Oil has long been considered skin’s pore-clogging nemesis, but the tide of opinion is changing. Experts say that all skin types can benefit from cleansing with oil, even blemish-prone skin.
After all, you learned in chemistry class that oil dissolves oil. The right oils will cleanse pores of dirt and bacteria and help heal and balance skin.
Out these nine reasons to give facial oils a chance.
How to Use Them:
Simply massage the oil on your face and wipe with a soft washcloth dunked in warm water. Wipe away the oil thoroughly to prevent residual build-up and keep pores clear.
You can start with olive, jojoba or coconut oils for your skin. Jojoba oil is an excellent oil for the skin, it’s light and is the closest oil to our skin’s own natural oil.
Coconut oil is also amazing for rebuilding skin cells, Olive oil is incredible for skin health and for growing lashes (when used as a makeup remover), for nurturing and healing skin, etc. You don’t have to break the bank to find effective oils.
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Using oil to cleanse skin sounds counter-intuitive, but a quality face oil cleanser will effectively remove make-up, sunscreen, pollutants, and excess oil to cleanse skin deeply and balance skin’s natural oil production without stripping it.
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Oils penetrate into deeper layers of skin than creams (which are a mix of oil and water) and act as a prime carrier to deliver other active ingredients.
Applying a face oil before your fave moisturizing cream may coax your skin into letting ingredients absorb more deeply for even better effects without the risk of irritation.
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EFAs (essential fatty acids) are a critical component of healthy skin cell membranes and maintaining hydration in all layers of skin.
They’re called “essential” because our body doesn’t produce them but our cells need them to function, which means we have to get them elsewhere.
Oils rich in EFAs can make cells less vulnerable to damage and give you supple, hydrated skin.
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Inflammation is a major nemesis of skin and a huge culprit of aging. Extreme temperatures, hyper-dry conditions, sun exposure, pollution, stress, irritating ingredients, and a lackluster diet are all inflammatory villains.
Plant oils, namely seed oils, are anti-inflammatory powerhouses, plus they create a breathable lipid barrier to protect skin from the onslaught of elements and speed up skin’s self-regenerating process of healing and repair.
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In your late 30s, wrinkles suddenly look deeper because the skin’s natural oils decrease, the moisture barrier breaks down, and the skin dries out. Most creams contain a little oil, but not enough to make a big difference in water loss.
Because oils are lipophilic, or fat loving, they pass through the lipid layer of the skin faster, preventing water loss and plumping skin with moisture more effectively. Olive and coconut oils are great moisturizers
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Using oil on oily skin conditions sounds like a contrary prescription, but they can govern oil production and restore balance. It’s all about supplying skin with the right kind of oils, like essential fatty acids.
Without them, skin goes into overdrive to produce more oil to compensate. Using oils like calendula, evening primrose, rosehips, and sea buckthorn may help oily and acne-prone skin take a break from oil production.
The right oils will also keep pores clean and clear and bacteria at bay to prevent breakouts.
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Avoid the creased, crepe-y look after a long day of wearing makeup by priming your skin with oil before applying cosmetics. Many oils absorb more quickly than creams and penetrate deeply for long-lasting, balanced hydration, which is exactly the right stuff to keep skin glowing with foundation.
Plus, oils help seal in moisture, which some foundations, blushes, and bronzers rub the skin off.
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Botanical oils rich in EFAs, vitamins, and antioxidants are a reparative aid for sun-damaged skin. No matter how diligent you are with your daily SPF, sun damage is pretty universal over the course of a lifetime.
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Many botanical oils are loaded with superhero-strength antioxidants. Plants produce these antioxidants to protect themselves from the elements, so why not ride on their coattails?
The antioxidants in plant oils stabilize free radicals (unstable molecules) to prevent them from wreaking havoc on your skin.
