Slathering oil on your skin seems counterintuitive. If you have oily skin, the mere thought is enough to make you run in the opposite direction.
Don’t. Facial oils are just what the doctor ordered to keep your skin soft and supple all year long.
Facial oils ain’t one trick ponies. They’re excellent moisturizers that double up as cleansers, fight wrinkles to boot and even soothe inflammation.
The trick is to find one that works for your skin type. Not all oils are thick and comedogenic. Some are oily skin friendly too!
Here’s a quick guide that’ll help you choose the best facial oil for your skin type:
Best For Oily Skin: Argan Oil
Argan Oil isn’t called “liquid gold” for no reason. And nope, it’s not just because it’s a light golden color (although that does have something to do with it...).
Argan oil is a godsend for oily, mature skin. Derived from the nuts of the argania spinosa plant, this oil is packed with fatty acids and antioxidants that moisturize skin and keep wrinkles at bay.
Here’s how it works. Fatty acids like linoleic and oleic help improve skin’s barrier function. That’s a fancy way of saying they prevent water from evaporating, keeping your skin all soft, hydrated and plumped up from morning till night.
Argan oil works for everyone. It’s moisturizing enough for dry skin but lightweight enough not to upset oily skin. It’s one of the few oils your skin can tolerate - you won’t end up with a bunch of pimples partying on your face.
Plus, oily skin prone to acne lacks linoleic acid. So by adding it back into your skin, you’ll be balancing out the oils in your skin and reduce pimples. But let’s be clear: argan oil can’t get rid of acne on its own. But it’s a powerful weapon to add to your arsenal to speed up recovery.
Plus, it’s full of antioxidants. It has 3 times more antioxidants than olive oil! Those little free radical scavengers fight premature aging and prevent wrinkles and dark spots from appearing on your face too soon.
The best part? Both fatty acids and antioxidants have anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation, especially the chronic type that’s silently burning underneath your skin (it’s so damaging because you never even see it!), is the main cause of premature wrinkles and dark spots.
Tame that and you’ll look way younger than your years.
P.S. Argan oil is expensive. That’s why it’s often diluted with other, cheaper oils. Make sure you pick one that’s 100% pure argan oil, like our Moroccan Organic Argan Oil.
Best For Antiaging: Maracuja Oil
Maracu... what?! Maracuja oil is a little known gem derived from the Passiflora edulis plant.
Ok, ok, in plain English now. Maracuja oil comes from the Amazonian passion fruit and is packed with fatty acids (yep, that linoleic acid again), antioxidants and vitamins.
Talking about vitamins, passionfruit has its fair share of vitamin C, an antioxidant that boosts collagen production and brightens skin. That’s what gives maracuja oil is skin-lightening properties.
And that’s just one of the antioxidants in maracuja oil. It also has flavonoids and vitamins A and E. All together, they protect your skin from environmental damage, fight off wrinkles and dark spots and soothe chronic inflammation. All things that keep your skin looking younger for longer.
Plus, it has fatty acids that keep your skin soft and smooth all day long - whatever your skin type. It’s an oil so it’s dry skin approved. But it’s so lightweight and non-greasy, it’ll help you fight wrinkles even if your skin’s on the oily side.
Best For Dry Skin: Emu Oil
Emu oil is one of a kind. It has no phospholipids, a family of fats your skin blocks. Huh?
Let’s start again. Oils that have phospholipids can’t get through the skin. They comfortably stay on its surface, making it look softer and smoother.
Oils without phospholipids, like emu oil, go a step further. Emu oil can penetrate the skin, nourishing it from the inside out. That’s why it’s awesome for dry skin. (If you have oily skin, fret not. Emu is lightweight and non-comedogenic so you can give it a try too).
So what does emu oil do?
For one, it’s loaded with fatty acids that deeply moisturize even the driest of skin types. They turn up the hydration a notch or two so your skin stays soft and supple from morning till night. They also strengthen your skin’s protective barrier from environmental aggressors that want to harm and dry out your skin even more.
That’s not all. Emu oil has its fair share of antioxidants, including vitamin A, that fight wrinkles. Plus, it has anti-inflammatory properties that calm down inflammation. In other words, it treats wrinkles on two fronts. How’s that for multitasking?
Talking about multitasking, emu oil can be used to treat rashes, muscle soreness, joint pain, burns, scars... You name it, it likely does it.
Best for ALL Skin Types: Squalane Oil
If you start checking product labels, you will see Squalane in a lot of stuff. It's light and fast-absorbing, non-irritating, and doesn't clog pores… so it's safe for just about everyone.
So, what is it exactly, and where does it come from?
Squalane is the hydrogenated version of squalene, a lipid or fat that's naturally occurring in your body. If you've heard rumors that it comes from sharks (yes, sharks) rest assured, that is mostly a thing of the past. Squalane is now almost exclusively derived from plant-based sources such as olives, rice bran, wheat germ, and sugarcane.
This lovely oil is a great emollient, ideal for softening the skin and sealing in moisture. Since Squalane so closely mimics the oil our skin naturally produces, it really doesn't feel greasy or heavy. Daily use of this oil can greatly strengthen the skin barrier, which locks moisture in, and keeps the bad and irritating stuff out.
If that isn't enough, Squalane oil also has antioxidant properties, so it's recommended for those with skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis. Anyone with dry or irritated skin can rejoice in the thought of soft, moisturized skin and less irritation!
Overall this oil is well-tolerated, with a minimal likelihood for any kind of allergic reaction. This makes Squalane a power-house ingredient, ideal for pretty much any and every skin type.
Now you know how to choose the right oil for your skin type, you’ll wonder how you could ever have lived without it. It’s a total game-changer.