The research behind our Nourishing Facial Oil

What a face oil really does for dry and mature skin, the research on each of its eleven organic oils and extracts, and what none of it proves.

Every ingredient discussed here is in the oil. The studies tested single oils, usually in other products, and we say so each time.

Face oils have a reputation problem. Some people swear by them; others picture a greasy shine and clogged pores. The truth is simpler: for dry and mature skin, a well-made oil does a specific job that creams alone often can't, and for oily skin it's usually not needed.

This guide explains that job, then goes through all eleven organic oils and extracts in our Nourishing Facial Oil: what the research found, what it doesn't prove, and where the evidence is thin. If you only want the product, the oil page has everything in one place.

01What a face oil actually does

Your skin keeps itself hydrated with two systems working together. Inside the outer layer, water-binding molecules hold moisture in place. Around them, a mix of lipids, including the oils your skin produces, forms a barrier that slows water escaping into the air.

Moisturisers mostly help the first system: they add water and humectants such as glycerin and hyaluronic acid. A face oil helps the second. Plant oils supply fatty acids similar to the ones in your skin's own barrier, and a thin layer on the surface slows the rate at which water evaporates. The result is skin that feels softer and stays comfortable for longer.

That's why an oil isn't a replacement for a moisturiser in most routines. It's the step that helps you keep what your moisturiser gave you.

02Who needs a face oil

Skin produces less oil with age, especially after menopause, and cold weather, central heating and air conditioning all speed up water loss. If your skin feels tight within an hour of moisturising, looks dull or rough, or develops dry patches in winter, an oil is likely to help.

If your skin is oily or breakout-prone, you may not need one at all, and some oils can feel heavy. There's no rule that says every routine should include a face oil; it's a tool for a specific problem.

03Face oil vs moisturiser

We go into this in more detail, including when one is enough, in face oil or moisturiser?

04Oleic or linoleic: matching oils to your skin

Plant oils are mostly made of fatty acids, and two matter most for skin. Oleic acid is rich and cushioning; it sits on the surface and slows water loss, which dry skin tends to love. Linoleic acid is lighter and is one of the fatty acids the skin barrier uses directly. Oily and breakout-prone skin often has lower linoleic acid in its own oil, which is one reason lighter, linoleic-rich oils are usually suggested for it.

Our blend leans rich, as a nourishing oil for dry and mature skin should. Argan, avocado, sweet almond, apricot kernel and plum seed bring plenty of oleic acid. Borage, evening primrose and blueberry seed add linoleic, gamma-linolenic and omega-3 fatty acids for balance, and jojoba keeps the whole thing light. If your skin is oily, that balance is probably more than you need.

05Keeping it fresh

Oils rich in unsaturated fatty acids can oxidise with heat, light and air, and an oxidised oil smells sharp and feels less pleasant on skin. Vitamin E in the formula slows that down. You can help too: keep the cap closed, store the bottle away from direct sunlight and radiators, and use it within the period after opening printed on the pack. If it ever smells rancid, stop using it.

06How we rate the evidence

None of these studies tested our blend. This formula doesn't have its own consumer testing yet, so we don't show results for it.

07Argan oil

Argan oil is pressed from the kernels of the argan tree, which grows almost only in south-west Morocco. It's rich in oleic and linoleic acid, vitamin E and plant sterols, and it has long been used on skin and hair there.

08Jojoba oil

Jojoba is first on the list, so it's the largest part of the blend. It isn't strictly an oil but a liquid wax, made of wax esters that resemble those in the skin's own oil. That's why it spreads easily and doesn't feel greasy, and why it's the base of so many face oils.

09Avocado and borage oils

Avocado oil is rich and cushioning, high in oleic acid and plant sterols. Borage seed oil is one of the richest plant sources of gamma-linolenic acid, a fatty acid involved in the skin barrier.

10Almond, apricot and evening primrose

Sweet almond oil is one of the oldest emollients in skin care: soft, well tolerated and light. Apricot kernel oil is similar. Evening primrose oil is rich in linoleic and gamma-linolenic acid.

11Sea buckthorn, tomato and cloudberry

Sea buckthorn, tomato and cloudberry fruit extracts are rich in carotenoids, the orange and red pigments that include beta-carotene and lycopene, along with other antioxidants. They give the oil its warm colour, and antioxidants help protect the oils from going off.

We'll be plain: we found no human trials of these extracts applied to skin as part of a face oil. They're in the formula for their antioxidants and colour, and we make no claim beyond that.

12Plum and blueberry seed oils

Plum seed oil has a soft, almond-like feel. Organic blueberry seed oil is light and rich in omega-3 alpha-linolenic acid. Both round out the texture of the blend. Like the fruit extracts, they're here for feel and nourishment; we found no human trials of either on skin.

13Why there's no water, and what else is in it

The formula contains no water. Without water, there's nothing for bacteria or mould to grow in, so no preservatives are needed. Vitamin E (tocopherol) is there instead, to protect the plant oils from oxidation.

The remaining ingredients are light emollients made from plants: decyl cocoate, undecane and tridecane. They make the oil spread thinly and absorb fast, so it feels silky rather than heavy. They carry no skin claims of their own.

All 21 ingredients are printed in order on the product page.

14Scent, nuts and allergens

The oil is scented with Parfum: warm dried fruits with a touch of spice. Four fragrance allergens are declared on the label: Linalool, Limonene, Citronellol and Geraniol, all from natural essential oils. It isn't a fragrance-free product.

It also contains sweet almond oil and apricot kernel oil. If you're allergic to almonds or other tree nuts, please don't use it. If your skin is reactive, patch test on your inner forearm once a day for five days first.

15How to choose a face oil

If you want an oil that also carries a retinol alternative, our Natural Retinol Alternative Oil Serum puts bakuchiol in six organic oils. Which face oil is right for you? compares the two.

16How to use it

Warm the drops between your fingertips and press them over face and neck rather than rubbing. Avoid direct contact with the eyes. Our Retinol Alternative Moisturiser is a good partner: moisturiser first, oil last. A 30 ml bottle lasts around three months at a few drops each evening. A drop also softens dry lips and cuticles.

17Who it suits

It suits you if your skin is dry, mature or feels tight after cleansing; your moisturiser alone isn't enough in winter; or you want a simple oil for the last step of your evening with every ingredient named.

Skip it if you're allergic to almonds or other tree nuts; you need a fragrance-free product; or your skin is oily or breakout-prone and dislikes oils. If you want a retinol alternative in your oil, choose our Natural Retinol Alternative Oil Serum instead.

18What it adds up to

This is a well-built nourishing oil for dry and mature skin. Its hero, argan, has a small but instrument-measured human study behind it. Its supporting oils rest on reviews, and its fruit extracts are there for antioxidants and colour. We've told you which is which.

Used as the last step over a moisturiser, it does the job face oils are genuinely good at: softening skin and helping it hold on to its moisture. If that's what your skin needs, this is the oil we'd point you to.

19Your questions, answered

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