08/22/2019
Clean Face Oil
But will it make me break out?! And: But do I really need another product?! These are the face oil questions. The truth in all but the most extreme cases is, not only will face oil not make you break out, it will absolutely change your life, not to mention your skin. Your skin will look and feel better. You will probably need less makeup. And you will probably need fewer skin care items altogether.
Perhaps the ultimate skin secret, face oil has been used by indigenous people all over the world in various forms for millennia; nothing lasts that long unless it works. Makeup artists, who love only what makes their clients look (quickly) fantastic, have been slathering it on clients for years; slowly, word spread. (Sophia Loren credits a lifetime of olive-oil baths as one of the reasons her skin remains so beautiful in her 80s.) One of the best-looking older women we’ve ever met, stylist/former model Linda Rodin, has made her fortune late in life mixing oils in her kitchen to create the runaway success Olio Lusso that launched her entire beauty company.
The Benefits of Face Oil
1. You See Instant Results
No matter your skin type, try face oil for the first time and you’ll see serious benefits right away. Conventional moisturizers, which combine waxes with water and oils, seal moisture in the skin with the wax. But they can also seal out some of the oil and water, not to mention treatment benefits included in the formula. With oil, it all sinks right in. And most oils are already naturally infused with ingredients like antioxidants, polyphenols, and omega fatty acids.
2. They’re Beyond Multipurpose
You can use face oil for basic (and really effective) moisturization, but it’s also amazing for makeup touchups—instead of adding more makeup, pat some oil on to revive the makeup you’ve already got on. In either case, avoid the T-zone unless you’re the driest person on earth. In a pinch, it’s makeup remover, frizz fighter, cuticle and under eye cream, lip balm…
You really need an oil if you use retinols or other drying or anti-blemish products. Treatments like Retin-A, AHA peels or creams, or breakout fighters from astringent toners all the way to prescription Accutane can really help your skin, but they can also seriously dry it out. Face oils return moisture and life to your skin, smoothing lines and soothing it in the process.
On the flip side, even skin that’s decidedly un-dry can also benefit from oils. While synthetic and mineral oils are comedogenic and clog pores, most natural plant oils are not. Believe it or not, the right face oil can actually help balance skin.
For ultra-dry skin, massage in some face oil, then layer over it with rich moisturizer. Another layering trick: Pat on face oil, then smooth all-natural mineral SPF over it. The sunblock seals in the oil a bit, but it also slightly mattifies your skin, so it’s less shiny. You can also use oil just the way you would serum or moisturizer when thinning out foundation or bronzer formulas.
3. Oils feel amazing
Moisturizer formulators spend an enormous amount of time, money, and unnecessary (sometimes toxic) ingredients on texture—how it feels when you actually put the moisturizer on your skin. Texture is important: If you don’t love using a product…you tend not to use it. And definitely tend not to buy it again. Oils have a naturally gorgeous, instantly skin-comforting texture—they need no extra ingredients to make them sink in.
4. Clean face oils are actually better
While conventional beauty companies have (finally) gotten into the face-oil business, the all-natural, pure options are absolutely superior, not just from a clean perspective, but because A. there’s no improving on perfection—adding in extra ingredients often just dilutes the benefits of the base oils, and B. most clean face-oil makers have been making it much longer than the conventional newbies, and they’ve learned what really works on skin.
THE NO-MAKEUP MAKEUP TOUCHUP
Say you’re getting ready to go out after work. Or it’s just 4pm and you’re looking tired and lackluster. Before you add concealer, foundation, liner, et al., smooth a tiny bit of face oil between your fingers and pat it on over your cheeks, under eyes, over lips, and at the temples and forehead. Use as little as possible; you can always add more. You can also use a little bit under the eyes to smooth away any smudged mascara or liner—though it’s important to note that it can make eye makeup run, so don’t put the oil on your actual eye makeup.
Let the oil settle in for a minute. Apply a little lip color, look at your face, and consider what else you might need—it might be nothing, or just a touch of concealer, or it could be big-night-out full-on eye, cheek, etc. Either way, you’ll need less than you normally use—and your skin will look especially glowy and fantastic.
*One makeup artist we know makes mini (as in, smaller-than-a-thimble size) bottles of face oil for her clients to carry in their evening bags for mid-event touchups. That and lipcolor is generally all you need!
Vintner's Daughter Active Botanical Serum
Vintner's Daughter Active Botanical Serum
$185
It’s not surprising that this oil has a cult following: It’s an infusion of 22 of the world’s most active organic botanicals mixed with powerful essential oils. Anti-inflammatory phytonutrients, skin-firming phytoceramides, plus nourishing fatty acids and anti-oxidants stimulate cellular turnover, enhance elasticity, strengthen capillaries, inhibit melanin production, prevent wrinkles, and protect against free radicals. The revolutionary formula penetrates deeply, restoring moisture, clarity, smoothness, and glow to your skin.
