Oils and your Complexion

The idea of oil and my skin hasn't always had a positive connotation. I am briefly brought back to middle school days and descriptions like pizza face or the idea of having an oil spill on my cheeks. These thoughts and memories are not pretty. As a Latina, my oily skin has always been a battle in my beauty regime. Obviously, my goals have always been to get the oily skin under control.

The thought of adding MORE oil to my skin sounded like blasphemy. What a counter intuitive idea! Add oil to combat oil? Yet, when you look at the science behind it, it kind of makes sense. So, why would adding oil to your skin benefit you? The oil your skin produces is much different than the pure plant oils in a facial product. Your skin creates additional sebum (the stuff that clogs pores and causes breakouts) when its oil content isn't balanced. So if you strip your skin's natural oils by over-cleansing, your body will actually produce more oil to compensate. So, when you're trying to dry out your skin, you're actually doing it an injustice and causing more oil to develop. Adding oils to your beauty regime can actually help balance you out. 

Aside from the oils that can help with moisturizing, they can also help keep your skin healthy. Many botanical oils, including argan, passion fruit, and African marula oils, are potent antioxidants.Oils can prevent the irritation caused by some anti-aging ingredients. Argan, yangu, and borage-seed oils all decrease inflammation. As you get older your skin's natural oils decrease, the moisture barrier breaks down, and the skin dries out. Many beauty creams contain a little bit of oil, but there's not nearly enough to make a big difference in water loss. Due to the fact that oils are lipophilic (that means fat loving) they pass though the lipid layer of the skin faster, preventing water loss and plumping skin with moisture. So, all in all oils actually are really beneficial! 

Here's the deal though,  you have to figure out which face oil is right for your skin, and start slowly with just a drop or two. One brand that I've been using and experimenting with is Oil Essentials. This is a collection of natural beauty oils that nourish and heal to deliver healthy, shiny hair and youthful hands and nails. 

They are packed with powerful yet gentle extracts from Mother Nature’s most nourishing plants and fruits, these luxurious oils inspire the senses with essential oils while providing glowing beauty benefits. These oils are free from parabens, sulfates, phthalates, synthetic colors and are safe for sensitive skin. Oil Essentials is complete with six different oils to deliver outstanding results. They have the following 

• SEABUCKTHORN BERRY & BORAGE: A harmonious blend of sea buckthorn berry and borage seed oils, bolstered by the nourishing benefits of avocado and meadowfoam seed oils. Boosts hydration for skin and adds shine to hair. 
• OMEGA 3, 6, 9 & EVENING PRIMROSE: A revitalizing, light combination of evening primrose, sunflower seed and meadowfoam seed oils, boosted with inca-inchi oil – rich in omega 3,6 and 9. Helps to heal dry skin, and strengthen and moisturize hair and scalp.
• NEROLI & AVOCADO: Stimulate your senses with this unique blend of neroli and avocado oils, boosted with sesame seed, meadowfoam seed, cardamom seed and citrus oils. Protects and balances skin and hair by controlling overproduction of sebum. 
• ARGAN & WHEAT GERM: A rich balance of argan and wheat germ oils, formulated to replenish skin and hair with essential nutrients, with added benefits of olive and meadowfoam oils. Prevents moisture loss when used on skin and an excellent conditioner for hair. 
• SWEET ALMOND & MACADAMIA: A perfect blend of sweet almond and macadamia nut oils, crafted to prevent moisture loss in skin and hair, and bolstered with jojoba and meadowfoam seed oils.
• LAVENDER & ROSE HIP: A soothing blend of lavender and rose hip oils, with the added nourishing effects of coconut, sunflower and meadowfoam seed oils.

After the harsh winter, my skin needed an overhaul! Between a better washing routine, adding the oils to my evening skin routine helped to balance out my skin. I'm noticing that when I nourish my skin, I am not nearly as oily. The Seabuckthorn  Berry and Borage and that Argan and Wheat Germ are my favorite to use. They are nourishing, smell great and have helped to add moisture to my skin while balancing out the oil. You can pick them up at Walmart, Target and Riteaid. You can learn more about Oil Essentials HERE.

There's also a topical brand you can try out from Seabuckwonders.com. The Seabuckthorne Berry has a legendary history dating back to Genghis Khan and Mythical Greece. Known historically for it's health and beauty boosting properties, sea buckthorn was commonly fed to horses to increase their health and vigor and was noted for giving them shiny fur. Thus, Hippophae Rhamnoides, the botanical name for sea buckthorn, literally stands for "tree that makes horses shine". The sea buckthorn fruit was also used medicinally for various ailments in native cultures and topically for beautiful skin. I've used this on my hair and skin on my hands to help add shine and decrease dryness.

So, oils aren't as scary to use on your skin! Give it try and let me know your experiences in the comments section below! I'd love to hear your thoughts!