Last time, I wrote about my favourite product to wash my face: cleansing oil. Today, I’m writing about facial oil, which may cause the same oil on face fear, however it is great to combat dryness and boost moisturiser.
You may wonder why I'm writing about facial oils now when the season for lighter moisturisers has only just started. And it's true, usually, I reserve facial oils for deepest, darkest winter, when I need extra help in keeping my skin supple. However, after a long transatlantic flight last week combined with dry and hot weather at my destination, facial oil was a saviour for my skin. And so with summer travel upon us, it seemed usage suggestions are worth sharing in case you want to pack it in your kit.
First, I used a facial oil to prevent total skin dry out during my flights. After cleansing my face (one of the few times I will use wipes - these were a dream this trip!), I applied a few drops of oil followed by my moisturiser a couple times in flight and successfully prevented that tight and flaky feeling on arrival. This offering from Tata Harper is the prefect size to slip into a carry-on liquids bag.
At night my skincare routine included an oil with good fatty acids, which are helpful for skin repair. Visiting a town perched at nearly 2,000 meters with extremely low humidity, calls for additional hydration. Facial oil at night did just what I needed.
Overnight usage was also helpful post-sunshine exposure. While I was obviously fully covered in the appropriate amount of sunscreen each day, at night I knew my skin needed a bit of TLC. On the days when I was really soaking up the sun, I switched to a facial oil with antioxidants to help deal with the free radicals from the rays.
What kind of facial oil should you use?
As with most skincare, this requires a bit of testing out to see which one you like best and, which one works best with your skin.
You may opt for a specially created facial oil, as I did on this trip. A benefit of a facial oil is that you can select one with extra ingredients that provide additional benefits, such as brightening and improving cell energy.
Or you may prefer the simplicity of a straightforward oil such as argan or coconut oil, both of which are currently very popular and known for their multiple uses. With different textural feelings due to how much saturated fat they contain, it’s really down to individual choice about whether you select the lighter argan or heavier coconut. I have used these on my face and also love coconut oil to shave my legs.
Won't facial oil clog my pores?
Nope. The molecules in oils are actually too large to enter your pores, although they will help soften your top layer of skin. And applying facial oil can actually help balance your skin's sebum production, which is what can make your face look and feel oily.
When do I apply it? And how much do I use, how often?
Facial oils are best used at night, when your skin has time to put the moisturisation help to use, however if your skin is very dry or you live in an arid or cold climate, you may want to apply it in the morning as well.
While you may think using a facial oil gives you a reason to skip the moisturiser, I'm afraid this isn't the case. The reason is this: facial oils work best with a bit of water to facilitate penetration. This water should come from your moisturiser.
In terms of when to apply oil, there are options. General guidance is that if your skin is normal to oily, applying oil first, followed by moisturiser is best. And if your skin is dry to normal, it is suggested that you apply moisturiser first and then facial oil. However, do know if you're feeling a bit lazy, you can combine the two and save yourself a step.
No matter what the order of application, it goes without saying that this should be applied to clean skin. And in terms of amount to apply, I suggest using 4 to 6 drops of oil for dry skin, 2 to 3 drops for normal skin and oily skin needs just 1 to 3.
While most people use facial oil as a special feature in a regular skincare routine, you can use it every night.