Love face oils? Here are 5 new ways to use them

I’ve always liked the idea of face oils and encouraged their use, especially if you have dry skin. Well now that it’s winter, my skin has officially gone from combination to Saharan-desert dry, and needless to say, I’ve been obsessed (more like completely dependent) on face oils to save it. 

What’s in this post?

1. 1 important thing you may or may not know about face oils, and how that affects its usage. ⇢
2. 5 new (or at least lesser known) ways to use face oils. Aka, how I’ve been using face oils, yes, multiple oils, in my routine. ⇢
3. How to pick a face oil that works for you, and which oils to avoid when using these new methods. ⇢
4. Mini reviews on the oils I’m currently using. ⇢
5. #PoshChat: My Thanksgiving weekend and Black Friday shopping experience. ⇢

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Oils as penetration enhancers?

I’m sorry if that sounded dirty, and I’m sorry if you didn’t notice before and noticed now that I’ve mentioned it. Anyways, we all know oils are great for nourishing and hydrating the skin, but they can also help enhance the penetration of other skincare ingredients. Say what?

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Oils have much smaller molecules and a similar makeup to the lipids on our skin. Given that our moisture barrier is composed of lipids, lipophilic (fat-soluble) ingredients like oils can more easily pass through, and their small particle size can penetrate deeper into our skin (source).

So not only is do the nutrients in the oils get absorbed by our skin, but it can condition the outer layer of our skin – the stratum corner – and allow it to better absorb subsequent products, especially actives like vitamin c and retinol (source)! Keep these facts in mind as we go through the following tips:

5 new ways to use face oils

1. As the first step in your skincare routine. No you didn’t read this wrong, and it’s actually a popular method in Asia, and now you know why! You can even apply a warm towel over your face afterwards to really help with the product absorption.
2. Apply a couple drops to a toner-soaked cotton pad. This is great if you don’t like the oily feeling, but still want to get its benefits. The cotton pad will help soak up some of the extra oiliness, and the toner makes it easier to spread over your skin.
3. Mix it with toner to create an emulsion. You’re probably mixing oils with moisturizers and serums already, so why not with toner? Just pour some toner in your hand, add a couple drops of oil, rub it together, and apply. This is a great way to DIY your own emulsion with products you already have and love!
4. Apply a few drops before masking. Whether its a sheet mask or a moisturizing cream mask, applying a few drops can really boost the effect of the mask. I wouldn’t recommend this method for a deep-cleansing clay mask though, that’d be counterintuitive.
5. Oil mask with a cotton pad. So instead of lotion masking, we’re oil masking! Simply soak a cotton pad with some face oil and apply them to the dry areas of your face for a couple minutes. You can do this at any step in your skincare routine where you’d normally apply the oil.

Word of warning though, not all oils are meant to be used in the above 5 ways. Some oils, like almond, avocado, olive, sesame, castor, and apricot are considered occlusive, and can actually prevent subsequent ingredients from being absorbed.(source)

Check the ingredient list to see if any of the above oils is near the top. If yes, use them the regular way – aka near the end of your skincare routine. If they’re near the bottom of the list, they probably won’t be occlusive enough to matter.

Other than avoiding these occlusive oils, it’s also important to find oils that fit your skin’s type and needs. For example, rosehip oil is great for hyper-pigmentation while the antiseptic grape seed oil works well for acne-prone skin. Don’t forget, essential oils have their unique properties as well, but luckily most oils are already pre-formulated for certain skin types to address certain issues.

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My oil obsession is rather new, so I’ve only tried 3 so far:

• Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate – Love how silky smooth this feels on the skin, and its soothing lavender scent is perfect for bedtime. This is the lightest of the 3 oils and absorbs like a dream. Word of caution: when applied immediately before or after certain serums, it can cause seriously pilling.
• Skin Actives Every Lipid Serum – The ingredient list is a dream, and it’s saved my skin countless times post-Curology. The only downside to this oil is its heavy texture and its cooking oil scent. It’s definitely the least fun to use, but this oil works.
• Andalou Natural 1000 Roses Moroccan Beauty Oil – BeautyandtheCat raved about this, and now I see why. It’s very lightweight and absorbs quickly, yet it’s still very hydrating. This is my favorite oil to use for 1 reason – the scent. It smells SO. FRIGGIN. GOOD. If there are flowers in heaven, they’d smell like this oil.

I actually think all skin types can use these 3 oils without any issues, though combo/oily types might find the Skin Actives ELS texture a turnoff. Also, you don’t have to apply the oil all over your face – you can apply them just on the drier parts like cheeks and eye area, which is what I do!

Jenny Wu

Passionate about science-based skincare. Tested hundreds if not thousands of products since my 20's. Working regularly with brands like iHerb, Ulta, CurrentBody, and MedStar Health to share my knowledge and experience in all things beauty. Learn more.

Skin profile: 35+, dry/combination, focused on well-aging, hydration, and a healthy glow ✨