Your Skin?
• Benefits Of Face Oils
• Face Oils For All Skin Types
• Oils For Different Skin Conditions

Are Face Oils Good For Your Skin?

Yes, face oils are good for the skin. Contrary to popular myths, face oils are beneficial even for those who have problematic (oily/acne-prone/sensitive) skin, as these oils can help eradicate the concerns. And, if you use the right oil for your skin type, you can see the benefits in a short time with glowing, healthy skin.

Benefits Of Face Oils

1. As we age, the amount of oil that is produced by our bodies reduces. To prevent the skin from going dry, it needs oil along with moisture to prevent fine lines, premature aging [1] and wrinkles. Using facial oil provides this balance and retains moisture in the skin.

2. Face oils also protect the skin from sun damage [2], pollution and the environment.

3. They are usually derived from natural ingredients such as seeds, flowers, fruits, etc and don’t come laden with toxic chemicals, which cause damage in the long term. The face oils that are extracted from plants and seeds have fatty acids that help to improve your skin’s texture, keep it hydrated and work as a barrier against damage.

4. They are multi-functional and can be used as make-up removers and lip balms.

5. The results of using face oils are seen much faster than chemical-based creams.

6. You need only a few drops for your entire face and neck. If mixed with a water-based moisturiser, you need even less, thus making them cost-effective.

7. You can even use face oil as an under-eye cream; Oils like argan and castor oil can even be used to thicken and nourish eyelashes.

Face Oils For All Skin Types

Different skin types need different kinds of face oils. There is no one type that suits all types of skin. In fact, an ongoing skin problem can get aggravated with the wrong oil. Below is the list of oils suitable for various skin types:

1. Normal Skin

Oils that work best for normal skin are those that are not too heavy. Jojoba, marula and coconut oils are effective for normal skin types. Coconut oil has multiple benefits ranging from anti-aging to moisturising and even improves the skin’s elastin and collagen production.

Why They Work

Jojoba and marula oils are light and easily absorbed by the skin. Since they are not too heavy, they provide the right amount of moisture that a normal skin would need. Coconut oil is rich in lauric acid [3] and fatty acids that nourish the skin.

How To Apply

You can mix a few drops of any of these oils with your moisturiser (not one that is a sunscreen-cum-moisturiser) and apply on the face. With coconut oil, you can directly massage it onto your face and neck gently.

Pro tip:

Coconut oil is best used in its extra virgin, cold pressed avatar.

2. Dry Skin

For dry skin, apricot kernel oil, extra virgin coconut oil and almond oil are ideal. They contain fatty acids that help in retaining the elasticity and collagen in the skin.

Why They Work

If your skin is dry, the oleic acid [4] present in these oils seal the moisture into the skin, and reduces itching and redness. Apricot kernel oil is especially effective for drier climates and cold, windy weather.

Almond oil is also rich in vitamin A, which can help reduce fine lines on dry skin. It is also effective for severe skin conditions like psoriasis [5] and eczema [6].

How To Apply

Mix a few drops with your moisturiser at night and apply on your face. You can even dab the oil directly on your face after washing, then apply the moisturiser to seal in the oil.

Note:

Never mix the oil with your sunscreen-cum-moisturiser as it can diminish the effect of the sunscreen products used.

3. Oily Skin

Tea tree oil, argan oil or grapeseed oil work as astringents for oily skin. These are light and not too greasy. Thus, they don’t clog the pores further. Grapeseed oil is effective in controlling the oil and sebum production.

Why They Work

These oils are effective in removing sebum from your skin, due to their astringent and antibacterial qualities, thereby balancing the oil and reducing the shine. Tea tree oil has antibacterial compounds that help in reducing acne and unclogging pores.

How To Apply

The best way to use oil is by applying it after the moisturiser. That is because oily skin people would usually use a lightweight moisturiser that doesn’t clog pores. This helps the skin get the benefits of the oil-control moisturiser used and the oil will prevent the skin from drying.

4. Combination Skin

Marula, jojoba and flaxseed oils are ideal for combination skin. They can keep the skin moist and nourished while preventing acne in the oily areas of the face.

Why They Work

All three oils are easily absorbed and control oil production. Flaxseed oil is also effective in moisturising the dry areas of the skin, preventing acne, and minimising wrinkles and inflammation.

How To Apply

Apply lightly over your face and neck after cleansing. You can apply a few drops before using your moisturiser at night. If the weather is sultry, avoid applying during the day. Always massage in an upward motion.

5. Sensitive Skin

Moringa oil [7] and aloe vera oil are effective for sensitive skin. They also help prevent acne and reduce redness. They work on sensitive skin that is prone to acne as well as sensitive skin that is prone to dryness.

Why They Work

Moringa has antioxidants which help in removing free radicals that cause premature aging. It also contains fatty acids that help nourish dry or stressed skin. It can calm sensitive skin because it is anti-inflammatory.

Aloe vera oil to moisturises the skin; and additionally, it is astringent and anti-bacterial. So, it can balance oily skin and reduce the presence of acne.

How To Use

Moringa oil can be applied on washed skin after using a moisturiser. When used at night, it should be the last thing you apply to your skin. If your skin is sensitive to make-up, you may want to try using it before you apply any chemical based cosmetics, for an even look. Aloe vera oil can be applied directly to your clean face.

Pro tip:

You can do a test run with these by applying the oils to an acne-prone area on your face for a few days. If it works, use all over.

6. Acne-Prone Skin

While most of you would think if you have acne, you cannot use a face oil, you would be wrong. There are anti-acne oils that are completely safe to use, such as tea tree oil, pomegranate oil and rosehip oil.

Why They Work

Acne-fighting OTC products have ingredients that eradicate the skin of its natural moisture and oils while reducing the sebum. This way, dry and irritated skin tends to produce more sebum than needed, which in turn create pimples, clogged pores and blackheads.

A face oil like pomegranate is anti-inflammatory in nature and it also has antibacterial traits. So it will reduce the presence of acne-causing bacteria while moisturising and calming the skin where you have no acne. Since it is very light, it won’t make your skin feel greasy.

Rosehip oil is effective on skin severely affected by acne. It can hydrate the skin right till the dermis and not clog pores. It has fatty acids that can reduce the appearance of acne scars and control the redness. It also prevents fresh acne from forming, while diminishing the existing ones.

How To Apply

As with oily skin, applying the pomegranate or rosehip oil should be the last step in your routine. Try using it for a week on your most acne-prone area and use elsewhere if you don’t get fresh acne there. Massage a few drops into your skin after you have applied your night cream.

Oils For Different Skin Conditions

• Squalane oil is very effective for acne-prone and all skin types because of its high absorption, lightweight and non comedogenic qualities.
• If you want glowing skin, turmeric oil works in reducing the appearance of acne scars and gives the skin a healthy glow.
• Grapeseed oil has an antioxidant called proanthocyanidin [8], which reduces discoloration in the skin. It even brightens the skin. It may be prescribed as an oral supplement to treat melasma, a kind of pigmentation that occurs during pregnancy.
• Borage seed oil has gamma linolenic acid [9] that has anti-inflammatory properties. So it helps control acne and dermatitis.
• Avocado oil is rich in antioxidants and vitamins A, B and C.
• The hemp seed oil has fatty acids and proteins that are effective for very dry and chapped skin too. So, it can be used in formulations to treat psoriasis and eczema.
• Jojoba and blackberry oils are effective as anti-aging treatments to reduce fine lines and wrinkles.

Wrapping Up

In these days of sustainable living and going natural, using face oil may be a far better option than using chemical-laden skincare products. These oils are natural and have different qualities to address your skin problems. Because they have to be used in small quantities, they can work out even if they are expensive. However, do conduct a patch test before you use any oil on the face.

Begin By Knowing Your Skin