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The Best Carrier Oils for Your Face: Top Picks for Different Skin Types

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Affiliate links may be included at no cost to you. All thoughts and opinions are my own and based off my own experience using carrier oil on my face. 

If you want to incorporate essential oils into your skincare routine, you may be surprised to discover that carrier oils are recommended as a component of what you are putting on your face, whether you are washing, moisturizing, fighting acne or keeping wrinkles at bay. No matter what you goal, carrier oils are part of the solution.

Seems a little counter-intuitive to slather oil all over your face as a way to improve the skin’s condition, right? Won’t it clog pores, attract debris in the air or at the very least make an awful mess?

Yes, all of these things are definitely possible IF you are using the wrong carrier oil for your skin type. In today’s post I want to highlight different types of carrier oils and which types of skin each oil plays with best. 🙂

best carrier oil face

Back Up: Why Are Carrier Oils Needed?

There are quite a few reasons why you need to be using a carrier oil in addition to the essential oils of your choosing for a more natural form of skincare. First, essential oils that are worth their weight are EXTREMELY potent, and that means that one little drop is often all you need to get the full benefits. However, one drop isn’t going to very easily cover your entire face before it gets soaked into your skin (essential oils absorb VERY rapidly) and so a carrier oil can help that one drop cover more ground.

Additionally, many essential oils have the capacity to cause a bit of irritation if applied undiluted to the skin. I personally use Young Living Essential Oils to eliminate any concern about chemical additives. If a YL oil irritates my skin, it is simply because it is a “hot” oil and not because it has additives. I prefer to play it safe with my essential oils and use a carrier oil in conjunction with them, especially when the target is my face, which has some of the most sensitive skin on my body.

Sensitive Skin Picks

 Apricot Kernel Oil – a very gentle choice if you are worried about irritation. Also a great pick for use with children.
Olive Oil – An easy-to-find resource (go for the cold-pressed stuff) that is packed with vitamins and minerals and has been shown to be loved by sensitive skin. The smell might be a bit stronger for this oil, which would make it a better choice for the evening than the morning.

Oily Skin Picks

Safflower Oil – Linoleic acid is in this oil, and that makes it a great pick for folks who deal with acne.
Jojoba Oil – Jojoba oil can actually modify the production of your sebaceous glands to get your oil production to a more balanced place. I have dry skin, but if I had oily skin this would be my top pick because it is lauded so highly.
Grapeseed Oil – Properties in this oil serve as a natural astringent
Castor Oil – I primarily see this used as the oil of choice when cleansing the face (as opposed to moisturizing) for folks with oily skin. Castor oil can be very beneficial to irritated skin thanks to its antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. It is a very thick oil, and not one I would personally leave on the skin for a lengthy amount of time.

Dry Skin Picks

Sunflower Oil – extremely nourishing and much loved by skin that needs more moisture. Absorbs quickly, which is nice, and has been known to be beneficial for eczema.
Avocado Oil – does not absorb as quickly so this is a better pick for the evening skincare routine. Known to be an excellent moisturizer
Macadamia Nut Oil – Oleic acid in this oil is great for providing moisture and combating inflammation that can occur with dry, irritated skin (such as eczema or rosacea). Palmitoleic acid in this oil is also very healing. This is my top pick for when skin issues arise.
Almond Oil  – This is another personal favorite because I like how light it is, yet how moisturizing it can be. High doses of Vitamin A are in this oil.

Good for Nobody Pick

Coconut Oil – This is a fantastic choice for many folks on other parts of the body, but I do not recommend it for use on your face simply because it is known to clog pores. Some folks do use it with success, but given how many other great carrier oils are out there that perform more consistently on the face, I recommend skipping the coconut oil in favor of something else.
Feel free to experiment with these oils and even to combine them in your DIY skincare products that you make. And if you have one particular type of skin but have benefited from a carrier oil listed in a different category, please leave a comment and tell us about your experience! Just as with essential oils, there is a degree of experimentation that needs to happen for each individual (so look for the smaller bottles of carrier oil if you are buying for the first time and aren’t confident that you will like it!).
best carrier oils face
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