If you’re still unsure about using oils in your skincare routine, don’t be. They’ve long since shaken off their slippery reputation and should now feature as an indispensable part of your regime. From skin to body and bath, here’s the deal…
Clean and Clear
Hard working and multitasking, cleansing oils bind to the bad oils in your skin and as a result are adept at removing make-up, purging impurities and leaving skin squeaky clean – but crucially, without stripping your natural oils. “I see the biggest skin transformations from using natural offerings,” says Arabella Preston of Votary skincare, so follow her lead and look for natural but nourishing options. A mere two pumps of Caudalie Make-up Remover Cleansing Oil, £18, removes even the most stubborn mascaras, while Tata Harper’s vitamin rich Nourishing Oil Cleanser, £68, is kind to dry, sensitive skin.
Moisture Boost
When it comes to moisturising “many people think face oils are heavy and cloying, but this is only true of mineral based ones,” says Arabella Preston. In fact, “most can actually help to regulate skin’s sebum production,” says Georgie Cleeve of OSKIA, making for clean and clear complexions. With evening primrose and turmeric, Oskia’s Restoration Oil, £64, does just that, while Votary’s Intense Night Oil, £135, contains an oil soluble form of line-smoothing retinol. To reinstate a glow, we recommend Annee De Mamiel’s brilliantly brightening Autumn Face Oil, £65.
Body Beautiful
Body oils that take longer to soak in than it’s taken you to clamber into your tights just won’t do. Thankfully, there is plenty of whisper-light, decadently rich formulas that forgo wait time, and avoid greasy stains. Rodin’s Lavender Absolute Body Oil, £80, hydrates skin, while imparting an expensive sheen. Mauli’s divinely smelling Surrender Body Oil, £47, is deeply comforting, while Susanne Kaufmann’s Body Oil, £57, makes skin supple, and limbs lustrous-looking. Anne de Mamiel’s advice is as follows: “use a 20 pence size of oil per limb, and ensure skin isn’t bone dry – moisture helps with absorption”.
Bath Time Bliss
Adding a glug of oil to your bath can make for the most salubrious soak. In addition to their skin-refining properties, bath oils provide a hit of aromatherapy, of which there’s a concoctive prescription for just about everything. The rosemary and sage in Ren’s Atlantic Kelp & Microalgae Anti-Fatigue Bath Oil, £26, melts stress while minerals and plankton extract polishes reptilian skin. If it’s clarity of thought you’re after, however, tip in Elemental Herbology’s frankincense laced Earth Balance Bath & Body Oil, £28. Remember, says de Mamiel, “oils are highly concentrated – a little goes a long way!”
