HOW & WHY YOU SHOULD USE FACE OILS

                  

To me, face oils are the pinnacle of skincare luxury.  I know, what can be complex about a facial oil … it’s oil for your face right? Surprisingly it’s actually much more complex than that. How you apply face oil, how often you’re using it, and even the order in which you apply it, relative to your skincare routine, can influence the results you get.

 

Finding the Right Method for Your Skin Type:

Believe it or not- how you should be applying your facial oil depends on the type of skin you have! Sounds confusing, but luckily celebrity esthetician Renée Rouleau breaks down the best ways to apply face oil based on your skin type. Don’t be overwhelmed- once you get it down, your skin will thank you!

 

Oily/Combination Acne Prone Skin:

For those who are on the oily side and prone to breakouts, Rouleau suggests massaging (or rather, patting) 1-3 drops of oil into your skin after you’ve completed your nighttime routine (cleanse, tone, serum, moisturizer). Rouleau suggests applying face oil after moisturizer as it will help to prevent water loss. However- use oil sparingly! “You don’t want to overuse a treatment oil because it will create a layer over the top of the surface, which then creates more heat to be trapped within the skin. Heat will cause more oil production and allow for bacteria to grow more quickly, ultimately resulting in a potential for increased acne,” warns Rouleau.

While I agree with this, it may be an oversimplification. Occlusive agents will trap in heat, whereas emollients, do not so much. So the composition of the oil you’re using may change whether or not the previous statement is true for you.

Normal/Dry Skin

If you have normal to dry skin, Rouleau suggests mixing about 4-6 drops of the oil in with your moisturizers. She also says that those with dry skin can use it on top of moisturizer but should never wear face oil in place of or under a moisturizer. “When you use moisturizer (often containing antioxidants, retinol, or firming peptides) over the oil, the beneficial ingredients will not be able to penetrate the skin effectively because the oil will act as a barrier.” (source)

Want to go Solo with Your Oil? Application Makes All The Difference

If you know your oils and your skin type, you might decide to skip mixing and applying the face oil as a separate step.

As tempting as it is to vigorously rub face oil into your skin (the way you would with body lotion) that actually is not the correct way to apply it, and can render the product ineffective. By rubbing it into the skin, the product doesn’t have a chance to sink in properly. Not to mention the unnecessary pulling at your skin. What you should do instead is apply the oil to your fingertips and gently press it into your skin. This will allow the oil to literally “melt” into the skin and absorb properly, giving you better results. (source)

 

Where Face Oils Fit Into Your Skincare Routine

Another question that I get all the time is where a face oil fits in an overall skincare routine. With cleansers, toners, moisturizers, and retinol.. it can get confusing! Each product is expensive by itself, so you don’t want to accidentally render the effects useless, right? Well, no worries.