Before I started The Merchenary, one skincare category always daunted me – Facial oils. 3 years ago, I made my foray into facial oils by using a few drops of pure coconut oil every night, as suggested by a very brief research on the trusty interweb. What ensued were large closed comedones on my already dry, flaky skin (ya thanks, Retinol).

“What?! They said coconut oil is supposed to moisturise. Your skin is only dry temporarily because it’s freaking out…”

“If it’s dry, then why is my skin all clogged up?”

“It’s just purging, you dumdum! Now poke and squeeze them out, yeah?”

Such was my nightly dialogue with my reflection as I helplessly scrutinised and poked at my skin. Sigh. But thankfully, things changed.

3 years later, I’m no longer that foolish. And in order for you not to make the same mistake I did, here is a holistic guide to all things face and oil.

What about oil is so good?

What are oils?

What is in oil? (fatty acid compositions and comedogenic ratings)

Which oils are best for my skin type?

How do I add oils to my skincare routine?



What is so good about facial oils?

Thanks to the preachings of skincare experts, the myth that oily or acne-prone skin types can’t use facial oils isn’t as rampant as before. Traditional anti-acne products can strip oil off your face mercilessly. But facial oils, if used correctly, can rebalance your sebaceous glands, soothe inflamed skin, and boost hydration.

What are oils?

Facial oils generally fall into three categories: fragrant plant oils, non-fragrant plant oils, and synthetic oils. For the purpose of this article, I’ll be focusing on the plant oils.

Fragrant plant oils

Fragrant plant oils are known as essential oils, because it’s the extracted “essence” of the plant’s fragrance. Essential oils evaporate easily at room temperature, and contain zero fatty acids. Therefore, their main function is just to, you know, smell great.

Sure, some skincare companies tout essential oils as having anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and even anti-acne benefits. But essential oils, if not diluted properly, are known phototoxic skin irritants. And you certainly don’t want that for your skin.

Examples of essential oils you may find in your skincare products are: Eucalyptus, Rose, Carrot Seed, and all the Citrus and Mint oils.

Non-fragrant plant oils and fatty acids

Non-fragrant plant oils is where your skin wants to party at. Unlike essential oils, they are made up of a primary blend of fatty acids, and are a rich source of proven antioxidants. They are also awesome emollients – keeping the skin soft, hydrated, and protects moisture from escaping the skin’s surface. Fatty acids come in two main categories: Saturated and unsaturated fatty acids.

Saturated fatty acids found in your non-fragrant plant oils are lauric, myristic, stearic, and palmitic acids. These are usually found in your cleansers, hair and body moisturisers.

The unsaturated fatty acids found in your non-fragrant plant oils are known as omegas.

When it comes to facial skincare, the most important omega fatty acids are: alpha-Linolenic (omega-3), gamma-Linolenic and Linoleic (omega-6), and Oleic (omega-9) fatty acids.

Among the three, omegas 3 and 6 are the Essential Fatty Acids. Why? That’s because your body cannot produce them on its own. And why exactly do we need them?

Free fatty acids are one of three building blocks of a healthy skin barrier. Omegas 3 and 6 play a vital role in the normal function and appearance of your skin. They also influence the inflammatory response of your skin. Alpha-linolenic acid helps to reduce UV damage. Studies have also proven that acne-prone skin has low levels of linoleic acid in their skin surface lipids, which turns their natural sebum thick and sticky, potentially clogging pores.

Oleic acid is an omega 9 fatty acid that can be produced by your body, so your skin can reap the benefits of omega 9 through your diet. However, dry skin types should also apply them directly on the skin, because of its rich, occlusive consistency which seals moisture in the skin beautifully.

Do oils clog your pores?

When a cosmetic ingredient blocks pores on your skin, you’ll tend to form blackheads, whiteheads and pimples. In skincare geek language, these are known as comedones. And comedones, we do not condone! That’s why most people look for “non-comedogenic” products, as they have a low chance of clogging pores.

Like all cosmetic ingredients, oils have comedogenic ratings, from 0 to 5. Oils with a rating of 0 don’t clog the pores for most people. Examples of 0-comedogenic rated oils are argan, rosehip seed, hemp seed, sea buckthorn oil, and yes, even shea butter.

A rating of 5, on the other hand, pretty much guarantees clogged pores for most people. A 3-4 rating is where most skin types will notice some clogging. Examples of these higher rated oils are coconut, carrot seed, cocoa butter, palm kernel, and marula oil.

While comedogenic ratings are good indication if an oil could give you problems, you should note that these tests were done with 100% concentrated oils in a laboratory (not on real skin!) So, don’t be afraid to experiment on your own in lower doses!

Which non-fragrant plant oil is good for my skin type?

Each and every non-fragrant plant oil has its own fatty acid composition. Oils high in linoleic acid are thinner, while oils big on oleic acid are heavier.

Remember that acne-prone skin are linoleic acid-deficient, while dry skin needs a heavier oil to lock moisture into the skin.

In this section, we’ll explore which are best for each skin type, with help from this great resource: The Complete List of Comodegenic Oils!

Normal or Combination

Oils with a balance of linoleic and oleic acids.

Argan Oil

Linoleic- 37%

Oleic- 43%

Comedogenic rating- 0

Maracuja Oil

Linoleic- 77%

Oleic- 12%

Comedogenic rating- 1-2



Oily and Acne-prone

Oils higher in linoleic acid, with anti-inflammatory properties.

Hemp Seed Oil

Linoleic- 56%

Linolenic- 10%

Oleic- 11%

Comedogenic rating- 0

Rosehip Seed Oil

Linoleic- 44%

Oleic-14%

Comedogenic rating- 1

Dry and Sensitive

Oils higher in oleic acids, with cell-regenerating properties.

Sweet Almond Oil

Linoleic- 20-30%

Linolenic- 0.4%

Oleic- 62-86%

Comedogenic rating- 2

Sea Buckthorn Oil

Linoleic-7%

Oleic-29%

Comedogenic rating- 1

Dry and Acne-prone

Oils higher in oleic acids, with anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties to combat acne.

Olive Oil

Linoleic- 5-15%

Oleic- 63-80%

Comedogenic rating- 2

Green Tea Seed Oil (Camellia Oleifera or Camellia Sinensis)

Linoleic- 7%

Oleic- 36-42%

Comedogenic rating- 1

Aging, Mature

Oils high in anti-oxidants to combat signs of aging. Oily, mature skin should go for high-linoleic acid oils, while dry, mature skin can opt for richer oleic acid oils.

Blueberry Seed Oil

Linoleic 44%

Linolenic- 25%

Oleic- 23%

Comedogenic rating- 0-1

Papaya Seed Oil

Linoleic- 3%

Oleic- 77%

Comedogenic rating- 2-3

Damaged

Healing oils can be used as a spot-treatment to heal and fade acne scars. Distressed skin (like ezcema, rosacea, seborrheic dermatitis) should look for high-linoleic acid oils with healing properties.

Blackcurrant Seed Oil

Linoleic- 41%

alpha-Linolenic- 17%

gamma-Linolenic- 14%

Oleic- 15%

Comedogenic rating- 0-1

Tamanu Oil

Linoleic- 29-38%

Oleic- 34-41%

Comedogenic rating- 2



How do I add oils to my skincare routine?

When you’re searching for a single-oil or oil blend in the market, make sure to look for cold-pressed, organic and 100% pure oils in dark or UV-protected glass bottles. Certain oils, like hemp seed oil, also need to be stored in the refrigerator. All these factors help to keep your oils working as efficiently as they can!

When adding a new oil into your routine, you can start off by mixing 2 or 3 drops into your moisturiser. Keep your routine extra simple for at least 2 weeks, so you can see how your skin reacts to your new oil. Once you’ve identified oils that your skin loves, you can even experiment with mixing them! Spoiler alert: I’ll be teaching you how to make your own oil blends pretty soon.

Do you have any Holy Grail oils? Or did any particular oil give you an awful time? Share with me your experiences with facial oils in the comments below – I’d love to hear it!

With Lots of Slippery Love,

The Merche