The opinions on face oils tend to oscillate from one end of the spectrum to the other, with aficionados touting them as a panacea for almost every skincare woe while others steering clear for fear of making oily skin, well, oilier.
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However, even oily skin can benefit from a face oil. Acne-prone and oily skin types are often treated with harsh products that strip the skin of its natural oils. However, this is counterproductive as it causes the skin to overcompensate for the reduction of oils in the skin and produce excess sebum, thus leading to more congestion. Meanwhile, the right (read: non-comedogenic) face oil can aid in strengthening your skin barrier and prevents your skin from producing excess sebum.
If you’re yet to find the right face oil, look to one of these new lightweight formulas.
1. Alpha-H Golden Haze Face Oil
From the brand famed for its glycolic acid products, the Alpha-H Golden Haze Face Oil combines nine botanical oils to create a restorative formula designed to plump the skin and enhance skin barrier function. Jojoba oil shares the same molecular structure as healthy human skin, working to enhance the lipid barrier without causing breakouts. Meanwhile, squalane and oils like watermelon seed, camellia seed, rosehip, and seabuckthorn berry provide nourishment in the form of fatty acids and antioxidants.
Price: $74.95AUD
2. Youth To The People Superberry Hydrate + Glow Oil
With a positively delicious berry scent and a rapidly absorbed consistency, the Youth to The People Superberry Hydrate + Glow Oil is a delight to use. Antioxidant-rich maqui, acai, and goji berries are the hero of this formula, sitting in a lush formula of squalane and sunflower and jojoba oils.
Price: $83AUD
3. Jurlique Rare Rose Face Oil
Jurlique’s signature rare rose extract meets olive, jojoba, soybean, carrot, and castor oils in this silky-smooth face oil. Ideal for those who like their skincare with a sensory element, it has a luxurious rose scent while promoting softer and more supple skin.
Price: $68AUD
4. kit: Skinkind Face Oil
Formulated with modern skin in mind, the kit: Skinkind Face Oil works to soothe and destress the skin with a combination of fatty acids and adaptogens. Sweet almond, macadamia, holy basil, and jojoba oils restore tired skin, while a naturally derived herbaceous scent grounds the mind.
Price: $42AUD
5. Mecca Max Daily Drop
Ultra-lightweight and suitable for all skin types, Mecca Max Daily Drop is a simple face oil that contains squalane and vitamin E which condition and lock in hydration, as well as vitamin C to brighten.
Price: $28AUD
FAQ
Face oils have emollient and occlusive properties, and work by providing moisture and locking hydration into the skin, sitting on the surface of the epidermis and acting as a protective seal. As they’re not humectants (i.e. they can’t pull moisture from the surrounding environment into the skin), they don’t provide hydration and therefore should be used on top of hydrating ingredients such as panthenol, hyaluronic acid, and glycerin.
Due to the emollient and occlusive nature of face oils, lightweight water-based serums are unable to penetrate past them. This means that face oils should be applied after your serums and before or after your moisturiser. Whether you choose to apply a face oil before or after your moisturiser is dependant on personal preference as well as the formulas you’re using. However, lightweight face oils are best applied before thicker/richer creams or lotions.
Fine lines and wrinkles can become more pronounced when the skin is dry. The right face oil works to moisturise the skin, reducing dryness and plumping the skin, in turn reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. Face oils can also help lock in moisture, slowing down the ageing process by protecting the skin barrier from moisture loss.
Words by T. Angel
