I kept seeing Instagram ads for a local brand Roots Remedies, to the point that I was intrigued. I guess you could say that ads work eh?
What really intrigued me was the fact that Root Remedies is a local Malaysian brand, and they had beautiful, minimalist aesthetics, that is so in right now.

One day, while in Bangsar (when we could walk around and dine indoors even with restrictions), I chanced upon their store. Yep, they aren’t only sold online, but in a physical store too. It is a beautiful store, with a very minimalist look and feel and a very soothing place to be in (albeit a little warm from the sun).
After browsing a little, I decided to pick up an item or two to try. When I polled Instagram, I found reviews to be rather mixed on the brand so I thought it would be interesting to have a go myself. Their range of facial oils intrigued me (I love me a good facial oil!) so that’s what I went for – the Root Remedies Black Seed Oil.
Root Remedies Black Seed Oil – What is it?
Honestly, I picked up Black Seed Oil not for its advertised properties, which is supposed to be to prevent hyperpigmentation and slow down aging while contributing to radiant and glowing skin. I picked it up because I was curious about it.
Black Seed Oil, as it turns out, is oil extracted from the nigella sativa plant, and touted to have health benefits from helping with arthirits to diabetes and asthma. For skin, it is supposed to help fight inflammation and have antibacterial properties, to fight acne. Black Seed Oil is popular, apparently, in the Middle East and Africa, and is also known as black cumin seed oil.

Minimalist packaging
The packaging is very minimalist, which appeals to many these days. The oil is packaged in a brown glass bottle, with a dropper dispenser. The rubber dropper is quite tactile and picks up and controls product nicely. I like that in dropper packaging, as there is nothing worse than a leaky cap!
It is also worth noting that despite the length of time I’ve had this and have been using it, the bottle cap has not become grimy or sticky. The oil does not escape from the cap, which is another plus for packaging.

Viscous semi-heavy oil with an interesting smell
The golden coloured oil is very viscous with a semi-heavy feel on the skin. It isn’t too heavy or sticky like the Pai Biogenerate Rosehip Oil, but does need to be massaged into the skin for it to absorb.
My recommendation is to apply a few drops of the Root Remedies Black Seed Oil on damp skin, for best results. Damp skin, as I’ve often shared, helps oil absorb more easily into the skin without leaving a residue, and makes it more comfortable to use.
RELATED READING: Why and how I use my facial mists in the moisture sandwich READ HERE
If applied on dry skin, it does have a tendency to sit on top of the skin doing nothing. It can feel a little heavy and greasy as a result. When you apply it onto damp skin (mist your skin lightly with a facial mist), you will find that massaging the oil into the water droplets on your skin helps it lighten and sink right into your skin.
But what is most noticeable about the Root Remedies Black Seed Oil is the smell.
I have not smelled Black Seed Oil before, so I do not know if it does have a smell, or if it smells like this. It smells very ‘organic’, earthy and oily. A friend likened the smell to that of petrol, and you know, she’s right! LOL!
For this reason, I have to warn you that it may not be the most comfortable nor most appealing skincare product you’ll put on your face 😛
Skin feels moisturised and comfortable but…
I use it predominantly in my evening skincare routine. I sometimes use a few drops under a moisturiser, or on lazy nights, more product slathered all over.
I do find that as most facial oils do, it helps keep my skin feeling more moisturised. I am no stranger to using facial oils, and I like the oily feel of this one, so I’m comfortable with it. My skin feels happy the next morning, and it does feel sufficiently nourished.
However, I cannot vouch for it working to fight acne, for my maskne is still out of control 😛 I do not notice any help with my existing pigmentation problems either, which to be fair, I wasn’t expecting much anyway.
It is a nice oil. My skin takes well to it. It feels comfortable and my skin is happy.
But I do feel little joy in using it despite everything. Putting it head to head, I am more minded to repurchase the Pai Bioregenerate Rosehip Oil, than the Root Remedies Black Seed Oil. Nothing against this, just a personal preference.
IN A NUTSHELL
The Root Remedies Black Seed Oil is pure facial oil extracted from the nigella sativa plant. It is supposed to help slow down aging, reduce hyperpigmentation and moisturise skin. I do find that it does moisturise skin well. My skin feels soft and supple after using, but I do not notice any results on my hyperpigmentation. As for aging, I’m aging, we all are so I’m not terribly fussed about it either, as long as my skin is healthy. I notice that it does not help reduce acne on my chin area either, which I attribute to wearing masks. There is a rather odd smell, likened to that of petrol, which can be rather off putting on some days. While it is an oil that is nice on skin, it brings me little joy to use.
PROS:
Nice sturdy minimalist packaging
Viscous oil that absorbs easily on damp skin
Moisturises skin and keeps it feeling soft and suppleCONS:
Odd smell
Little to no result on hyperpigmentationWHO WILL LIKE THIS: Anyone who wants pure black seed oil in their skincare routine, Anyone who wants a facial oil you can purchase easily locally
PRICE: RM99 for 30ml
WHERE TO BUY: Root Remedies website
The ingredients list for the Root Remedies Black Seed Oil is simple
Ingredients: Nigella sativa (Black Seed) Oil
Root Remedies Damask Rose Face Mist
Incidentally, I also picked up a small bottle of the Root Remedies Damask Rose Face Mist to try. I am a sucker for face mists, what can I say! 😛
I knew what I was getting. They say that it is a high quality hydrosol extracted from organic Damask roses grown in Bulgaria, extracted using steam distillation process. This, they say, maintains a high concentration of aromatic compounds and active ingredients in the face mist, to hydrate, soothe and rejuvenate your skin.

Honestly, I can’t say it’s terribly impressive. It feels just like water (as most face mists do), with a hint of fresh rose scent. It feels nice when sprayed on the skin, but due to the high pricetag (RM80 for 60ml or RM129 for 120ml) I struggle to consider a repurchase, as I use facial mists very liberally.
RELATED READING: Why and how I use my facial mists in the moisture sandwich READ HERE
Truth to tell, I’m just as happy using the Sukin Hydrating Mist Toner, which is much more affordable, and for me, does the same thing. I can get 4 bottles of Sukin for the price of a full size Root Remedies Damask Rose Face Mist! Granted, it probably isn’t steam distilled hydrosol, but I don’t think my skin appreciates the difference, purely due to the way I use my products.
Have you tried the Root Remedies Black Seed Oil? Any other products from Root Remedies you recommend?
The other products I might be interested in is the Tamanu Oil and Sea Buckthorn Oil. I might try them one day, but I’ve been good and using up my skin care so it might take me a while haha!
Paris B
I love face mists myself! Have you tried the Donginbi ginseng face mist? It’s my go to everyday. I also love the Tony Moly Pocket Bunny mist, it feels great and the packaging is just too cute.
I’ve tried their Tamanu oil last year to help combat my maskne. I really wanted to love it (a desire perhaps swayed by their cool packaging/branding), but unfortunately it didn’t do much for the maskne. Other additional drawbacks include heavy staining on the pillow and that my face got oilier (as pointed by many in my household). Haven t gone back to try anything else after that disappointment ?
Ooh you can get carrier oils like sea buckthorn and tamanu oil for much cheaper on iHerb… 😉