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Why Plant-Based Facial Oils Suit Every Skin Type – Even Oily And Acne-Prone

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Beauty brands have embraced the use of stand-alone oils as an integral part of a daily facial routine, with luxury formulas mining a spectrum of plants oils to find the next big thing in skincare.  But, ‘my skin is oily, it doesn’t need even more oil’, we hear you say. Surprisingly, oily skin can significantly benefit from the use of a dedicated skin oil, even acne-prone skin. While dry and normal skin types benefit from a daily application of oil, oily skin can also reap the rewards. Used solo as a skincare layer, or applied as a nurturing cleanser, oils no longer come with a stigma of causing congestion or adding grease to oily skin types.

 

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Deciem’s chief scientific officer, Prudvi Kaka, says that facial oils offer a wealth of skincare benefits, from general hydration and repair of the essential skin barrier, to providing antioxidant support against environmental stressors. “Oil application will support the skin’s own moisture barrier through their structural similarity to skin lipids, allowing the skin to retain moisture and resulting in decreased transepidermal water loss values,” she expands. Previously, dermatologists suggested banning oil-based products from use on break out-prone skin types – a holdover from skincare routines that stripped all oil from the skin to dry it out – but it’s now more a case of finding the right pressing for your skin’s needs. Not all facial oils are created equal, with different benefits depending on the lipid’s makeup, and each possessing a varying molecule size, weight, and absorption rate impacting the effects on the skin. Plant oils in particular, experts say, can balance the skin’s mantle so it’s not too oily, not too dry, but just right. “Marula oil contains oleic acid and helps to restore the skin’s radiant tone, while borage seed oil predominantly contains gamma-linolenic acid and provides a comforting benefit to the skin,” explain Kaka. “Chia seed oil contains alpha-linolenic acid that helps to impart a calming effect on the skin, and sea-buckthorn fruit oil consists primarily of omega-7, and helps to protect the skin against environmental stressors.”

Tata Harper, founder of luxe natural skincare brand Tata Harper, adds that it’s the high levels of nutrients that earn oils a position in her skincare routine. Besides providing hydration to the skin, skincare authorities recommend using oils to deep cleanse the complexion. While it may seem counteractive, as oil binds with oil, an oil-based cleanser is extremely effective. “An oil cleanser is great at removing big particles like makeup, SPF, all sorts of pigment, and general dirt,” explain Harper. “Oils in cleansers are typically wash off, so you rinse them off with water and while your skin is not oily at all, you still get the benefits of it removing dirt, debris and buildup.”

 

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