Facial massage oil: how to choose the right one

It is believed that any oil with good gliding is perfect for this procedure, but in practice everything is much more complicated. If the oil is not suitable, you may not get the expected increase in skin elasticity, but rather dryness, clogged pores and even irritation on the face. But if the oil is chosen correctly, then, on the contrary, the powerful cosmetic effect of the oil itself will be added to all the positive effects of the massage, and your skin will look more well-groomed, nourished, elastic and smooth. How to make the right choice?

The first step is the most obvious and absolutely necessary: turn on your legibility to the maximum and give up the idea of using just about anything for a face massage (baby oil, mineral synthetic oil from the supermarket, cheap oil mixture with a bunch of strange additives). Only natural oil - either mono or a mixture, but with a transparent composition, which will contain only cosmetic oils, extracts and essential oils. The easiest way, of course, is to control the quality of pure mono-oil, so we'll talk about choosing just that. 

What should you focus on when choosing oils for facial massage?

The main thing that you need to focus on when choosing an oil for massage specifically on the face is the type of skin. During the massage, you drive and rub oil into the skin for several minutes, which means that it does not work as an insignificant buffer between your fingers and the skin of your face, but as a full-fledged cosmetic product.

Are there universal oils "for everyone"? Yes, there are several oils that will work for just about anyone, such as peach seed oil, rice bran oil, and shea butter. Still, when choosing, you should take into account your skin type, especially if your skin type cannot be described with the words "normal" and "problem-free". 

Facial massage oils by skin type

For dry skin: jojoba, avocado, shea, cocoa, coconut, macadamia, rose hips, argan, peach and apricot kernels.

For oily skin: rice bran, hazelnut, tamanu.

For problem skin prone to inflammation: rose hips, shea, tamanu, amaranth, hazelnut, rice bran, pomegranate seeds.

For normal skin: all universal oils - jojoba, peach seed, rice bran, argan, shea, grape seed, almond, coconut.

All of the above oils can be used solo, in splendid isolation, simply by applying 1-2 drops of pure oil to the skin before the massage. But there are additional oils that can be added to base oils (usually 10-25%) to enhance the effect. For example, for problem skin such additional oils are neem and tamanu, for aging skin - evening primrose and green coffee oils, for very dry skin - wheat germ oil. 

What about the butters?

Solid oils (butters) - shea (shea), cocoa, coconut, mango, babassu - are suitable for facial massage, but their natural consistency may be too dense even when melted. They are too viscous, especially for cocoa and shea butter, coconut in this sense is closer to liquid vegetable oils. Therefore, butters are most often mixed with liquid oils to make the mixture more convenient to apply. For example, you can mix shea butter with grape seed oil or peach seed oil.

Another controversial issue is the comedogenicity of oils. It has already been proven that the reaction of the skin to certain oils is very individual: "innocent" oil with low comedogenicity can suddenly cause rashes, while highly comedogenic oil can, on the contrary, be perfect for oily skin with enlarged pores. A good example is coconut oil (comedogenicity 4, high), the reviews for which are simply confusing: for many owners of oily and problem skin this oil perfectly "fits", while others are completely contraindicated. Ideally, it is worth trying oils on yourself and looking at the skin's reaction, but if you want to play it safe and immediately choose an oil with minimal comedogenicity - a very relevant aspect of choice for problem skin - pay attention to oils whose comedogenicity is 0-2 points. Shea butter, hemp, pomegranate seed, grape seed, neem, sea buckthorn, hazelnut, rose hip, apricot and peach seed, jojoba, cranberry, almond, rice bran, black cumin and tamanu are your choices.

3 main rules of massage with oils

1. Apply the oil to slightly damp skin (cleanse the skin, sprinkle it with natural hydrolat - and immediately apply the oil).
2. Do the massage carefully and correctly, along the massage lines, without rubbing, stretching or crushing the skin. Softly, carefully, gently. Be especially careful with the delicate skin around the eyes!
3. Do not replace your basic care with oil: do not use oil more than 2-3 times a week.

And do not forget about contraindications - primarily those related to massage. Do not massage your face if your skin is inflamed, active spots of acne, wounds, unhealed lesions, rosacea, severe irritation, and more serious dermatological problems.