Tips from the Team | Alessia's Guide on Face Oils

Why Face Oil in the Winter? 

We are all aware of the effect winter can have on our mood, but we often forget to address the extreme stress harsh elements and central heating can put on our skin. Throughout these winter months, our skin needs a little more TLC and one of the simplest and most effective ways to help protect your skin and really amp-up the moisture is by using a natural face oil. Now, I know for many the fear may set in as soon as the word “oil” is mentioned, but fear not! Facial oils are one of  my top-tips for safeguarding your skin against the winter blues!

 

How does face oil help our skin? 

Our skin naturally makes oils and lipids, which help prevent water loss from our skin and keep it hydrated and protected. When our skin is compromised it can often be due to an unbalance in our oil production.

Natural face oils contain key elements needed for effective skincare such as essential fatty acids omega-3 and omega-6, which are the building blocks of healthy cell membranes. These help produce the skin's natural oil barrier to hydrate and strengthen skin.

 There are two main fatty acid categories to think about when it comes to face oils: linoleic and oleic acids. These two skincare superstars are both crucial for the health of your skin. Natural face oils are rich in both these fatty acids in different percentages to compliment different skin types.

 

OILY SKIN 

For those with oily skin it's important to make sure you are using a product which is high in linoleic acid as opposed to oleic acid as this is what oily skin is generally lacking. By introducing this to your regime, you can effectively fight against the loss of water and protect against bacteria. 

 

SENSITIVE, DRY OR MATURE SKIN 

For those with sensitive, dry, or mature skin on the other hand it's important to use a face oil which is rich in Oleic acid as this penetrates the skin more deeply and also has healing anti-inflammatory properties.  

 

COMBINATION SKIN 

For Combination skin, you will need a product which has an equal amount of both linoleic and oleic acid.

 

Which Face Oil should I be using? 

 In our face oils, we use natural pure essential oils, which are made from plant extracts. They are rich in antioxidants and many contain antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and rejuvenating properties that can address various skin issues. 

Natural plant derivatives have a small molecular size, meaning they can penetrate the skin quickly, delivering high levels of nutrients, making them more efficient.

Experimenting with essential oil blends at home can be fun but when it comes to skincare an extensive knowledge is crucial as highly concentrated oils can cause irritation if used incorrectly. Don't worry though, we have done all the hard work for you and developed three beautiful nourishing face oils to help balance and strengthen your skin while tackling other skin concerns.

 

• Rehab - is the ultimate face oil for normal to sun damaged skin helping to even out the skin's clarity. Rehab's vitamin-rich base is formulated with kiwi seed oil and baobab oil to nourish. With the addition of the one of our hero ingredients Sea Buckthorn, a high Olelic acid known for its omega-rich regenerative properties. High notes of toning and brightening Grapefruit and mood balancing Clary Sage.

 

• Skin fuel - a favourite for those wanting to tackle ageing concerns. With the marvel that is Rosehip seed oil (linoleic acid) which is rich in Vitamins A and C it's one of the holy grails of oils for it's range of benefits such as as hydration, anti inflammation, regenerative cell turnover and collagen boosting properties. We have boosted Skin Fuel with vitamin E rich Argan Oil, making it a powerful antioxidant and beautiful Evening Primrose Oil (linoleic acid) which is renowned for its ability to sooth irritation and dryness it also addresses texture elasticity. With powerful anti-ageing properties and the beautiful scents of neroli, lavender and coriander, Skin Fuel will be an instant favourite.

 

• Skin management - ideal for sensitive, imbalanced skin, suffering from redness or oily acne-prone skin (contains lots of linoleic acid with high anti inflammatory properties). Palmerosa and Geranium help to regulate sebum levels while rose flower oil and evening primrose oil help control redness and irritation, with arctic oat extract to help soothe and nourish your skin. 

 

Our face oils are an easy no-fuss step to add to your night-time routine. Simply wash your face, apply eye gel and toner if desired then add 2-3 drops on palms of hands and apply to the face, massaging onto skin. Allow 5 mins to sink-in, no need for moisturiser!

 

Why apply at night time?

At night, our bodies go into restorative mode, our body is also more able to absorb all the beneficial nutrients from the oils while we rest. Applying your facial oil at night truly allows the absorption of the oils with no other stresses to address.

 

Tips on getting more out your face oil....

• If your skin is really feeling the effects of this harsh weather and is still a little dry then add a drop of oil to your moisturiser during the day for an added boost.
• For an extra soothing vitamin-rich and hydrating face mask mix a few drops of one of our face oils with our rehab aloe vera gel and apply a healthy layer to the face leaving on for 15-30 mins then remove excess with a tissue.

 

Hopefully this has given you some (skin) food for thought and you're eager to give a face oil a try this winter! 

 

Enjoy!