Spring and soon Summer will be upon us. Show season, travel and early mornings are on their way. This is when we tend to neglect not only our regular patterns, but our skin regime. So what’s new in skin care? Well, it’s not necessarily new but it’s definitely popular, facial oils.
So what’s all this hype about facial oils? One would think that applying anything oily to your face would have adverse affects. WRONG! In fact, face oil has been used by indigenous people all over the world for millennia. I’m sure you have some questions. Will it make me break out? Do I need to layer it with something else? Actually, from what I’ve gathered, it would seem that not only will it not break you out, it will improve the quality of your skin! The best oils are packed with antioxidants and fatty acids to nourish and protect the lipid barrier, enhance the healing process, and impart a glow. But don’t take it from me let’s ask a pro and see what she says, then get you started on a new skincare regime and a brand new you!
The way in which you sequence your products matters. Oils deliver nutrients and create a protective seal that stops moisture escaping, but they won’t pull water into the skin to moisturize it the way a humectant – such as hyaluronic acid – does. For maximum hydration, you should start with a serum, followed by an oil and then your moisturizer, says Crystal Greene of Cap Beauty in New York. “Oil can be applied alone, but the extra layers provide hydration and protection.”
So, now that you’re intrigued we decided to include some our favorites. It’s important to assess your skin prior to make sure you’re using the something that suits your skin type.
OILS A good facial oil should sink right into the skin and not leave the surface looking for feeling oily. The secret is in the base oils. Avoid mineral oils at all costs. Look out for base oils (eg the first one to three that appear on the ingredients list) such as jojoba, meadowfoam, argan, apricot, or almond. Far from greasy, a good oil complex is the surest way to get dewy skin. Let’s start with some fundamentals. The best thing about facial oils is that they are not water-based. Water-based formulations (which means most creams and serums) require synthetic preservatives, stabilizers, absorbency enhancers and things that make a cream a cream. Oils don’t need any of these, so what you will get is pure unadulterated botanical oils to which additional actives can be added to provide a bounty of nutrients, fatty acids, antioxidants or free radical scavengers.
SK-II Facial Treatment Oil An intensely moisturizing face oil that combines SK-II heart, Pitera™, with nourishing oils to create a superior dry skin elixir. SK-II has perfected the delicate but miraculous balance of oils and Pitera to deliver ultimate hydration to dry skin. By combining Pitera with a nourishing oils complex—including naturally-derived Mediterranean olive oil, Latin American jojoba oil, South African avocado oil, Japanese Riceterol Ester and rice bran oil, and squalene—it targets dry skin caused by extreme cold and dry conditions and harmful environmental stressors. It contains fragrant lavender and carrot heart notes to provide a calming scent that soothes the senses. (DRY SKIN)
$150 sephora.com
BUTTER elixir face oil Suitable for all skin type this highly vibrational cult favorite absorbs quickly delivering long lasting radiance and a divine aroma. A perfectly balanced potion of “all the best oils” that instantly penetrates and infuses your skin with moisture, glow and a dewy look. Use just a few drops morning and evening or a lot for a glorious face massage.
$48 butterelixir.com
Verso Super Facial Oil Verso is a different kind of skincare. The Stockholm-based company’s light and nourishing facial oil is powered by Retinol 8: a potent vitamin A complex that helps to stimulate skin’s natural production of collagen, reversing the signs of aging. The rapidly absorbing formula also contains sunflower and canola oils that moisturize skin and reduce inflammatory tendencies.
$195 theline.com
Rodin Olio Lusso luxury face oil Rich and just deluxe, deluxe, deluxe, this is the face oil that put face oils on the map. It treats wrinkles and dry skin, seriously improves elasticity, and leaves skin luminous. It also smells amazing—it’s made with 11 flower and plant oils, from neroli (full of vitamin C for glow), arnica montana (treats puffiness, and is especially amazing under the eyes), evening primrose, rosehip, argan, calendula.
$170 barneys.com
Herbivore Botanicals Lapis Facial Oil Without a doubt the most gorgeous, luxurious breakout/troubled or combination skin treatment ever: This ultra-soothing, anti-inflammatory skin solution gets its name from the Egyptian gemstone lapis lazuli, and its color from precious blue tansy oil made with azulene, a powerful anti-inflammatory/antibacterial compound that reduces redness and clarifies skin. Combination, oily, blemish-prone, or irritated complexions of any sort need this drop-dead-beautiful bottle in the medicine chest.
$72 goop.com
Aphorism Night is Young renewal concentrate It’s an oil-based serum/concentrate targeted at brightening and resurfacing, whose primary ingredients are rose hip oil, papaya oil, oolong tea oil, and evening primrose oil, all of which are high in vitamin A to increase healthy cell production and strengthen the skin’s barrier against irritants. Oh, and it smells heavenly.
Catch up with us next week when we introduce you to some of our favorite serums!
