Dear Megan,
What are face oils? How should I use them?
– Kendra W.
To me, face oils are the pinnacle of skincare luxury.
A face oil….it seems pretty straightforward right? Just an oil for your face, duh! Surprisingly it’s actually much more complex than that. How you apply face oil, how often you’re using it, and even the order in which you apply it, in regards to your skincare routine, can influence the results you get.
Here are the tried and true, best ways to use face oil so you are getting the most from your product!
Finding the Right Method for Your Skin Type:
Believe it or not- how you should be applying your face oil depends on the type of skin you have! Sounds confusing, but luckily celebrity esthetician Renée Rouleau breaks down the best ways to apply face oil based on your skin type. Don’t be overwhelmed- once you get it down, your skin will thank you!
Oily/Combination Acne Prone Skin:
For those who are on the oily side and prone to breakouts, Rouleau suggests massaging (or rather, patting) 1-3 drops of oil into your skin after you’ve completed your night time routine (cleanse, tone, serum, moisturizer). Rouleau suggests applying face oil after moisturizer as it will help to prevent water loss. However- use oil sparingly! “You don’t want to overuse a treatment oil because it will create a layer over the top of the surface, which then creates more heat to be trapped within the skin. Heat will cause more oil production and allow for bacteria to grow more quickly, ultimately resulting in a potential for increased acne,” warns Rouleau.
While I agree with this, it may be an oversimplification. Occlusive agents will trap in heat, where as emollients, not so much. So the composition of the oil you’re using may change whether or not the previous statement is true for you.
Normal/Dry Skin
If you have normal to dry skin, Rouleau suggests mixing about 4-6 drops of the oil in with your moisturizers. She also says that those with dry skin can use it on top of moisturizer but should never wear face oil in place of or under a moisturizer. “When you use moisturizer (often containing antioxidants, retinol, or firming peptides) over the oil, the beneficial ingredients will not be able to penetrate the skin effectively because the oil will act as a barrier.” (source)
Want to go Solo with Your Oil? Application Makes All The Difference
If you know your oils and your skin type, you might decide to skip the mixing and applying the face oil as a separate step.
As tempting as it is to vigorously rub face oil into your skin (the way you would with body lotion) that actually is not the correct way to apply it, and can render the product ineffective. By rubbing it into the skin, the product doesn’t have a chance to sink in properly. Not to mention the unnecessary pulling at your skin. What you should do instead is apply the oil to your finger tips and gently press it into your skin. This will allow the oil to literally “melt” into the skin and absorb properly, giving you better results. (source)
Where Face Oils Fit Into Your Skincare Routine
Another question that I get all the time is where a face oil fits in an overall skincare routine. With cleansers, toners, moisturizers, retinols.. it can get confusing! Each product is expensive by itself, so you don’t want to accidentally render the effects useless, right? Well, no worries.
Here are some examples skincare regimens, based on skin type. If you don’t use one or more of the products, no worries–this list is hyper-inclusive. Just scratch it out and keep moving along the list in order.
For Oily/Acne-prone/Combo Skin:
In the morning:
- Cleanse
- Tone*
- Use your AHA / BHA exfoliant
- Apply your day serum
- Apply moisturizer
- Dab face oil into entire face
- Apply sunscreen
- Apply makeup
In the evening:
- Cleanse
- Tone*
- Apply retinoid or prescription cream
- Apply any night serums
- Apply nighttime moisturizer or eye cream
- Apply face oil
For those with acne-prone skin, we suggest using witch hazel or other non-alcohol based toners, in order to avoid excessive drying.
For Normal / Dry Skin:
In the morning:
- Cleanse
- Tone
- Use your AHA / BHA exfoliant
- Apply your day serum
- Apply moisturizer w/ a few drops of face oil mixed in
- Apply sunscreen
- Apply makeup
In the evening:
- Cleanse
- Tone*
- Apply retinoid or prescription cream
- Apply any night serums
- Apply nighttime moisturizer + a few drops of face oil
- apply eye cream and/or WINK!
Wait a Second.. What About SHINE?
This is where things take on a second level of complication (are you ready?):
SHINE is both a face oil and a treatment oil.
How and where it fits in your routine depends on how you’re using it. The composition of SHINE is such that it can be both a treatment and an overall face oil.
If you read this post here about where SHINE fits into a routine, you might notice that it’s different than the lists above. This is because some people use SHINE as a face oil (like me!) and some use it as a spot treatment for fading dark spots.
SHINE as a face oil
If you’re using SHINE as a total face oil, you can follow the regimen above for your skin type and sub in “SHINE” for “face oil.”
SHINE as a spot treatment
If you’re using SHINE as a spot treatment, it should sub-in for or next to your “serum.” This is because SHINE in that case is a spot treatment that should penetrate the skin first before any occlusive agents, to give the SHINE a chance to sink in first before it’s locked in.
Takeaways: How to Use Face Oils
So there you have it, the best way to apply face oil! Not so scary, huh?
If you haven’t started using a face oil we recommend incorporating one like SHINE into your routine. SHINE uses a blend of awesome oils like pomegranate, jojoba, and argan to brighten and nourish your skin. It’s vegan, cruelty free, and made with 75% organic ingredients. Definitely worth checking out if you want to hop on the face oil bandwagon!
Not sure about SHINE just yet? Don’t worry.. samples are on their way! Soon you will be able to add one to your order for free ?
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