Move over Face cream, there is a new kind of facial moisturizer in town and it’s getting loads of positive attention. “What is this new product?", you wonder. It’s Facial Oil- and it’s popping up all over the place in a slew of formulations ranging from single oils to fancy oil blends infused with essential oils. Here is the scoop on this new skincare craze:

Facial Oil vs. Face Cream Creams are typically water and wax-based with a few oils added in. While waxes are great at holding existing moisture in, they have two major downsides:

#1. The barrier they create to help hold moisture in simultaneously prevents the oils (the part that benefits the skin) in the cream from being absorbed into the skin. Because of their ability to hold in moisture, creams work initially but overtime the results diminish as the wax barrier builds, which can prevent essential nutrients and fatty acids from penetrating the surface of the skin.

#2. A build up of waxes on the surface of the skin can lead to clogged pores resulting in more breakouts.

When it comes to moisturizing and nourishing the skin, natural oils outshine water and wax-based creams. Natural oils offer all of the benefits that fancy creams intend to offer without any of the downsides.

Benefits of Using Facial Oil

1. More Moisture: Natural oils are easily absorbed into the skin delivering a serious dose of moisture and nutrients resulting in plumper, healthier and more hydrated skin.
    
2. More Essential Nutrients: Because creams are typically water and wax-based, they can prevent precious nutrients from being absorbed into the skin. Oils absorb instantly and easily deliver their nutrients and essential fatty acids to skin cells.
    
3. Environmental Protection: The top layer of your skin is essentially your environmental protection barrier. This layer of skin is made up of dead skin cells held together by oils (lipids). It is essential to maintain a healthy lipid barrier in order to best help protect your skin from the elements. This can easily be accomplished by consistently nourishing your skin with natural oils.
    
4. Chemical-free Nutrition: If you are using natural oils in lieu of creams, then there is no need to worry about exposure to toxic chemicals and additives (which is a big concern with many face creams). The only exception to this, although rare, is if you are using an oil blend. With Facial Oil becoming a craze, there may be some companies out there who have opted to use synthetic fragrances or chemicals in their fancy oil blends. Read labels when shopping for an oil blend to ensure that you are getting the highest quality product with no added chemicals.
    
5. A Hefty Dose of Antioxidants: Many natural oils are chock full of powerful antioxidants. Neutralizing free radicals helps protect and repair your skin from damage caused by the elements.
    
6. Less Inflammation: Inflammation can take a toll on skin, leading to acne breakouts, red skin, wrinkles and sagging skin. Decreased inflammation results in healthier, smoother, more supple looking skin.

Best Oils for Your Face

Argan Oil: Argan oil has gotten a lot of much deserved hype in recent years. Originating in Morocco, Argan oil is packed with vitamin E, antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids, which help to reduce inflammation and stimulate the production of collagen.

Rose Hip Oil: Adored by starlets galore including Gwyneth Paltrow and Miranda Kerr, Rose hip oil is rich in Vitamin C and essential fatty acids, both of which help heal scars and combat wrinkles. Rose hip oil also helps to increase collagen production and regenerate skin cells.

Carrot Seed Oil: High in beta-carotene, vitamin A and E, Carrot seed oil helps to heal, nourish and rejuvenate damaged skin. Carrot seed oil is especially helpful for dry, mature skin and for healing abscesses, boils and other skin conditions. 

Borage Seed Oil: Compared to all other plant sources, Borage seed oil has the highest content of gamma linoleic acid (GLA). Borage oil works wonders in treating redness and inflammation and in restoring moisture and suppleness to environmentally damaged skin as well as chronically dry skin.

Marula Oil: Known to be one of the most antioxidant stable oils in the world, Marula oil helps to soften skin, balance moisture levels and reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

Helichrysum Oil: Helichrysum makes an excellent first-aid oil and can be applied to wounds to help disinfect, reduce swelling and promote healing through cellular regeneration. Additionally, Helichrysum is the only essential oil found that contains diketones, which support scar reduction and growth of new skin cells. To top it all off, Helichrysum is highly effective at combating the signs of aging. This is because its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and skin regenerating properties, the combination of which supports your skin in looking youthful, firm and radiant.

Tamanu Oil: Tamanu oil has been thoroughly researched and has been shown to have a powerful ability to heal damaged skin. In addition to its skin healing properties, tamanu oil is also a potent antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antioxidant, making it the perfect oil for people who suffer from acne.