Oil is the enemy. For as long as we can remember we’re told it’s the beauty bad guy. However, now that every brand is releasing a face oil and department stores feel like something out of nightmares for those that dedicate their entire skincare range to get rid of it, we’ve committed ourselves to overcome our abhorrence.  

We feel face oil’s face too much of an unjust bad rep and so are putting the truth out there…  

Myth 1: If you’ve got oily skin can’t use it. Ever.

Ah, that old chestnut. If you’ve got oily skin you’re probably spending more time stripping oil off your skin with cleansers and scrubs than you do on Netflix. Although it’s tempting to continue down the road of obsessive cleansing, it actually sends skin into panic mode and makes it pump out more oil to compensate. By adding an oil, you’re skin no longer has to produce it’s own, so calms down and dries out.

Myth 2: They don’t really do anything, they’re just for pampering.  

Oh contraire. They’re the most active part of your skincare regime – packed with antioxidants and nutrients and can reach layers of your skin moisturisers and serums can only dream of. They also repair and fight free radicals so doubling one up under your SPF is an anti-ageing barricade.

Myth 3: They give you spots.

If only we had a lipstick for every time we heard that one. The thing most people don’t realise is that sebum and face oil are two totally different things. Sebum is the greasy stuff that clogs pores and makes you look shiney; face oils (particularly antibacterial and anti-inflammatory ones are good at balancing breakouts) – try tea-tree or sandalwood as they slip right through pores. Synthetic or mineral oils are the cloggers to avoid.

Myth 4: You don’t need it if you use moisturiser.

We can see why you think it, and although they often promise the same results they work totally differently. Oils have small enough particles to penetrate deeper; moisturisers lock it in and take care of the surface.

Myth 5: You can’t wear oil under make-up.

Most of us think face oil turns skin into an ice ring, which makes everything slip off, but it actually absorbs quicker than a moisturiser and you only need a fraction of the amount. If you’re worried, pop a primer on top – it’ll lock in the oil and give you the grip your make-up needs.

Have we convinced you?