Why use an oil?

It seems counter-intuitive to everything we've been taught growing up - that oily products will only make your skin and hair more oily! But an actual fact using a good botanical oil product can help balance out your skin and scalp, and even prevent damage... But an emphasis on the 'good oil' in order to really see the effects!

Firstly - and most importantly, not all botanical oils are made equal, especially when it comes to the delicate skin on your face. It might seem like a good idea to use any oil on your face as it's all natural skincare right? But firstly you'll want to check its 'comedogenic rating' - the less comedogenic the better. This is, put simply, the likelihood the product is going to clog your pores. So oils like Argan, Kiwi seed, Jojoba are all low comedogenic - unlikely to clog your pores and great for oily, normal or combination skin. Something like Wheatgerm or Flaxseed oils are a higher comedogenic rating, best for Dry skin only. (Dependent of course on the percentage used within the overall face oil or hair oil).

A lot of the common oils used in natural skincare these days are also great antioxidants, packed with Vitamin E. Meaning they can further reduce aging and protect you (keep using sunscreen though people!) from more free radical damage (think wrinkles and sunspots). 

Botanical oils are lipophilic - meaning that they combine with or dissolve in lipids or fats. This gives them the ability to absorb deep into the skin and trap water and other goodness in there. They also help form a protective layer with your skins own natural barrier to keep the bad stuff like air pollutants out. This also means they give the skin an immediate smoothing and plumping effect. #winning

Then there are certain oils which help target particular skin issues - Tea Tree oil (or our own NZ mānuka) are great with treating acne and pimples, combined with jojoba which is great for balancing oil production as it's so similar to our own sebum make up. 
Geranium is perfect for redness reduction and anti-aging, combined with a good carrier oil like Argan or Pomegranate seed oil. 

Or many oils have perfect anti-inflammatory qualities, calming rashes, dermatitis or eczema. Our very own native Kawakawa is perfect for such a job. Take a look at Soothe, an 'everything' oil where I have foraged the Kawakawa off our property here in Wellington, NZ and infused it into the very light and easily absorbed Sunflower Seed oil which is high in Vitamin E.

And likewise for hair - an oily scalp can benefit from an oil treatment once or twice a week. Look for scalp loving oils like tea tree (Or mānuka), Rosemary, or Lavender combined with Argon or Castor oil. Like the face, if a scalp is stripped of its natural oils it goes into overproduction of oil and thereby producing an oily scalp. So an oil that mimics natural production can actually balance this out. It also locks in moisture and replenishes the lipids in the hair - creating shine.  Have a look at Restore and Rescue for some great hair oil treatments. An oil can increase the health of your hair and also protect it during heat styling.

So how to best use your new favourite face oil? Your skin will naturally produce a lot of sebum at various levels throughout the day, however night time it is at its lowest. So your facial oil is best applied with your night time routine, as skin can absorb all the nutrients most efficiently. During the daytime it is also best to prioritise using sun care products with a high SPF and broad spectrum UV protection. A Face oil is the heaviest of the natural skincare products and so it is best left to last as it can penetrate any creams, lotions or serums and create a protective layer to keep the moisture content in. Always gently dab your product into the skin - avoid rubbing which encourages more skin damage. And remember that a little goes a long way, especially if you're just getting started with face oils or hair/scalp oils. Test the waters first (so to speak) and then you can always increase little by little if you think you need to!

Here's to happy, healthy and glowing skin!