facial oil

Guide to Good Skin : Facial Oils!

Written by: Smriti on:

Hello everybody, it's time for the second edition of this series!

The last time, I emphasized the importance of understanding what your skin is trying to tell you. (Read more here) That includes keeping an eye out for subtle changes, and adjusting your skincare to balance it. Now that the foundation is laid, let's move on to the next step.

Facial oils are quite the rage lately, but how do you choose the perfect one for you skin? We've got you covered, no worries :)

In this post I'm going to cover five different basic skin types - Normal, Dry, Oily, Combination, and Sensitive. The recommendations are all for natural oils, which you can easily purchase online.

For normal skin -
  1. Cocoa butter : this is a great moisturiser and also leaves behind a film to shield your skin from excessive moisture loss. Since the weather in our country does not permit daily use of such rich moisturisers, cocoa butter is an ideal choice for the colder months.
  2. Evening Primrose oil : rejuvenates the skin and has anti-ageing properties. Light and easily absorbed.
  3. Grapeseed oil : contains a load of Vitamin E to keep your skin healthy and glowing. Non-greasy.
  4. Sweet Almond oil : trusted by our grandmothers. Contains Vitamin D. Slightly heavier in consistency, good for use during winters.
For dry skin - 
  1. Avocado oil : a rich emollient, it repairs dry skin from within and also rehydrates it.
  2. Apricot Kernel oil : absorbs quickly, contains Vitamin E to keep your skin supple. It also rehydrates the skin.
  3. Evening Primrose oil.
  4. Jojoba oil : it mimics the skin's own lipid barrier and is thus most easily and efficiently absorbed into the skin. It has healing properties and quickly repairs the skin, no matter what type it is.
  5. Olive oil : My personal facial oil for winter. It is slightly heavy and can feel greasy if not massaged properly, but keeps my skin wonderfully smooth and healthy.
  6. Sesame oil : easily available in the Indian market, my Mother's oil of choice for winter.
  7. Sweet Almond oil.
For oily skin -
  1. Evening Primrose oil.
  2. Jojoba oil.
  3. Wheatgerm oil : helps heal scar tissue, including those left by acne as it is full of Vitamin E. It is slightly heavy, so a lighter oil can be blended with it for application.
  4. Rosehip oil - can actually be used for all skin types :)
For combination skin -
  1. Apricot Kernel oil.
  2. Evening Primrose oil.
  3. Jojoba oil.
  4. Kukui nut oil - hard to find, but is a really good option. Rich source of anti oxidants and Vitamins E, A, C.
  5. Wheatgerm oil.
For sensitive skin -
  1. Jojoba oil : can't go wrong with it (unless you have allergies)
  2. Calendula flower oil : helps calm down skin irritations. Plant some and make your own infusion at home!
  3. Evening Primrose oil.
  4. Rosehip oil.
  5. Apricot Kernel oil.
Let's dig a little deeper into what these oils can do for our skin...

Oils have wonderful healing and moisturizing properties for the skin, and were staple skincare products for the earlier generations with good reason! We got swept away by the multitude of synthetic products now available, but the beauty world is slowly discovering the benefits of going back to organic oils.

Remember, you should always invest in high quality, organic, cold pressed, undiluted oils for best results. You reap what you sow, make sure it is the best!
With oils, finding the right amount is necessary. If you go overboard, it will just sit on top of your skin making you feel greasy and icky. Moderation is the key.
The right oil for your skin type should sink into your skin after a light massage. If you find that your skin is reluctant to absorb the oil, it's not the right one for you.



Jojoba Oil
Also known as 'Gold of the Desert' due to its rich colour. It really is a liquid wax, and is the only one to closely resemble sebum. It is a storehouse of organic and mineral components like Vitamins E and B complex, copper, zinc, selenium, iodine, chromium etc. It absorbs quickly into cleansed skin, levels out normal oil production and regenerates skin to a balanced state.

Evening Primrose Oil
Rich in omega fatty acids that accounts for its soothing properties and helps in cell renewal. It supports collagen production essential to keep your skin youthful and elastic.

Apricot Kernel Oil
Light, non irritant and soothing, it permeates the skin quickly and provides moisturization for a long time. As a result skin feels soft and smooth. It also has lipid content  similar to that of skin which helps in prompt healing and nourishment without greasy residue.

Sweet Almond Oil
Containing a number a vitamins and anti oxidants, this oil is great at keeping cells healthy and delaying the onset of ageing. Almond oil not only protects skin from sun damage, but also reverses that which has already occurred.

Sesame Oil
It has high levels of MUFA and PUFA which keeps cells healthy. It is thicker and takes time to get massaged in thereby helping to improve circulation. 

Coconut Oil
A rich oil with rich fat content contents. As it is so thick, it leaves a shielding residue on the skin and is ideal for winter care. It also contains Vitamin E which protects from daily sun damage.

Olive Oil
A very good moisturizer for dry flaky skin. Being slightly greasier, it also requires some massage but gives the skin a healthy, soft and plump look afterwards. It also contains a ton of Vitamin E which fights free radicals and combats photo-ageing for younger looking skin.

Calendula Oil
With anti inflammatory and anti septic properties, this oil soothes skin flare ups occuring due to environmental causes. It also has good effects on tissue regeneration, preventing skin-thinning and gifting the user with supple and youthful skin.


I hope this post was helpful to you, and be sure to stay tuned for more editions of this series! Here's to healthy, happy skin!
xoxo
Smriti

Smriti

You Might Also Like

0 thoughts

instagram