Confession: I used to be deathly afraid of facial oils. Having oily, acne-prone skin for most of my life has kept me from using them. But over the years, and after countless conversations with dermatologists, my fears, thankfully, dissipated. These days, facial oil is something I completely rely on — especially given the chaos of perimenopause, which has left my skin drier than ever. I’ll take an extra dose of hydration whenever I can, thank you very much!
Facial oils are often used to lock in moisture at the end of a skin care routine, but they have many benefits. You could also say that everyone has their own special superpowers. Rosehip and grape seed, for example, provide antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits, while tea tree and blue tansy treat acne and irritation – making a skin oil containing these ingredients ideal for… oily skin . (Who would have thought?) And that’s just the tip of the iceberg—facial oils are a multipurpose beauty product, bringing hydration where you need it, from jagged cuticles to fried strands of hair. They can even be used during gua sha. No wonder celebrities like Drew Barrymore are fans!
Before diving into the world of facial oils, the first thing to know is that no two are alike. Some oils, like squalane, rosehip, or jojoba, are non-comedogenic, which makes them less likely to clog pores. However, both researchers and dermatologists see the comedogenicity scale as controversial and flawed. Most agree, however, that comedogenic oils include essencial oils like lavender and mint, along with coconut, carrot seed and soy oils.
As with any new beauty product, how your skin will react to an oil depends on a multitude of factors, such as the concentration of the ingredients, the specific composition of the entire formula, and of course, your skin’s unique makeup. . It may seem like a lot, but once you find out which facial oil is best for you, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without it! Read on to find out if they earn our highest recommendation.
Index
Products we tested that were not approved
The best facial oil of 2024
The beginning
Key ingredients: Abyssinian oil, squalane, acai, jojoba and avocado oil | Skin Type: Everyone, especially the sensitive | Size: 1 oz.
When testing them, I kept people like the “old me”—that is, those who are hesitant to use facial oils—in my mind. While my skin has responded well to many of the oils I’ve tried, I thought about what kind of ingredients would be most likely to cause a reaction. That would be any essential oil. Spoiler: The essentials are in A LOT of these products, but not in our #1 pick, The Outset’s Ultra-Light Moisture-Boosting Facial Oil.
The Outset formulates its products for sensitive skin, which means it doesn’t add fragrance. While I don’t normally have a problem with fragrances, choosing an unscented facial oil as the winner made sense for this particular list. (Again, I’m thinking of everyone else here!)
Ingredient-wise, well, this product doesn’t skimp. Contains 16 botanical oils, including Abyssinian oil, which contains omega-9 and omega-6 fatty acids; avocado oil, which helps protect the skin from free radical damage; moisture-increasing squalane; and jojoba, a great anti-aging ingredient (due to its richness in vitamins E and B).
I was dealing with a mysterious dryness on my forehead that wouldn’t go away. It felt like someone sucked all the moisture out of my skin cells up there, no matter what moisturizer I used. After sealing my face cream with this oil one night, I woke up with soft, plump, and hydrated skin for the first time in days. (For the record, this is the second time a product from The Outset has come to the rescue when my skin has felt weird.)
- Absorbs quickly
- No essential oils and no fragrance
- Great for sensitive skin
- Addresses concerns about aging
Also great
Good molecules
Key ingredients: squalane oil | Skin Type: All, especially oily and combined | Size: 13 ml/0.44 oz.
If you’re new to using facial oils and want to experiment before going full strength, here’s some advice: Choose one with minimal ingredients. For just $8, you can use your squalane with this one. Squalane contains powerful antioxidants and can help treat fine lines and wrinkles, increase hydration, and strengthen the skin barrier. This Good Molecules option is lightweight, easy to use, and quickly effective. My skin instantly felt super soft.
Warning: It comes in a pretty small bottle, so once you try it, you might end up being like one of the Amazon reviewers who wished it was bigger!
- Cheap
- High-quality ingredients like squalane
- No filler ingredients, including mineral or essential oils
- Small bottle doesn’t last long
- Some critics complain that they are pills under makeup
Hawaiian Honua Skin Care
Key ingredients: Hawaiian turmeric, noni, kukui and kamani oils | Skin Type: All | Size: 1 oz
Compared to some better-known brands, Honua is a little under the radar, but they’re worth getting to know. The Hawaiian skincare company uses native oils such as noni, kukui nut, kamani, and turmeric. I was intrigued by this set of ingredients, which aren’t as common in other facial oils like squalane or jojoba. Noni is highly antioxidant, Hawaiian turmeric helps with all types of inflammatory conditions, from acne to aging and eczema.
Meanwhile, antioxidant-rich kukui nut oil and kamani oil help with hydration and support collagen production. My skin got a legit glow after using this for a few days.
- Anti-inflammatory ingredients like turmeric help reduce facial swelling
- Softens the skin
- Light texture
- Helps stimulate collagen production
- Dear
- Some users were put off by a strong smell
How we test
I’ve been writing about beauty for over a decade and have tested and reviewed hundreds of products, including dozens of facial oils. As someone who was hesitant about facial oils until a few years ago, I wanted to be thorough in testing and reviewing each one, especially if it made my skin break out. Over the course of a few months, I tried about a dozen, looking for the ones that helped seal in moisture the best and didn’t cause skin irritation.
In addition to hydration and my skin’s reaction, I evaluated each one based on effectiveness, quality of ingredients, feel (how heavy it was), absorption rate, and cost.
Products we tested that were not approved
Vintner’s Daughter Active Botanical Serum is a longtime favorite of beauty editors and skin-care aficionados. I was impressed by the long list of nourishing botanical oils, but it also contains a good amount of essential oils, which may not work for people with sensitive skin. And also very expensive, and I wanted to keep a moderate budget in mind. Similarly, Bio-Oil Skin Care Oil It’s one of those polarizing products that people either swear by or are scared of (in the original version of the product, mineral oil is its first ingredient). Although I had no reaction, I found the product heavy and I just didn’t feel the full mineral oil aspect! (Although, since many people say it helped lighten scars and stretch marks, I may try using it on gallbladder surgery scars.)
Facial Oil FAQs
What ingredients to look for in facial oils?
Because there are so many different types of oils, it can be confusing to find the right one for your specific skin type. If you want a cheat sheet, use squalane, rosehip, marula, vitamin E and jojoba as they are rich in fatty acids and good for most skin types. Sensitive skin types should be careful with essential oils as they can be irritating to some.
If you have oily or acne-prone skin, avoid heavier or higher comedogenic oils like coconut, wheat germ, and carrot seed oil, and opt for tea tree and blue tansy oil. , which are antibacterial and soothing. (Fun fact: Mineral oil is technically non-comedogenic, but it is occlusive, meaning it can trap dirt and bacteria below the surface, causing acne and disrupting the skin barrier.)
How to apply facial oil?
Some facial oils can be used after cleansing, like a serum or moisturizer. (If you do this, it’s best to apply the oil to damp skin.) However, facial oils are often used as the final step in a skin care routine to seal in the other hydrating ingredients. A little goes a long way, so use a drop or two and gently press the oil into your skin.
How often should I use facial oil?
Typically, facial oils are used at night, but they can also be part of your morning skin care routine. It depends on your skin type and needs. People with dry skin may want to use a facial oil in the morning as it can help prepare the skin for makeup. As with other new products, it’s best to go slow when incorporating a new facial oil.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24090220/STK171_VRG_Illo_2_Normand_ElonMusk_02.jpg?w=300&resize=300,300&ssl=1 "Elon Musk tells Donald Trump ‘we should not defame the oil and gas industry’")
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/23925966/acastro_STK045_01.jpg?w=300&resize=300,300&ssl=1 "Patreon memberships sold on iOS will soon face Apple’s 30% fee")
