Winter Is Here: It’s Time To Add A Face Oil To Your Skincare Routine
Photo credit: Biography
The snow is snowing, the wind is blowing. But can your skin weather the storm? That’s the question we find ourselves asking again and again this time of year. We’re happy to report that the answer is yes…if you add an ultra-nourishing, occlusive face oil to your skincare regimen.
Many often find an oil too heavy in the summertime, choosing to opt for moisturizer as the last step in their routine. But as the colder months approach, a drop in temperature often leads to increased dryness and irritation. Enter a skin-saving face oil.
That said, one of the biggest misconceptions surrounding face oils is that they’re only suitable for people with dry skin. In fact, the best face oils can benefit all skin types: you just need to find the right oil for you.
Key ingredients or actives in the formula are a deciding factor when making your choice. Since dry skin types tend to suffer skin barrier issues, look for omegas, fatty acids, and ceramides. Oily skin types should look for anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory formulas that incorporate omegas 3 and 6, tea tree oil, and vitamin A. Sensitive skin types, meanwhile, should avoid blends containing essential oils, which can cause irritation.
Face oils can be used as and when required (day or night), and are easy to incorporate into most skincare routines. Always apply after your serum and/or moisturizer, but before sunscreen and make-up in the morning, and as the last step at night.
Here, our face oil edit for every skin type.
OILY/ ACNE PRONE SKIN
African Botanics Neroli Infused Marula Oil
This neroli infused marula oil minimizes pores and improves the skin's appearance, leaving it clear and radiant. Multifunctional, anti-aging, and delicately-textured, this light oil doesn’t clog pores or leave a residue. Powerful antioxidant vitamins C and E help cells renew and resist free radical damage, while anti-inflammatory omegas 6 and 9 deeply hydrate and reduce redness. Perfect for all skin types but especially unbalanced, problematic, oily, and blemished skin.
Marie Veronique Treatment Oil
While it may seem counterintuitive, oil can often clear congestion more effectively than other exfoliation methods because oil dissolves oil and can break up blockages that other ingredients can't reach. This blend by chemist and clean skincare pioneer Marie Veronique Nadeau contains omega 6 oils to relieve that greasy feel by thinning sebum and omega 3 to control inflammation, while the antiseptic effects of tea tree oil are on par with benzoyl peroxide.
Tata Harper Retinoic Nutrient Face Oil
A lightweight oil that helps control breakouts and control excess sebum. It’s formulated with a multi-tasking complex that includes retinoic acid derived from rosehip and a concentrated blend of arnica, borage, alfalfa, elderberry, meadowsweet and calendula to provides complete skin nourishment with minerals, vitamins, nutrients, and essential fatty acids for healthy-looking skin. Tata recommends applying a generous amount as the last step in your nighttime routine.
Symbiome Recharge002 Postbiomic Oil
This ultra-hydrating blend of fermented oils is packed with antioxidants to ward off environmental stressors and naturally-occuring retinoids that help in regulating sebum production, support collagen production, and cellular turnover to even out skin tone and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. The sebum-like formula also creates a protective coating on the skin through phytosterols derived from plant cells and fatty acids like triglycerides to help restore hydration and support a healthy skin barrier.
SENSITIVE SKIN
Heales Apothecary Face Oil
A nourishing, vitamin-rich formula full of nutrient-rich fruit seed oils, including Australian kakadu plum, which instantly restores radiance to a thirsty complexion. Rich in vitamin C, this antioxidant-packed superfruit also helps to stimulate collagen production, reduce hyperpigmentation, and protect skin from free radicals.
Le Prunier Plum Beauty Oil
Handcrafted from a proprietary blend of sustainably sourced plum varietals, this indulgent oil is an excellent source of nourishing vitamins and antioxidants. Powerful polyphenols and omega fatty acids 6 and 9 help protect the skin from damaging free radicals while pro-vitamin A and E help to heal and hydrate skin. Free from essential oils, this oil helps brighten, balance and restore skin while locking in moisture.
Biography Long June
A dry oil that works to lock in moisture and absorbs on contact. Perfect for sensitive skin, this lightweight, non-greasy formula is anti-inflammatory and redness-reducing, and works to soothe and calm even the most sensitive or oily skin types (including rosacea and pimple prone).
Biossance 100% Squalane Oil
Formulated with pure, sugarcane derived squalane, this hero ingredient is bioidentical to the moisture found in human skin, making it perfect for use by all skin types. Weightless and easily absorbed, this oil instantly replenishes lost-moisture, calms irritation, helps to maintain hydration leaving the skin exceptionally soft, and promotes microbiome diversity for healthier-looking skin.
DRY SKIN
Ingredients Wellness Oil Complex
This lightweight, organic oil complex helps to restore the skin’s natural lipid barrier with nourishing, unrefined marula, rosehip seed, and sea buckthorn fruit oils that are rich in phytonutrients, antioxidants, omegas, and vitamins. Therapeutic neroli and lavender essential oils are added to soothe and rejuvenate environmentally-stressed skin. The non-comedogenic, plant-based formula also gently works to brighten and balance your complexion.
Furtuna Skin Due Alberi Biphase Moisturizing Oil
This shake-activated, biphase, moisturizing oil combines two concentrated formulas in one. In phase 1, botanically infused organic olive oil nourishes skin with phenols, eitamin E, and omega-3 fatty acids; while in phase 2, botanically-infused organic olive leaf water protects skin with the powerful antioxidants oleuropein and hydroxytyrosol. Each phase is packed with rejuvenating bioactive nutrients, vitamins, and antioxidants, while delicately aromatic magnolia oil adds plumping moisture replenishment.
Circumference Pure Balancing Botanical Face Oil
This all-purpose facial oil helps to balance and promote nourished skin with a carefully tailored proprietary blend of 6 different organic, indigenous botanicals including sacha inchi, marula, prickly pear, sea buckthorn, and jojoba, which together provide a powerful mix of essential fatty acids and antioxidants.
Biography Golden Ray
A blend of French marine algae, carrot seed oil and fruit seed complex, this hydrating and moisturizing face oil actively triggers collagen production and increases glow on a cellular level to improve skin firmness, the appearance of fine lines, dryness, and dullness.
