Back to the roots: Facial oils are currently very popular in natural cosmetics. No wonder, as they usually come without fillers, preservatives, and additional ingredients. But is it even possible to care for your face using only oils?
In this article, you will learn about the benefits of facial oil care, what transepidermal water loss is, which oils are suitable for skin care, and how to use facial oils.
What are the benefits of skin care with facial oil?
When you integrate natural plant oils into your facial care routine, your skin benefits in two ways:
Oils contain no preservatives or fillers
Unlike water-based creams, oils manage without preservatives. The reason: they simply don't need them. And you won't find fillers in any high-quality facial oil either.
Good ingredients like antioxidants and vitamins in facial oil
Applied correctly (more on this below), you benefit from all the powerful active ingredients in plant oil facial care: antioxidants in the form of polyphenols, protective vitamins, and healthy fatty acids provide your skin with important nutrients and make it glow healthily. [1]
Myth: Do facial oils really moisturize?
A common misconception that we want to clear up here is that facial oils provide a lot of moisture. Oils are not moisturizing because they do not contain moisture, i.e., water. They even have hydrophobic properties, meaning they repel water.
Moisturizing vs. preserving moisture
However, a facial oil can still contribute to good skin hydration. How exactly? By helping your skin retain moisture and protecting it from excessive moisture loss. In skincare, this is referred to as the occlusive (sealing) effect.
Oils supply your skin with skin-identical lipids. These strengthen your skin's protective barrier and help retain water in the skin. Thus, they regulate transepidermal water loss. Transepidermal what?
Transepidermal Water Loss (TEWL)
In dermatology, transepidermal water loss refers to the natural evaporation process of the skin through the outermost skin layer. Fluid from inside the body travels through the dermis to the skin surface and evaporates. The more water evaporates, the higher the TEWL value, which can be measured with special devices. Good to know: The lower the TEWL value, the better the skin's protective or barrier function.
The TEWL value is also influenced by external circumstances. Sun, wind, cold, dry heated air, aggressive skincare products, or very low humidity can cause skin moisture to plummet. This is where targeted care, consisting of a combination of moisture-binding ingredients and high-quality oils, comes into play.
The perfect combo: Water magnets and facial oil
High-quality plant oils, when used in combination with moisture-binding active ingredients like hyaluronic acid or glycerin, help your skin lock in moisture. That's why they form the perfect skincare duo.
How do I apply facial oil correctly?
As you just learned, the best way to use a high-quality oil is in combination with a moisturizing product. A facial oil is always applied to damp skin. Therefore, you should first apply a water-based serum (for example, with hyaluronic acid or glycerin) and then the oil. However, you can also add the oil to your moisturizer.
Which oils for facial care?
First things first: To benefit from the nourishing properties and ingredients of natural oils, it is important to pay attention to quality. For skin care, you should exclusively use high-quality, cold-pressed oils, preferably organic. Below, we show you three oils that are particularly suitable for facial care.
Plum kernel oil for the face
Plum kernel oil is a true skin booster and is especially valued in the beauty industry for its slow-aging properties. It supplies the skin with valuable fatty acids and minerals, is rich in vitamin E and provitamin A, and has an exceptionally strong antioxidant effect.
Pomegranate seed oil
Pomegranate seed oil is also perfect for slow-aging care. It stimulates cell renewal, has a balancing effect, and boasts a particularly strong antioxidant action. In addition, it is especially rich in punicic acid, a rare unsaturated fatty acid with exceptionally high antioxidant properties. [2]
Squalane
Squalane is a clear, odorless, and thin oil that can be produced from olives or sugarcane, for example. It is very similar to the skin's own lipid squalene, which makes up 5–12% of the skin's natural hydrolipid film. [3] Therefore, squalane is particularly well-tolerated – even by sensitive skin.
It nourishes the skin intensively, improves its moisture balance, and makes it incredibly supple. It is light, non-greasy, and absorbs quickly. The particularly high-quality bio-based squalane from sugarcane that we use also supports a healthy microbiome and promotes a strong skin barrier, which has been confirmed in clinical studies. [4]
How can I benefit from facial oils with ruhi?
At ruhi, we are big fans of high-quality facial oils. Our oil serums contain only the best active ingredients and plant oils:
The Bakuchiol Oil Serum for intensive regeneration
The Bakuchiol Oil Serum is a 100% natural, minimally formulated oil serum and contains 1% Bakuchiol, organic turmeric, and natural vitamin E, as well as bio-based squalane from sugarcane and organic pomegranate seed oil. It stimulates the skin's natural regeneration, soothes irritated skin, and promotes collagen production, as well as skin elasticity and firmness.
The Adaptogen Vitamin C Oil Serum for protection and brightening
The highly effective Adaptogen Vitamin C Oil Serum contains 15% Vitamin C Tetra, organic Gotu Kola, organic Ginkgo, Astaxanthin, and Vitamin E, as well as organic plum kernel oil and bio-based squalane from sugarcane. It effectively protects the skin from harmful environmental influences like UV and blue light. In addition, it reduces wrinkles and lines, as well as hyperpigmentation, specifically protects against new ones, deeply nourishes the skin, and gives a radiant, even complexion.
The Adaptogen Toner Serum as an ideal moisturizing base for facial oils
As you have already learned, effective facial care contains both occlusives (such as oils) and moisture-binding active ingredients (such as hyaluronic acid or glycerin).
To optimally benefit from the wonderfully nourishing properties of the two oil serums mentioned above, we recommend our Adaptogen Toner Serum as a complementary product. It is formulated with organic rose hydrosol and organic aloe vera juice and contains two potent natural moisturizing factors (NMFs): glycerin and arginine. As a hero ingredient, an innovative stem cell extract from the Asian goji berry has been proven to reduce fine lines and wrinkles.
Due to its watery consistency, the toner serum also helps the subsequent oil serums to be better absorbed by the skin - without any annoying oily film. Therefore, always use it as the first step in your skincare ritual. In the second step, apply one of our oil serums to still damp skin. The resulting occlusive or sealing effect of the oil helps your skin retain moisture for a particularly long time. The result: plump, hydrated, radiant skin.
Sources
[1] Pinto, JR, Monteiro e Silva, SA, Holsback, VDSS, Leonardi, GR. Skin occlusive performance: Sustainable alternatives for petrolatum in skincare formulations. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2022; 00: 1– 6. doi:10.1111/jocd.14782
[2] Ramírez-Bosca, Ana & Carrion, Miguel & Navarro Lopez, Vicente. (2015). Pomegranate seed oil increases the expression of alpha 1 type I collagen, elastin and telomerase reverse transcriptase genes in Oryzias latipes embryos.. Advances in Cosmetics and Dermatology. 1. 1-8.
[3] https://olionatura.de/oele-und-buttern/squalan/
[4] Huang ZR, Lin YK, Fang JY. Biological and pharmacological activities of squalene and related compounds: potential uses in cosmetic dermatology. Molecules. 2009 Jan 23;14(1):540-54. doi: 10.3390/molecules14010540. PMID: 19169201; PMCID: PMC6253993.
