Vegetable oils are increasingly popular in the cosmetic industry nowadays. They offer the advantage of being completely natural while providing essential fatty acids, vitamin E, and antioxidants to the skin. Thanks to their beneficial components, oils protect the skin by creating a protective barrier on the epidermis.
In this review, we will resume some best practices for properly applying vegetable oil for skin care.
In order to optimize vegetable oil’s action on your skin, you must be sure to follow the right steps.
Proper Dosage of Vegetable Oil
While vegetable oils are beneficial for the skin, some, such as castor oil or coconut oil, can make the skin greasy. To avoid greasy skin, you must therefore make the proper dosage. Generally, 2 to 4 drops are enough to nourish the skin and benefit from fatty acids, vitamins, and antioxidants, especially for daytime care.
For evening care, you can increase the amount of oil up to 6 drops to allow it to better act on the skin and prevent it from being completely absorbed by your pillow. Note that the vegetable jojoba oil of brand Tsara is ideal for night-time care.
Always apply vegetable oil on a clean and slightly moist skin:
It is important to apply the oil on a perfectly clean and clear skin. It is best to do this after shower, especially on thoroughly cleansed skin if you plan to do a facial treatment.
It is also advisable to have slightly moist skin, as dilated pores are dilated will better react to treatments. If your skin feels dry after showering, consider spraying it with some flower hydrosol to help the skin absorb the active ingredients of the vegetable oil.
Allow penetration for several minutes
Before applying the oil, take a few drops in the palm of your hand and warm it up. Once you have warmed it up between your palms, massage it into the skin with circular movements.
You can also perform simple pressure movements by gently tapping with your fingertips. It helps stimulate fibroblasts, the connective tissue cells where collagen and elastin fibers are secreted.
Be careful not to pull on the skin! You should proceed gently to avoid wrinkling your epidermis.
Follow the application order with moisturizing cream
A skincare routine should include the use of both a vegetable oil and a moisturizer at least. The application order of each product will depend on the type of oil you are using.
Thus, if you plan to apply a light oil such as jojoba oil, sweet almond oil, or argan oil, for example, you can do so before applying the moisturizer. Indeed, these oils are rich in linoleic acid and are therefore more unsaturated. Light oils act from within and penetrate the upper layer of the epidermis more quickly. Their action is similar to that of a serum, which rebuilds the lipid layers of the skin. You can even mix a few drops directly into your moisturizer to maximize its action.
On the other hand, if you are using a heavy oil such as castor oil, avocado oil, or shea butter, it is preferable to do so after applying the moisturizer. These vegetable oils have the characteristic of being more saturated and closing the pores of the skin. They are suitable for preventing moisture from evaporating due to their high molecular weight. Thanks to these characteristics, these vegetable oils are ideal for sealing in the hydration and nutrition provided by your cream.