Face oils may hold the secret to achieving healthy, radiant skin—no matter what your skin type (yes, even those of you with perpetually oily skin!). Jam-packed with nutrients like vitamin C, essential fatty acids and antioxidants, they penetrate the skin to transform and protect—helping to build a resilient skin layer known as the lipid barrier. Learn the correct way to apply them and how to choose the right oil(s) for your skin type.

Basic Tips: How to Apply Face Oils

When is the best time to apply oils? How much oil should you be using? What other products should you be using in combination with your oils? Here are some basic tips to help you get the most out of your face oils.

1. Combine Oils with Serums or Moisturizers
Oils “can be combined with other products to get enhanced effects.” The best combinations: serums (to treat) or moisturizers (to lock in hydration).

2. Apply Based on Your Skin’s Needs
Use oils after applying your face serum(s) and, if necessary, use oils to spot-treat dry areas—rather than applying all over the face.
Depending on your skin type, you may only want to use oils before bed so that your skin can soak them up overnight and provide protection throughout the day. This is especially true for oils that can increase your skin’s sensitivity to light or thicker oils that might give your complexion a little too much shine for a daytime look. If you have dull skin use face oil as a primer before applying makeup. Allow the oil to fully absorb before applying your makeup for a natural, hydrated glow.
Use face oils both in the morning and at night applying oil as the last step of your nighttime skin care routine and before your sunscreen and makeup in the morning.

3. Dab or Pat Oils into Your Skin
You shouldn’t be rubbing the oils into your skin like you would a moisturizer. Instead, dab or pat the oils, pushing them into your pores, rather than just sliding them around on the skin’s surface. This will help your skin absorb the oil and make use of its benefits much quicker.

4. A Couple Drops Is All You Need
Because face oils contain such concentrated amounts of nutrients (Marula oil has four times the vitamin C as an orange!), a little bit goes a long way. One to three drops of your choice of oil is enough to cover your whole face and deliver the benefits your skin needs.

Sunday Riley Skin Care and The Organic Pharmacy offer excellent oils for all skin types. See their selections here: http://www.skincaresolutionsstore.com