Face oils

Face oil: nourishing extra care for dry skin

A face oil is a care product that nourishes and softens the skin and leaves it silky. Face oil is usually applied after serum and before cream, or in place of it in the evening, to keep the skin soft and hydrated.

The range suits anyone who wants to add a rich step to face care: for dry and mature skin, for care in the colder months and for an evening treat. There is both a caring oil and a cleansing oil, so you will find a suitable product for evening care as well as for removing makeup.

How to choose a face oil

Choose an oil by your skin type and the result you want. Dry and mature skin suit nourishing, richer oils, while combination skin suits lighter ones. An oil can be used on its own or under a cream to keep moisture in the skin.

• Nourishing face oil: gives the skin softness and rich care.
• Hydrating oil: helps keep the skin surface soft and supple.
• How to use: warm a few drops in your palms and press gently onto the face.

To complete your routine see our face serums and face creams.

Caring oil and cleansing oil

There are two kinds of face oil. A caring oil stays on the skin and nourishes it, while a cleansing oil removes makeup and the day’s dust in the evening and is rinsed off. Our range has two good examples.

The Estée Lauder Revitalizing Supreme+ Nourishing and Hydrating oil is a 30 ml nourishing and hydrating oil that gives the skin rich care. The Clarins Total Cleansing Oil is a 150 ml refreshing facial cleansing oil, suited to evening cleansing and removing makeup.

Popular brands

The face oils include Estée Lauder; oil-based cleansing is offered by Clarins.

How to add face oil to your routine

Face oil belongs among the last steps of a routine. Here is a simple evening routine you can adapt to your skin:

• Step 1: remove makeup and cleanse the skin, for example with a cleansing oil.
• Step 2: after face cleansing apply a hydrating serum, for example the Collistar Hyaluronic Acid firming face serum.
• Step 3: warm a few drops of face oil in your palms and press gently onto the skin.
• Step 4: if your skin needs more, finish with a night cream.

That way the skin gets care in layers: the serum brings moisture, the oil helps keep it in and the cream completes the care. The oil does not have to be nightly if your skin prefers lighter care. Start a couple of times a week and see how your skin feels.

When should I apply face oil?

An oil suits evening care, but richer skin also enjoys it in the morning. Apply it to cleansed skin after serum.

In the colder months, when there is wind outside and dry air indoors, skin wants more attention and an oil is an especially pleasant addition. In summer one or two drops in the evening or a lighter texture is often enough. Use as much oil as your skin needs and adjust the amount to the seasons.

How to use a cleansing oil

A cleansing oil is applied to dry skin and massaged gently in circles, so that it meets the makeup and the day’s dust. Then add a little water to your palms, massage for a moment more and rinse the face in warm water. After a cleansing oil, a gentle cleansing foam, serum and cream suit an evening routine. That way the evening becomes a small ritual that ends with a soft feeling on the skin.

Face oil and a gentle massage

Using a face oil is a lovely chance to add a few minutes of massage to your care. Warm the oil in your palms, press your hands gently onto the face and move with your fingertips from the chin towards the ears, from the cheeks to the temples and from the side of the nose up to the forehead. Slow, calm strokes make the care a moment for yourself. Even two minutes in the evening make the end of the day calmer.

An evening treat all year round

In autumn and winter, when the air is cold and dry, oil is a favourite: skin wants a rich layer and the evening routine feels warmer. In spring and summer a lighter amount is often enough, with the oil used only in the evening when the skin has seen more sun and wind during the day. A simple rule works all year round: use what your skin wants that day and adjust the amount of oil by feel.

When an oil is especially pleasant

An oil is especially pleasant after a long day, when the skin is tired and wants care. It also suits days when you have been out in wind, cold or dry indoor air, and evenings when you want a home spa: a warm shower, gentle cleansing, serum, oil and a soft towel. Before and after a trip too, an oil is a lovely treat, since it gives the skin a rich layer that keeps it soft.

Start with a small amount and add more if needed; spread the drops carefully so that the skin stays soft and comfortable.

Who face oil suits

Face oil suits dry and mature skin that expects rich care. It also suits anyone who enjoys an evening care ritual and wants soft skin in the morning. For combination skin, lighter oils in a smaller amount suit, with attention above all to the cheeks, where the skin is drier.

If you already have a favourite serum and cream, the oil is an addition to them, not a replacement. That way the routine stays simple but the skin gets more care.

Face oil as a gift and for yourself

A face oil is a lovely and practical gift: it suits a birthday, Mother’s Day and Christmas. If you choose it as a present, add a serum or a night cream next to it and the recipient gets a whole evening ritual. For yourself, apply the oil when you want to pamper yourself: put on some music, warm a few drops in your palms and press them gently onto the face.

For a wider choice see the face care products category.

Frequently asked questions