Face to Face: Oils for Oily Skin

Collage by Aylea Skye/ Original Images by Aylea Skye and Unknown Sources

There’s a general belief that oily skin, acne prone doesn’t need to be moisturised, and an even more firmly believed is that it doesn't need oils. However, both are indeed wrong. One of the worse things to do to oily skin is to use harsh foaming cleansers and abandon moisturiser, as cleansers strip the skin of natural oils, making it dry and therefore it will overcompensate for this and produce excessive oil. One of the best things to do for oily skin is to treat it with oils. Yes, oils. It’s a similar stance to ‘fight fire with fire’. Perhaps this is a practice best done at night, with a light moisturiser being used in the day but it is a practice to be done. Now, of course not any oil will do. There are particular oils that will nourish oily skin without clogging up the pores and making the issue worse; these oils are often lightweight, antiseptic or packed with antioxidants. Some of the best oils for oily, acne prone skin are essential oils that can be diluted in non-obtrusive carrier oils like jojoba oil, or even better rosehip oil (which is great for clearing up scars). Some of these are...

Tea Tree Oil

The beauty of tea tree oil lies in its powerful antiseptic properties. it can be mixed with a carrier oil or dabbed directly onto a blemish to help clear them up and keep future breakouts at bay. 

Lavender Oil

Like tea tree oil, lavender oil is antiseptic, but it also is great for reducing the skin from producing excess oil and fading post breakout scarring. (Additional tip: using it before bed will assure the most blissful sleep).

Ylang Ylang Oil

A combination of the two previously mentioned Ylang Ylang is great for oily skin and acne suffers due it’s anti-bacterial properties, ability to control sebum levels and lightweight feel. 
When essential oils just aren’t working (because sometimes they don’t) science is required, and by science I mean face oils blended by a dermatologist for oily skin. These are more prevalently blue due to the use of blue tansy oil; an oil extracted from the flower of the same name that is heralded for is antibacterial and inflammatory properties and skin-calming quality. This really seems to work in...

Raaw in a Jar: Blue Beauty Drops

One of the best face oils for acne prone skin in one of the prettiest bottles. Its active ingredients are blue tansy, ylang-ylang, baobab seed oil, jojoba oil and vitamin E, which infused together result in silky, soft, clear skin. The formula is so light it can be used both day and night as a moisturiser. 

Herbivore Botanicals: Lapis Face Oil

A similar formula to Raaw in a Jar’s Blue Beauty Drops and with similar effect leaves skin feeling smooth, reduces sebum production and tackles blemishes. 

Sunday Riley: UFO Oil

Last year this would have gone to their Artemis Face Oil which is now discontinued, and so the UFO Oil justly takes its place. Slightly more acne targeted than the above mentions, it blends the antiseptic power of tea tree oil and black cumin oil with the calming nature of chamomile and neroli, scar reducing effects of liquorice and moisturising qualities of milk thistle and cucumber for an all round perfect product. So, if your skin doesn’t seem to know how to control it’s sebum production don’t fear oil, embrace it, just in a selective manner.