In the beauty world of old, oils were for dimly lit back massages and long soaks in the tub. But in recent years, our self-care culture has elevated the slick stuff from a niche body product to a star player in our daily skin-care routines. There now exists an oil for every issue—CBD potions for frazzled faces, retinol formulas for mature skin, antioxidant infusions for the dull and defenseless. All of which sounds great—but practically speaking, says Dr. Shereene Idriss, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, “oils should really be used to seal in actives, minimize evaporation, and lock in water.”
In fact, she makes a point of saying that she doesn’t love oils as a delivery vehicle for active ingredients, because certain workhorse ingredients, like retinol, are lipophilic, or oil-loving. And if they’re happy in the slippery base surrounding them, she explains, “they’re less likely to transfer out of it and into your skin.” Who knew? (Well, perhaps you did: Anyone who watches Dr. Idriss’s #pillowtalkderm series via her Instagram stories is keenly aware that face oils are among her hot-button issues.)
Using face oils on dry vs. dehydrated skin
Oils can benefit virtually everyone—if you use them right. To start, it helps to know if your skin is dry or dehydrated—or maybe both. While the terms are often used interchangeably, they’re not truly synonymous. “Dry skin lacks oil, whereas dehydrated skin lacks water,” Dr. Idriss says. To figure out what’s missing from your skin, pay attention to your symptoms. “Dry skin presents with a tight feeling, it can be flaky, it gets easily inflamed or irritated,” she adds, primarily because its barrier is compromised.
Dehydrated skin, on the other hand, may look dull but it can also be oily, as it sometimes overcompensates for its lack of hydration by cranking out more of its natural moisturizer, sebum. With dehydrated skin, “the barrier is generally healthy,” notes Dr. Hadley King, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. According to board-certified New York City dermatologist Dr. Michele Green, an obvious mark of dehydration is makeup that turns patchy throughout the day “as your skin absorbs any moisture it can from your base.”
Suffice it to say, an oil alone cannot save thirsty skin. That’s because unlike lotions or creams, which contain a mix of three key moisturizing components—humectants, to draw in water; emollients, to soften skin and strengthen the barrier; and occlusives, to trap moisture and curb water loss—oils typically operate only as emollients or occlusives. Which means slapping an oil onto bare dehydrated skin will do little more than impart a fleeting sheen, since “water is what helps you get that lasting glow most of us desire,” says Dr. Green. Only by first hydrating parched skin with a product rich in water-grabbing humectants—like glycerin, hyaluronic acid, panthenol, honey—will you actually “increase the amount of water in your skin cells, resulting in a healthy, smooth, plump complexion” while encouraging optimal cellular function, she says.
Like the icing on a cake, facial oils should be applied as the last step in your routine (with the exception of sunscreen in the daytime), to help safeguard the moisture produced by the other ingredients in your recipe. Ahead, our experts share their favorite facial oils for nourishing every skin type.
Oily, breakout-prone, or combination skin: light anti-inflammatory oils
Kiehl’s Daily Reviving Concentrate ($78)
This noncomedogenic blend combines anti-inflammatory tamanu oil, which “is great for acne-prone skin,” says Dr. Green, with “vitamin-packed sunflower oil,” to hydrate oily skin without clogging pores.
Joanna Vargas Rejuvenating Serum ($100)
With a chemical composition similar to human sebum, “jojoba oil balances the skin by [keeping it from] overproducing oil in areas where [none is] needed,” Dr. Green explains.
BeautyStat Universal Moisture Essence ($40)
According to Dr. King, squalane has been shown to reduce the redness and swelling associated with inflammatory acne, rosacea, eczema, and psoriasis. Plus it’s ultralight and absorbs in seconds.
Dry, dehydrated, or sensitive skin: moisturizing oils
Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil ($72)
Free of essential oils and fragrance, this formula features pure marula oil, which nourishes the moisture barrier with emollient fatty acids and amino acids.
Carter + Jane The Everything Oil ($128)
This versatile face-and-body formula hydrates and moisturizes depleted skin with a blend of fatty acid-rich oils (prickly pear seed, avocado, sweet almond) plus aloe vera, a natural humectant, “making it particularly well-suited for dry and sensitive skin types,” says Dr. King. If you’re truly dehydrated, you’ll still want to smooth on a humectant-enriched cream pre-oil.
Ghost Democracy Softglow Facial Oil ($38)
This cocktail of omega-packed plant oils—sweet almond, sunflower, cloudberry, cottonseed, meadowfoam—is spiked with soothing squalane and bisabolol, allowing it to shore up the skin’s moisture barrier while staving off irritation.
HydroPeptide Moisture Reset Phytonutrient Facial Oil ($120)
With its impressive 13 oils and blend of collagen-boosting peptides, this nourishing oil locks in moisture and improves skin texture. Use it on its own after applying serum, or mix a few drops in with your moisturizer.
Mature skin: antioxidant oils
Vintner’s Daughter Active Botanical Serum ($185)
The cult classic combines a cast of omega fatty acids and plant-derived ceramides with dozens of damage-controlling antioxidants, to temporarily plump fine lines and protect the skin while stimulating cell turnover.
Biography Golden Ray Glow Drops ($112)
Amber-hued, with a bright floral scent, it imparts a sunlit glow while aiming to spark collagen production and repair sun damage with an antioxidant-forward mix of French marine algae, carrot seed oil, and moisturizing seed extracts.
Hugh & Grace Face Serum ($95)
Powerhouse brightening vitamin C teams up with natural oils of rosehip, evening primrose, pumpkin seed, and black currant, battling destructive free radicals and nagging dryness with equal efficacy.
Furtuna Skin Due Alberi Biphase Moisturizing Oil ($225)
Olive oil, olive leaf water, and blackberry and poppy extracts are just some of the many antioxidants you’ll find in this unique two-phase facial oil. Make sure to first shake the bottle to mix the oil and water, then apply a few drops to cleansed skin.
