I know what you are thinking. The way to eradicate the plague of oiliness you suffer is by using all the oil-sucking, drying and mattifying products you can find. Well, you couldn’t be more wrong. Oily skin is caused by many reasons and one effective solution is using oils that suit oily skin. Yes, oily skin needs oils and I am going to tell you why; I will also list the best facial oils for oily skin in this post.
As a teenager, my face basically produced enough oil for five people so I thought that drying products were the answer to my prayers; the logic made sense anyways. Thank God for the research that revealed to me how beneficial facial oils can be for my skin. However it is important to know why you might have oily skin.
What is oily skin and why do you have it?
‘Oily skin means the sebaceous glands are overactive and produce more oil,’ says Dr. Michael Ingrassia, Senior scientist & skin biology group team leader at Clinique. ‘This can potentially clog pores and attract bacteria.’ Oily skin can be caused by hormonal imbalance, lack of hydration, genetics, and even the weather. ‘Often oily skin produces more oil as a defence mechanism to balance out the loss of moisture on your skin. By using oil-based products, the oil attracts oil and can dissolve sebum, grease or makeup without stripping the skin of its natural oils’ says Nip+Fab product developer, Armandip Ghir.
Why do I need facial oils?
Apart from a mild cleanser, exfoliant and moisturiser, a facial oil is a good product to have whether you have oily, dry, combination or sensitive skin. Applying oils on oily skin especially can help restore the skin’s balance which in turn slows down the overactive sebaceous glands and reveals healthier, clearer skin that has a natural glow. Facial oils also help ‘seal’ in moisture in the skin which means your skin feels hydrated for a longer period of time. Facial oils as the last step of a skincare routine also act as an outer barrier protecting the skin from harmful pollutants.
Best facial oils for oily skin
A lot of oils possess antioxidant, antibacterial, moisturising and other amazing qualities that could be greatly beneficial to various skin types. Here are the top oils for oily skin (yes, even if you are acne prone):
· Jojoba oil: has anti-inflammatory properties which help it dissolve sebum and clear dirt from the pores; it also helps fight acne.
· Rose-hip oil: revitalises the skin; clears acne and acne scars; nourishes the skin
· Argan oil: reduces wrinkles; has anti-oxidants; balances sebum because it contains linoleic acid
· Sunflower oil: great at moisturising and is packed full with anti-oxidants
· Evening primrose oil: dissolves sebum to unclog pores and treats skin irritation and redness
· Safflower oil: a rich source of Vitamin E, linoleic and oleic acid that clears clogged pores and also works best in treating acne-breakouts.
· Grapeseed oil: tightens pores, heals acne, moisturises skin, fights free radicals
· Hemp oil: balances out oily skin by moisturising it and controlling oil production; has anti-aging properties
· Marula oil: contains amino acids, fatty acids that are moisturizing, antioxidants which fight free radicals; also treats acne
· Squalane oil: moisturising, controls oil, anti-bacterial and soothes the skin
All the oils listed above are non-comedogenic or low on the comedogenic scale which means they will not clog your pores and cause breakouts. You should only use 100% pure oils or ensure only the highest grade is used in an oil blend.
Some oils are not advisable for oily skin on their own; however you can use them if they are mixed in with the oils listed above. They include but are not limited to: coconut oil, cocoa butter, shea butter, sesame oil, wheat-germ oil, seabuckthorn oil, olive oil, avocado oil, sweet almond oil and apricot kernel oil.
How to use facial oils?
I would recommend starting out with 2–4 drops all over the face and neck as a last step, before sunscreen in the daytime; I use Ologe Rose oil blend with Vitamin C (contains sunflower oil and essential oils, infused with rose petals) in the daytime because it is really lightweight and fast absorbing without feeling greasy. In the night-time, you could use a slightly thicker oil if you choose, after toning/moisturising, I use 2–3 drops of Liya’s hands magical luxury facial serum (mixed with my moisturizer or on its own) on my face and neck and 2 drops for my chest; this serum is packed with the goodness of sesame seed oil, lavender oil, argan oil, jojoba oil and rose-infused oil.
Sources
https://theskincareedit.com/2017/02/22/squalane
https://www.healthline.com/health/marula-oil-benefits
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/318395.php
https://www.annmariegianni.com/oils-for-clogged-pores/?cn-reloaded=1
