5 Face Oils for Naturally Clear, Flawless Skin
Acne DIY Skincare & Beauty Face Oils Natural Beauty
Can applying oil to your face actually help keep skin clear and reduce blemishes? Yes! Face oils are the best kept skincare secret to naturally clear, flawless skin. Let’s talk about how face oils help to keep skin clear and which oils are the best for reducing blemishes and scarring from acne.
I have a teeny-tiny little obsession… With oil. That I put on my face.
That’s right, I put oil on my face.
Now there was a time that I would have shuddered at the very idea.
I went out of my way to scan every skincare product I purchased for “oil-free” before giving it the green light, thinking that any oil would instantly clog pores upon contact and turn me into one big walking blackhead.
And when it came to dealing with breakouts, I saw oil as my ultimate enemy. I mean, I even wiped my face with rubbing alcohol at one point (*cringes*).
Ironically, it was in an act of acne-induced desperation that I finally gave oil a chance, and I’ve never looked back.
In this blog post, we chat all about:
P.S. Want to take all the guesswork out of it? I’ve bottled up my best face oil blends — the Body Unburdened Beauty Blends — just for you. Beauty Blend No.2 is my best-seller, formulated to gently but effectively transform blemish-prone skin.
4 Ways the Right Oils Help Keep Blemish-Prone Skin Clear
The fact is, the right face oils can work wonders for acne-prone skin.
Here’s how:
1. Certain face oils are high in linoleic acid, helping to bring balance back to blemish-prone skin
Science!
This one fascinates me the most. Studies have found that the sebum of acne-prone individuals tends to be deficient in a certain type of fatty acid called linoleic acid, and that topical application of linoleic acid can help reduce breakouts.
And guess what? Certain face oils are loaded with linoleic acid!
2. Antioxidant-rich face oils prevent sebum oxidation, a key player in blemishes and acne
More science!
A number of studies have shown that acne patients experience more oxidative stress than people with clear skin. This oxidative stress causes sebum oxidation or the oxidation of the skin’s own oil. Many researchers believe this sebum oxidation is the trigger that kicks starts acne since oxidized sebum is incredibly comedogenic (pore-clogging) and causes inflammation in the skin.
Topical antioxidants have been found to help prevent sebum oxidation and as a result decrease the frequency and severity of breakouts.
3. Face oils help to break up the gunk trapped in pores
When it comes down to it, a zit or blackhead is really nothing more than a sticky mess of oil and dead skin cells. And since like-dissolves-like (in other words, oil and water don’t mix but water and water do mix as do oil and oil), applying oil to the skin can actually help to break up this sticky mess and clear it from the pore.
4. Oils help regulate the skin’s own oil production
Applying oil to the skin can actually “trick” it into producing less sebum (its own oil). Not to mention that often, the skin will produce more sebum to counteract harsh, drying skincare products, and face oils help bring balance by deeply nourishing the skin.
Important note: excess oil production is often a symptom of hormonal imbalance (hello, androgens gone wild!). You can learn more about this and how to balance hormones naturally in my book Glow: The Nutritional Approach to Naturally Gorgeous Skin.
The 5 Best Face Oils For Acne and Blemish-Prone Skin
So which face oils help keep skin healthy, clear and as flawless as can be!?
(And NO coconut oil is NOT on the list! It breaks a lot of people out and I do not recommend it for acne-prone skin.)
PUMPKIN SEED OIL
Pumpkin seed oil is 100% hands-down my favorite face oil for all skin-types — which is why it’s in all 3 of my Body Unburdened Beauty Blends! It’s rich in the antioxidant vitamins A and C, as well as zinc. Vitamins A and C help prevent the sebum oxidation behind many outbreaks while zinc helps calm inflamed skin.
Anddddd best of all: pumpkin seed oil is especially helpful for keeping skin clear since it’s very high in linoleic acid (see above!).
GRAPESEED OIL
Like pumpkin seed oil, grapeseed oil is incredibly rich in linoleic acid, helping bring balance back to blemish-prone skin. It’s also antioxidant-rich and a very light, easily absorbed oil.
JOJOBA OIL
Jojoba oil was actually my first love. When I first started using it, all day I would look forward to bedtime so I could apply it again, knowing that I’d wake up the next morning with clearer skin (it’s a little sad but very true, and if you’ve ever been desperate for clear skin then you feel me).
Jojoba oil is a light oil that is easily absorbed. It mimics the skin’s sebum, tricking it to produce less oil, which is why it’s especially helpful for individuals with oily skin.
TAMANU OIL
Tamanu oil has been used in traditional medicine for ages, specifically for its ability to speed the healing of wounds by fighting bacteria and increasing cellular regeneration. It also has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antibiotic, and antioxidant properties, making it ideal for acne sufferers.
NOTE: Stay away from tamanu oil if you have a nut allergy!
ROSEHIP SEED OIL
I confess that I decided to try rosehip seed oil after learning that Rose Byrne — a.k.a. hilariously awful and beautiful Helen from Bidesmaid — Kate Middleton, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Miranda Kerr all use this oil. You have to admit, these ladies have lovely skin.
Rosehip seed oil is a dry oil that penetrates to the deepest layers of the skin where it regenerates cells, increasing collagen production. It is rich in vitamin C and the essential fatty acids, all of which are known to help heal scar tissue. It is also high in retinoic acid, which studies show reduces the appearance of wrinkles and brightens skin.
There’s no doubt about the fact that rosehip seed oil is fantastic! (Like pumpkin seed oil, it’s in each of the Body Unburdened Beauty Blends!) But a word or warning: I personally find it too drying to wear alone. Yes, an oil can be drying! And of course drying can mean irritating so be careful. So rosehip oil is best mixed with other more emollient oils.
How to use these face oils? Oh, the options are endless!
These oils can be used on their own or mixed with each other in a blend that best suits your skin needs.
Learn how to make a custom face oil blend and check out these top 10 essential oils for skincare, which make a great addition to your face oil blend.
And if you’re not a big DIYer well I’ve got you covered, my friend! After years and years of readers asking me to do so, I’ve finally bottled up my best face oil blends just for you — the Body Unburdened Beauty Blends!
Are you a natural beauty junkie too? Well you’re in the right place, my friend!
Hang around a bit and check out some of these other goodies I know your sweet little natural-beauty-loving heart will definitely enjoy!
- My Super Simple All-Natural Skincare & Beauty Routine
- The Best Face Oils by Skin Type
- The Top 10 Essential Oils for Skincare
- DIY All-Natural Clarifying & Toning Foaming Facewash
- Blackhead Busting Blackout Mask
Hi pls I would like to know the best oils for hot and humid areas
Hi I’m louise. I’m in my late 20’s and my break outs are now out of control it’s just black head after another with also hard lumps which are living scars on my face now. I’ve never really liked the thought of using oil on my face as I have really oily skin and it’s really hard to control really could do with some help of which is the best to try and where to get it from. HELP!!!
Nadia- Loved the article am just learning about oils and it was a big help. I am 58 have spent a lot of time outdoors and a a reddened or ruddy complexion. The wrinkles are really multiplying I was wondering if you could recommend oils for aging wrinkled skin or a combination I could make that would help lessen the appearance of the wrinkles. Thank you for your time.
try emu oil, you’ll love it 😀
Great post! Thanks a lot for sharing this. Do you have any suggestions for moisturizer, it seems as if the hemp seed oil would be a good cleanser for me to use, but not enough moisture. Any feedback would be appreciated. 😉
How much tamanu oil would u add when mixed with the jojoba . Thank
Love this blog! Also a Huge fan of oils and natural remedies! Do you use coconut oil for “pulling”? Purified water is also very important to help rid your bodies of toxins and to stay hydrated (reducing dry skin)
Loved the information! Was glad to see Tamanu Oil mentioned, has done wonders for me. Might want to also look into these natural oils also, they are most commonly used in High end Anti-aging products: Moringa Oil, Monoi Oil, Meadowfoam Seed Oil, Argan Oil and Black Cumin Seed Oil all of which work wonders. Natural oils are great cause they do not cause oily skin or clog pores, using natural plant oils as a carrier and blending them with therapeutic grade essential oils create the best skin moisturizers.
Well it is a dry oil, so it can be drying you too much and irritating your skin. I’d dilute it with another oil like jojoba. As I mention in the post, this is what I do. I never use it alone.
I have been using rose hip oil for the last almost three weeks and my skin is really breaking ou with cyst like pimples what might be the problem. Do I need to mix it with essential oil. The break out is on my forehead and jaws
Hello Nadia, I was wondering what is a good EO/ carrier oil mix for cystic acne?
Hi Nadia,
i just want to make sure that I am using these oils correctly because I don’t want my face to break out anymore. I bought Jojoba oil, Castrol Oil, Tamaru Oil, and Rosehip oil. Is it okay if I apply all of these after I was my face at night or is that going to be too much?? I am new to using oils on my face, I tried coconut oil before but didn’t like how it made my face feel greasy!
I use this wash https://bodyunburdened.com/diy-all-natural-toning-clarifying-foaming-facewash/ (or if I’m lazy and haven’t made a batch in awhile which is currently the case 🙂 I just use a little tea tree castile soap though this is getting to be too drying for my skin combined with the dry winter air).
Since you use these oils as moisturizers then what do you use or recommend as a cleanser for washing your face? I’m trying to start using a more natural skin care routine rather than the chemical products that I’ve been using over the years to treat my acne prone skin.
Nadia, do you have any recipes for a facial cream that benefits rosacea? My cheeks are always super red so i have to cover w/ a concealer! Thank you!
i am 19 years old and i have acne and hormonal problem skin usually just around my chin/mouth area. i have been to dermatologists and tried many natural remedies but nothing seems to clear up those little suckers! after usuing oils to wash your face do you also recommend using a moisturizer after? also which oils would you suggest for my young age? thank you hoping this works!
Yay I am so happy to hear that! I would put it under your moisturizer… I do that in the winter – I’ll apply the blend and then layer some raw shea butter on top on any dry areas (shea butter is non-comedogenic and soooooo moisturizing).
Thank you for this post. I have been using your blend in place of my regular moisturizer for about a week now and have started to see great results. Unfortunately, my skin has become much drier since I started using it. Will I still see the benefits of this oil blend if I apply it over my regular moisturizer?
Thank you very much for your sharing of oil and how to use it in skin care routine. I have oilly, not smooth skin, large pore. I want to use oil to moisturize my skin, make it less oily as much as possible, clear, flawless, anti acnes and anti aging. So would you please recommend me a recipe to mix some oil together (carrier oil and EOs) to get the best results. Thank you in advance!
I’ve been using just argan oil for several months after using Acure brand moisturizers…the simple argan oil has been better! I have had hormonal acne (mostly chin line where the lymph nodes are) but this has really been a lot better since i quit using “organic” moisturizers. I have hemp seed oil in the fridge and am going to try that out. Thanks for the suggestion! I love your site Nadia 🙂