5 Face Oils for Naturally Clear, Flawless Skin

Acne DIY Skincare & Beauty Face Oils Natural Beauty

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.

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.


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!

The 5 best face oils for acne and oily skin help to gently but effectively heal blemishes while deeply nourishing the skin

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 best face oil blends for oily and acne-prone 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!

Learn how these 5 face oils for acne and blemish-prone skin help keep skin healthy and clear.

MY NEW BOOK "GLOW: THE NUTRITIONAL APPROACH TO NATURALLY GORGEOUS SKIN" IS FINALLY HERE!

Get Your Copy

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  1. Hi, Sharon! So glad to have you as a new reader and hope the oils will work their magic for you, too 🙂

    I believe all of the oils I linked to are organic – it should specify in the product description.

  2. Hi Nadia, I am new to the site and starting with the oils, i have read all the blogs and ready to get going

    with all organic. Wanted to ask if they are all 100% organic before I buy 7 of them. I happened with luck to

    stumble on to this site looking into mineral oil as my sister always used it. I have used for 2 days to take

    off makeup as everything was making around my eyes red after a while of using, except almay. But my

    dry skin loves oil, but quickly learned is was not going to be the mineral oil. I do not have acne or ever had.

    But my dry skin can trun into inflamed skin and had to see the Dermatologist. The script help clear that up.

    I’ll take all the advice here from all of you and get a good cleaning system and moisturizing

    system going. I like the idea that there are 2 that do not clog pores and the jojoba seams a good start to remove makeup.

    Getting the 5 oils + a few others. Thanks to you for all the advide and realize this could trun into my last

    skin regiment here.

  3. I’m so surprised no one has mentioned sesame oil. Sesame oil is used in Ayurveda as the main oil for Abhyanga massage, and is readily absorbed by the body. It is a warming oil and is very good in the winter time, though it can be used year round. Use raw organic and not the toasted stuff that’s sold in the supermarket. There is a saying in Ayurveda; ‘Oil is for the body what love is for the mind’. Make of that what you will.

  4. Hey Nadia, I recently started using a mix of chia seed oil, grape seed oil, and rose hip oil for my face. I used equal amount of all three. Does the ratio really make a difference? Also is it ok to mix multiple carrier oils, or would that make them too heavy? Coconut and EVOO were too heavy for my face and broke me out also, but they’re great on my body and hair.

  5. Nadia,
    I often use jojoba oil as a carrier oil for essential oils like sage, lavender, and oregano for various skin reasons. I want to try using castor oil and rosehip oil with some of my other oils but haven’t found a good way/container to mix small daily amounts of oil in the morning and evenings. Do you do your mixing in brown glass dropper bottles? Do you make a certain amount and keep on hand or do you mix the oils each time you use them?

  6. Have you ever used Moringa masks ? I’m an Esthetician and recently started using and selling it ! Love it !

  7. Hi, Molly! Well lavender and tea tree are essential oils whereas jojoba’s a carrier oil. You could start with just jojoba and see how that works, or go for it and use all three! You’ll want to dilute the lavender and tea tree though (technically you can use them neat, but they could irritate your skin).

  8. Hi Nadia–I just came across your blog while researching jojoba oil for acne. I am almost 30 years old and with the acne on my chin, you would think I was going through puberty! I am kind of at my wits end, feeling very frustrated and embarrassed. I have been doing some research regarding OCM and am interested in giving it a try. From what I have read, it sounds like jojoba oil, tea tree oil, and lavender are the most effective oils for acne. Do you recommend starting with one oil, or starting with some kind of mixture? Thanks in advance for your help!

  9. One comment to Lidia: there are wonderful benefits to black cumin seed oil…but beware that it often (even organic) smells like motor oil! And if you are wanting to add another oil that has a high concentration of oleic acid (great for drier skin), consider marula oil, baobab oil, kukui nut oil or camellia seed oil.

  10. Oh and do you use seabuckthorn seed or berry oil? I’ve been loving the seed oil! In fact, I’ve been planning to update this post with 3 more oils, including seabuckthorn seed.

  11. This info is for the person who wanted a recipe for her mature mom with dry skin. I’m 67 and I mix the following oils for dry skin: In a glass brown dropper bottle I fill 1/2 of the bottle with avocado oil, I divide equally the remaining space in the bottle with macademia, squalene (derived from olive oil) sea buckthorn, jojoba and rosehip oils, which makes them about 10 percent each. I’ m considering adding black seed cumin oil to my next mix, in which case, I’d reduce the percentage of avocado oil. My skin has great tone, elasticity, no wrinkles, radiance and reduced brown spots. I am sure it is all Tks to the oils as I don’t use anything else. I also use this mix on my neck, lips and around the eyes. I do not add EOs since my skin is very sensitive. I Apply 3-4 drops over my wet skin after I have sprayed it with a rose water toner. I also make a similar mix with EOs to apply to my hands– no more brown spots. Hope this info helps!

  12. Hm, not sure – I’ve never used it for hair growth. Let us know how it works for you!

  13. Just started using coconut oil for hair, skin, oil pulling and ingesting couple of weeks ago and I love it so far. I just picked up a bottle of castor oil yesterday and was going to use it on my hair and eyelashes. I have fine thinning hair and I am hoping this will help. Do you recommend any other oils to mix together for hair health and growth? Also, my 16 yo son has started using coconut oil for his acne and it does seem to be helping but it needs a boost. What oil would you recommend for his acne?

  14. This really depends on your skin’s individual needs! Coconut or jojoba are great for removing makeup – just try not to get them in your eyes and definitely do not add EOs to them for this purpose.

  15. Hi, i am looking to use the Oil method for removing makeup. has anyone found which one or combination works best and can you use it for eye makeup too?

  16. Just been reading through some of your posting – all sounds very intresting but really unsure where to start ..
    I’m 57 year old lady and have been blessed with great skin never problemed..!
    But now lookIng what’s best – to hold back theses winkles now starting to forming around eye and my mouth ..
    So looking for the Very best oils I should be using to counteract the ageing signs ..??
    Laura

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