My desert island beauty product? Most definitely a face oil. My criteria? It must smell delicious, feel glorious, sink into my skin with the kind of ease only the purest of oils can and of course, it must deliver results. Today’s post celebrates the not-so-humble face oil and trust me, I’ve test driven a lot of them; all natural and all cruelty free. If you haven’t tried one yet, now’s the time, you may just find you suddenly realise the meaning of the words: hydration, plump, rejuvenated and dewy. Enough said.
“Facial oils”, says beauty editor and journalist Kate Turner-Jones, “especially organic plant oils – deserve a special place in everyone’s skincare routine, certainly if you suffer from dry, dehydrated or sensitive skin. Think of them as nutrition. Because there’s no ‘filler’ (compared to most skin creams that are typically around 70% water plus additional preservatives or perfumes) they are particularly high in vitamins, antioxidants and EFAs, with a simple molecular structure that means they penetrate deeply to work their magic! Different oils have different benefits but their main purpose is to moisturise and reduce inflammation.
Plant oils have actually been used for centuries for their skin-healing and regenerating powers. Quite simply, there’s nothing else you can put on your face (or body) to give you such an instant, lit-from-within glow and seriously peachy-soft skin. And it’s not just about instant gratification. Regular use of plant oils will help hydrate the skin (all those yummy EFAs) which strengthens the skin’s barrier, keeping bacteria and infection at bay and delaying signs of ageing (yesss). There’s even some evidence that using oil before anti-ageing products (such as peptides or vitamin C) can help deliver these actives deeper into the skin with less irritation. Kind of like adding go-faster stripes to your daily routine.
If you’re worried that adding oil to your face will lead to breakouts, it’s interesting that many experts believe that the opposite is true, and that using facial oils can actually ‘switch off’ excess sebum production and help your skin achieve a happy balance. That said, it’s always worth trying a new oil slowly (perhaps every other night) to keep an eye on how your skin adapts to it.
How to use them? You can use a facial oil underneath your usual moisturiser or all on their own. Use sparingly! Just a couple of drops massaged into clean skin. Most people love the dewy look they deliver but if you’re prone to getting shiny, use them at night and wake up to dreamy-soft skin.”
Kate’s tried and trusted facial oil is the luxurious Vanderohe No.1 – a new kid on the block that boasts a ‘synergistic blend of the world’s highest-grade organic, cold-pressed oils’. It’s enriched with wild-harvested essential oils, smells incredible and only a few drops are needed, whether alone or added to your moisturiser. It’s a hot contender for my desert island lust have, £88 Vanderohe.com.
Gorgeous, glowing healthy skin. Just a few drops in your moisturiser in the morning will feed your skin all day.
THE STYLISH STUFF LOVES…
Our A-Z pick of great oils to trouble shoot all skin traumas. From balancing to blemishes; revitalising to rejuvenating, time to stock up your bathroom shelf with one or two of these little wonders.
Top shelf from left; the beauty editor favourite A’kin Rosehip Oil £24, perfect for brightening and creating a radiant and even skin tone; Aromatherapy Associates Hydrating Revitalising Face Oil £45, contains potent essential oils which restore vitality to tired and dull skin; Aurelia Probiotic Skincare Cell Repair Night Oil £55, this works overnight to repair troubled skin – it firms, hydrates and leaves skin radiant by morning; Balance Me Radiance Face Oil £30, a powerfully active oil that feeds lack lustre skin doing what it says on the tin – it plumps, smoothes and adds glorious luminosity; Bodhi & Birch Desert Rose Rejuvenating Face Oil £38, choc full of potent vitamins, essential fatty acids and powerful nutrients, this hand crafted oil smells delicious and helps diminish age blemishes, evens out skin tone and totally nourishes the skin; Caudalie Vinosource Overnight Recovery Oil £26, a botanical elixir that works overnight to calm, replenish and nourish dry and sensitive skin; Dr Hauschka Clarifying Day Oil £25.50, yes indeed, oil during the day! This gem absorbs quickly and works WITH your skin to help regulate oil and refine pores; Estelle & Thild Biocalm Optimal Comfort Rescue Oil £34.90,fragrance free oil for dry, sensitive skin – basically an absolute treat for dehydrated skin.
Above left; Elemental Herbology Cell Nourish £46, part serum, part oil this is your bathroom shelf essential for midweek skin rescue, it helps skin repair itself by stimulating the production of collagen and elastin, reduces fine lines, wrinkles and dark spots and finally, it encourages a naturally radiant glow. Job done. Green People Anti-Ageing Facial Oil, £20.50, gently scented with rose geranium and rosemary, this little oil plumps and nourishes the skin and can even be used by those who suffer from eczema and psoriasis; Jason C Effects Hyper Serum £25.49, this is highly concentrated anti-oxidant oil/serum that combats the effects of damage caused by sun exposure, it also leaves skin looking firmer and more healthy; John Masters Organics Pomegranate Facial Nourishing Oil £27,a blend of over 14 organic plant and essential oils that instantly penetrates and nourishes dry skin. Use alone or add to your moisturiser for extra hydration; Jurlique Skin Balancing Face Oil £38, lightweight and deeply nourishing this is your go to for a hit of extra moisture and to protect your skin from environmental irritants; Madara Superseed Age Recovery Facial Oil £45, a tried and trusted treasure of an oil – super potent containing 10 rare regenerating dry oils that rejuvenate and restore tired skin; Pai Rosehip Bioregenerate Oil £22, a The Stylish Stuff favourite this is the most concentrated Rosehip Oil on the market and definitely improves skins elasticity, firmness and tackles sun damage, fine lines and scarring.
From left, below; Ren Bio Retinoid Antiwrinkle Concentrate Oil £44, this oil reduces the appearance of wrinkles, age spots and skin blemishes without the irritating effects of synthetic retinol. Nourishes, smooths, plums; RMS Beauty Oil, £60, full of exotic antioxidant oils such as buriti, jojoba and rosehip – this is a luxurious product that nourishes, protects and moisturises; Sukin Super Greens Nourishing Chia Seed Oil £17.50, this little oil is a true find. Richly nourishing containing Omega 3 and 6, it’s REALLY good for your skin, super greens indeed; The Organic Pharmacy Beauty Drops £49, the ultimate multi-tasker these drops can be added to a drink and taken internally or added to your moisturiser, masque or serum for an instant energy boost. They REALLY work. Trilogy Organic Rosehip Oil Antioxidant £31.50, another beauty editor favourite, Trilogy have perfected their rosehip oil to deliver the three R’s (replenish, rejuvenate and renew) by combining nature’s most powerful skin restoring and protecting properties in one unique formulation; finally Weleda Evening Primrose Age Revitalising Concentrate £32.36, perfect for mature skins, this helps restore elasticity and bounce, reduce the appearance of deep lines and firm up the skin.
Art Direction & Styling Shelly Vella
Model Photography Emma Sweeney
Hair and make up Linda Johnasson
Model Abi Fox at Models 1