The Role of Oils in Your Moisturizer

The term “oil” was once considered a naughty word in the skin care realm. But as skin care lovers are becoming more interested in shopping natural products, they’ve taken the time to learn that “oil” and “oily skin” are two different things, and not necessarily synonymous.

Beauty enthusiasts have become more accepting of the unique effects of natural oils, and we think that’s a definite win for natural ingredients. Any time we can replace a synthetic with a plant byproduct, we’re thrilled!

However, some people still believe that natural vegetable oils are harmful to your skin, and while not all oils are made equal, this simply isn’t true! In this post, we’ll discuss the incredible benefits of natural oils, and how to determine the best oil for face moisturizers in your regimen.

Why Oils Make Nourishing Moisturizers

Here are just a few reasons why plant-derived oils make excellent ingredients for restoring, rejuvenating facial moisturizers.

They can treat dry, cracked skin
This feature about natural oils may hardly come as a shock, but it’s still well worth mentioning.

Oils are extra moisturizing, and they can treat dry, cracked skin when standard moisturizers and creams cannot.

However, oils need a humectant ingredient to work. Humectants, like glycerin and hyaluronic acid, work by drawing water into the skin. When an oil is combined with a humectant, it helps to penetrate it through the lipid barrier while softening the skin on the surface.

They protect skin from environmental toxins
Because oils are lipophilic, they penetrate deep into your skin barrier, not only flooding your skin with its nurturing benefits, but also enforcing it, making it more difficult for toxins to enter.

They contain anti-aging properties
Besides being moisturizing, many oils also contain antioxidants.

Antioxidants are an absolute must in every skin care arsenal because they protect against one of the biggest aging factors: free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules we encounter in our environments, and they can cause a lot of long-term damage. Luckily, antioxidants can help neutralize free radicals.

Always keep an eye out for antioxidant-rich oils, like rosehip, pomegranate and grape seed oil.

Why Oils Really Are for Everyone

One of the misconceptions about oils is that they clog pores. To be fair, some oils are comedogenic, like mineral oil, and should be avoided.

However, some oils may clog your pores simply because they are not suitable for your skin type.

The good news, though, is that there is a very likely chance that, no matter how your skin behaves, you’ll be able to find at least a few oils you can benefit from. We’ll go over the best oils for each skin type below!

NORMAL
Having “normal skin” basically means that you don’t consider your skin to be too oily or dry, and you rarely experience breakouts or hypersensitivity.

Normal skin can benefit from most oils, but it’s recommended to stay away from those on the heavy side, like wheat germ oil and coconut oil. Recommended oils include argan and jojoba oil.

DRY
Oils can help heal damaged or dry skin, but you’ll still need to pick out an oil that works best for this someone sensitive skin type. Some oils can be too astringent, leading to stripped lipids and further dryness. Stick with oils with high fatty contents, like olive squalane, coconut oil, and argan oil.

OILY
While it may seem counterintuitive to apply oil to oily skin, the right type of oil can actually help to regulate oil production. Jojoba and Grapeseed Oil perform almost like an astringent on oily skin, and tea tree oil can be used as an antibacterial ingredient. Just make sure that tea tree oil is an essential oil, so it needs to be diluted with a carrier.

ACNE-PRONE
Much like with oily skin, it seems nonsensical to apply more oil to your already-clogged and irritated pores.

However, non-comedogenic oils can actually be quite helpful in balancing your skin. This is because when we apply harsh astringents and acne medications, they often strip our skin of its natural oils and sebum.

This sometimes triggers our glands to try and make up for the lost oil, which then results in overproduction. The best acne-proof oils to use include rosehip and pomegranate. Both are also antioxidant-rich and anti-inflammatory, and can help fight acne-causing bacteria.

Products for All Skin Types

If painstakingly selecting the perfect moisturizer with the best oils is a tedious, overwhelming task, worry not! The broad profile of complementary oils in our products make them suitable for all skin types – check out the breakdown below.

SEABERRY MOISTURIZER
Our moisturizer is formulated with sea buckthorn oil, which is antioxidant-rich, and will help fight off free radical damage to keep your skin looking young, along with anti-aging grape seed oil.

It also contains super-hydrating coconut oil. To those with oily or acne-prone skin, don’t need to worry! This moisturizer balances out the heavier oils with both aloe vera and hyaluronic acid. Plus it’s rich in omega fatty acids and vitamin C!

Like all moisturizers, this product should be applied after cleansing and toning.

RESTORATIVE FACIAL OIL
If you’re looking for a variety of beneficial oils, look no further than the Restorative Facial Oil. This blend contains a spectrum of seed oils, including rosehip and green tea leaf oil, which are both high in antioxidants. Meanwhile, jojoba and pomegranate seed oil hold anti-aging benefits while acai oil and vitamin E oil help to help protect against acne.

This facial oil is suitable for all skin types, but there is one thing to keep in mind: because it’s an oil, you’ll want to introduce it to your skin with some additional moisture. This is as simple as dampening your skin beforehand, applying it over a moisturizer, or spritzing with a facial mist after application.

YERBA MATE EYE CREAM
Since the eye area is so delicate, only the gentlest oils were suitable for this product. While rejuvenating yerba mate water is the most prominent ingredient, coconut oil and grape seed oil play backup to provide nourishing, hydrating benefits.

A wealth of antioxidants in this ultra light formula will help wake up your eye area, and mitigate the appearance of crow’s feet and puffiness.

Although oils have gotten a bad wrap in the past, the veil has been lifted and they are now recognized as incredibly nurturing and restorative for your skin. Read more on natural oils like jojoba oil, cold-pressed oils, and anti-aging face oils on our blog!