How To Use A Face Oil For Happy Skin
Make your life easier. Care for and nourish your skin in an honest way
Face oils can be tricky.
How do you use a facial oil?
Will a face oil work for oily skin? Or break you out?
What are the best face oil ingredients for dry, older skin?
But get it right and a facial oil can be incredibly effective, once you get over that fear of putting an oil on your face.
Skin that is dry and needs a serious dose of hydration?
Skin that is oily prone and to break outs?
Skin that is super sensitive?
It's all about the right face oil, made with the best and most appropriate ingredients based on what your skin needs.
What Is a Face Oil?
Typically face oils are made from all oil ingredients - usually plant oils, but not always.
They are great for nourishing the skin, and make for an amazing face massage, whether that be DIY or gua sha. Face oils are great for adding glow to dry, under nourished skin.
An oil will seal in moisture to the skin, helping skin retain that feeling of plumpness.
How are Face Oils Different to Other Moisturisers?
A face oil is different to other types of moisturisers, like a cream or a serum.
Typically face creams and serums are water based, and they deliver active ingredients and moisture to the skin.
An oil on the other hand, forms a layer over these, sealing in all that goodness and extending that feeling of plumpness.
A facial oil also acts as a barrier against external stressors - especially in a British climate!
Do You Use a Face Oil Before or After your Moisturiser?
It depends - and is a point of difference between experts.
My view is that should do what works best for you.
It also depends on your own skin type, as the method and order will change based on this. I make some recommendations below.
Applying a Face Oil for Oily or, Combination Skin
If you have oily, breakout prone sensitive type skin, you absolutely can use a face oil providing it contains the best plant oils specifically for this skin type.
It is also likely that you are using a face oil as your main moisturiser in which case the question of whether to use it before or after your moisturiser becomes irrelevant.
If you are suffering with an oily T zone and dryness - which is common, I recommend using your preferred moisturiser first, and a face oil last.
Applying a Face Oil for Dry, Mature Skin
If you have dry skin, mature or menopausal skin, you are likely to be using a face oil in conjunction with an additional moisturiser.
In this case, I recommend applying your cream or serum type moisturiser before you apply your face oil. This way your face oil seals in all the goodness of your moisturiser.
Some of my ladies also like to combine their moisturiser in their hand, add a couple of drops of face oil and then apply to skin. That works too.
What are the best ingredients for a face oil?
Let's start with plant oils rather than anything synthetic or petroleum based.
Some of my favourite oils are Jojoba Oil, Rosehip Oil, Argan Oil, Hazelnut Oil, Cranberry Oil, Pomegranate Oil.
They all have different characteristics that mean they do slightly different things for the skin.
Plants oils each have a different fatty acid profile. This matters because it helps us understand why one oil will have an affinity with your skin, and another will not.
Common fatty profiles include Palmitic, Stearic, Oleic and Linoleic.
The best oils for dry skin are very moisturising and have a high oleic fatty acid profile eg Avocado Oil.
For oily, combination type skins, you will want an oil with a different fatty acid profile, one that has a 'dry' texture and is antioxidant packed, eg Cranberry.
How to Apply your Face Oil
Be gentle! No pulling or dragging of the skin.
Most experts recommend a patting motion.
It doesn't have to be fancy-schmancy, and don't feel like you need a 20 step guide Instagram style.
Start with just a few drops, there is a tendency to add to much oil in one go. It is much easier to add more if your skin needs.
If you are applying your face oil over your moisturiser, a patting motion works well.
If you have very dry skin, or if you are stressed and hold a lot of tension in your face (most of us do) you might want to try a spot of facial massage.
Massage your skin in an outward and upward direction, focussing on any areas if tension. Or even better find a willing friend or partner to do this for you.
The only thing to bear in mind is that if you have oily, combination, skin, you might need to remove any excess oil when you finish.
In conclusion, face oils are brilliant as part of your skin care tool kit. They provide hydration, moisture, help your other skin care products work better, and leave skin with a subtle glow which is particularly helpful for ageing skin.
In conclusion, face oils are brilliant as part of your skin care tool kit. They provide hydration, moisture, help your other skin care products work better, and leave skin with a subtle glow which is particularly helpful for ageing skin.
Whenever I do a personal consultation with a new customer, irrespective of their particular skincare concerns I inevitably end up recommending a facial oil, because a face oil is so effective.
If you want to keep it simple I have 2 recommendations for you:
For skin that can be tricky; oily, prone to breakouts, acne sufferers, rosacea sufferers go for our Facial Essence with Rose & Marula.
I use organic rose fruit oil, combine it with Raspberry seed oil and oil from the Marula tree and blend that with naturally antiseptic frankincense and sebum balancing palmarosa oil.
For skin that is dry or dehydrated and suffers in the colder months, go for my Deep Nourish Facial Essence with Rose & Blackcurrant.
This is packed with the most potent hydrating oils we can find, rose, blackcurrant, cranberry, pomegranate and coupled with rose flower oil and neroli essential oil.
Radiance Facial Essence with Rose & Marula
Deep Nourish Facial Essence with Rose & Blackcurrant
Less is more - a little simplicity
The idea behind The Rose Tree is grown up beauty. Less about looking 10 years younger and more about feeling amazing. The best ingredients for the job, not the cheapest. The finest natural and organic plant oils and butters, selected for their effectiveness.
I am all about being small, because small means personal, and comes with great service. I want finding beauty that works to be easy. I am passionate about manufacturing in Britain, sourcing ingredients ethically and being able to give a little back to the world.
My customers tend to fall into two groups.
They're either in their 30s and 40s juggling kiddies and jobs.
Or they tend to be in the 40s, 50s, and upwards - and are juggling busy lives with and adapting to their skin's changing needs, perimenopause, menopause and beyond.
I'm all about ignoring the rules, must have products, must have ingredients, it's exhausting. Let's ditch this idea that you need tens of products and a 10 step skincare routine.
Simplicity is good.
"A British-made, luxurious, organic brand that particularly suits sensitive skin. Perfect for the mum who likes her beauty all natural."
The Independent
What women are saying about us...
"As if it wasn't bad enough that the menopause and lack of oestrogen has dried my skin to the point of reptilian , I was horrified to keep having outbreaks of spots too - talk about insult to injury . Was sceptical that an oil would help - but on a friend's recommendation tried this oil and it clears any outbreaks overnight! Amazing!" Justine
"I have tried many other products - top of the line products - none of which accommodated the change to my maturing skin. How I wish I'd found The Rose Tree products years ago. My skin looks and feels wonderfully nourished." - Kara Joy
"I I love using the Radiance Facial Essence, it makes my skin feel fabulous. I have been using this for a number of years now and would definitely recommend it." Laura
At The Rose Tree, I believe that grown up beauty means being responsible. This includes sourcing ingredients ethically, manufacturing in England, and giving a little back.
I care about making my products safe and healthy for you—and our planet. I package the majority of products in glass. I am extremely picky about my ingredients. We never test our products on animals.
I also partner up with Buy1Give1 (B1G1), a social enterprise and non-profit organisation with a mission to create a world full of giving. Unlike conventional giving models, B1G1 helps small and medium-sized businesses achieve more social impact by embedding giving activities into everyday business operations and creating unique giving stories.
That means, with your help, we can make a small but positive difference.