Mommy Scientist Series: Using Oils As A Facial Moisturizer (Part 3)

Carrier Oil Chart

Using oil on our faces seems to contradict everything we’ve been told about skincare. We’ve always heard that oil is bad for the face and will cause breakouts. Hmmm, who was telling us that?  Oh right, big cosmetics companies. (And just an FYI, I’m not a conspiracy theorist or anything, I just know that the main concern of big businesses is looking out for their bottom line).

After our facial cleansers, which I talked about in Mommy Scientist Part 2: Your Guide To A Cleaner Facial Cleanser, moisturizer is probably our most commonly used skincare product.  It’s purpose is to moisturize (duh) and serve as a base for the rest of our makeup.  People have been touting the benefits of carrier oils for the face and body for some time now, so I started doing my research to figure out more about these popular oils. First let’s take a quick look at what is typically found in a moisturizer.

The Makeup Of A Moisturizer

Moisturizers typically contain humectants, emollients and occlusives. Humectants trap and retain moisture in the skin, emollients help ingredients to spread easier, and occlusives provide a barrier to water loss in the skin.  The problem is that the occlusive agent in many moisturizers is petroleum, a product we are all familiar with.  There are many, many different opinions on the use of petroleum in our products that I won’t get into here. I will say that when I’ve used products with petroleum in them, such as lip balm, the moisturizing effect was short lasting and I found myself constantly having to re-apply.  This could be because crude products like petroleum keep moisture and nutrients from being absorbed from our other products and from the atmosphere.

Source: How Do Skin Moisturizers Work by Chemistscorner.com

What Exactly Are Carrier Oils?

Carrier oils are different from essential oils, another hot topic these days.

A carrier oil is the vegetable oil derived from the fatty portion of a plant, usually the seeds, nuts, or kernels. -Plant Therapy.com

Carrier oils are also used in conjunction with essential oils, basically to “carry” them to the intended area.  You probably already know plenty of carrier oils because they include oils like olive, coconut, grapeseed, avocado, sesame, and many, many others. But you may not know their uses other than for cooking or baking. Carrier oils actually have tons of beneficial properties for our skin. They contain antioxidants, high levels of fatty acids, essential vitamins, and can give relief from itching, dry skin, and so many other common skin complaints. So let’s get to it!

Where To Start

I always recommend buying organic, cold-pressed carrier oils.  This ensures that no beneficial properties have been lost due to heating.  But in all honesty, when I started experimenting with carrier oils I grabbed whatever I already had in my kitchen. Picking an oil, just like any other skincare product, really depends on the needs of your skin.  Is your skin sensitive, dry, oily, acne-prone, etc.?

There are tons of great resources, like here and here, that tell you what skin type each oil works best with.  You also want to look at the comedogenic rating of the oils.  That is the likelihood to clog your pores and cause breakouts.  I will say though that just because something may have a higher comedogenic rating, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you should shy away from it.  Some oils that have a higher comedogenic rating may work perfectly fine with your skin, it is all about trial and error.

What I’ve Used

I know an obvious choice would have been for me to start with coconut oil, being that I am obsessed with it (as seen here and here).  But I initially shied away from using coconut oil as a moisturizer because a lot of people experience breakouts with it. However, a few months ago, my forehead was really, really dry.  Like flaky dry.  I decided to throw caution to the wind and test some coconut oil on my forehead and alas, dry skin was gone and no unsightly blemishes popped up.  I still haven’t tried it on my entire face yet, but will probably give it a go next winter when my skin tends to get really dry.

Grapeseed & Sweet Almond Oil

I already had grapeseed and sweet almond oil in my house so these were the first oils I tried in place of my regular facial moisturizer. Honestly, I was on the fence about these two.  They didn’t cause any breakouts, but I also felt like they were just kind of sitting on top of my skin, and not really absorbing well. That’s another factor in looking for your “perfect” fit, their absorption into your skin. No one wants an oil slick on their face.

Purchasing Oils

Since I wasn’t thrilled with the results of the grapeseed and sweet almond oil, I started researching where I could buy high quality oils at affordable prices.  One of the beauty and skincare message boards that I sometimes visit spoke very highly about Garden of Wisdom.  (I swear I’m not a rep for them, I’m just speaking from my personal experience).  There are many reputable places to buy oils, but what sold me about Garden of Wisdom was that you could buy samples of different oils at a very affordable price.  Based on your skin profile, you can pick 3 different oils.  The sample packs are $10.35, plus shipping.  With oils, a little goes a very long way so as long as you store them properly (in a cool, dark place) you won’t have to re-purchase for a long time. This brings us to the next oils that I tried out.

Hemp Seed, Apricot & Argan Oil

These were the three oils that I chose in my sample pack from Garden of Wisdom.  (As a bonus, they also give you another small sample within your sample pack!) I’ve heard about argan oil as a miracle worker for dry hair and I have to say that for my thick, super dry hair, it has been just that.  In fact, I can’t speak to its use for the face because my hair is greedy and wants the argan oil all to itself. But this is one I would definitely re-purchase and try on my face as well.  The apricot oil works well with my skin, it absorbs nicely and doesn’t leave a greasy film.  But my favorite oil so far is definitely the hemp seed oil.  It does have a slight scent to it (no, not that scent) and it is green, I’m just going to warn you.  But the scent disappears quickly, and the oil absorbs nicely into my skin, making it a great base for my tinted moisturizer.

How To Use Carrier Oil As A Face Moisturizer

Before trying out a new oil, I always do a patch test by applying a tiny amount of oil along my jaw line.  That way, if my skin had any kind of crazy reaction to it, it wouldn’t be all over my face. After doing a patch test, I apply the carrier oil, before sunscreen or any type of foundation.  Start with a very small drop (like, less than a dime). Spread it in a circular motion over your face, as you would with your regular facial moisturizer. You can always add more if you need to.  I like to start on my forehead since that seems to be the driest area of my face.

Conclusion

Whew, that was a long one. You still with me? (If so, thank you!) I know it is a lot of info, but it is really hard to keep the wealth of information about carrier oils short and sweet. And there are so many more that I haven’t even gotten to, but I promise to report back on any new ones I try. Next on my list are rose hip seed, jojoba, and hazelnut oil.

The takeaway is that if you are looking at your bottle of facial moisturizer and are seeing a mile long list of hard to pronounce ingredients, take a few steps into your kitchen and check out what oils you may already have. You can even make your own blends of your favorite oils. As an added bonus, many of these oils provide the same amazing benefits for your hair that they do to your skin.  And trust me, my hair and I have battled for a very long time.  But that’s a post for another day!

Stay tuned for Part 4 (and the last part) of my Mommy Scientist series where I will be talking about how to makeover your makeup.  Thanks for reading my friends!

 icon-thumb-tack Quick tip: Don’t use carrier oils as a substitute for sunscreen.  While they have antioxidant properties to help fight free radical damage, always use a sunscreen too.  For a great article about natural sunscreens, check out Simple Holistic Girl’s post here.

What is your favorite carrier oil to use?  
Check out Part 1 and Part 2 of Mommy Scientist.

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22 thoughts on “Mommy Scientist Series: Using Oils As A Facial Moisturizer (Part 3)

    1. Jody Post author

      I was definitely a little skeptical about using oil on my face at first, but I have really been liking trying out different ones and my skin seems to agree. Glad the coconut oil worked for you! Thanks for stopping by Charissa!

  1. Kathleen

    Jody thanks for another post in this very interesting and enlightening series. I am just looking into making myself some moisturizer. I have bought some Hazelnut oil to use with coconut. I have not made it yet, but hope to soon. Thanks for bringing this to Fridays Blog Booster Party
    Kathleen

    1. Jody Post author

      You’re welcome Kathleen! Hazelnut and coconut sound great, let me know how that works for you! As always, thanks for stopping by and for hosting a great blog hop!

    1. Jody Post author

      You’re welcome Serena! I had been thinking about writing a post on natural sunscreens but then figured no need to re-invent the wheel once I saw yours! Thanks for keeping us informed, have a wonderful week!

  2. Iris

    Hi Jody. I have used grape seed oil on my face and it has helped with my dry skin. I recently made a night time moisturizer with shea butter coconut oil olive oil and lavender essential oil I love it at night but a little to heavy for daytime I also use it on my very flaky legs. Just bought jojoba oil yesterday. I would like to try the hemp seed oil. Thank you for all the information.

    1. Jody Post author

      That night time moisturizer sounds great Iris! I have shea butter on my list to buy as I have heard that it is great for dry skin. Let me know how you like the jojoba oil, that one is also on my list too. Thanks for stopping by and glad you are having success with different oils as well!

  3. Bernadyn

    These are such great tips and information about how to use different oils for your face. I recently began using some oils for things like makeup remover and to shave with. I’ll have to try them now for moisturizer, too! Thanks for all the ideas, pinning this 🙂

    1. Jody Post author

      Thanks Bernadyn! It is amazing how many uses you can find for oils once you start looking! I also use coconut oil for shaving and eye makeup remover and I’m never going back to store-bought products! I’m glad you found this helpful, thanks for stopping by and sharing!

  4. Amy Ngai

    This is fantastic. Really great reviews on all the different oils. I’ve never tried using any of these before on my skin but I guess it doesn’t hurt since I do have some of it lying around my home. Thanks for sharing. #ConfessionsLinkUp

    1. Jody Post author

      Thanks Amy! That’s what I figured, since I already had some of these oils in my house, I might as well give them a try! I’m glad I did because I’ve really been liking the results and I know I’m saving money. Plus, I like knowing exactly what it is in the products I am using. Thanks for stopping by!

    1. Jody Post author

      You’re welcome Sue! Glad you enjoyed it, definitely give the oils a try! Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful weekend!

    1. Jody Post author

      Thanks so much Maria, I will definitely stop by Fabulous Friday today! Thanks for reading, have a wonderful weekend!

  5. Deborah Davis

    Hi Jody,
    I use coconut or almond oil as a moisturizer and I love the results. Thank you for sharing part 3 of your insightful Mommy Scientist Series: Using Oils As A Facial Moisturizer with us at the Healthy Happy Green and Natural Party Blog Hop. I’m pinning and sharing.

    1. Jody Post author

      Awesome Deborah! I am definitely loving these oils as well, especially because they have several different uses! Thanks for stopping by, have a wonderful week!

  6. Heather @ My Overflowing Cup

    I have used only oils to moisturize my skin for years and I am often complimented on how nice my skin looks and how I look younger than I am.

    I use coconut, olive, E, avocado, grapeseed, and apricot all with excellent results. I usually just use what I happen to have on hand.

    Thanks for encouraging me to get a little more “scientific” with my skin care regimen.
    Great info!

    1. Jody Post author

      Thanks Heather! I love hearing the success that others have had with oils! I am so glad to hear that you’ve found ones that work so well for you! This has definitely been a fun series to do. Thanks for stopping by!

    1. Jody Post author

      That’s great to know Shannon! I can’t wait to try Rosehip oil, I have heard so many great things about it. I’ve found the transition to carrier oils really easy and my skin and hair seem to love them! Thanks for stopping by!

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