The rich and moisturizing feeling of facial oil is strongly associated with dry skin and winter; however, what if we told you that facial oil can and should be used throughout the summer too. While textures of different products are important when switching up products for the hotter months, it’s important to moisturize and lock in that moisture.
Dandy Engleman, a dermatologist, states that “oils help make the skin supple and pliable. Since they are quickly absorbed, they help to reinforce the skin barrier, making it stronger and less vulnerable.”
With drier indoor climates due to air conditioning in the summer, it's crucial that we don’t leave out skincare products that include oils which help protect our skin barrier and skin moisture levels.
Picture via Jocelynne Flor
Skincare Basics
In order to fully explain the benefits of using facial oils throughout the year and especially in the summer, we have to go back to the skincare basics.
While a moisturizer is a common term that we use in our skincare routine, moisturizers are categorized into three ingredient subcategories: emollients, humectants, and occlusives.
Emollients help restore and strengthen the skin barrier and come in forms of creams, gels, and ointments. Humectants extract water molecules from the air and pull moisture into your skin. Some examples of humectants include glycerin and hyaluronic acid.
Finally, occlusives help serve as a physical barrier to help prevent moisture loss and also help prevent any skin irritation. According to The Cut, “oils can function as an occlusive and as an emollient, but never as a humectant.” As Dr. Tanzi, a dermatologist, explains, “they put a sealant on your skin by coating the top layer. This is different from pulling in water and hydrating skin.” So it is important to always pair a humectant with either an occlusive or emollient to help lock in the moisture.
Picture via Junichi Ito
Can All Skin Types Use Facial Oil?
A common misconception is that if you have oily skin you should stray away from facial oils.
I am guilty of believing that oils would be harmful to my acne prone skin during my teenage years. According to this article, “using an oil can help replenish your skin’s natural oils, which can keep oil levels balanced and breakouts at bay.”
Stripping natural oils causes your skin to overproduce natural skin oils to compensate, and in turn making skin more oily. It’s important to note that everyone’s skin will react differently to products so it’s best to listen to your skin and be aware of what products work best for your skin.
Midnight Shift Overnight Facial Oil
How to Apply Facial Oil and Recommendations
The first step when applying facial oil is to cleanse your face to help get your skin ready for application. As mentioned before, facial oils cannot replace the role of humectants which are moisturizers that include ceramides, lactic acid, and others.
So, the second step is to apply your daily moisturizer to bring back hydration after washing your face.
Next step would be to apply your favorite facial oil. A Moonlit Tip is to use a facial roller to help incorporate the oils into your skin. Using the Rose Quartz Facial Roller Tool in combination with Midnight Shift Overnight Facial Oil is a great way to include facial massaging and facial oils into your beauty routine.
If you enjoyed this blog post, check out our What’s in My Beauty Cabinet: Summer Edition featuring our co-founder, Stephy, to read more about how she likes to use facial oil in her summer routine.