Face oils are a relatively new category in the world of beauty. Less than 10 years ago you’d have been hard pushed to find any oil featured in a skincare routine. But the last 5 years have seen exponential growth in this category, with oils part of every beauty brand’s skincare arsenal and lauded by countless beauty influencers, including none other than Instagram beauty queen Huda Kattan. As beauty brands continue to innovate and bring to market increasingly sophisticated formulas, I go back to basics and explore all natural facial oils that will nurture your skin with clean, organic and botanical ingredients.

Fushi Organic Rosehip Oil

Probably one of the most popular skincare oils, rosehip oil’s multitasking benefits range from anti-inflammatory and anti-ageing to fading scars. Fushi’s vitamin-rich cold-pressed rosehip oil goes on dry, meaning it sinks into skin when massaged without leaving an oily residue – handy if you include it in your morning routine and follow up with makeup. Certified organic by The Soil Association and vegan (it is literally just the one ingredient), I tend to apply 4-5 drops in the evenings and with regular use have found my combination skin more balanced. This may seem counter-intuitive for oily skin types but the result is there. At only £18 the glass bottle offers a generous 100ml of pure rosehip oil which will keep you going much longer than most facial oils that typically come in at 30ml. If you’d like to learn more about rosehip oil I’ve detailed its skincare benefits in my post Natural Skincare Ingredients: What Do They Do? 

Olivarrier Fluid Oil Squalane

Another single ingredient beauty product, Olivarrier’s Fluid Oil only contains squalane, derived from olives and known for fighting dry skin and age spots. I discovered Olivarrier through judging the face care category for this year’s Clean Beauty Awards, receiving a box full of never-seen-before brands which you can discover in my post Clean Beauty Awards 2018 Face Care Review. Hailing from South Korea, this 100% natural oil is cruelty-free, vegan and dermatologically tested. Being used to Fushi’s dry rosehip oil I was surprised at how thick and rich this one was, so I would advise only a couple of drops to massage into face and neck. Prevalent in the US, it doesn’t seem to be currently available in the UK, so if you’re looking for a local alternative trust Cult Beauty to have the answer in the form of Indie Lee’s Squalane Facial Oil.

Freyaluna Regain Your Balance Harmonising Facial Oil

I discovered Freyaluna thanks to the niche British brand treasure trove that is Rare Beauty and reviewed the full Regain Your Balance range for a giveaway – keep your eyes peeled for the next one! I know this probably shouldn’t influence my perception of the oil’s performance but I really like its deep yellow colour that makes it look rich and full of goodness like nectar. With a total of 8 natural oils, star ingredients include jojoba for dissolving dirt and makeup to help unclog pores, geranium for cleansing skin and balancing sebum, and carrot tissue oil (a first for me in skincare) to help heal, regenerate and moisturise. Three to four generous drops are easily enough to cover your whole face and neck to soothe skin and nourish dry areas. I apply this harmonising oil at bedtime instead of moisturiser and leave it to work its magic throughout the night. 30ml RRP £32.00

Alexa Sky Botanicals Cactus Fruit Eye Serum

Another Rare Beauty discovery, this isn’t technically a facial oil but the ingredients list reads like one so I thought I’d include it. The texture certainly points towards an oil rather than a serum: packed with 10 all-natural ingredients, this is the richest eye product I have ever used and ideal as part of your evening skincare routine or an at-home mini facial treatment. The handy roll-on allows for easy mess-free application, with just one swipe under eyes from the inner corner outwards, depositing enough formula to gently smooth over with fingertips. Prickly pear (the cactus fruit referred to in the product name) seed oil contains vitamin K to fight dark circles while white poppy seed oil improves firmness and elasticity and chamomile extract de-puffs. A bit of an all-rounder, I can’t think of anything else I’d want an eye serum to deliver on. 10ml RRP £23.00

Lucky Cloud Skincare Balancing Face Oil

Another independent natural beauty brand, I came across Lucky Cloud whilst browsing The Green Parent, described as an inspiring magazine for slightly feral families. Living in central London my family is far from feral: the other day I met up with my cousin in Westfield Shopping Centre and my toddler’s favourite animal is a pigeon. But I do love to treat my skin to natural skincare products so was delighted to trial this Balancing Face Oil. Rich in botanical oils, it features ingredients you’ll be familiar with by now : nourishing jojoba, balancing rosehip and scar-fading squalane. It also boasts an anti-acne blend of acai and andiroba oils – music to my ears. Lucky Cloud recommends a dosage of 4-8 drops using the supplied pipette which is quite generous – I found that 4 drops comfortably covered my face and neck. What I love most about this facial oil is the relaxing scent: apply before bedtime to benefit from calming lavender and frankincense to help you drift off to sleep. 30ml RRP £21.00

Are you a facial oil convert ? I’d love to hear about your favourite oil and its benefits, let me know in the comments below.

Features PR samples