Transition to Oils with Confidence

Switching to natural skincare often starts with a common blunder – we ditch creams because of their complex, preservative-filled ingredient lists and opt for oils, since everything seems so clean and simple. Let's get into the nitty-gritty.

Why no preservatives?

It's simple: no water, no life (unless you dip into the oil jar with wet hands, obviously). That’s why just antioxidants suffice for oils. But are oils enough for your skin?

What does your skin need that oils lack?

Ceramides, triglycerides, cholesterol, and squalene – hese are the bricks building your skin's lipid barrier. Without them, skin becomes vulnerable to infections, more sensitive, and flaky, while some areas might get overly oily.

VITAMINS

• Vitamin C – Boosts collagen production, brightens pigmentation, strengthens vessels, and acts as an antioxidant and a natural sun protector, also tackling acne.
• Vitamin B5 (Panthenol) – Soothes the skin, treats inflammation, and reduces scarring.
• Vitamin B3 (Niacinamide) – Targets pigmentation, strengthens capillaries, and enhances the skin’s microbiome.

PEPTIDES: Various peptides offer different properties, often stimulating the production of collagen, elastin, and enhancing skin's metabolic processes.

PRO- and PREbiotics: These improve the skin's microbiome, often dramatically enhancing skin health.

MOISTURIZING COMPONENTS: Urea, lactic acid, hyaluronic acid. Oils can partially reinforce the lipid layer if cleverly combined with other components, but they simply cannot hydrate skin, no matter how often manufacturers claim otherwise.

But let's tackle your questions one at a time…

When can oils be used instead of creams?

Natural oils have been used for cosmetic purposes since ancient Greece and Egypt, and dermatologists continue to use them either as bases for skincare products or in their pure form.

But can natural oils permanently replace creams, and are there any limitations to their use? Note that the properties of nearly any cosmetic oil are simply splendid:

• They're 100% natural with no chemical additives.
• They contain vitamins A and E which prolong skin youth, as well as B-vitamins, D, and F.
• Oleic and linoleic acids in oils hydrate and soften the skin, maintain its elasticity, and prevent flaking. And the body cannot produce these fatty acids on its own.
• Oils enhance metabolic processes and protective functions, and stimulate lymph and blood circulation.

Using oils is recommended regardless of skin type, just find the right combination. However, using oils instead of face creams on a continuous basis isn’t possible, as these mediums serve different purposes and capabilities.

A precisely adjusted balance is necessary, where oil is not used in place of cream but in conjunction with it. For regular use, you might prefer creams that include both water and oil components. However, if considering when oil can replace a cream, it’s best applied before nighttime rest as a nourishing agent, like THE OIL, while exclusively hydrating creams should be used during the day.

How to properly use oils instead of cream?

The golden rule when using oils – apply them to moist, clean skin to maintain hydration, and only use the type of oil or oil blend that the skincare manufacturer specifies in their usage guidelines.

Over the oil, you can apply a moisturizing cream, allowing the formed film to thin out and let all the beneficial substances penetrate deeper, enhancing skin firmness and density.

It’s especially crucial to apply oils on clean skin if using products with active ingredients, like retinol. Such oils require unimpeded application without any "underlayer" from other products. Active ingredients are better dripped into the hands, rubbed, and then applied to the face.

Other oils can be added to moisturizing creams, considering the possibility of shine if used for oily skin.

When using oils without active substances like retinol, they should be massaged into the skin with gentle, soft movements to:

• Speed up oil penetration into the skin.
• Achieve complete relaxation of facial muscles.
• Improve blood circulation.

After the massage, to evenly distribute the remaining oil, the skin should be gently stroked and patted. If too much oil has been applied, excess can be removed with a dry tissue pressed against the face to absorb it. To avoid wastage, it's best to limit yourself to 10 drops per procedure, considered the optimal dosage.

How to combine oil with cream?

Oil can be either carrier or essential.

• Carrier oils are extracted from parts of oil plants, their seeds, and grains. Popular options include grape seed, wheat germ, olive, coconut, argan oil, and shea butter.
• Essential oils are obtained through distillation, processing the leaves, seeds, pistils, and blooms of plants like lavender, rose, jasmine, tea tree, and others.

In undiluted form, only carrier oils should be used. To use essential substances safely, they must be mixed with a carrier base:

• Take a small container.
• Place the cream needed for one procedure into it.
• Add a few drops of oil.
• Mix everything thoroughly.
• Apply the product following the massage lines of the face.

Remember, all natural oils are prone to oxidation. How quickly this happens depends on the type of lighting; artificial light acts slower than sunlight. To prevent oil spoilage, it's recommended to store it in a dark place at a low temperature in containers made of dark glass.

How to choose oil for your skin type?

Whatever oil you choose, it will clog pores to a greater or lesser extent. If the skin actively produces sebum and is prone to acne, oil might be unnecessary. Therefore, when choosing, it's important to check whether the oil contains active components and consider skin types:

• Dry: The oil for this skin type should contain a lot of vitamin E and fatty acids to prevent moisture loss. The best choices for dry skin are jojoba, rose, grape seed, avocado, olive, and argan oils.
• Oily: Oils should contain components with antioxidant or antibacterial properties. For example, tea tree, St. John's wort, or black cumin oil are suitable for eliminating inflammation or acne. Also, pay attention to the amount of retinol or salicylic acid. To regulate the formation of sebum, omega-6 is recommended. Caution should be exercised when using thick, dense oils, like coconut oil.
• Sensitive: Even properly selected ingredients can cause skin irritation, especially considering their plant origin. Before applying the product to the face, it's preliminarily tested by applying it to the hand's skin. If irritation occurs, the use of the product is discontinued. For sensitive skin, it's better to use vitamin E, jojoba, and rosehip oil.

Jojoba, sea buckthorn, apricot kernel, and wheat germ oils are suitable for all skin types.

Why can't you use oil for your face?

The main thing to remember about oils is that they completely lack water. Consequently, this ingredient cannot moisturize the skin, although, by creating a film on the surface, it quite effectively maintains the necessary moisture level, preventing its evaporation.

There are other "buts." For example, oils lack peptides, fruit hydroacids, water-soluble minerals – all these components are necessary for full-fledged skin nutrition. Regular use of oils can cause untidy skin shine, and if the skin was originally dry, there is a high risk of pigmentation spots formation.

The film formed by oils not only prevents moisture from escaping but also does not allow oxygen to penetrate into the cells, simultaneously hindering the removal of harmful substances. Oils can destroy the natural protection of the skin from ultraviolet rays and other external factors. If oils are regularly applied without limiting their amount, there is a real risk of clogging pores, leading to breakouts and the appearance of blackheads.

So, using oils as a complete care option won't work because it's impossible to predict the negative consequences.

How often can you use oil for your face?

Another rule that should not be violated is that oils are not recommended for daily use to avoid harming the skin and to get a more complete response from it. Especially when the oil contains retinol or antioxidants in large amounts.

What are the risks of violating this rule? Lipids in large amounts can disrupt the PH balance of the skin. To avoid unpleasant consequences, it is necessary:

• Apply oils to the skin no more than once or twice a week. For dry skin types, the amount can be increased to three times.
• It is better to use oils before nighttime sleep.
• Oil should be used gradually, first applying a few drops and monitoring the skin's response.

If the skin is dry, it is better to use oil as a base when applying makeup, with the best time of application being morning or night. If the skin is oily, the oil should be applied overnight, it will help inhibit the production of sebum.

The Summary

• Oils are excellent for complementing care – during the dry season or in autumn, apply before/after/mix with the main cream.
• It is not possible to replace cream with oils – over time, the skin may become dehydrated and dry because oils tend to mix with the skin's own lipids and push them out (this is precisely why oils are great for cleansing pores).

I'm sure among you, there is more than one story about how you switched to care with pure oils, and your skin began to flake, so I recommend you take a test to determine which cream and care will suit your skin and take a closer look at our product THE OIL.