When it comes to face oils I am very fussy, this is mainly
because I have had so many experiences of them breaking me out. I find that
many are full of fragrances and are high in essential oils which tend to cause
a reaction on me, causing small red spots and under the skin lumps. Not
pleasant! Nowadays I usually go for high quality face oils that are full of natural
ingredients as opposed to ones packed with fragrance and carrier oils, which
surprisingly even some expensive brands use. Proving that expense doesn’t
always mean quality.
Before I purchase a face oil these days I make sure I research the
ingredients and try to go for 100% natural, unless I’ve heard lots of rave reviews
then usually my intrigue gets the better of me! The oils listed below are the
ones I currently have in my stash (not all successful purchases) and in fact I
have learnt a lot from these, I think they have influenced my choices going
forward. I do have a couple of other new ones that I am loving and currently
trialling so will review these in due course.
Usually I would use oils nightly in between my serum and
moisturiser but recently I have started incorporating oils into my morning
routine. After serum in the morning and either using more drops than usual in
place of a moisturiser or using around 3 drops and applying a light layering of
moisturiser after. I have seen such positive result using oils and like using
different ones to target different issues, I have seen them help reduce
blemishes, deeply hydrate yet balance the oil production in my skin and over
time even out any areas of pigmentation.
The below oils are the ones I have in my current
collection….
Pai Rosehip Biodegenerate Fruit and Seed Oil Blend- £22.00 from
Pai Skincare
This oil is a fairly new purchase for me, it has been raved about
a lot within the beauty community but I have always been reluctant to buy
because I have had bad experiences with rose as an ingredient before. I think
its rose oil that’s been a problem for me which is different to rosehip oil in
the sense that one comes from the actual rose petals and the other comes from
rose hips which are the fruit of the rose plant. The oil from the rose petals
are very highly perfumed which is why I think it causes a reaction on my skin.
This oil is unique in that it uses concentrated fruit hip
oil with twice the regenerative sterols (which apparently have benefits to the
immune system) and five times the caretonoids of seed oil and is rich in
concentrated trans-retonoic acid which is an essential fuel for the skin’s
natural repair function, delivering pro-vitamin A to the skin without causing
irritation. I can confirm happily that this is the case, I have had absolutely
no reaction to this at all. Apparently this particular oil is the most concentrated rosehip oil on the
market today, premium CO2 supercritical extraction delivers the complete and
concentrated properties of the plant, making this oil more powerful than any
other simple cold pressed rosehip oils.
Now all of this information is well and good but the important
part is whether it actually works or does anything beneficial. The first thing
I noticed about this oil is obviously the bright orange colour! I was concerned
that I would turn out looking like a tangerine/oompa loompa but after massaging
in a few drops it does disappear from the skin and your left with super glowy
skin! FYI it doesn’t really seem to smell of anything, kind of like herbal tea!
I did seem to get a couple of spots after the first few uses
but I think this is fairly normal as it contains vitamin A which is commonly
known as retinol in it’s over the counter form. After this the breakout
subsided and I was left with clear skin. I have continued to use this oil on nearly a
daily basis as I love the light texture, it’s non sticky/non greasy and easy to
massage in and I have found that it has really helped my skin when going
through a breakout phase. It leaves my skin feeling well-nourished and hydrated
without causing excessive oiliness which is isn't what I was expecting.
Definitely do not rule this oil out if you are oily or acne prone as I really
believe it would be beneficial for you, it balances excess sebum and really
works wonders on blemishes.
Another good point to mention is rosehip oil is excellent
for scarring and I have noticed that some scars I had from past blemishes have
significantly faded and I believe it’s down to all the rosehip that I have been
putting on my skin! I think most skin types will see great results from this
oil and think it’s perfect for especially around this time of year! At £22 this
is excellent value as it will last a long time, it’s a fantastic
product worth buying. I will repurchase this for sure.
Ingredients:
Rosa Canina Seed
Extract* - Rosehip CO2 Seed Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Extract* - Rosehip CO2 Fruit Extract,
Tocopherol - Natural Vitamin E, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract* - Rosemary Extract (Anti-Oxidant)
Kiehls Midnight Recovery Concentrate - £37.00 from Kiehls
After singing the praises of the Pai oil I have to say this
next oil is a thumbs down for me. I had such high expectations of the Kiehls
Midnight Recovery. I think it’s because it’s a such a highly coveted oil which
so many people love, not mention the numerous awards its won. But unfortunately
it just hasn’t worked for me.
Let’s start with some of the main ingredients, these are
Evening Primrose which helps boost radiance, Lavender essential oil which helps
soothe inflamed and irritated skin and provide a more even/brighter look and
finally Squalene which is a botanical lipid that is similar in molecular
structure to the skin’s natural lipids, easily absorbed and helps restore
moisture balance. All of this sounds fantastic but I was wary of the essential
oil aspect because as previously mentioned my skin doesn’t always agree with
products that have a high essential oil content.
The oil itself is clear and quite runny, I absolutely loved
the smell (very relaxing and soothing) but found that when applied over serums
it would cause peeling. This is a big pet hate of mine. I tried it over
numerous serums and it still had the same effect. My skin did feel nice when
applied, but I didn’t see a noticeable change in how my skin looked upon
application, like I have with the other oils mentioned in this post.
Due to the name I was expecting to wake up to a radiant
restful complexion but found this wasn’t the case. Overnight I developed some
whitehead spots which is usually a tell-tale sign for me that the product isn’t
suited for my skin, as my skin is very reactive. Despite this I persevered but
every time I used it I always awoke with troublesome skin, and gradually my
skin got more congested. I definitely put this down to the fragrant oils that
seem to load this product. There are some very purifying oils in there - coriander,
lavender and rosemary are notorious for presenting irritation. So for the price
I personally wouldn’t recommend this, there are so many other lovely natural
facial oils that have better ingredients! Definitely consider your skin type
before purchasing this as I don’t think it would suit sensitive skins. Or at
least carry out a patch test which is what I failed to do myself! You live and
learn!
Ingredients:
Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride,
Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Squalane, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Evening Primrose Oil,
Jojoba Seed Oil, Coriander Seed Oil, Tocopherol, Lavender Oil, Pelargonium
Graveolens Flower Oil, Linalool, Rosemary Leaf Oil, Citronellol, Geraniol,
Lavandula Hybrida Oil, Cucumber Fruit Extract, Turmeric Root Extract, Limonene,
Citral, Sclareolide, Rose Flower Oil, Jasmine Extract, Sunflower Seed Oil
Nude Progenius Rescue Oil – £58.00 from Space NK
Firstly, I purchased this in a sample size from eBay as I
wanted to try it but didn’t want to fork out on £58 before knowing if I liked
it. I am so glad I did as this bottle lasts a while and gives you a decent
amount so you can really decide if it’s for you. This is my second small
bottle, they are so portable and ideal for not taking up too much space!
What I like about this oil is the texture, it’s extremely
lightweight (almost water like) so perfect for the summer months and times when
you don’t want to feel overloaded with product. The formula contains bakuchiol
which is natures answer to retinol, this really interested me as I am wanting
to dabble in anti-ageing products without the use of harsh chemicals or
ingredients. Prescription medication is absolutely a no no for me, but each to
their own! I would much rather go down a natural route that has less side effects etc. So
this is where Nude’s Progenius rescue oil comes in. It helps repair and refine
skin’s texture using purifying coleus root and organic rosemary extracts which
clarify the skin and antioxidants provides protection against environmental
aggressors.
Nude’s statement is that they are ‘beautiful without’ –
parabens, sulphates, PEGs, TEA, DEA, Proylene Glycol, Phthalates, Petrolatum,
Synthetic colour, Synthetic fragrance, mineral oil and silicones. Sounds
exactly what my sensitive skin would love! And it does. Although there are some
purifying ingredients in this it does seem to calm skin, reduce blemishes and
prevent breakouts without causing irritation. I put this down to the quality of
ingredients.
I personally wouldn’t use this oil every day or on the days
that I exfoliate, just because I wouldn’t want my skin to freak out (due to the
bakuchiol) but this is perfect for 2-3 times a week to brighten the complexion
and clarify. I have used this under my moisturiser in the mornings because of
how sheer and super-fast absorbing it is, but generally would recommend this as
a night treatment. Over time I think you
would see that it creates smoother skin and reduces pore size, but because I
don’t use this regularly enough I can’t comment too much on that. Also it’s
worth mentioning that it’s all natural, vegan and cruelty free and is recommended
for all skin types - although I wouldn’t rely on this oil to hydrate as I would
say it’s more of a ‘dry oil’ as opposed to a typical face oil. But if you’re
looking for something a little different and perhaps more ‘natural’ than Sunday
Riley’s Luna then I would definitely check this out!
Ingredients:
Inca Gold Oil, Rosehip Seeds, Safflower Seed oil, Bakuchiol,
Thyme leaf extract, papaya extract, hibiscus flower extract, jojoba oil,
sunflower seed oil, citronellol, linalool, isoamyl laurate, fragrance (parfum),
squalene, coleus root extract, Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary leaf extract),
carrot root extract, macrocystis pyrifera extract, rose canina fruit extract,
citral, limonene
Balmology Rose Beauty Oil - £30.00 from Balmology
I’ve been using this almost nightly usually either on its
own (using 1 full pump) or using half a pump and applying a light moisturiser
over the top. There is something so comforting about the scent and you can really
give a good massage with this oil. I’ve also enjoyed applying this to my décolletage
as it’s so beautiful. I may even start adding it to my body creams or just
applying it alone after the showering….
I love the ethics behind this brand and the customer service
is second to none. I urge you to invest!
Ingredients:
Argania
spinosa kernel (argan) oil*, Macadamia ternifolia (macadamia) oil*, Corylus
avellana (hazelnut) oil*, Rosa canina (rosehip) oil*, Persea gratissima
(avocado) oil*, Tocopherol, Cymbopogon martini (palmarosa)*, Pelargonium
graveolens roseum (geranium bourbon)*, Boswellia carterii (frankincense)*, Rosa
damascena (rose otto)*, citral**, citronellol**, eugenol**, farnesol**,
geraniol**, limonene**, linalool**.
*Certified Organic. **Naturally occurring in essential oils.
Made with 99%
certified organic ingredients.
What are your favourite face oils and have you tried any of
the ones I’ve listed?
Thanks for reading xx