Let’s get your oil on! The Facial Oils I love, like and am on the fence about

Facial oils are really hot right now. So many brands are coming out with their version of facial oils, and you know it’s a hit product when even mainstream brands get in on the act. I’d actually used rosehip oil many years ago, as a teen, but wasn’t quite educated on the best way to use it, so I really hated it because it was so damned sticky! I returned to facial oils a few years back, when I found that my skin was turning drier, and with a little trial and error, have worked out the best way to use them. I now love facial oils, and I’m always looking out for the next one to try!

I thought I’d give you a run down on the oils I’ve used (some older ones won’t be included as I no longer have or use them, so I can’t talk about them) to give you an idea of what sort of oils I like, and how I use them. It is non-exhaustive, as I have more to showcase in time to come!

Just briefly, despite what we might think, oils are actually good for our skin, not only dry skin, but even oily or combination skin types can benefit. You just have to find the right oil for your skin and that you feel most comfortable using. Naturally, drier skin types will benefit more from using facial oils, as it helps to rebalance your lipids and nourish your skin, so it stays more supple and moisturised.

Does it take the place of a moisturiser or a serum? Personally speaking, I’ll say no. I use a moisturiser or cream over my oils to seal them in. Opinions vary on this, where some people say that the oils go on last, but I’m sticking to my way, because it works for me both physically, and logically. If you have oily skin however, you may just want to end off with the oil and skip moisturiser, as anything else on top may feel heavy.

So, here are some oils that I use and how I use them, to give you an idea of where to start. Settle in 🙂 Please feel free to ask or share in the comments. I’m happy to talk about facial oils to anyone! 😀

How do I use facial oils?

There are various ways I use a facial oil. Primarily, I use them as a moisturiser, or sometimes as a treatment. A good natural oil can be used not only on your face, but on your body and hair as well, so it has multiple uses.

I always recommend to anyone using facial oils, to use a facial mist before that. For me, this helps the oils absorb better and more quickly into the skin, without too much of an oily feeling. It also prevents my pores from being clogged, for some reason.

I’ve shared with you before some ways to use facial oils, that I’ll repeat here – just click to go to the relevant posts:-

• The 3 M’s of using facial oils
• Using facial oils as a mask

For me, in a normal skincare routine, here’s where I’ll fit my facial oil

Cleanser -> Acid toner (if using) -> Hydrating Lotion (if using) -> Serum (if using) -> Facial Mist -> Facial Oil -> Moisturiser

I’ll kick off with the facial oils I love above all others, that I have repurchased and will repurchase. Links will lead to the reviews where I’ve reviewed them, so you can read in greater detail my thoughts on them, where to buy and the prices of the oils.

The Facial Oils I love

These are the facial oils I love, that give a noticeable difference to my skin one way or another.

Skin Creamery Facial Hydrating Oil (review)

This brand introduced me to baobab oil, and I love it for hydrating/moisturising the skin. These days, whenever I see a product with baobab oil, I pick it up to try, because experience has shown me that my skin loves it. This one’s light and moisturises my skin very well. I find it a little light to use as a mask, so I don’t. But I love it for use as a hydrating boost to the skin, and is light enough to use in the day as well. Love! (I do realise that oils won’t hydrate the skin as they don’t contain water, but this particular oil does seem to make skin FEEL hydrated – perhaps just very moisturised 🙂 )

Caudalie Premier Cru The Elixir (review)

This one has a slightly dry oil feel, so feels less oily. Those who have oily or combination skin types might prefer this texture. I usually don’t. However, I make an exception, because I like how this one gives my moisturisers and my skin that additional boost. Because the texture is lighter than most oils, I like this one for mixing into foundation or moisturisers. I find it does not go off very quickly, which is a good thing as you only need a little each time.

REN Skincare Rose O12 Moisture Defence Serum

Although it’s called a serum, it’s actually an oil. It’s my second bottle, having finished one before this but I never got round to reviewing it. The texture is more oily, which I prefer, but might feel too heavy for some. This one’s recommended more for someone with drier or more matured skin. I find that it gives my skin the moisture it needs and used regularly, actually does reduce any dry patches of skin you may experience. It smells of roses, which is pleasant. However, I do find that it goes off fairly quickly, so you do have to be a little more dedicated using this before it goes off.

La Mer The Renewal Oil (review)

Oh I love this one! This is a bi-phase product, with an oil on top, and infused with the La Mer Miracle Broth. The texture is not oily at all, but it is not a dry oil texture, so I love it. I find this is light enough to use in the day, and was instrumental in reviving my skin and repairing it from overzealous ministrations. When my skin is unusually dry or flaky, this cures it. I can use it as a mask, but I prefer not to, because well, it’s expensive!

Pai Rosehip Bioregenerate Oil (review)

If I have a holy grail oil, it will be this one from Pai Skincare. I am on my second bottle, and my first lasted quite a long while! I started out hating it however, because I found it clogged my skin. But a chance conversation with a fellow blogger Phil (who sadly no longer blogs), changed my world around. He suggested that I liberally mist my skin prior to apply this oil. I did, and I have ever since. Pai Rosehip oil is the one I turn to when my skin takes a turn for the worse, or when it looks dull. When I need to put a good face forward, this is the oil I turn to. An overnight mask with this gives my smooth, baby soft, even toned, glowy skin when I wake up. When my skin feels off balance, this is the oil I turn to to rebalance. This is the oil I finished to the very last drop, but making sure I had a brand new bottle in my skincare cupboard, because I am NEVER going to be without this. EVER!

The Facial Oils I like

There is a thin line between like and love. These are the ones I like, which means I can do without them if necessary.

Kopara Golden Jojoba Oil (review)

This is a very affordable local oil that has multiple uses. The texture is light, and due to the affordable price tag and the more comfortable texture, I think this is one that might sit well with those who aren’t familiar with using facial oils. Drier skin types might find it insufficient, but combination skin types may appreciate it.

Nourish Firming Facial Oil (review)

This oil smells absolutely lovely and I like the oily texture. Not everyone will, but I prefer my oils to feel like an oil, if you know what I mean. I am not a fan of dry oils. I like how it feels on my skin but I can’t tell if it firms. Maybe over a long period it might? Still, it’s a lovely oil that nourishes my skin and for that it sits in this list.

Linden Leaves Miraculous Facial Oil

I never got round to reviewing this one, but it was one I purchased and liked, but also disliked for one primary reason. This Miraculous Facial Oil miraculously turns rancid quite quickly. I had a sample before this, that I tried, and really liked. In dry air e.g. hotel rooms or dry climates, it is beautiful for nourishing the skin and keeping it moisturised. I love the thick oily feel, and how it sinks into my skin. I like the delicate scent. But my little sample smelled off after a while. I thought it was because it was a sample. So I bought the full sized bottle. Not long after using it for a while, I started detecting whiffs of the oil smelling off. It’s such a pity, because I do enjoy using this oil, and it’s not cheap. While it is natural, so are other oils I use, and they don’t turn as quickly as this one does. I won’t repurchase, even if I like it, because I can’t justify it.

Caudalie Overnight Recovery Oil (review)

This one’s definitely for those with dry skin, because it is intense. I used this in very dry air, and it kept my skin comfortable, so I experienced no dry patches at all. I think it’d be very nice for those who live in cool, dry climates. I still use it, when my skin feels like it could do with an intensive boost. I like blending it into my moisturiser because it just seems to make any moisturiser feel more comfortable. An oil I like, but it’ll really take me too long to ever finish it.

Facial Oils I’m on the fence about

These are oils I use, still use, will use, but don’t fall in either of the above categories.

Chanel Huile de Jasmin (review)

A new offering from Chanel (you know oils are a big thing when brands like Chanel start making them too!) and one I’m on the fence about. I find the texture, which approximates that of a dry oil, more suitable for someone with dry or combination skin, or someone who just isn’t comfortable with using oil on their skin. This will be comfortable. I am also not comfortable with the addition of fragrance, although the jasmine scent is light and fresh. I feel fragrance should and could have been omitted.

The Body Shop Oils of Life Intensely Revitalising Facial Oil (review)

This is another oil I quite like in terms of texture, but which I find a little too fragranced for my liking. While the scent sits well with me, it is fairly strong. But as an oil, it is nice on my skin, feeling quite like an oil, that absorbs easily and quickly into the skin, and makes my skin feel comfortable and supple. Besides, that bottle is luscious!

Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil (review)

This is one product I’m conflicted about. It isn’t so much a facial oil as it is a treatment product in oil form. I do like the effects from using this. My skin does look noticeably more refined. But I could not get over the fact that they use colouring to get that blue shade. If they had been up front about it initially, I would have been more forgiving, because I’d have gone into it with my eyes open. But there was a cock and bull story that was told earlier, that did not sit well with me. For that reason, I can’t repurchase this, nor can I use any of their other products. But I do still like Luna. Dammit!

You may notice that my preference lies with blended oils i.e. not a single oil. The reason is very simply that this is what my skin and I prefer. I have tried straight oils e.g. argan oil, rosehip oil etc and I have always found them a little wanting. Blended oils give my skin that noticeable moisture and plump and glow that I look for in a facial oil, and in my view, tend to feel better. This might be because it is a combination of different types of light and heavy oils, so the texture feels nicer. Straight oils tend to feel sticky for me, based on my experience with Rosehip and Argan oil.

That isn’t to say of course, that straight oils aren’t good. They are, if that’s what you prefer. If you are looking for good quality straight, unblended oils, Melvita makes some good ones. I also steer clear of oils that contain olive oil or high concentrations of olive oil as that seems to clog my pores. I noticed a while ago that olive oil seemed to feature in skincare. Now, I don’t see it as much anymore. Perhaps others experience the same pore clogging. I have tried many oils over the years (my reviews on the facial oils I’ve used are here) but these have been the stand outs for me.

I remember I was impresed with Clarins Lotus Oil back in the day, although the Lotus oil is now too light for me. It is a good starter oil however, and Clarins is one of the brands that have been carrying facial oils forever! I plan to try one of their heavier ones soon. I also liked the Neals Yard Remedies Frankincense Oil, but never repurchased, because the brand fell off my radar and I found their products a little too expensive locally. And of course, how can I forget the Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate, which I ran through bottles of! I loved it then, and I loved it through at least 3 bottles. But I stopped using it thereafter because my attention wandered, and I found it too light for me. My skin was getting older and that didn’t quite cut it for me anymore. It is still a good product, and I will vouch for it any day especially if you are new to facial oils!

Some may also be wondering about my favourite brand Antipodes, which does facial oils too – Divine Oil and Joyous – and why they aren’t featured. I used Divine oil and while it was nice, I felt it to be too thick, and wasn’t really pleasant on its own. Blended with the Hosanna serum, it was nice, but on its own, I couldn’t appreciate it. Ditto Joyous, which I tried 2 bottles of. It went off quite quickly, and I wasn’t impressed by it. You may remember I liked the A’kin Cellular Radiance Serum. It was nice, but I ran out and well, got distracted. It’s good but I’d put it in my Like category – clearly not loved enough to repurchase LOL 😛

Do you use facial oils? Do you have a favourite I should try?

Go on, share your faves. Facial oils are really in right now, so I know you’ve tried some that I haven’t. I have quite a few more I’ll be dabbling in, in my skincare cupboard, that I’ll tell you about another time. I love playing around with facial oils, and a couple are arriving in the mail as we speak! LOL Colour me obsessed 😀

Paris B