A face oil is the last step, not a moisturiser. Used as a moisturiser it fails, and the person concludes oils do not work for them — when what failed was the position in the routine, not the product.
What an oil does and does not do
Oils are occlusive: they slow the rate at which water leaves your skin. They contain no water themselves, so they cannot hydrate. Applied to a dry face they seal in nothing, and the tightness returns within hours.
The correct sequence is water, then cream, then oil. An oil underneath a moisturiser mostly blocks the moisturiser from getting in.
Who they genuinely help
- Dry skin — the type that is short of oil by nature. This is the clearest case.
- Mature skin, where sebum production has dropped.
- Anyone in a cold or very dry climate, seasonally.
- A recovering barrier, where a simple occlusive layer buys time while the skin repairs.
Oily and acne-prone skin can use them, but gains least and risks most. If you want to try, squalane is the safest starting point.
Which oil
- Squalane — light, stable, does not clog, suits almost everyone. The default.
- Jojoba — technically a wax, close to our own sebum, well tolerated.
- Rosehip — contains some vitamin A activity, useful for tone and marks. Oxidises fast; keep it dark and cool.
- Marula, argan — good all-rounders for dry skin.
Coconut oil is the one to leave for your body. It is highly likely to clog facial pores, and the fact that it suits some people does not change the odds for everyone else.
Essential oils are not face oils
Lavender, tea tree, citrus and peppermint are fragrance and among the most common causes of contact dermatitis in skincare. A carrier oil nourishes; an essential oil is a potential irritant diluted into one.
Citrus oils are also phototoxic — on skin exposed to sun they can cause burns and lasting pigment. If a face oil smells strongly of anything, check why before you use it in the morning.
How to use one
Three to four drops, warmed between the palms, pressed onto skin rather than rubbed, as the final evening step. In the morning an oil sits badly under sunscreen and makeup, so keep it for the night unless your skin is very dry.
And one thing worth saying plainly: no oil is a treatment. It makes skin feel better and look softer, and it will not change pigment, lines or acne. If an oil is the most expensive thing in your routine, the money is in the wrong place.