How to Choose the Best Oil for Your Skin Type
Oils not only make great moisturisers, they make great cleansers, too. Oils are filled with antioxidants and vitamins which are great for your skin, provided you choose the right type of oil. You don't need to have dry skin to benefit from cleansing and moisturising or even massaging with oils - it's all about choosing the right oil for you. You can use a straight oil, or make yourself a blend of oils if you're feeling adventurous. Or you might just be looking at the ingredients in a product, and wondering if the ingredients are going to work on your skin. Whatever you're looking for, we've summarised which oils are best for which skin types.
Best Oils for Baby Skin
Apricot kernel oil and sweet almond oil are suitable for use on baby. You would use these oils to treat things like cradle cap by gently massaging the scalp, or you could also try using coconut oil from the pantry. If you're exploring the use of essential oils for baby, it's worthwhile reading this post to determine what oils are safe for use at what age.
Best Oils for Normal Skin
- Hemp seed oil (nature's perfectly balanced oil with its 3:1 ratio of Omega 6 to Omega 3)
- Jojoba oil (light weight, stable, mimics our own skin's sebum without disturbing the balance)
- Peanut oil (a cost effective emollient - avoid if you have a peanut allergy)
- Rice bran oil (a light emollient for general skin care)
- Rosehip oil
- Sandalwood carrier oil
Best Oils for Dry Skin
- Almond Oil (reasonable cost, and a great carrier oil for the more expensive specialist oils)
- Wheatgerm oil (Omega fatty acids and extremely high Vitamin E content)
- Borage (high GLA content and Omega 9 for barrier repair)
- Castor oil (a rich, occlusive oil for barrier protection)
- Flaxseed oil (rich in Omega 3)
- Hazelnut oil (rich, all purpose)
- Meadowfoam oil (stable, long chain fatty acids, Omega 9's, good barrier protection)
- Oat kernel oil (rich array of essential fatty acids and antioxidants including high Vitamin E)
- Walnut oil (high omega fatty acid content, nourishing oil)
- Argan oil (quick skin penetration, great moisturiser)
Best Oils for Combination Skin
- Apricot Kernel Oil (suitable for all skin types)
- Sandalwood carrier oil (light, all skin types)
- Coconut oil (great all-rounder for all skin types)
- Hemp oil (perfectly balanced)
- Jojoba oil (mimics your skin's natural oils)
- Marula oil (stable, low Vitamin E, high oleic acid)
- Pistachio oil (excellent emollient, rapidly absorbed, non-greasy, high level of moisturisation)
- Prickly pear oil (good all-rounder)
- Cherry kernel oil (UV protective qualities, antioxidants and vitamins useful for barrier protection)
Best Oils for Oily Skin
- Buriti oil (South American 'Tree of Life' - one of the richest sources of beta carotene, the precurser to Vitamin A in the body)
- Tigernut tuber oil (Cyperus Esculentus Root, high antimicrobial properties)
- Kiwi Seed Oil (high in Omega 3 fatty acids)
- Perilla (traditionally a Chinese medicinal oil good for problem skin)
- Pumpkin (antioxidants and Vitamin E)
- Watermelon (light, non-greasy oil that dissolves sebum, rich in Omega 6 and 9)
Best Oils for Sensitive Skin
- Apricot kernel oil
- Avocado oil (antioxidant properties, skin repair)
- Grapeseed oil (high in omega 6)
- Macadamia oil (high in palmitoleic acid / Omega 7 which is superior to omega 6 and 9 for barrier repair)
- Peach kernel oil (very little in the way of antioxidants which can be a good moisturiser for sensitive skin types)
- Soyabean oil
- Sunflower oil
- Tamanu oil (an active carrier oil containing trace oxidants to help with skin healing)
Best Oils for Mature Skin
At the higher end of the price scale you'll find oils for aging and mature skin. Things like:
- Acai Virgin oil
- Baobab (also known as tree of life, rich in lysine and Vitamin B1)
- Blackcurrant (high in GLA)
- Passionfruit (high in omega 6 for deep skin conditioning, easily absorbed, great moisturiser)
- Pomegranate (improves skin elasticity)
- Raspberry (high antioxidant and tocopherol content)
- Roasted Coffee (stimulant, antioxidant, great for mopping up free radicals from sun damage)
- Seabuckthorn oil (rich in Omega 7 for barrier repair and polyphenols for sun repair)
- Argan oil (high shine and light weight, lots of antioxidants)
- Camellia (good scource of phorphorous, magnesium, calcium, selenium, iron and manganese)
- Evening Primrose (great for PMS but also high GLA content and highly active anti-inflammatory triterpenoidal esters)
- Olive oil (rich in squalene good for barrier repair)
- Refined rosehip oil (replenishes and rebuilds skin tissue)
Best Oils to Use on Your Hair
We know - it's not technically your skin, but it is an extension of your skin. Many oils with high shine properties are great for hair care.
- Kiwi seed oil
- Kukui (non greasy, easily absorbed)
- Perilla (traditionally a Chinese medicinal oil)
- Pomegranate oil
- Seabuckthorn oil
- Walnut oil (high omega fatty acid content for conditioning)
- Coconut (stable, sweet smelling, favourite all-rounder oil)
- Argan oil (high shine, light weight)
Look for good quality, cold pressed oils and organic where possible. The best place to store your oil is in a cool, dark place, or even the fridge, so that they don't go rancid too quickly. We've got more information on the oil cleansing method here, or you might like to use a mix of oils and make yourself a DIY serum.