Oils for skin care…yeah that seemed oxymoronic for a long time, but look where we are now. I was hesitant for years to incorporate oils into my skincare routine due to the paranoia of breaking out. I mean come on, most of us grew up on the age-old notion that oils paired with oily skin equates to a tidal wave of acne, but that has officially been debunked my friends. Oils are good for all skin types, however these are very powerful ingredients so if you are going to start using them make sure they are not the wrong ones.

o Plant Oils: Rich in antioxidants, nutrition, and vitamins that really nourish and even heal the skin when applied by rebuilding and sustaining the skin’s outermost lipid barrier.

o Mineral Oils: Primarily used to give emollients to a product like a cream and they sit on top of the skin so they form a seal and smooth out the surface. These are also cheap and easy to obtain so if you’re buying an expensive luxury product you do not want to see mineral oils appear in any of the first few lines of the ingredients list.

o Essential Oils: These are the fragrant oils, but you need to be really cautious because these have a potential to seriously irritate your skin, particularly the really popular ones like lavender and citrus oils.

Now that the fear of oils has been put to rest the question is when do you apply these oils into your routine, right? Ugh this is the never-ending debate – the order of your skincare routine and I will be expanding on that in later beauty blog posts. Most experts state that products should be applied in order of thickness and since oils are a denser thicker consistency they should be applied last; the logic being that oils create a film and other products can’t penetrate on top.

To put it simply it is often advised to follow this order; Cleanse, Tone, Serums, Moisturiser and then a bit of oil on dry areas. However this is often widely debated in practise and many users swear by applying oils first in their routines for that added moisture surge, albeit mostly at night. My advice, figure out what works best for your skin type as drier skin might benefit from application of oil first and allow absorption before serums and moisturisers whereas people with oilier skin types that produce more natural oil might prefer using a tiny amount as a last step on any dry areas.

These are my four fave face oils that are each a solid 5 stars

Tata Harper Replenishing Nutrient Complex – 17 active botanicals all jam packed in a light-weight facial oil that is absolutely sublime as a combatant for anti-aging, reduces redness/inflammation and gifts you glowing skin as well as protection from environmental damage. A slightly denser formula, this is a great oil for those days when you need an extra moisture boost and calm any inflammation.

Goldfaden MD Fleuressence Native Botanical Cell Oil – A medley of 3 African oils: Baobab Oil, Kalahari Oil, and Mongongo Oil. This combo will improve any sun damage you have, smooth your skin, and hydrate dull/dry skin. Fleuressence can be utilized in three different ways, you can use this oil as a serum on clean skin, you can drop a little bit into your daily moisturizer, or you can put one drop into your foundation.

Rodial Pink Diamond Lifting Oil – Formulated with Diamond Powder and a 2% lifting complex to visibly lift, plump, tighten, and smooth the complexion. The double duo of vitamins C and E support collagen production to restore skins’ natural elasticity. For oilier skin types this is an excellent lighter formula that absorbs really well and doesn’t leave a greasy film.

Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Face Oil – Straight from the “pip” of the marula fruit, this oil is untouched by any chemical or fragrance and remains in its purest form. Their Marula Oil contains greater concentrations of polyphenols than dark chocolate, green or black teas, which means powerful antioxidant defense against pollution + damaging environmental free radicals. It is naturally anti-microbial and appropriate for all skin.