You’ve just opened a brand new bottle of face oil. Whether it’s a repurchase or your very first time using a face oil, you bought it because you expect it to work well, and the last think you want is poor results or for it to go bad. Read on and learn the six common mistakes that can easily be avoided so you can get the most out of your new skincare addition.
1. Touching the dropper
You’ve probably seen videos online of people applying face oil by holding the dropper on different areas of their face and then releasing drops of oil. While it can make for an aesthetically pretty video, it’s not sanitary to put the dropper directly on your skin. Even though your face has been washed, some bacteria will still transfer to the dropper. Do that a few dozen times, and you can see how this might not be great for the oil’s shelf life!
2. Rubbing
To rub or to pat? While we’re on Team Pat, rubbing is not necessarily bad for your skin as long as you do it very gently. It will however cause you to go through that bottle faster, as more of it will inevitably get absorbed into your hands before reaching your face. So if you’re on Team Rub, feel free to walk on over to Team Pat. There’s plenty of room over here :)
3. Wrong order
We might sound like a broken record but using skincare products in the correct order makes a huge difference. If you’re using face oil before your water based moisturizer, make the switch today and use it after the moisturizer. Oil can penetrate water, not the other way around.
4. Improper storage
Oils are sensitive to air, light and heat exposure. Always keep your bottles closed tight. If you own face oils in clear bottles, it’s even more crucial to store those far away from any light, as they are extra vulnerable and too much light and heat exposure will make them go rancid very quickly. We don’t mean to toot our own horn (okay, maybe just a little bit), but this is one of the primary reasons why we chose dark bottles for our Henné face oils.
5. Stopping usage during summer
A common misconception is that face oils should only be reserved for colder temperatures and you should stop using them during the summer. This couldn’t be further from the truth. You might want to adjust how many drops you use compared to the winter, as you’ll likely need less, but it’s important not to pause a vital part of your skincare regimen for several months out of the year. Plus, some face oils on the market (such as our
Serene oil) help regulate the skin’s sebum production, which means less oily skin and fewer pimples. Double win!
6. Using comedogenic oils
Whether you’re on the market for a new face oil, cleanser or serum, check the ingredients list carefully. Avoid face oils that contain one or multiple ingredients that rank high on the comedogenic scale, as it could increase the chances of your pores getting clogged. Some oils you might want to stay away from are coconut oil (perfectly fine for lips though), chia seed oil and flaxseed oil.
