Best Facial Oils to Try for Beginners

posted in skincare

Last Updated on March 13, 2023

I love using oils; I’ve completely replaced creams and moisturizers with them, and enjoy the simplicity and benefits to my skin that come with using them. The questions “Which oils do you prefer?” and “How can I find the right oil for my skin?” come up a lot . There are lots of different options, all with their own benefits so here’s a brief overview and some good first facial oils to try.

Jojoba Oil

Good beginner oil, especially for combination or more oily skin.

The first oil that I tried was jojoba oil. I selected it because it’s a good versatile oil, and it’s recommended for both oily and dry skin, although it’s generally better for skin that’s more on the oily side since it’s not heavily moisturizing. A great mix for combination skin like mine!

Jojoba oil is actually not a oil, it’s a wax that is very similar to the sebum your skin produces. This makes it good for helping to balance your skin’s sebum production, and it’s also good for acne.

I really liked how lightweight it was, especially for my first time using oils, since I was worried that they would make my skin really greasy. I really liked using jojoba oil and it got me excited about facial oils, so when it was time to get more, I decided to experiment with s few different oils.

If you’re unsure where to start, I think jojoba is a great, “all-types” oil. It balances sebum, is good for both dry and oily skin, and it can help skin conditions like acne or eczema; also, it’s also inexpensive and has a long shelf-life.

Argan Oil

Try for for mature and drier skin.

Argan oil is recommended for different skin types, but particularly dry skin, and is high in vitamin E. It’s also know for its anti-aging benefits: reducing wrinkles and helping heal the skin. Argan oil is heavier compared to jojoba, but it still absorbs well.

A big reason why I wanted to try argan oil was because it’s anti-inflammatory and can help with redness, which I get around and on my nose. Using it however I never noticed any improvements in that area.

It seems like argan oil works really well for some people, and not so well for others. Since it is a pricier oil, for me it wasn’t worth it, although it was really wonderful on my hair.

Sweet Almond Oil

Good pick for dry skin.

Sweet almond oil is more moisturizing and recommended for dry skin. Sweet almond oil has vitmain D, E and anti-oxidants which can help soothe and heal the skin from irritation and sun-damage. Sweet almond is a good moisturizer for dry skin, and can also help to remove dead skin cells and relieve itching and inflammation.

Even though it is a heavier oil, I found it still absorbed fairly well. Although overall it wasn’t the best for my skin, but would be a good choice for drier skin.


Some other oils to consider for different skin types:

If you have Oily and Acne-prone Skin

You will want to look for an oil with linoleic acid. Try grapeseed or hemp seed oil. Grapeseed is easily absorbed, known for combating acne, and can help reduce oil production. Hemp seed is another oil high in linoleic acid and has anti-inflammatory properties.

If you have Dry and Acne-prone Skin

Safflower oil is another options to help your skin keep in moisture, but it also contains linoleic acid to help with acne.

If you have Very Dry Skin

Try coconut or olive oil. Both of these are comedogenic (meaning they can clog your pores) which is why they’re typically used on the body, but both oils can provide moisture and nourishment to dehydrated skin.

*When purchasing oils look for pure, preferably organic, cold-pressed oils!

Also don’t be discouraged if the first oil you try doesn’t work the best for you, it can take a few to find the right one.


Choosing an Facial Oil Blend

I think it’s helpful to first figure out what base oils are best for your skin and then try some blends or facial oils with other additives. That way if they don’t work for you, you know it’s likely the other components and not the oil you’ve already tried, and it saves you some time (and money) experimenting and trying different oils to narrow down what’s best.

You can also build on the benefits; so if you know what main oil you like but you wish it had a few other features you can find blends that combine that oil with others that offer the extra benefits you want.

After trying various facial oil blends these are my favourite brands:

Skwalwen Botanicals – Beautiful handcrafted products. Both their Kalkáy Wild Rose Facial Oil and Tewín’xw Cranberry Rose Facial Serum are high-quality and carefully crafted blends to be highly beneficial and multi-purpose. They also have a Oil Sampler Set which is a perfect way to test them out before committing to a full bottle.

Oil + Water – I love their minimalist skincare routine. The Face + Hair Oil is a lovely, multi-purpose blend with benefits for all skin types. Their Starter Set is a great way to try out the routine. (You can also use code MYGREENCLOSET10 for 10% off the Oil + Water line!)


Learn more about different oils:

Naked Truth Beauty has a helpful post explaining linoleic vs. oleic acid, comedogenicity, and some common face oils.

Gothamista’s Face Oil video explains lots of different oils for different skin types.

Natural Living Ideas has a post about making your own oil blend.

6 Responses

  1. Sophie J. Green
    | Reply

    Hello! Thanks for the recommendations. I thought I cannot use oil during warm weather. Turns out there are light oils perfect for it.

  2. Simran Raina
    | Reply

    Heyyy can i use tamanu oil and hempseed oil together as i have dry dehydrated acne prone skin because of pcod right now i use tamanu oil before my moisturiset which has rosehip oil

  3. Genevieve
    | Reply

    I’m on my fourth bottle of organic tamanu oil. I have tried quite a few, including rose hip and argan, but always come back to tamanu. I use it at night in the winter when it is very dry here in Alberta, and I feel like it makes a noticeable difference when I have acne.

  4. Lisa
    | Reply

    Hi Verena, I have a question about using facial oils. So far I tried almond oil and reship oil and overtime after a few days I get small red spots under my eye, just in the sensitive an thinner skin area. When I stop using the oils the go away again. Did you ever experience this and do you have a recommendation for me or know if I am doing something wrong? Thanks, Lisa

    • Verena Erin
      | Reply

      Hi Lisa,
      Sorry to hear that, I have not had that experience. It sounds like some kind of reaction, but strange that you would get the same reaction to both oils. Do you have very sensitive skin? Or maybe the oils have a common ingredient- where they both pure oil?

      • Lisa
        | Reply

        Thanks for coming back to me! I have very sensitive and reactive skin. I think both oils are a mix of different oils, one is the Weleda almond oil and one the Pai rosehip oil. Maybe i should try pure oils?

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