On some days you’re in a pinch and you just want to grab one bottle and use it head to toe. For instance, you want to use your body lotion for your face and body. Also, you may want to use your body oil for both your face and body. But should you?
So many skincare rules here and there and it makes skincare routines look like a labyrinth. I feel your hurt and that is why I have gathered answers that should suffice.
Body oil and face oil are skincare products; oil-based formulas with oils of different kinds, botanical extracts, vitamins, and minerals that nourish and moisturize your skin. Sometimes, you may use one to fill in for the other.
Continue reading to see why you aren’t committing a skincare offense by using body oil on your face.
What Is Body Oil?
Body oil is a liquid oil-based skincare product fortified with fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. This skincare product is usually applied anywhere from the neck downwards.
Generally, a good body oil should naturally fill in the role of your skin’s natural oil, sebum. It should be lightweight and not leave residues after application.
Body oils serve different cosmetic and health purposes like giving you a glassy glow, and a dewy finish, moisturizing your skin, treating specific skin conditions, improving your lipid barrier, and boosting your immunity.
Furthermore, body oils are good anti-aging ingredients. They contain antioxidants that prevent the formation of free radicals and the development of sagging, dry skin.
The best time to use body oil is immediately after you get out of the shower. At this time, your skin is still moist, and your pores are opened to receive nutrients that will moisturize your skin and leave it supple.
Is There Any Difference Between Body Oil and Face Oil?
The difference between body oil and face oil is a thin line and it is not always consequential. Body oils may be thicker and more concentrated than others. In essence, this formula may be too heavy for facial skin.
Also, body oil products may contain herbs and other plants that may make the oil more moisturizing than facial oil.
There are body oils that contain ingredients like paraben, fragrance, and canola oil (a genetically modified oil that isn’t safe for the skin). Such ingredients aren’t safe for your body and certainly will not be safe for your face.
Moreover, facial skin is very thin and the products you apply to your face are usually mild formulations. Most skin oils usually do not contain any ingredient other than oil.
Therefore, if your body oil contains only oil and the same applies to your facial oil, there isn’t much of a difference between both oils.
Is Body Oil Good for Your Face?
If your body oil is formulated just like your face oil, then, it is good for your face. Oils like argan oil, jojoba oil, almond oil, and olive oil are multi-purpose oils that suit the skin on your body and facial skin.
Body oils are moisturizing and soothing, they improve your natural barrier and protect your skin from irritants. If you find a body oil with these benefits, it is not a bad option for your face.
If you want to reduce the number of products you apply to your skin, in general, you can use your body oil for your face. However, you should be sure that it is a multi-purpose oil that has the oil as the sole ingredient.
Is It Bad to Put Body Oil on Your Face?
Body oil may be bad for your face if the additives in the formula are too heavy for the facial skin and are comedogenic.
Additives like parabens, petrolatum, and fragrances are not facial skin-friendly. They can cause skin irritations and worse health problems.
A body oil that contains these ingredients will be bad for your face and put your facial skin in a vicious cycle of breakouts.
In addition, your bottle of trusted body oil may not win the trust of your face because it contains essential oils that your face cannot tolerate. Such oils can cause irritations and skin redness.
Will Body Oil Lighten Your Face?
Body oil will lighten your face if the constituent oils are natural skin lightening oils. Oils like (although not limited to this list) lemon oil, lavender oil, tea tree oil, jojoba oil, argan oil, and rosehip oil are good for skin lightening.
These oils are also multi-purpose natural oils. You can use them alone on your face to lighten dark spots and discolorations due to hyperpigmentation. Also, you can use them with kitchen ingredients to make skin whitening scrubs for your face.
Most importantly, before you apply any oil on your face, you should run a patch test on your skin to be sure it will not irritate your skin.
Can You Apply Body Oil Directly to Your Face?
If you are using a carrier oil, you can apply it directly to your face. On the other hand, you should dilute essential oils with a base oil, carrier oil, or body care product.
A multi-purpose oil can be applied directly to the skin immediately after a bath, mixed with other oils to make a serum, or for face massages.
Lightweight oils absorb quickly and do not leave residues on your skin. Also, they can be used directly on your face for oil cleansing and treating specific conditions. To use body oil for your face, it should come after serums or moisturizers.
Can You Mix Body Oil With Lotion for the Face?
Yes, you can. If your skin cannot tolerate the oil, you can mix it with your face lotion. In addition, if your body oil contains essential oils, you should dilute it with your face lotion. This way, it is more tolerable and least likely to cause irritations.
Retinol oils may be mixed with face lotion for nighttime application. Mixing your oil with lotion will help to boost the moisturizing ingredients contained in the lotion.
More so, it collapses two skincare routine steps into two and makes skincare easier and more effective.
How to Mix Oils for Face
To mix your skincare oil, you’ll need carrier oils and essential oils. You should not jump at just any oil. Choose your oils based on your skin type.
If you have oily skin, you need oils with a zero comedogenicity rating. Oils like jojoba oil, hemp seed oil, argan oil, rosehip oil, tea tree essential oil, lemon essential oil, and rosemary essential oil.
Dry skin types will benefit from oils like sweet almond oil, avocado oil, coconut oil, lavender essential oil, geranium essential oil, and sandalwood essential oil.
People with sensitive skin should get oils that will soothe their skin and are not likely to cause skin flares. Examples of such oils include moringa oil, sesame seed oil, apricot oil, lavender essential oil, and frankincense essential oil.
Choosing products and ingredients for combination skin types can be quite daunting because you’re looking at two skin types. Natural oils that work for normal skin will suit combination skin as well.
For instance, jojoba oil, pomegranate oil, sunflower oil, lavender essential oil, neroli essential oil, and cedarwood essential oil are good picks.
How to mix:
To mix oils for face oil, you should dilute essential oils with carrier oils in this proportion; three drops of essential oil per one tablespoon of carrier oil. If you’re using a dropper, 1-2 drops of essential oil to 12 drops of carrier oil.
- When you have selected your oils combination, ration the oils with the number of drops (carrier oils and essential oils accordingly)
- Mix all the oils in a clean dark glass bottle
- Cover the bottle firmly and carefully roll it in between your palms to warm it and mix the content
- Afterward, set it aside in a cool, dry place, away from sunlight
How to Use Oil for Face
There are so many ways to use oil for your face in your beauty routine. You can use oils to finish off your routine by layering it over moisturizer or retinol cream to seal in moisture.
Oils are good cleansers for oily and acne-prone skin. Following the oil dissolve soil principle, oil cleansing will help to remove excess sebum and makeup residues. Moreover, oils are good massage ingredients.
While massaging, the nutrients seep into your skin and fortify it, improving your lipid barrier and adding a natural glow.
In addition, you can mix your foundation with oils or use oils as a primer for foundation application. The oil makes your face sleeky and gives you a seamless finish.
FAQs
Is it okay to put oil on your face?
Yes, it is. Oils are good for your face. They support moisturizers in replenishing skin moisture. Also, oils are highly concentrated with nutrients like fatty acids, antioxidants, and vitamins that are important for the health and appearance of your skin.
In addition, face oils act as a seal over every other ingredient, preventing moisture loss while protecting your skin from irritants and infection.
Which oil can you use for the body and face?
Oils like jojoba oil, argan oil, rosehip oil, lavender oil, tea tree oil, almond oil, coconut oil, olive oil, and many others are examples of face-body hybrid oils. You can use these oils for both your body and face during your skincare routine.
Will body oil clog your pores?
Body oil may clog your pores if it contains comedogenic oils. Otherwise, it will not clog your pores.
Oils are classified by a factor called comedogenicity rating. The values determine whether a specific oil will clog your pores (comedogenic) or not (non-comedogenic).
Conclusion
Body care products and facial care products have a lot of questions going about them and it’s majorly around if you should or should not use them interchangeably. While some products cannot be used interchangeably, oils can be used interchangeably.
Body oils and face oils are usually made of just oils and several face-body hybrid oils will not hurt either face or the body.
However, you should always check the ingredient list of your body oils. Some may contain additives like paraben, mineral oil, or fragrance, ingredients that shouldn’t come near your face. Oils with these ingredients shouldn’t be used for your face.
In conclusion, if you have a bottle of multi-purpose oil, you can use it for your body and face. But if you’d rather use two different bottles of oil for your body and face, it is equally good. The goal is to use non-comedogenic oils and has flawless skin.
Thanks for reading.
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