Should I Be Using Face Oils?

Chances are good that you already know all about moisturizers and serums for making your skin softer, nourished, and balanced, but face oils are a more recent and trendy way to enhance the skin that you may not be including in your daily care routine. Indeed, they might be exactly what you need to counteract dry skin. For our Albuquerque-area patients who visit The Spa @ Western Dermatology Consultants, dry skin is a common complaint because of the low levels of humidity common to this area. 

When atmospheric humidity levels are low, moisture is zapped from the upper levels of the skin, resulting in symptoms such as roughness, flaking, cracking, itching, tightness, redness, and fine lines. Some patients may even develop deep cracks that bleed. Moisturizers and serums are critical for alleviating the dryness, but face oils are something that many people tend to forget about or overlook. These products, which typically contain a combination of plant-based oils, work by adding moisture to the skin and sealing in hydration. 

Face oils are a type of emollient, meaning they provide support for the skin’s outermost layer, called the stratum corneum. Plenty of people are hesitant to use them because they assume that the oils will cause bad acne breakouts, but this is far from the case. Whether you have an oily skin type naturally, are only experiencing dry skin during certain types of weather, or always have dry skin, face oils may have some benefits. 

Give Your Skin a Boost of Moisture

A face oil will enhance the moisturizing effects of the creams or serums you’re already using. They’re ideal for relieving dry skin during the winter months. If you use a face oil after a moisturizer, it locks in the hydration from the other products so that your skin retains it better. In fact, oils generally work better than moisturizers. 

Soften Wrinkles 

Face oils also contain nourishment of their own such as antioxidants that help to counteract the effects of free radical damage. This will improve sun damage or other conditions such as dryness and wrinkles. 

Want healthy, glowing skin all year round? Learn about other ways to manage chronically dry skin from The Spa @ Western Dermatology Consultants. Call us at 505-855-9267 or submit a contact form to schedule a consultation and find out which products or treatments will be best for your skin type.