The Good Oil: The new moisturising trend
From British royalty and Grecian goddesses to Egyptians and Cleopatra herself - the use of oils to hydrate skin is nothing new.
Anyone who's worth their weight in salt will know how important it is to keep your skin hydrated, enabling it to function as it should. And while we drink water and mist our faces on the reg to keep our skin cells plump, hydrated and to assist in detoxifying our bods, our skin also naturally produces an oily layer (known as sebum) to protect your skin from dehydration, and lock in water.
Why is it important to replenish your skin’s moisture?
As we age, our sebum production slows down immensely - you may notice that people with oily skin age a lot better! This decrease can be due to climate changes, hormonal imbalances, lifestyle - even the good ol' office air con can dry you out! Plus, caffeinated drinks and alcohol dehydrate your body, so drinking enough water is paramount.
Oil cleanser vs conventional cleanser
Conventional cleansers typically contain some form of alcohol or sodium lauryl sulphates (SLS). SLS’s haven’t been proven to be bad for the skin, but many believe they dry your skin out - alcohol does, no question. Does your skin ever feel tight or dry after you cleanse? Like you’ve just removed a face mask? That’s because you’ve stripped your skin of its protective sebum layer, and subsequently, its moisture.
An oil cleanser cleans your face without stripping your skin of its natural oils, helps to break down pore-clogging dirt (causing breakouts), removes excess oil on the skin, and can gently clean dry, flaky, red or irritated skin. Oil is the easiest way to remove products like makeup or sunscreen as well as residual sweat and bacteria. Waterproof mascara? No sweat. Plus, oil cleansers help to replenish essential fatty acids in skin.
Oils vs Moisturiser
Many moisturisers have man-made ingredients in them that your skin isn’t accustomed to which can, in turn, cause breakouts. On the other end of the spectrum, your body creates its own oils on the regular, therefore tends to respond better with pure oils. There are oil-based moisturisers available to market, however it’s best to check which oils these are - do a little investigating of your own to ensure you’re putting your best (moisturised) foot forward.
Pure oils aid your skin in healing and reducing inflammation, as it deposits healthy essential fatty acids into the skin and supports your skin’s natural barrier, also know as the acid mantel. In addition, oils help support the natural PH levels of your skin (roughly 5.5).
Best natural oils to look for, which have a similar PH level to the skin:
- Coconut oil
- Argan oil
- Almond oil
- Rosehip seed oil
- Jojoba oil
- Calendula oil
- Kiwifruit seed oil
- Hazelnut oil
Oil-based products we LOVE:
Oil Cleansers:
Bobbi Brown soothing cleansing oil
For Face:
Trilogy rosehip oil light blend
For Body:
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