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The 6 Best Face Oils for All Skin Types
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- Best Overall Oil for Face: The Organic Skin Co. The Good Oil
- Best Affordable Face Oil: Teddie Organics Rosehip Seed Oil
- Best Splurge Facial Oil: Tata Harper Retinoic Nutrient Face Oil
- Best Face Oil for Dry Skin: Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil
- Best Face Oil for Oily Skin or Acne-Prone Skin: Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil
- Best Anti-Aging Face Oil Skin: Youth To The People Hydrate + Glow Facial Oil
- FAQs About Face Oils
It’s a common misconception that using oil on your face will make your skin oily—in fact, it’s often the opposite.
When you neglect to add any oils to your face, your skin overcompensates by making more oil—causing your face to become oilier.
Not only do facial oils help reduce the overproduction of natural oils, some also provide antioxidant protection, hydrate the skin, and seal in moisture—all of which are beneficial for anti-aging.
However, not all facial oils are created equal—check out our list of the six best face oils, including our top pick, The Organic Skin Co. The Good Oil, plus options for when you want to splurge, when you’re on a budget, and if you have dry, oily/acne-prone, or mature skin.
| Best Overall | Affordable | Best Splurge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product | The Organic Skin Co. | Teddie Organics | Tata Harper |
| Cost | $29.99 for 1oz Shop Now | $12.95 for 1oz Shop Now | $165 for 1oz Shop Now |
Best for: People of any skin type looking for a natural face oil to hydrate and soothe skin.
The Organic Skin Co. The Good Oil is our number one pick (the name says it all) for the best face oil, as it contains natural and mostly organic ingredients that have antioxidant, anti-aging, hydrating, and soothing effects.
Some of the key ingredients in The Good Oil include:
- Turmeric to soften and soothe skin
- Calendula to calm sensitive or irritated skin
- Honeysuckle and rosemary to smooth fine lines and slow signs of aging
- Jojoba seed oil, almond seed oil, apricot seed oil, and sunflower seed oil to replenish hydration and seal in moisture
We also love that The Organic Skin Co. uses an innovative supercritical CO2 process that nixes chemical or alcohol solvents during extraction.
Instead, TOSC uses low temperatures and CO2 gas to get all the goodness out of an herb or plant, leading to ultra-concentrated extracts that are purer and cleaner for the environment.
Best for: People of all skin types looking for an affordable, high-quality, organic facial oil.
If you’re searching for an organic facial oil that won’t break the bank, Teddie Organics Rosehip Seed Oil is an excellent choice.
Although it doesn’t have a dozen skin-supporting ingredients like other face oils, rosehip seed oil has plenty of benefits on its own.
Rosehip oil has been used for centuries by the Mapuche Indians in the Southern Chilean mountains—and for good reason, as it protects the skin from harsh weather, soothes burns and wounds, and even lightens scars.
For people who aren’t living in the Chilean mountains, rosehip oil is also great for anti-aging, skin elasticity, soothing dry skin, minimizing fine lines, and fighting acne breakouts.
It’s so beneficial for anti-aging because rosehip oil is a natural source of retinol (in the form of trans-retinoic acid)—a commonly used ingredient in skincare products to reduce wrinkles and fine lines.
As far as ingredients go, Teddie Organics Rosehip Seed Oil is 100% pure, unrefined, cold pressed rosehip seed oil—no fillers, additives, or fragrances to worry about.
Best for: People looking to splurge on a premium facial oil that’s good for hydration and fighting aging.
Our top pick for a premium facial oil is Tata Harper Retinoic Nutrient Face Oil, a non-toxic, all-natural oil with over a dozen skin-supporting ingredients.
It contains nourishing oils, herbs, plant extracts, and antioxidants—olive oil, jojoba oil, rosehip seed oil, ylang ylang oil, borage, alfalfa, elderberry, arnica, calendula, chamomile, meadowsweet and more—to hydrate and brighten skin, soothe dry skin, and balance uneven or dull skin textures.
One of the best anti-aging ingredients in this product is rosehip seed oil—a natural source of retinol that fights wrinkles and fine lines.
But at $165 per ounce (no, not a typo), Tata Harper Retinoic Nutrient Face Oil is one of the most expensive face oils out there.
Best for: People with dry skin looking for facial oils that hydrate and nourish the skin.
Our top choice for dry skin or sensitive skin, Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil is a highly hydrating facial oil that is rich in antioxidants like vitamin E, phenolic compounds, and flavonoids, as well as omega-6 and omega-9 fats.
This facial oil is 100% raw, cold-pressed marula oil (from the marula fruit), which is known for its anti-inflammatory properties that improve skin elasticity, hydrate skin, and reduce fine lines, wrinkles, and redness.
Drunk Elephant uses a proprietary extraction and filtration process that increases the purity, concentration, and absorbability of the marula oil, ensuring that it penetrates your skin and doesn’t leave an oily residue.
Plus, in a consumer perception study, Drunk Elephant found that 93% of people who used Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil agreed that their skin felt more hydrated.
Best for: People with oily skin or acne prone skin who want to use facial oils in their skincare routine.
Although you may think that adding face oil onto oily skin is the worst thing you should do, that’s actually outdated information—in fact, some oils can actually help your skin to reduce its natural oil production.
However, people with acne prone or oily skin have to be extremely careful to not use comedogenic oils on their face—and Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil has the lowest rating.
Comedogenicity is rated on a scale of 0 to 5, and argan oil comes in at a 0, ensuring that this face oil won’t clog your pores.
In contrast, face oils like coconut oil have a comedogenic rating of 4, which means it can easily clog your pores and cause breakouts.
Argan oil is also highly beneficial for hydrating and nourishing the skin, improving skin hydration and smoothness, and visibly reducing fine lines and wrinkles.
We also love that Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil is vegan, organic, cruelty free, non-toxic, and grown and harvested responsibly by Moroccan women.\
Best Anti-Aging Face Oil Skin: Youth To The People Hydrate + Glow Facial Oil
- Pros
- Ultra hydrating from prickly pear and squalane
- Trio of superberries (maqui, acai, and goji berries) boost collagen production, protect the skin, and support cell renewal
- Good for fighting fine lines and wrinkles
- Cons
- On the pricey side
Best for: People with mature skin or those looking to prevent wrinkles, fine lines, or other signs of aging.
For anyone wanting to prevent or reduce signs of aging, Youth To The People Hydrate + Glow Facial Oil is loaded with anti-aging compounds.
Some of the key ingredients include hydrating prickly pear and squalane oil to lock in moisture, vitamin C to brighten skin, and antioxidant-rich superberries (maqui berry, acai, and goji) to protect skin, support cell renewal, and visibly reduce face redness.
The superberries also target fine lines and wrinkles by supporting collagen production in the skin, and a blend of nourishing omega 3, 6, and 9 fats (olive, jojoba, flaxseed, rosehip, and sunflower oil) create supple and soft skin.
This Youth To The People Hydrate + Glow Facial Oil is known for creating glowing skin, leading people to use it both morning and night for that sought-after “glazed donut” look.
FAQs About Face Oils
Which Is Better: Face Oil or Serum?
Face oils and serums are both beneficial and they serve different purposes. Face oils, as the name suggests, are oil based, while serums are water based.
Many face oils contain single ingredients (like Teddie Organics Rosehip Seed Oil), while others—like most on this list—contain up to a dozen skin-supporting ingredients.
Serums typically target a specific skin concern—acne, dry skin, sensitive skin, aging, wrinkles, etc.—while face oils are most often intended to trap in moisture and hydrate the skin.
Face oils deliver fatty acids or lipids to strengthen the skin barrier function, which prevents water loss and protects your skin from UV damage, harsh weather, and pollution.
Overall, there isn’t a correct answer to which one is better, as each person has different skincare needs.
If you have dry, chapped, or often irritated skin, you may want to use both face oils and serums.
Face oils should be used as the last step of a skincare routine, as they “lock in” moisture and won’t allow anything else to penetrate the skin.
Serums, on the other hand, should go before moisturizers, as they are more lightweight. If you use all three, it should be serum first, moisturizer second, and face oil last.
Do You Really Need Face Oil?
Not everyone needs face oil—especially if you use serums and moisturizers.
However, if you have specific skincare concerns—especially dry skin, irritations, eczema, or rosacea—face oils can be very helpful and effective at trapping in needed hydration.
If you are prone to acne, know that not all oils are right for you. Ensure that all ingredients and oils in your product are low on the comedogenic rating scale (0, 1, or 2 at the highest).
Do You Put Face Oil Before or After Moisturizer?
You should put face oil on after a moisturizer as the last step in your skincare routine. You should put on serum first, moisturizer second, and face oil last.
What Face Oils Are Non Comedogenic?
Many face oils are non-comedogenic, which would have a rating of 0, 1, or 2 at the most. If you are severely acne-prone, only use face oils that are a 0 or 1.
Non-comedogenic face oils include argan oil (0), sea buckthorn oil (1), rosehip oil (1), hemp seed (0), safflower oil (0), and neem oil (0).
Face oils that have a 2 rating include evening primrose oil, olive oil, sweet almond oil, grape seed oil, and jojoba seed oil.
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