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.
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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.
Skin care guru Kate Somerville discovered dilo oil on a trip to Fiji. She noticed that the locals had incredibly smooth skin despite working long hours in the sun, and they told her they use the oil from the dilo tree. It's rich in omegas 3, 6 and 9, which plump up fine lines and give skin a fuller look.
Somerville blends her dilo with rice bran and rosemary leaf extracts for an added antioxidant boost. Oh, and it smells like a tropical vacation. Bula! (That's "hello" in Fijian.)
The face oil that comes from everybody's favorite toast topper is a supreme hydrator, loaded with lipids in the form of both fats and fatty acids, says Baumann. It also does double-duty, delivering anti-aging benefits via antioxidants and skin-loving nutrients, adds Wong. The catch? All those luscious lipids make it a bit heavy, especially when used alone, which is why you'll normally find it mixed with other oils. I think of using avocado oil just like I think about eating avocados; even though it's a good kind of fat, you still want to limit how much you use. Portion control.
If you find that oils deliver more moisture than you need, try camellia oil. Also known as tsubaki oil, even oily skin types will appreciate its lightweight hydration; with a molecular weight that's almost similar to that of skin's natural oil, it absorbs extra quickly. And because it comes from a flower, it's loaded with plant-based nutrients like chlorophyll and antioxidants to combat aging free radicals, notes Baumann.
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.
