The Benefits of Multi-Functional Skincare Products with La Fervance
Multi-functional and versatile skincare products are increasingly gaining popularity, and for good reasons.
Vanessa Noy
June 7, 2024
How to Guide
Using Face Oil to Restore Winter Skin
Protective Seed & Plant Oils
As temperatures continue to drop the effects on the skin can be quite significant. Our skin feels dryer and also tighter, but not in a good way! That is why the use of pure, plant-based facial oils can make a huge difference when added into your daily skincare ritual!
How do face oils work, what are the benefits of using them in the winter months?
Plant-based facial oils contain nutrients, including antioxidants and essential fatty acids which are crucial in replenishing and maintaining the hydration and nourishment levels of the skin. Since the body can’t make them itself, it’s important to obtain them from other sources, such as pure oils obtained from cold-pressed seeds, fruits and nuts. Pure plant-based oils help maintain our skin’s protective acid mantle and rebuild and nurture our skin’s lipid barrier, which may become out of balance with extreme weather conditions, such as low temperatures and low humidity.
Pure plant-based oils also act as a carrier for other natural ingredients in your products, which assists with deeper penetration into the skin. Additionally, they create a protective barrier over your skin and help seal in moisture, allowing your skin to defend itself against further moisture loss. As an added bonus, facial oils also help speed up the skin’s own healing and repair process.
Are facial oils better than creams in winter months?
Both facial oils and creams work extremely well together in the winter months! It is not so much about which is better, a facial oil or cream, it is more about the best way to incorporate them into your daily skin ritual to provide your skin with the absolute best nourishment and protection possible!
Creams or moisturisers are a balanced combination of both oil and water-soluble nutrients, designed to nourish and hydrate the epidermis (uppermost layer of your skin). They are designed for daily use, after cleansing and toning your skin.
Oils help seal in long-lasting hydration and protect your skin against further moisture loss, while restoring skin’s natural glow. During the night hours, our skin loses an enormous amount of hydration. Oils are particularly effective as part of a nighttime ritual where they seal in your hydration by creating a barrier between your skin and your bed sheets! Face oils can also be applied during the day, in particular for those experiencing dryness or dehydration, but in very small amounts – enough to bring forward that natural glow but not too much where it creates a slick, shiny texture on the skin.
When/how should you apply face oil for optimal results?
The general rule of thumb when applying skincare is to use the lightest texture first and the heaviest texture last. As toning essences and serums are lightweight, they always get applied first, after cleansing.
Toning essences provide your skin with that very first layer of balancing hydrating, directly after cleansing. Serums then penetrate the active ingredients into the skin, and they are designed to treat your main skin concerns and can be used daily. Moisturisers are applied next, and they are designed for daily use to help lock the water into your skin cells and repair dry skin.
Your final step in your skin ritual application is your Facial Oil. Simply add a drop or two of your chosen treatment oil into the palms of your hands, warming the oil between pressed hands, then press, not rub, into your skin, over the top your moisturiser. Apply daily, or as needed, to seal in skin’s hydration and protect against further dryness and dehydration.
Why should those with oily skin types also embrace face oils?
When skin is stripped of oil or is not properly replenished with its own natural oils and essential fatty acids, it continues to produce more oil. It’s a vicious cycle – when you strip away your oils, your body produces more and more.
The best way to restore balance to oily skin is to use lightweight treatments that contain pure plant-based oils. This assists to slow down your own natural oil production as your skin is now replenished with all the natural oils necessary to remain healthy and clear. Additionally, the added nutrients of pure, plant-based oils is that they bring nutrients directly into your skin.
Which Ingredients should we look for when buying a face oil, which oils work best on the skin?
At AMALA, we are big fans of pure, cold-pressed plant and seed oils, which are rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids to deeply penetrate and soften the skin. They do this without leaving the skin feeling heavy or greasy, or creating that shiny finish after application which is a common concern from most people when first trying out facial oils.
Some of AMALA’s favorite oils to formulate with are nutrient rich seed and flower oils. They include Cacay, Camellia, Rosehip, Hemp, Evening Primrose, Apricot Kernel, and Jojoba. We must remember that not all oils are created equal! First, high quality oils begin with careful ingredient selection. Secondly, they have undergone far less processing and therefore retain as much of the pure, potent and powerful nutrients while simultaneously pulling out impurities that can irritate the skin. Lower quality oils are typically heavily processed and often contain synthetic additives or fillers. They may even contain by-products of the refining or bleaching processes.
For comparison, AMALA only uses first-pass, cold-pressed oils. First-pass means that our oils are extracted from the very first press of the plant or seed, not the second or third press. Refineries will often press oils over and over again so that they can get a higher yield, lowering their overall costs. However, with each subsequent press, all that remains with are the leftovers.
Much like our favorite cold-pressed juices, by using cold-press oils we are able to extract the most nutrient dense material out of seeds and plants.
Cold-press oils are particularly powerful because the heating process significantly breaks down the nutrient-rich molecules in oils. Heat processing oils is also the fastest and most economical way of processing oils, but also the most disruptive. AMALA take significant steps to ensure that only the finest quality oils end up in our products so that every drop is pure and powerful!
Which AMALA products are recommend for the winter months and what are some key ingredients in these products to achieve noticeable and lasting results?
Keeping with the theme of oils and their reparative, nutritious, and protective nature, I would immediately recommend either of our two treatment oils. They are both very different but also excellent choices for even the driest skin.
Illuminating Pro-Retinoic Treatment Oil:
Looking beyond the beautiful, real 23K rose gold flakes, AMALA Illuminating Pro-retinoic Treatment Oil also blends some of our most potent oils that carry a punch! Pro-Retinoic Cacay, Rosehip Oils and Olive Squalane melt effortlessly into the skin, transforming skin with wrinkle-fighting bio-nutrients and plant-derived hydration. Together they protect the skin from moisture loss and smooths the appearance of fine lines while leaving a silky, soft finish and a natural youthful glow!
Skin Calming Reparative Treatment Oil:
This calming and reparative oil treats dry, irritated skin with a comforting cocktail of soothing phyto-actives and reparative camellia, evening primrose and apricot oils, which work together to comfort, calm, soothe and rehydrate a dry, reactive or most sensitive skin condition.
Hydro Comfort Omega-Rich Moisturiser:
A restorative face cream with nourishing actives of Hemp Seed Oil, Shea Butter and Jojoba Oil, blends soothing emollients and reparative hydrators to comfort, quench and protect a parched or sensitive skin, revealing a more resilient and even tone. The perfect partner under your favourite face oil for ultimate winter hydration.
Related Articles
Harnessing the Benefits of Natural Resurfacing Masks for Radiant Skin
The new generation all-natural resurfacing masks elevates at-home face masking. They lead us directly closer to a flawless, luminous complexion that appears pore-less, dewy, and radiant.
Vanessa Noy
May 9, 2024
The Benefits of Adding a Primer to your Makeup Routine
There are a few tricks to flawless makeup, and they all start with acing your base. That’s where a primer comes in.
Guest Author
May 2, 2024
Dr Alkaitis Organic Ageless Facial Elixir
The Ageless Elixir is one of Dr. Alkaitis’ most profoundly complex, nourishing products, essential for mature and aging skin.
Guest Author
April 28, 2024
How to Keep your Décolletage Looking Youthful
When it comes to caring for your neck and chest, the signs of ageing, (many attributed to sun damage) appear in many forms from crepey skin, hyperpigmentation and freckles, loss of skin tone and sagging. Read on to learn what you can do to prevent premature ageing and keep this area looking youthful and toned.
Vanessa Noy
April 11, 2024
The NEW Era in Anti-Ageing Eye Creams
Discover a new era in natural anti-ageing eye creams with clinically proven formulations, delivering the best in natural anti-ageing eye creams
Vanessa Noy
April 4, 2024