Facial oil.

Ahhh oils. Such a relaxing way to wind down in the evening/pretend you are in a lovely spa! You can even go as far as giving yourself a lovely facial massage which is supposedly very good for your face. Skip to 2.10 in this video - Facial massage. It always makes me giggle (I don't know why)...but it's helpful!

Anyway!

There are once again *MANY* different types depending on your skin type. I tend to go for those that focus on helping out with oily/congested/angry/dehydrated/dull skin (combo).

This stage was once something that I ran from and thought ... "WHY on earth would I put oil onto my already oily face!?".
I did the complete opposite and used soaps to dry out my skin (!!) along with every single mattifying product under the sun. This only led to super, dehydrated, unhappy skin. Wah. 
Little did I know that the right oil could actually help with my concerns. After doing some research, I decided to give one a try a few years ago now ...and I have not looked back. 

There are different views on when to apply these - before or after moisturiser? My understanding is that an oil will not "sink in" as such but more so lock in any moisture added to the skin before hand/work on the surface - SO that being said, I moisturise/add serums and then lock it all in with a lovely oil to finish off. Generally I will only complete this step in the evenings as a treat. Depending on the type of oil, you may wish to go in a different order/apply in the day too. Have a play around and see what works for you. 

More on skin care steps here from the one and only: Caroline Hirons

So. My stash at this moment in time...

1.  Kiehls Midnight Recovery Oil 7/10
Ahhh, I can still remember the day this arrived. It was the first oil I ever purchased and I was so excited to give it a try. It's 99% natural and claims to re-hydrate, replenish and restore skin. Now that I've explored, I've found others that I believe add slightly more moisture, but this is definitely a lovely oil that works! It always calms down any redness by morning, and skin looks fresh and plump after even one use. Worth a try if you're looking for a more reasonably priced oil to try.

2 . Clarins Lotus Oil 9/10
I think if I had to choose one of these oils, this would be my absolute favourite, and I blame my fellow skincare buddy Pippa for my addiction! I'm on my second bottle, and this stuff lasts forever. It's like the midnight recovery, but the next step up. It claims to tighten pores... I can't say I've seen that happen but it definitely refines skin texture, adds glow and reduces any angry areas by the morning. 

3. Oskia Restoration Oil 8/10
I was initially unsure about this one, I can't quite remember why but I stopped using it for a long while - I think there was a concern that it had caused me to breakout. That must have just been a coincidence, as I recently gave it a try again and really enjoyed it. I'd say this one sinks in a little quicker than the Clarins version- but all in all they are quite similar (except the price point!). A lovely oil. 


3. Sarah Chapman Skinesis Overnight Facial 9/10
As above - a lovely oil! This is a similar product that again adds moisture and glow back into the skin. Stunning packaging too - I think they definitely win on that! Otherwise, comparable to Clarins and Oskia in my opinion. 


5. Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil 7/10
Youtube made me buy it! I like it - BUT I am still exploring it to be completely honest. This one is slightly different, in that it's less of a hydrating oil but more of an anti-aging/skin restoring oil. It works at reducing fine lines and repairing damaged skin/ boosting collagen production. One thing I will say is: the morning after using this, my skin always feels CRAZY smooth and looks brighter. The oil is BLUE. Which is fun. But also pricey and smells interesting....not so fun. Worth it? I'm still undecided: To be continued. 

What are your favourites?! xox