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Face Oils



Oils have a terrible reputation in the acne-prone world -- it's as though people think they're being peddled bottles of bacteria-ridden excess sebum. I recently put an oil on a very dry-skinned friend of mine, and even she freaked out about what the oil would do to her skin.  Cut to one week later, and she was happily ordering her bottle of Pai Rosehip online.

With oils, as with all products, you need to keep in mind that not everyone uses the same one, trial and error is your best friend, and you need to give them enough time to work. That is, do your research, get a whackload of samples, and don't freak out if your skin purges.  Here are the ones I've been playing with lately.

Pai Rosehip BioRegenerate* $35/30 ml
This combination of fruit and seed oil touts some anti-aging and healing claims that I can't speak for, given my age.  I do think that it helps calm down some of my breakouts, but I wouldn't rely on this as sole treatment. This is the driest oil of the three -- I find that I need three to four drops to cover my entire face, because it literally feels like it absorbs the second you put it on.  This is great for underneath your makeup, or even to mix into foundation for a lighter coverage. I've been using this mainly at night with the rest of my Pai skincare (post to come!).  Also, this smells like chocolate.  It's not bad, but it does confuzzle my brain a little.

Suti Rejuvenate Organic Face Oil $52/30ml
I won this in The Blossom Shed's giveaway about a year ago, and I love this!  The powerhouse combination smells like orange peel.  This doesn't absorb fully the way that the Pai oil does, so I prefer to use it like a treatment.  Before bed (or early in the morning on a weekend), I'll slather 5 - 6 drops of this all over my face and let it sit for about a half hour and remove the excess with a one-ply tissue.  I also really like to mix this into my other moisturizers if they're just not doing it for me that day.

Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil $58/50 ml
Argan Oil has been the wunderkind of all skin and hair care for the past five years.  To be perfectly honest, I'm getting a little sick of all the shampoos that slap Argan on the label for the sake of it.  There are other ingredients out there!  That said, I love this multi-purpose oil, it really does hydrate my hair (possibly more than my beloved Kerastase Ultime...), and it's great on days that my skin feels parched and rough. One of my favourite tricks is to layer it under Nuxe Reve de Miel for an extra-hydrating kick.


*PR Sample

39 comments :

  1. Ohh, chocolate smelling oil! Sounds like love =D My jojoba oil smells like green tea and I love it for that reason <3

    There's so many different oils out there, it's kind of overwhelming! But I have the argan oil too, and it works so well on the dry spot on my forehead (better than Kiehl's ultra face cream!). I think I'll give the tissue wiping trick a try...that's so smart!

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    1. It's definitely overwhelming -- jojoba's a great one to start with. I use that on my body sometimes when I feel like my skin needs a little hydration help. Let me know how that tissue trick works for you!

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  2. I love rosehip oil (: I've been using it a lot on my scar!
    Great review! x

    talkingpickles.blogspot.com

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    1. Good call, it has some extreme healing properties. How is it working for you?

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  3. I really need to invest in a facial oil!

    Dusterknuckles | I'm Having A Celine Giveaway

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    1. It's one of the best things I've ever done for my skin!

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  4. I'm adjusting my skincare routine and really curious how you use your facial oil. I stayed away from them mainly because I don't like the oily feeling on my skin. But if it's packed with vitatmins and organic goodies, it sounds like a great way to nourish the skin. Any thoughts?

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    1. If I'm doing a completely thorough routine, I use my face oil after serum, before moisturizer. That said, the face oils I like are usually packed with skin-loving nutrients so I usually replace my serum with a face oil.

      The way I keep most oils from feeling oily is to really take the time to massage them in -- a lot of people don't take enough to work in the product. If you still feel slick after you've completely given your face a workout, blot the rest with a tissue.

      I always follow with another product to seal in the hydration, usually my moisturiser. On days that I feel particularly oily, I'll follow with something light (like the Neostrata Oil-free Moisture Infusion Lotion) or a mattifying primer/lotion (like the Bioderma Pore Refiner). That's usually enough to give me a smooth surface for makeup.

      Also, after a while, you learn to let go of that ultra-matte skin look. As an oily-skinned gal myself, I used to blot/powder/mattify like it was going out of style, but now I fully embrace dewy foundations/radiant primers/highlighters.

      Totally didn't mean to write a whole blog post here, but I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions! If there's enough interest, I may just develop this into a video... ;-)

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    2. A big thank you and hugs to you!!! Thank you for taking time answering my question and being so patient with me :D

      I totally agree that I adore the natural glow and dewy foundations more and more each day! Now what I don't really understand is how oil won't overwhelm your facial oil. I have combination skin that oxidizes foundations like crazy. Oil-free formula suits me best. If I add facial oil into my skin care routine, will it interfere with foundations?

      Also, out of curiosity, why do you need both oily and moisturizer? I though moisturizer hydrated your skin too. Won't that be a bit redundant?

      I may sound silly hehehe. But asking away to understand the reasoning is how my brain works. I just have to know, or else I won't be able to rest. LOL!!

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    3. It is my absolute pleasure!

      Your face produces oil as its needed -- that is, if it's hydrated enough, it won't produce more. But if it's parched, it'll pump out excess oil to try and balance the moisture levels inside and out. I'm not 100% sure about face oils oxidising foundation (it doesn't usually happen to me), actually. What I do know is that if you use a water-based foundation (like the Kanebo Sensai that I use), I wouldn't layer anything oily underneath, just because it would break up the foundation and probably cause it to oxidize as the chemicals react. I don't think a face oil would react poorly with an oil-based foundation though (most of the ones in the drugstore). In fact, now that I think about it, I think the reason your foundation would turn darker is that sebum itself turns dark after collecting all the gunk in your pores/skin. If you apply a facial oil immediately after cleansing, it should reduce sebum production and not combine with the surface nasties =). Don't quote me on that though, that's just my head working out loud.

      Most moisturisers on the market are occlusive. That means that they help your skin retain all its existing moisture by forming a barrier over it, but it doesn't add any moisture of its own. Moisture tends to evaporate out of our skin, which is why moisturiser feels like it's adding hydration back, but it's really just keeping it from leaving. Face oils actually have a moisturising property and will impart moisture into your skin -- serums are usually formulated to do this as well, so it's important to look into those too!

      I'm so happy you're asking questions! Best way to learn -- I also find that I learn more as I explain what I know to people. Keep 'em coming!

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    4. Alright. The moisturizer part is crystal clear now. I guess that's the reason I feel oily when I layer moisturizer on top of facial oils. In the winter, I might need both but probably my current toner hydrates my skin enough (it contains natural oils) that I can skip facial oils.

      Regarding the foundation oxidation, I've found that if my skin is moisturized well or when it's separated from the foundation by a primer or a sun screen. I think your theory explains it well. I'm currently using a hybrid primer (primer with natural oils in it) that acts kind of like a moisturizer and a primer in one. But theoretically it can't completely replace a moisturizer. I use it when my skin is hydrated, especially in the summer. So basically I need to give my skin enough moisture (facial oils, toners, etc...) and a layer between it and the foundation on top (moisturizer, sun screen, primer, etc...). The question now lies on what if the barrier itself has oil in it.

      So far, I don't see my oil-free foundations oxidize on my skin as long as I moisturize it well. No barrier needed. Some oil-free foundations still oxidize quite a bit on my skin though. But what's the real reason behind it? hehehe

      I'm glad you also learn something too! Thanks much lovely!! xx

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    5. If the barrier itself has oil, it wouldn't affect a foundation that also has oil, I think. I think it might oxidize an oil-free or waterbased foundation though, so just be sure to check the ingredients label!

      PS what primer/toner are you using? I'm really bad at both those steps, they're just complete afterthoughts in my routine!

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    6. I'm thrilled that you ask because they're my new secret weapon, well, not anymore as I'm sharing with you and will do that on my blog too. I swear by Liz Earl instant boost tonic spritzer. The primer I'm testing and have been loving is Tom Ford Illuminating Primer (hybrid). I skip moisturizer and use it instead on humid days. It gives me that from-within glow, every subtle. But I don't see it stretches my foundation wear in particular. It smoothes out n brightens up my skin just a bit, not so much. So I guess it's a decent primer not excellent but it preps my skin and that's exactly what I need. xx

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    7. I never actually use primers for extending foundation wear, I use it more to smooth out the surface of my skin. I'm never really concerned about the wear time of my makeup since I always manage to do something to render any wear-extending technology useless (like rubbing at my eyes and ruining my eyeshadow). It's hardly ever the product, it's almost always me =P

      I have yet to dip into the Tom Ford pool, but I love hearing about his products! I don't think we have Liz Earle in Canada yet, but I've heard great things about her line (not just the Cleanse & Polish). I think she also does makeup, doesn't she?

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  5. Doh, I got my two Gmail accounts mixed up. Sorry about it! Anyways this is what I've been meaning to say...

    Oil!!! I've been using oil for some years now, and I'm liking the idea more and more! Even for my combination skin I think it's great help, though I did hear some oils are more prone to inducing breakouts than others. I have the Pai one and I like it, but my miracle oil remains Aesop Parsley Seed Anti-Oxidant Treatment. I use it once (or maybe twice) a week, and whatever condition my skin is in, it works wonders!

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    1. LOL every time I see a "This comment has been removed by the author" I'm like, WHAT WAS IT. =P

      I think it's helped my skin be less combination and more normal -- no joke! I think if you're using the wrong oil it could break you out, patch tests are essential! I'm really bad at remembering to do those though.

      I have to try SOMETHING from Aesop -- that was on my list of things to try!

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  6. oh so josie marin argan oil rally works.I am so going to buy it now.thankyou for sharin it.I really believe in antural products but they r so hard to get nowadays.

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    1. They really are! Definitely get a sample of the Josie Maran oil though -- it's quite a price commitment. Even if it doesn't work on your skin though, it'll definitely work on your hair!

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  7. I love using face oils, the Suti one sounds great for doing facials with :)

    Evelyn @ We Were Raised By Wolves

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    1. It would be perfect for that! It's the best after a strong clay mask!

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  8. Aw you're lucky these all work for you! I wanted pure argan and rosehip oil to work for me so badly but alas, it is much too rich for my oily, acne-prone skin :/ I really want to try pure rice bran oil--I think something lighter like that just might do the trick! :D

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    1. I'm sorry the argan oil didn't work for you, but this rice bran oil sound so intriguing! Jojoba's also a much lighter oil and it acts most like our skin's sebum, so that might be another option as well!

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  9. smelling like chocolate is always a plus xD

    Anyway, I dont think they are clearing it out. I think it may have just been that it was close to expiry or maybe they just got a newer batch? I have no idea. SDM does funny things sometimes that don't make much sense to me lol

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  10. I'm always so scared of putting oils on my face... but when I really think about it, it's likely a lot better than putting chemical filled lotions on! I really like argan oil for the skin :D

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    1. Argan oil is amazing! I was originally also really freaked by the idea. In fact, I started with a cleansing oil -- I felt better knowing that I was removing the oil from my face, at first. Then I graduated to overnight oils, and I haven't looked back!

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  11. I absolutely love face oils! can't get enough of them! xoxo

    www.roxysun.com

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    1. Which ones do you use? I love hearing product recommendations!

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  12. Yay Josie Maran Argan Oil! One of my absolute favorites too :) The other ones sound very interesting! A face oil that smells like chocolate?! I want to try that one! xo, Ellie

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  13. Yay for this post! I have smelled Argan oil but I think the smell is bit too much for me but the thickness of the oil is fine :)

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    1. It is a little sweet-smelling, the Suti oil is a similar consistency, but more citrusy!

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  14. I must admit, I am a believer & loyal user of the Josie Maran Argan Oil! It is so expensive that I think I'm going to search for argan oil no-name brand alternatives at Whole Foods. I hope I find something good!

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    1. Let me know if you do! I'd love a more affordable option!

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  15. I'd love to try the Josie Maran! I love face oils - my favs are Bodhi, Suti, Balance Me & Trilogy x

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    1. Ooh, I've heard of Bodhi -- will look into that. I feel like I'm going to have quite the oil arsenal soon!

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  16. I absolutely love Rosehip oil! Trilogy's is my favourite but I definitely want to try Pai's one! It sounds wonderful!!

    Gem x
    http://www.gemmameansjewel.com

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    1. This is the second time someone's mentioned Trilogy! I'm frantically googling as we speak!

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