The oil stage of the nightly face regime isn't something that everyone needs to do, but I have found that adding oil to my face (before the moisturiser) has done a good job at helping to keep my face soft and moisturised.
I've tried a number of tester face oils in the past and have really enjoyed the way they felt and the effect they had on my skin, but the Dr Organic Moroccan Argan Oil Facial Oil is the first oil that was brought and tried in full. My Mum actually got it for me for Christmas and then I brought it again from Holland and Barrett when it ran out. This oil smelt amazing and it was really nice rubbing it into my skin. It sank in pretty well, though it did sometimes feel like some residue was left on my face. However, it don't mind this feeling so it didn't bother me too much. The packaging says that it's suitable for vegetarians, but a look at the ingredients show that it's actually vegan and Dr Organic is cruelty free (though pending it's status on Logical Harmony). If I was going to buy a premade face oil again this would definitely be on my list, but I decided to give mixing my own a go. In fact, the oil in the picture is actually my own concoction in the Dr Organic bottle which I reused to not only reduce waste but also because it works so well.
These are the oils I now use to make my own facial oil. They are based on the fact that my skin tends to be dry and scars easily, usually after the rare times I do get a spot and in connection to one of my treatments connected to having PCOS. The two main oils I use are Jojoba and Avocado. This is usually in a 50 / 50 consistency but I will change that depending on what my skin is going, using more Avocado oil when my skin is particularly dry. Jojoba oil is a good allrounder, good for both hair and skin, and used by Native American tribes for years. Jojoba oil is unique to other oils as it closely resembles our own waxy sebum which conditions our skin. I do sometimes use it on it's own and, because it's a wax, it doesn't feel oily or greasy on the skin and always feels like it's absorbed completely into the skin. I use it because it acts to replace our own sebum which gets stripped off every time we wash and the Jojoba oil acts as a protective layer on my skin which moisturises my skin and helps prevent my mild eczema from flaring up. Avocado oil is one of the thickest, most nourishing of the oils as it contains large quantities of palmitoleic acid (a fatty acid found naturally in human adipose or fat tissues. The idea is that as the body recognises this as a fatty acid as something familiar it absorbs into the skin's lower layers providing nourishment. It is usually recommended for more mature skin, but I love it for the fact that it is so moisturising and is a natural inflammatory, helping with any allergies or eczema. It also helps with any scarring I have.
The other oils I probably don't need to add, but I like putting them in. The first is Rosehip oil (which usually makes up 10% of my oil mixture) which contains Vitamin A and high concentration of alpha-linolenic acid, which are good for reducing irritation and fading scars. You almost always need to mix this with other carrier oils. The last is an essential oil, Frankincense in fact. This is the only essential oil I use in my face oil, but it's a great essential oil. For me it's the regenerative properties that makes this a great oil which helps with any scarring I have, but I also use it to help with the pigmentation around my mouth that started when I fit 30 and I have to say that it's been very effective on that front. If I was to add another essential oil then it would probably be Clay Sage, which is meant to be good at regulating the production of sebum helping with dry skin, but I'm happy with what I have at the moment.
So the makeup of my homemade facial oil at the moment is:
- 45% Jojoba oil (may vary)
- 45% Avocado oil (may vary)
- 10% Rosehip oil
- 5 - 10 drops of Frankincense
I love this combination but, if my research into oils has taught me anything, it's that all the oils have some benefit for almost all skin types (whether oily or dry) and it's just about finding a combination that suits you or just that you like.
Dr Organic Moroccan Argan Oil Facial Oil can be found at Holland & Barrett.
I brought the oils from Mystic Moments (you can get other things for making soaps etc).
A good resource I've found for information regarding oils is Natural Living Ideas.
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