The Best Clean Face Oil for Every Skin Type (2024)

Discover the nourishing benefits of clean face oils for all skin types and how to choose the right one for you.

Clean face oils skip any synthetics and include only naturally derived ingredients like rejuvenating rosehip seed, jojoba oils, antioxidant-packed vitamins E and C, anti-inflammatory blue tansy extract, anti-bacterial tea tree oil, and the list goes on.

Adding the right facial oil to your skin care routine can benefit any skin type. They hydrate and soothe while combating signs of aging. And counterintuitively, the right oil can even benefit acne prone skin.

In this article, we'll break down what a clean face oil really is, why they are so effective, and explain how to choose the ideal match for your skin's unique needs. We'll also cover application tips and key ingredients to look for to make sure you have happy, healthy skin.

What Is A ‘Clean’ Face Oil

There are a lot of facial oils out there that have long, complicated ingredient lists with product names that sound like they're straight out of a scientific textbook.

'Clean' face oils are the opposite. They only contain ingredients derived from nature and leave out all synthetic additives and controversial chemicals that can be detrimental to your health. 

It’s like the difference between choosing a homemade apple pie with straightforward ingredients that you can pronounce and a factory-made snack with a laundry list of preservatives and ingredients you've never heard of.

Natural ingredients that you can name typically indicate a higher quality product that is not full of synthetic fillers that are doing more harm than good for your skin.

Why We Love Using A Face Oil

1) Softer More Radiant Skin

A good face oil helps maintain your skin's natural oils, which in turn helps maintain a strong protective barrier, ensuring your skin stays soft and supple.

2) Harnessing The Benefits of Powerful Natural Ingredients

Clean oils often contain essential oils and vitamins that can help combat environmental stressors that can prematurely age your skin. Oils bring essential fatty acids to nourish your skin, while antioxidants like vitamin C protect against free radicals.

3) Peace of Mind

Most importantly, clean face oils omit any potentially harmful ingredients like parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, or petroleum and mineral oil-derived ingredients that can be absorbed through the skin so you can feel good about what you are putting on your skin.

Picking Out the Good Stuff

Choosing top-notch skin products can be tricky, but here are some tips to help:

Keep It Simple

Start with the ingredient list. A shorter list often indicates minimal processing and higher-quality ingredients. Familiarize yourself with skin-loving ingredients like sweet almond oil, argan oil, jojoba seed oil, plum oil, and plant-based squalene oils.

Seek Transparency

Clean beauty brands that create the very best products and value using natural ingredients will often share in-depth information about their sourcing, formulation process, and ingredient benefits on their packaging and website.

Look For Sustainable and Recyclable Packaging

Sustainable packaging, like a glass bottle and minimal plastic, speaks volumes about a brand's commitment to clean beauty and makes it easier for you to properly dispose of your empties once you've used up the product.

Certifications

Look for third-party certifications on your beauty products like "EWG Verified," "USDA Organic," or "Ecocert". While they aren't the only markers of quality, they offer an added layer of assurance.

Listen To Your Skin

Always do a patch test when trying new products. Your skin's reaction to a new product will tell you what it needs.

Like finding your favorite ice cream flavor, there's a face oil that's just right for you. If you're more on the oily side, go for something light.

Dry, dehydrated skin? Seek out richer oils that will moisturize the skin without leaving your face feeling greasy. It's all about how your skin feels.

Getting To Know Your Skin Type

From sensitive skin types to those who have excess oil, everyone has unique needs.

Using the wrong types of oil for your skin type can lead to problems. For instance, oily residue on oily skin can lead to breakouts. Conversely, a light oil might not offer enough hydration for extremely dry skin.

When you know your skin type, you can select an oil that best complements your skin's needs. For oily skin, lightweight oils like jojoba can be ideal. For dry skin, richer plant oils like rosehip seed oil are a better choice.

By choosing the right oil for your skin type, you ensure you're getting all the benefits each face oil has to offer. Your skin can absorb and utilize the right oil most effectively, leading to better results.

The American Dermatological Association (AAD) identifies five main skin types:

Normal Skin

Normal skin is balanced, meaning it is not too dry or too oily. It has a fine, even texture and a healthy glow. If you are blessed with normal skin, lucky you!

Dry Skin

Dry skin is characterized by a lack of moisture. It can be flaky, itchy, and rough. This skin type is more common if you live in a colder climate or if you have certain skin conditions, like eczema or psoriasis.

Oily Skin

Oily skin produces too much sebum, an oily substance that's intended to protect your skin. If you have oily skin, you'll experience areas of your face that appear shiny and greasy, especially across your nose, chin, and forehead, causing you to be more prone to breakouts. Typically, an oily skin type is more common in teenagers and young adults, but can continue into your adult years as well.

Combination Skin

Combination skin has both dry and oily areas. Commonly, you'll experience oiliness in your T-zone, which is your forehead, nose, and chin, and dryness around the periphery of your face.

Sensitive Skin

Sensitive skin is easily irritated by certain products and external environmental factors. You may experience redness, itchiness, or stinging sensations, especially when applying new products to your skin. Sensitive skin is more common in people with skin conditions, such as eczema and rosacea.

If you’re having trouble identifying where you fall among these skin types, Healthline has an easy, science-backed quiz that will help you determine which of these categories you fall in.

Clean Facial Oils Are Beneficial For All Skin Types

Clean beauty hydrating facial oils are extremely versatile and can address a variety of skincare needs. Depending on the oil, they can be nourishing, hydrating, non-comedogenic, antioxidant-rich, and some even have soothing anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.

Dry Skin 

Essential Fatty Acids Are The Key To Healthy, Hydrated Skin

If you have dry skin, you can really benefit from using a face oil. Oils provide essential omega fatty acids that go beyond just surface-level hydration.

This can be especially beneficial if you have moisture-starved skin and can even help to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles that often come with dry skin.

Additionally, oil supports the skin's natural barrier, which is crucial for keeping moisture in and irritants out.

Oily Skin

Choose Oils That Are Non-Comedogenic

Facial oils are often thought to be comedogenic because they are, well, oily. But contrary to popular belief, facial oils are typically non-comedogenic and actually help balance your skin’s oil production.

However, it is important to note that some oils are more comedogenic than others, especially if you have acne-prone skin.

If you have acne-prone skin, your best bet is to go with an option that contains jojoba oil or squalene oil, which are both considered non-comedogenic, meaning they are less greasy and less likely to clog your pores.

In addition to being non-comedogenic, facial oils can also improve the appearance of oily skin and enlarged pores since your oil glands don't feel like they need to be working in overdrive.

Combination Skin 

Antioxidant-Rich Oils Provide Balance for Oily & Dry Skin

A good face oil with clean ingredients can improve both the dry and oily sections of a combination complexion, improving the overall texture and tone of your skin.

Face oils are also rich in antioxidants, which help protect your skin from damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules, like UV rays, that can damage skin cells and lead to premature aging.

Sensitive Skin 

Face Oils Are Gentle and Non-Irritating

Sensitive skin reacts easily and can be irritated by many common ingredients found in skincare products. Clean face oils, with their simple and natural ingredients, are soothing, providing the protection sensitive skin needs without the typical irritants.

Since natural face oils typically have fewer ingredients and avoid synthetic fragrances, dyes, and preservatives, there's less chance of something irritating your skin. 

Acne-Prone Skin 

Anti-Inflammatory and Antimicrobial Properties Help Reduce Breakouts

You might be hesitant to use a face oil on your already oily skin, but a good cleansing oil can actually improve your skin's balance and reduce redness and inflammation caused by acne.

Acne-prone skin often reacts to artificial ingredients, making a natural face oil a wise choice. Since clean face oils are simple and pure, they avoid harsh ingredients that can aggravate your acne. Oils containing aloe vera and blue tansy are excellent for calming red, inflamed skin. 

Some oils, like jojoba and squalene oil, even help balance your skin's oil production, reducing your chance of breakouts.

How To Use A Facial Oil For Best Results

1. Cleanse Your Face

Using oil cleansers is a popular method to remove makeup and deeply cleanse without robbing your skin of its natural oils. 

With dry hands, take a small amount of your chosen facial cleansing oil and gently massage it all over your dry face. This helps break down any makeup, dirt, and excess oils on your skin.

Spend a minute or two massaging the oil into your skin using circular motions. This not only cleanses but also promotes circulation. Don't forget areas like the sides of your nose or your jawline, where makeup and sunscreen can accumulate.

Wet your hands and continue to massage your face, emulsifying the oil. This will help lift off the dirt and grime. Then rinse your face with warm water (not hot water).

2. Keep it Damp

There's a small secret to maximizing the effects of face oils: moisture. After cleansing, leave your face slightly damp. When you apply your oil to damp skin, it helps lock in that extra hydration, making your skin feel supple and refreshed.

3. Use Just a Bit

Pour a small amount of the oil into your palms. Remember, you don't need much! Natural face oils are concentrated, and a few drops can cover your entire face.

4. Rub it In

Using your fingertips, massage the oil into your skin. Use gentle, circular motions. This not only ensures even distribution but also stimulates blood flow, adding to that coveted glow.

5. Wait a Moment

Once applied, give the oil a few moments to absorb completely before you layer on other products like a serum or moisturizer. Waiting a few moments ensures that when you layer your other skincare products, there's no interference in their performance.

What To Look For In A Good Clean Facial Oil

Choosing a quality facial oil means looking at the ingredients and ensuring they're pure and beneficial.

Essential Oils for Glowing Skin

The power of essential oils goes beyond just their lovely scent. Many have properties that help repair and soothe your skin. 

However, it's important to choose a formula with pure essential oils that haven’t been mixed with synthetic fragrances.

Lavender oil, chamomile, jasmine, and tea tree are fantastic picks. They soothe, repair, and have antiseptic qualities.

Rosehip Oil: The Ultimate Anti-aging Facial Oil

Rosehip oil is a superstar. It’s packed with antioxidants like vitamin E and has hydration properties that help to plump your skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines.

Look for this ingredient if you are looking for an anti-aging product, and always check the purity when purchasing. 

Typically, rosehip oil should be the number one ingredient on the ingredient list, and the fewer additives, the better.

Vitamin C: The Antioxidant Powerhouse for Radiant Skin

Vitamin C is the secret to that radiant glow that we're all after. Vitamin C is an antioxidant powerhouse, protecting your skin by fighting off free radicals while reducing the appearance of dark spots and preventing early signs of aging.

Nourishing Oils for Dry Skin

Look for products that contain olive oil, coconut oil, almond oil, or argan oil. These options absorb quickly into parched skin, and they are rich in vitamin E, which helps repair cracked and compromised skin. 

Tip: If you spot a dark or amber-colored bottle, that's a good sign! They protect the oil inside from sunlight, which can break down its beneficial properties.

Whether you have dry, oily, sensitive, or acne-prone skin, clean face oils can provide natural nourishment and balance for a clear, glowing complexion. By understanding your skin type and selecting the right oil, these oils bring vitamins, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory properties to repair and protect your skin.

We covered why oils are effective, how to pick an ideal one for your skin's needs, and proper application tips. 

• Seek shorter ingredient lists focused on pure plant derivatives like rosehip seed oil, marula oil, jojoba, and vitamin C. 
• Perform a patch test, especially when trying new products on sensitive skin. 
• Use sparingly and layer after cleansing while your skin is damp for maximum absorption.

Now that you are armed with knowledge on the best face oil for your skin type, we would love to hear about your experiences in the comments below! What oil became your new go-to? Did you convert any friends who might be skeptical about using oil on their faces? We love hearing about your experiences!💧🌿

Like this post? Share on Pinterest!