Hello Beautiful,
When I was in highschool, my best friend had the most beautiful skin. Her secret? Oil. As in coconut oil, jojoba oil, olive oil…
She moisturized her face with these simple goodies, and got truly gorgeous results—yet I was always way too afraid to try it. Fast forward to many years later, when I noticed my skin losing a bit of its luster and lookin’ a little parched. I remembered my former BFF and her outrageously good complexion, and decided it was time I dabble in oils—now I’m a total convert.
I know, I know. Using oils on your skin and hair feels counterintuitive.
No one wants a greasy face or mane, which is exactly what you’d think would happen. But that’s not the case, cutie. They can restore your skin’s suppleness, and be wonderful cleansers, too! The right oil used properly will help swipe off dirt and makeup without drying out your face like soaps can.
Plus, the “oil cleansing method” leaves your skin soft and smooth thanks to its long-lasting moisturizing properties. And believe it or not, it also prevents breakouts! How? Oil binds to oil (remember “like dissolves like” from chemistry class?), so extra-oily gals can have no fear about applying more oil to the skin—it can actually help!
For many of us, winter is here and with it comes some dry flakey scales. With that in mind, here’s a list of my current favorite face, body and hair oils. I know they’ll give your cleansing and moisturizing practices a luscious boost. Give ‘em a try and let me know how it goes!
My Fave Face, Body & Hair Oils
derma e Skin, Hair and Nail Oil:
I consider this an “all-over” oil—a true multi-tasker. With an anti-aging blend of organic argan, jojoba and kukui oils, it’s great for moisturizing skin, wrangling fly-away hair and softening ragged cuticles. Bonus: It absorbs quickly and easily.
Beautycounter Lustro Face Oil 2 in Jasmine:
This oil is a staple for me because it contains a unique combination of lovely “nourishing botanicals,” and it’s from a brand I know, trust and adore. I’ve been a fan of Beautycounter’s products—especially their makeup—for quite some time. (The Petal lip shine is a must!) And with their super cool and classy packaging, I love giving these beauty goodies as gifts.
Josie Maran Argan Oil Hair Serum:
You only need a tiny bit of this hair helper to get a hold of your frizz and pull your look together in seconds. Rub a drop or two of this serum through your strands for a silky, glossy ‘do.
Josie Maran Argan Cleansing Oil:
Another winner from Josie Maran, this oil deep-cleans while replenishing thirsty skin. Say buh-bye to drying, abrasive soaps and scrubs, and give this gentle, hydrating oil cleanser a whirl.
S.W. Basics Lemongrass Body Oil:
This is the perfect oil to slather on post-bath or shower. The lemongrass scent is divine, and the sesame, macadamia and avocado oils (all organic) lock in moisture that lasts. Nothing could be better after a warm epsom salt soak!
S.W. Basics Makeup Remover:
Yup, oils can replace your regular makeup remover, too—and this blend is top notch. There are only three simple ingredients in this all-organic product—sweet almond oil, extra virgin olive oil and jojoba oil—and it’s perfect for sweeping off the glamour while also hydrating your skin. (Fun fact: Jojoba is pronounced ho-ho-buh. Sing it!)
Tata Harper Revitalizing Body Oil:
I received this ultra-luxurious oil as a gift, and while it’s pricier than anything I’d buy for myself, it’s a wonderful, hydrating treat. The fancy-pants ingredients include alfalfa and arnica extracts, apricot kernel oil, geranium and grapefruit, and this blend goes beyond moisturizing—it “helps promote healthy microcirculation, improve oxygenation, and reduce inflammation.” Whoa. If you’re looking to splurge, I highly recommend this deluxe body oil. Plus, it smells like angels.
Annmarie Gianni Anti-Aging Facial Oil:
I saved the best for last! As you may know, I’m a huge fan of this entire line. This particular oil is my favorite. It, too, smells like angels. I like to think of it as love in a bottle. Smooth this one on for refreshed, glowy skin.
Mow I’d love to hear from you: Do you use oils for your face, body or hair? Or, which oil is your fave?
Peace & supple smoothness,
Hi,
I am using Tata Harper Revitalizing Body Oil, though it’s my first time and was amazed how this product takes effect on my skin. I agree that it smells like angel :).
The oils are good but how can I get it in Cameroon as a student living in Buea one of the cities in Cameroon?
All seems to work out
I make and use (and sell – I’d love to send you a sample!) a coconut & avocado oil based body scrub. It is divine! I use coconut oil on my face too. Wonderful!
Great post Kris! More people should know about how great oils are on the skin.
I used body oils for a long time, but I used to be afraid of adding oil to my face as I’ve always had a more oily skin. But now that I’ve reached my thirties, I noticed I can get away with it and it actually works wonders! My skin is so much softer and glowing since using the oils. I adore Annmarie Gianni line (heard about them through you!), their oils are really fantastic. I love the one you recommend for normal skin, but the one for sensitive skin (no fragrance) is wonderful too. I love experimenting with my own essential oil blends so I like to have a bland product that I can spruce up according to my mood 😉
As a cleansing oil, I use a wonderful hand-blended oil with Asian liquorice from Morning Calm (based in Florida – http://www.dearmorningcalm.com). Hwasoon that makes that whole line (also soap bars, lip tints, toners etc) is an amazing soul and her products are so beautiful, and efficient.
It is so good to see someone promoting the use of oil for everything! I have been using oils to cleanse, moisturise and deep treat my hair and skin for years. I currently use coconut oil for all over body beauty and the a beautiful facial cleanser and facial moisturiser from UK based company Vedani Botanicals. They use the most beautiful organic oils and Mercedes who owns it is so passionate about it. She’s really helped me and my skin as I can’t use anything with essential oils so she makes me bespoke oils! Love her so much for that.
Kris I loved this post! I’ve been using coconut oil to take off my eye makeup for years and put it on the ends of my hair an hour or two before I shower to help with my dry locks I refuse to cut off, hahaha. I’ve been wanting to try oil cleansing but for someone with acne prone skin I’m super nervous about it, but with this new info I think I’ll give it a go. Thank you!
If you could give us some hints on where to purchase these oils – that would be very helpful!
Wonderful info! Do you know anything about Indigo Wild? They advertise as organic and have a skin care line called Zum Face, as well as body products with goat’s milk. Love the scents they offer, but would like feedback first. Thank you!
Great article, Kris! I have found that most oils clog the pores on my face, but unrefined hemp oil and also argan oil work so well for me. Hemp oil absorbs nicely and I use it every day. Love it!
I truely believe in oil therapy. I have been using almond oil from last few months on my hair and face. It surely work wonders. Due to these usage, i hardly need to put moisturizer on my face. Badam rogan pur almond oil is the product name. Its easily available in asian grocery shops.
Love oil! I give myself a little facial massage every night and it makes me feel so good. Facial massage helps us to produce serotonin 🙂 xx
I love Coconut oil the best but I love argan, olive oil, jojoba oil, and morocco oil ! I have dry skin and hair but I don’t want petro based products! Came along way from Vaseline! 🙂
Ursula
http://www.blueridgebeautyblogger.com
Dear Kris, I always love hearing from you , you are such a joy and inspiration ! About oils I use pure coconut oil for my face for both cleansing and moisterizing . For a day cream I mix a couple of drops of young living essential rose oil into a jar of coconut oil for a wonderful fragrance that lifts my spirit . I also run my hands through my hair for a bit of shine with very little coconut oil. It does wonders for my dry naturally curly hair !
I am 78 and look pretty good even without makeup .
Holiday blessings and lots of love to you !
Right on Magdalene!
Hi, thanks for the article.
I am about to make my “water free” moisturizer (’cause we shouldn’t be applying water-based moisturizers to our skin during the winter time) and I am just waiting for my unrefined shea butter, apricot kernel and hemp oil to come. Can’t wait!
This is AMAZING! I love these, thank you for the article!
Love this! YES! We all need to get the word out on natural skincare and take responsibility for what we put on our skin. I began formulating with oils + butters because each of my children had a skin ailment. Natural plant oils nourished, healed and protected their skin…… we never looked back at OTC cremes or lotions again. Nice shout out for oils Kris!
Love that! xo
I use a blend of castor oil and Olive oil to cleanse my face, it has never looked better. I also use a blend of
oils to moisturize in a.m. and p.m.
Hi kris, I converted to oils and homemade creams years ago and never looked back since. Just one comment about coconut oil, while its great for moisturizing the body, it’s a comedogenic (tends to cause blackheads by blocking the pores of the skin) for the face so I would not use it there. My favourite is camellia seed oil, tamanu, argan and boabab oil. I’ve created a blog where I share homemade beauty recipes http://www.organic-beauty-recipes.com – I’d love it if you could share a recipe and spread the word about DIY beauty care! Namaste, eve
Thank you for such wonderful insight n advise on the proper use of beneficial oils! I’m a yr away from 50 so anything I can do to keep my skin healthy n vibrant is greatly appreciated. It is comforting to have a reliable source with such a pleasing personality! Bless you!
I loved this blog post!
I have come to realize that oils are essential to my lifestyle, beauty-wise and food-wise.
I use oil as a booster before applying face lotion/moisturizer, morning and night. Applying oil before the lotion really softens your skin and makes it easier for the lotion to penetrate your skin.
I love Trilogy’s Rosehip oil and Shigeta (Paris-based Japanese brand) oil elixir. Please check out Shigeta, it is a brand that utilizes the power of plants. I think that you will love it.
Hi Kris, I love MooGoo oils Rosehip, Tamanu, Evening Primrose & Starflower (Borage). They also have a range of oil cleansing products.
Thanks for sharing Kris, always love hearing from you. Ali xxxxxx
Hi Kris –
Love this list! Thank you for putting it together, I’m gonna have to try some of the products you listed. Have your tried Kari Gran products yet? I discovered them from my friends at the EWG. I know you’re friends with Ken too. Anyway, can I just say… AMAZING! They have a cleansing oil and the essential serum for the face that you may love. All organic and made with essential oils. I’m not a sales rep just a big fan. HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Thanks again. xo
Hi Kris – I’m wondering if you’d be able to advise me… My skin is oily underneath and dry on top. I have been using coconut oil for the last few months, still get some breakouts but I’m still dealing with dry flaky skin on top. I’m 47,. Can you advise what the best oil would be for someone like me?
Hi Michelle,
Maybe you can try using the oil BEFORE applying lotion/moisurizer, it really does make the skin soften to soak up the lotion. And then finishing up with putting on some cream to keep the oil and lotion within the skin.
This is a simple method, but it really has done wonders for my skin!!
Thank you Kris you are such a great help love derma e but never knew about that oil they have a wonderful vit C cream
I just had a facial before Thanksgiving…. my skin is so flaky & dry. I will need to add some good ol’ fashioned water to my skin care regimen.
Thank you for these great recommendations, with some brands I’m not yet familiar with. I’m always hoping for natural products that I can afford. Do you have any great recommendations for natural shampoo? I’ve been using Aveda, but would love a more affordable line of products. Thanks!
Hi Susan, A good, easy-to-find line to look for is ACURE Organics. The clarifying shampoo is great!
Love oils! I use coconut oil on my face, calms my rosacea, and I use it all over in summer. During fall/winter I use Banyan Botanically Vata Massage Oil; warming and grounding.
Hi Kris,
Lots of love and light your way. I just wanted to let you know that the two Josie Maran products do not have the best toxicity score on the Think Dirty app (hopefully you know about this! It’s been a game-changer for me while cleaning out my bathroom of toxic products). Looks like “polysorbate 20” and “phenoxyethanol, cyclomethicone, ethylhexylglyercin” are the culprits.
On the other hand, I love Tata Harper’s cleansing oil, which has a better score for toxicity (it’s non-toxic!).
I’ve heard good things about SW Basics, excited to try it! Olie Biologique also looks like a good non-toxic facial oil brand.
Thanks for your comment, Lindsey. I mostly rely on EWG’s Skin Deep database to vet products, brands and ingredients—from my research, it looks like these Josie Maran products would fall into EWG’s moderate category (the products themselves are not listed, but the brand and ingredients are). Some readers allow a little more wiggle room for their beauty products, so I wanted to include a variety of options for all preferences.
And yup, Tata Harper is fab, and I think you’ll love S.W. Basics, too. xo!
THANKS! 🙂
Are you going to write a book on oils?
Wonderful article! I have been using organic jojoba oil for my face and body over 2 years now. It has been an extraordinary experience. Recently I prepared organic coconut and Jojoba oil with frankincense as my new body lotion. It’s not only healing but healthy!
<3 <3 <3 Beautycounter.
I am addicted to their Lustro Oil # 3 and their Rose Neroli Body Oil!
So much so that I rep them! Ha!
Great article. Great products… all of them!
A website tech comment:
Would it be possible to add a Print function to your articles? Pretty please?
I like having hard copies of some of your articles for ongoing reference. However, unless I copy / paste into a Word file, when I use the Print function on my browser, the article’s formatting is messy and I get all of the comments.
Thank you!
Deni
Noted, Deni! 🙂
Hi Kris, Antipodes , Divine Face Oil , is lovely , it has avocado, macadamia, jojoba , rose hip and vitamin E oil with ylang ylang, sandlewood and jasmine essential oils , it smells divine ! It’s organic and comes from the antipodes , beautiful New Zealand .
Love Sonia xx
I use Aster & Bay products. The “Serum Absolute” made with Marula, Camelia, hazelnut oils, as well as Chia seed extract, was the only thing that could sooth my skin after I got a harsh chemical peel at the dermatologist’s office. Crafted in the apothecary tradition- by hand.
Made with raw plant ingredients only, and never any chemicals, preservatives or synthetics.
100% vegan and cruelty-free.
Made from organic and wild harvested ingredients whenever possible.
They have a really good face cleansing oil also,
Yes I use oils and get great results. Equal parts organic cold pressed olive oil with castor oil to remove makeup, mascara, cleanse- hot flannel on face for 30 seconds before wiping oil off. All my open pores have closed up. For moisturiser I use either organic cold pressed coconut oil or organic cold pressed hemp oil. Both are wonderful and natural and more economical than branded goods. Hemp oil is wonderful on psoriasis, eczema or any other skin irritation. Sarah
Love that routine, Sarah.
sad to see some of the ingredients recommended here. The Argan hair oil contains dimethicone and other silicones. For your info, it coats the hair and altho it looks good and smooth, the coating will mean your hair cannot take in moisture and in the long run will ruin your hair.
I used to love AnnMarie Gianni’s products but they’ve been getting more and more watered down this past year or so. The body oil used to be SO nourishing. Now? Meh. Won’t be re-ordering. Same with the body lotion. Watered down or something. Maybe it’s an ethics issue. They claimed their fame and fortune through the raw vegan world. Now they send out recipes for bacon muffins. Ethics. Greed does that. I always say you never know a person truly until either success or heartbreak comes along to show their true colors. They got the fame and fortune they were seeking and I guess that led to the betrayal of the animal world and a loss of ethics. There are other companies still looking out for our critter friends. I trust them more than I do AnnMarie Gianni. Sadly. Ethical vegans and vanity vegans are two very different creatures. Also the Beautycounter line is multi-level marketing. I’ve never been confident in MLM schemes. Who knows what you’re getting there.
Hi Deborah,
The products are vegan with the exception of a few with honey or beeswax (you can read more about their practices here: http://bit.ly/1QSvsMH). The people are not vegan and that’s their choice. However, we are only talking about the products in this particular blog. No bacon muffins here LOL! Sorry you feel they have been watered down. I personally have not experienced that and I still love their products. But thankfully there are many brands out there to choose from. As for Beautycounter, while they may be an MLM you can just buy straight from the website, which is exactly what I do. And regardless, they are a responsible company putting great products out there. Thanks for your perspective though! kc
Hello Kris,
Thank you for all the tips for the skin but since i been using seabucktorn essential oils from Nadine Armetis from Living Libations my skin has been great. I love using her products since they do all that in one product. My skin has been healthy glowing and i love that the product does all the things mentioned above . I cannot say enough about this product. I have been using it for 5 years now and my skin is glowing and healthy.
hey Ive tried so many skin products and oils and have never found a perfect fit until I found Organic Cowgirl Radiant Glow oil. Just ahhhhmazing, a few drops on cleansed skin and my skin does glow! Why settle for one oil like Argan? This has rosehip, argan,pumpkin oil, red raspberry seed oil, jojoba,ricebran,grapeseed, meadowwfoam seed oil, acai berry oil, seabuckthorne oil and Nerlo secent which is wicked lovely. Im sure these others are nice but I love the combonation and the price is awesome, 15.00 for 1 oz of oil that last a long time. oh , I also like to add a a few drops to my face or body cream and it really revs up your favorite cream, makes it a super skin recharger. My skin has never looked better and it really went through some bad times with breast cancer surgeries and radiation, so just wanna share the love! 🙂 find it at greenhorseorganic.org or on ebay
And for the price and quality, the Arbonne Aromassentials oil with Ylang Ylang is divine!!
Thanks for this!! Just a question I’m hoping someone can answer for me: How do you cleanse your face with oil? Do you rub it on your face and then just wipe it off with a towel? It seems like it wouldn’t come off with water. It sounds a bit messy so I haven’t quite tried it yet. Also, when you use oil on your hair . . . is your hair wet or dry?
Hi Laurie, water and a washcloth should take it right off, no mess. For hair oils, most are intended for dry hair. xo!
I have rosacea. Any suggestions for which oils might calm down my rosacea and not cause more redness??
One reader below said coconut oil helps calm her rosacea. Might be worth a try!
Have you checked out Monat products, they have all natural & safe ingredients, their oil is amazing for your hair & face. All their hair products offer instant results for all hair types & issues with hair damage. They promote hair growth & prevent thinning. I’ve seen the results over & over again. My name is Bonita Pelley a Master Hairstylist for over 20 years & I’ve tried so many products & Monat is by far the best, I love it & everyone who has tried it so far feel the same way, loving their hair. Give it a try & let me know how impressed you are. Also good to get the info out to the public on the natural safe ingredients, they have 11 unique blends of oil from around the world, the results are really a miracle. I’ve seen such damaged hair & instantly it is restored with Monat. Hope to hear from, cheers Bonita Check out my face book page Bonita Pelley-Independant Consultant Monat Global
Pratima Richard has amazing oils. She’s out of NYC and has a beautiful Ayurvedic clinic 😉
Would just using a nice organic coconut oil from say Trader Joe’s, work as well for moisturizing?
Yup, pure coconut oil is a wonderful, fuss-free moisturizer.
Was wondering if you looked at Living Libations out of Canada? I have been very pleased with Nadine’s products…all oils and essential oils. Happy to see this list!
Thank you for sharing your favs Kris!
I’m a HUGE fan of Tata Harper skincare, all natural, made on their farm in Vermont and super high quality. And the smell is DIVINE. Pair it with your 21 day cleanse and your glowing!
Just started using Vintners Daughter face serum it’s a blend of about a dozen cold pressed essential oils and while it is very expensive it’s pretty amazing how it’s transformed my skin.
Hi Kris,
I was wondering how you don’t get your hair greasy when you leave it on your face. Unless I pull my hair back, it won’t stay out of my hair when I want it to.
Thanks,
Elena
Hmm it sounds like it’s possible that the oil you’re using isn’t absorbing properly, or you’re using too much—maybe try adjusting the oil or amount.
I found the same thing, so i started cleaning and moisturizing my face about an hour before bed, so that it has time to soak in. (I put my hair up and off my face). In the morning i use a lighter moisturizer. Hope that’s helpful!
I can’t live without Ava Anderson Nontoxic night serum! Also their Dream Cream is the BEST for dry winter hands!
LOVE ANNMARIE PRODUCTS! THE BODY OIL IS GREAT FOR EYE MAKEUP REMOVER ALSO, NO STING & CONDITIONS THE LASHES, EXTRA BONUS!
I’ve been a convert for about 6 months! Love how my skin looks and feels. I’ve actually seen improvement on some damaged areas. I haven’t tried any that you recommend but will do. I’ve been using what’s in my kitchen…coconut, avocado, sunflower, etc….
Love the experimentation!
Hi Kris,
I developed dermatitis on my face this past winter and it was very distressing for me. I’ve always had beautiful clear skin. I consulted with 2 different dermatologists – one who prescribed a steroid cream, and one who prescribed a product in which the number one ingredient was acid. I can’t believe someone would prescribe an acid-based product for dermatitis which is inflamed skin. As I was searching for reviews on the acid-based cream I stumbled across a blog wherein the writer used all homeopathic remedies for the same condition I have. I now use a combination of organic grape seed oil along with therapeutic grade tea tree and lavender oils on my face. My skin is almost completely healed! I have always been a skin care junkie and have spent a lot of money on different products over the years. I’m so happy I found essential oils that work for my face. I use them for cleaning too! Essential oils are the best 🙂
OMG! I love love love Ann Marie Gianni. I use the AG line exclusively on my skin and have turned several friends on to it as well.
In fact, I found AG from you, so thank you so much for that.
Yay! Yup, such wonderful products.
Thanks for these tips. I’ve started doing the hot oil thing and my hair feels so amazing!!! M definitely going to bookmark this page!
Thank you for the recommendations! I love Anne Marie’s, products too just can’t afford them! NOT With 5 Little mouths to feed! However I started using S.W. Basics, t h en Acure based on another blog post and LOVE them equally as well and get to save some hard earned mula! Thank you for sharing all your wisdom!
While I’m sure these are all great recommendations, I would have like to see recommendations on which actual oils to use instead of oil containing products. I’m really not interested in acquiring and trying anything but the oils.
I would be interested in that too! My skin reacts pretty easily to concoctions but can’t go wrong with straight up one-ingredient oils themselves (except argan apparently )…
Great suggestion. Coconut oil is an easy place to start in your oil experimentation. Works wonders for some; others find they need something heavier or lighter. It gives you a good idea of the types of oils that will work best for you. From there, you can try sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, avocado oil, jojoba oil, evening primrose oil, rosehip seed oil… You can also start mixing 1 or 2 of these oils with a small amount of castor oil to make your own cleanser (check out these recipes: http://www.theoilcleansingmethod.com/more/oil-cleansing-recipes). I think a deep-dive on the benefits and uses of each type of oil would be a great follow-up blog… Stay tuned! 🙂
Oh, totally agree with what Kris said about the individual oils. I use coconut and castor on my face most nights for cleansing. I travel with just coconut..wash face, moisturize body…does it all! There are tons of great oils out there but you can start simple!
Hi,
If you want to read more about oils and get some inspiration in this area, check out the interview I’ve done with a great small business that focusing on organic oils + DIY when it comes to combining/making different types of oils! http://www.spinthatinspiration.com/spin-that-inspiration/2013/12/02/the-organic-oil-co
I’ve used coconut oil as my face and body moisturizer for a couple of years. Last year as my only sunscreen. After watching The Truth About Cancer I decided to mix frankincense and mhyrr with my oil. It’s lovely.
I love coconut oil! I just can’t use it on my face. Unfortunately it is actually comedogenic. My face was breaking out horribly with oil cleansing and natural products, and then a naturopath verified that both coconut oil and grapeseed oil can be comedogenic. Just wanted to add that to help the acne sufferers out there! My body is more forgiving though, so I still use it there. 🙂
This is great confirmation of what I learned a few years ago. Struggling with oily skin, it was a total leap of faith that proposed me to try oils. I love Annmarie’s products. I also love Odacite. The founder is a breast cancer survivor who realized she was doing all she could to eat clean but had not been able to find beauty products which were “clean”, so she made her own. She offers a variety of excellent serums (read:oils) as well.
Coconut oil straight from the jar. 9.99 organic coconut oil from Wholefoods. I use it everyday as the final step in the shower. I did order a bunch of goodies from Annmarie Gianni. Excited to try her line.
I know coconut oil is good for your hair and good for your body but your skin? I never would have thought of it because it seems so counter-intuitive but I’m going to have to give it a try. After all the coconut tree is considered the “tree of life”.
Wow, Kris, thanks for getting this info out there and thanks for the great suggestions. I have oily skin but was completely flooded by how balanced it became when I started oil cleansing three years ago. I’m passionate about natural skin and body care, and have recently started blogging about it. Thanks for spreading the word!
Oils are amazing. 🙂 So happy you liked it! xo, kc