I asked Wong what she would recommend for a client whose skin had been traumatized in some way — like after a laser treatment, too much time in the sun, or even wind-burned from skiing. Her answer? Black currant oil. It's her favorite reparative treatment because it's rich in fatty acids and has anti-inflammatory properties. It even works on eczema.
The same way you can drink chamomile tea to relax, you can use chamomile oil to calm your skin. It soothes redness and irritation in a matter of seconds. "It has amazing anti-inflammatory properties that make it ideal for patients with rosacea," says Baumann.
Just be sure to dab some on your wrist and wear it for a day to make sure you don't have an allergic reaction, she says. And be especially careful with organic versions. Since organic ingredients are treated with fewer chemicals, they're often growing alongside weeds and other allergens, which means organic essential oils are more likely to have traces of those allergens than conventionally farmed varieties. The result? They're more likely to cause allergic reactions on the skin.
Mally Steves Chakola, the founder of M. Steves Skincare, first realized the healing power of rose hip seed oil after applying it to an 18-year-old scar for two weeks — it faded significantly. So she developed her brand around the ingredient, which contains essential fatty acids, an antioxidant (vitamin C), and a natural retinol (vitamin A). It's ideal for protecting your skin as well as increasing cell turnover. She recommends using it as a boost for your moisturizer — just mix in a few drops before you apply. If you're skeptical about putting oil directly onto your face, this is a great option.
We've all heard stories about women in Italy bathing in the stuff — and I'm sure they have beautiful skin. But using olive oil as a face oil is the scariest of all. I may have become an oil enthusiast, but I've never been able to use this one for anything other than cooking and salad dressing.
However, Baumann loves extra virgin olive oil for patients with very dry skin. (Note the word "very.") She says you can buy it at the grocery store — just be sure to look for the term "first cold press" on the bottle. (These formulas are higher in antioxidants than other varieties.) Not only is it super moisturizing, olive oil is also rich in compounds like polyphenols, squalene, and fatty acids -- all of which are nourishing and help fight aging.
Photo 9/15
Marula Oil
Best for: Irritated skin
Marula oil, which is cold pressed from the East African marula nut, is extremely soothing. Because it has a high concentration of oleic acid -- an essential fatty acid our bodies produce naturally -- it sinks into the skin incredibly fast. It's also high in antioxidants, so it helps defend skin from UV rays and pollution while moisturizing as well -- if not better than -- a cream.
I remember when Bobbi Brown Extra Face Oil, $65, first launched. I was working at a magazine at the time, and the skin care oil trend was blowing up — all the mainstream brands were clamoring to get one on the market.
The Bobbi Brown version came in a hefty glass jar, smelled appealingly earthy (patchouli and lavender oils will do that), and was luxurious in that classic Bobbi Brown way. I dabbed some on the back of my hand; it felt lovely. However, despite being curious about face oils, there was absolutely zero chance I was going to put it on my face. Oil on my acne-prone skin? That seemed like a terrible idea.
One of my co-workers routinely rubbed a few drops between her palms and patted it on — like a man applies aftershave — right over her makeup. I was disgusted — I could just imagine the oil mixing with her foundation and clogging her pores. However, I never saw any evidence of that happening — her skin was amazing, and the oil made her makeup look refreshed and more luminous.
It wasn't until I came across Sundari Essential Oil for Oily Skin, $66, that I dared to try a skin care oil for myself. The formula is extremely light, the instructions call for only two drops (how much damage could that do?), and the website explains that peppermint helps control skin's oil production. Of course I was hesitant the first night I used it, but when I woke up to glowing, more even skin I knew it was the oil — and I haven't looked back since.
I've been using face oils regularly for at least five years now, and I'm hooked. In fact, I'm such an oil fanatic that I also use cleansing oils, body oils, and hair oils -- all of which used to scare me as well. My skin isn't as likely to break out as it used to be, so I've swapped out peppermint and tea tree oils for anti-agers like Argan and antioxidants like rose hip seed.
Despite the popularity of face oils, I realize that there are still plenty of people who are as intimidated as I was. Here's the key: You have to figure out which face oil is right for your skin, and start slowly with just a drop or two. These seven skin care oils are some of the most popular, and they come highly recommended by experts. Read on to find out which one you should try.
