How to Choose a Face Oil: A Simple Guide by Texture and Time of Day
A face oil is one of the simplest things you can add to a routine: a few drops, pressed onto clean skin. The harder part is choosing one. Some oils feel light and almost disappear; others feel richer and sit on the skin a little longer. This guide explains how to choose a face oil by how it feels, when you will use it, and whether you want a single botanical or a finished blend.
What a face oil does, and what it does not
A face oil helps skin feel soft and supple, and gives a healthy-looking glow. It is a finishing step, used on clean skin, usually at the end of the day. It is not a cleanser, and it is not a sunscreen: if you use an oil in the morning, keep using your sun protection as normal.
Start with how the oil feels
The most useful way to choose is by texture. Lighter oils spread easily and sink in quickly; richer oils feel more cushioning. Neither is better. The right one is the one your skin enjoys.
| Oil | How it feels | When it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Pure Grapeseed Oil | Very light, silky | Morning, under your usual routine; blending |
| Pure Jojoba Oil | Light, non-greasy | Morning or evening |
| Pure Prickly Pear Seed Oil | Light and silky | Evening |
| Pure Pomegranate Seed Oil | Richer, comfortable on drier-feeling skin | Evening |
| Saffron Face Oil | A saffron infusion in a botanical oil | Evening ritual |
If you are unsure, begin with a light oil. You can always move to something richer as the weather turns colder.
Morning or evening?
In the morning, less is more. One drop of grapeseed or jojoba, pressed in before your sun protection, is enough. A heavier oil can feel slippery under a day routine.
In the evening, you have more room. Two or three drops of prickly pear seed, pomegranate seed or saffron face oil, pressed onto clean skin, make a quiet last step of the day. Our evening face oil ritual walks through it.
A single oil or a finished blend?
A single oil is one botanical, named plainly. It is simple, easy to understand and easy to adjust. Many people keep two: a light one for the morning and a richer one for the evening.
A finished oil, such as Saffron Face Oil, is made for one moment. Saffron threads are steeped in a botanical oil for an evening ritual with a radiant-looking glow.
You can also make your own blend by adding a single drop of essential oil to a teaspoon of carrier oil. Turmeric brings a warm, earthy note; Frankincense a warm, resinous one. Never apply an essential oil undiluted. Read Essential Oils and Carrier Oils before you start, or follow our guides to turmeric and frankincense.
How to use a face oil
- Cleanse: start with clean skin. Slightly damp skin helps the oil spread.
- Warm: place two or three drops on your fingertips and warm them for a moment.
- Press: press the oil gently over the face and neck rather than rubbing. Avoid the eye area.
- Pause: give it a minute before the next step, or before bed.
Prefer a lighter touch? Mix one drop into your usual moisturizer instead.
Adding a mask, once or twice a week
A simple botanical mask pairs well with an evening oil. Pure Pomegranate Peel Powder, mixed with rose water into a smooth paste and rinsed after about ten minutes, leaves skin feeling fresh and clean before your oil. See How to Make a Pomegranate Peel Face Mask. The Evening Face Ritual Set brings the mask and pomegranate seed oil together.
Before you begin
- Test any new oil on a small area of skin and wait 24 hours before first use.
- Keep oils away from the eyes.
- Stop using any product if irritation occurs.
- Store oils tightly closed, away from heat and direct light. See How to Store Natural Oils and Powders.
Choosing, in brief
- New to face oils: jojoba or grapeseed, one or two drops.
- For the evening: prickly pear seed or pomegranate seed, two or three drops.
- For a considered ritual: Saffron Face Oil.
- Your own blend: a light carrier with one drop of turmeric or frankincense per teaspoon.
Explore every face oil in the Skin collection.