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3 oils for 3 different skin types

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I have a nickname for my skin: the Sahara. It’s so dry that my foundation is usually flaking off by lunchtime, even though I’ve probably applied, like, three different creams and spent the entire morning misting my face off. My vanity is overflowing with pretty much every single moisturiser you can find out there. If it has ‘for dry skin’ on the label, I have it. ‘Hydrating’? Got that too.

Just as I was about to consider walking around in a fish bowl for the rest of my life, my bff suggested trying a facial oil. Since our skin produces sebum naturally, surely oils are the most logical step up from creams? I was sceptical. Really? I’d already spent the majority of my teenage years battling breakouts and was definitely not ready to relive it all again. She remained insistent, however, and so I finally caved and agreed to give it a go. What more have I got to lose anyway? I thought, staring at my reptilian skin in the mirror.

Fast forward to one week later and I’m literally propelling my shiny face into everyone else’s – “look, look – it’s 12PM and NO FLAKES!”

Okay, okay, I exaggerate. However, my bff’s intuition about facial oils were definitely on point. “Oils are beneficial to hydrating the skin to a level where traditional moisturisers just don’t reach,”says our co-founder-slash-beauty-mixologist, Dominika Minarovic. “Particularly when coupled with an essential oil, oils can be deeply nourishing to all skin types.”

Yes, you read it right – all skin types. That means that whether you’re a part-time reptile like me, or you’ve got skin as hydrated as a sponge in water (so jealous of you btw), a facial oil could still give your beauty routine a little upgrade. Read on to discover the best oils for your skin type…

Dry skin

Weleda Almond Soothing Facial Oil, £18, weleda.co.uk
The Ordinary 100% Organic Argan Oil, £6, theordinary.com
L’Occitane Shea Face Comforting Oil, £32, loccitane.co.uk

Turns out, a facial oil is all that y’all flaky faces need to get from Sahara desert to Amazon rainforest (wow, who would have thought…). Dryness can be due to a number of internal or external factors, from under-active sebum glands to dry weather, but either way, your skin needs oils to keep it soft, hydrated and happy.

Go for almond oil, shea butter oil or argan oil. They’re rich and heavily hydrating, packed with nutrients that feed the skin. Otherwise, follow in my footsteps and slather on some good ol’ argan oil – a classic. It also makes a divine makeup remover: warm a little between your fingers, gently massage it in and you’ll find even waterproof mascara slides off like nothing.

Dominika’s go-to is jojoba oil. “It’s the great all rounder for all skin types,” she says, “Whether dry or oily, jojoba will help to balance the skin’s PH and calm over- and under-active sebum glands, making sure your skin is producing just the right amount of oil to keep hydrated.” – which, conveniently, brings me to my next point.

Oily or Acne-Prone skin

Herbivore Lapis Facial Oil, £56, herbivorebotanicals.com
Fushi Jojoba Golden Organic Oil, £15, fushi.com
Clarins Lotus Face Treatment Oil, £33.00, clarins.com

Apart from jojoba oil, grapeseed and hazelnut oil are both great choices for those with oilier or acne-prone skin. Sounds counterproductive, but just throw any of these names on Google and you’ll find hundreds of success stories bearing witness to the wondrous healing and rejuvenating powers of these oils.

Well Jennie, you say, I’m not convinced. You can’t trust everything on the internet. Where’s the science behind this? Well, if science is what you’re looking for, you’ll be glad to hear that these oils are not only nourishing and quick-absorbing, they’re also anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and packed full of antioxidants.

Hazelnut oil is especially astringent too, meaning it temporarily tightens the skin and prevents blocked pores. Best part? Like fighting fire with fire, they get straight to the heart of the problem by balancing your skin and regulating sebum production (read: goodbye spots!!)

Mature skin

Votary Super Seed Facial Oil, £70, libertylondon.com
Indie Lee Squalane Facial Oil, £32, indielee.com
BYBI Supercharge Serum, £32, cleanbeautyco.com

Mature skin is just skin that’s done a lot for you. Puberty, all-nighters at uni, every single Friday night, then parenthood and beyond…it’s been there for you through it all and it’ll still be here for you in the days to come. No more reason needed to just go all out and spoil your skin with the best oils nature can offer!

Get your hands on the antioxidant-rich chia seed oil or pomegranate seed oils to give your skin a real boost and provide it with the nutrients it needs to rejuvenate itself. Squalane is also a firm favourite with beauty editors everywhere, for its renewing and resurfacing powers: it helps buff away dead cells to ensure your best skin is always on show. Top tip: gently massage in your oil of choice in small upward strokes to promote a lifting effect!

 

– Jennie Lim