Facial oils are one of the most traditional and original types of skincare, and there has been a recent rise in their popularity! But what exactly do they do and how do you use facial oil?
First of all, it is important to say that the myth that face oils can only be used for those of us with dry skin is definitely not true! Oils are really gentle on your skin and can actually help your microbiome to flourish through working effectively with your skin’s flora. They are great at nourishing our skin so do work really well on dry skin types, normal and even sensitive skin types. Also, opposed to the myth, face oils do actually benefit oily skin types as oil balances oil so they’re also great for both oily and combination skin too!
What is a face oil?
To put it simply, a face oil is an oil-based formula that works alongside your skin type to deliver you the best results.
Our skin naturally produces various different oils and lipids which are used to keep our skin hydrated by preventing water loss. So by using face oils, we are complementing and working alongside our natural oils to balance our skin.
What’s The Difference between facial oils and moisturisers
You may be wondering if you still need to use a moisturiser alongside a face oil or vice versa, and the answer is yes. They are both great steps in your skincare routine that will ensure your skin is fully hydrated and nourished.
Facial oils offer your skin a further boost that a moisturiser may not be able to as water-based moisturisers hydrate and oil lock in moisture. This is due to the fact that oils can penetrate deeper into your skin than some moisturisers. Face oils are made purely from oils, whereas moisturisers tend to be made from oils alongside water and other ingredients that help the two to mix together properly. Oil based products are extremely compatible with your skin as your skin’s layers are also oil based. This means that oils can nourish these layers more extensively, which is important as they replenish your skin’s barrier layer and keep it healthy so it can continue to protect your skin from things like dehydration and UV damage.
However, water based products like moisturisers are important for your skin too. Whilst they still provide a small amount of oil to help the skin’s barrier function, the main priority of these are to provide hydration, and this is from water-soluble active ingredients. A lot of moisturisers use water-soluble actives such as Aloe Vera and vegetable Glycerine which help to soothe and plump the skin.
How To Incorporate a Facial Oil Into Your Skincare Routine
Here is a simple step by step to show you where and how to use facial oil in your skincare routine!
Step One: Cleanse your skin first. This will ensure that you have removed any makeup and impurities that have gathered on your skin during the day. If you have normal - dry skin then try using our nourishing Gentle Cleansing Melt, or if you have more of an oily skin type then try our balancing Daily Detox Facial Wash.
Step Two: Try a double cleanse! This ensures that your skin is completely free from bacteria and pollutants. You could either use the same product again, or try a liquid cleanser like our Deep Clean Micellar Water
Step Three: Tone your skin. This helps to refresh your skin and remove any cleansing residue before you hydrate your face. Try using our 100% natural Liquid Radiance Glycolic Toner on a reusable cotton pad and apply over your face and neck.
Step Four: Apply a serum. Serums help to target specific skin concerns and are a great step before applying a cream or lotion. If you have skin that is perhaps drier then try our Hyaluronic Serum 200, which hydrates your skin from within. If your skin is more oily and blemish prone then our Rainforest Rescue Serum will help to balance oil production and protect skin from breakouts. For those with more mature skin our Superfood 360 Serum is our advanced anti-ageing skin serum that is packed full of high effective and natural superfoods!
Step Five: Moisturise your skin. This is a great step to explore how to use facial oils. If you wanted to, mix your face oil into your favourite moisturiser in your palm before application, great for speedy skincare needed some mornings! This works really well with our brand new Bio-Retinol + C Booster, which is designed to supercharge your skin. If you have normal - dry skin then try our Daily Renew Facial Cream, or if your skin is particularly dry or more mature then our Multi Peptide 360 Moisture Cream may work better for you!
Step Six: If you wanted to use a facial oil on its own then now is the time. Apply 1-2 drops of either our Bio-Retinol + C Booster or our Miracle Facial Oil onto your hands and gently massage into your face and neck!
