Oils to Fight Oily Skin and Breakouts? YES!

As counter-intuitive as it sounds, oils are incredible when it comes to battling breakouts, acne, or even balancing oily skin. Just like the most-effective acne products, many oils contain anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and soothing properties. But unlike traditional acne products, oils won’t strip your skin of its vital moisture.

While most of us try to combat pimples by using harsh, drying products, we are actually making the problem much worse. The skin reacts to this rapid reduction in oils by producing even more, which in turn worsens congestion.

But don’t run to your kitchen cabinets and rub just any oil onto your face. The first thing you should know is that there are two major components to oil: oleic acid and linoleic acid. Our oily-skinned gals want to stick to oils higher in linoleic acid, an unsaturated acid that holds the acne-reducing, anti-inflammatory properties you want. In addition, people with oily, breakout-prone skin usually have more oleic acid and less linoleic acid naturally in their sebum. This causes sebum to be thick and sticky and can easily blocks pores. 

So, do you want to keep skin clear but not strip it of moisture? Here are the top 5 oils (high in linoleic acid of course) that our estheticians are constantly recommending.

1. Jojoba Oil

Extremely light and the nearest oil in molecular structure to our own sebum, jojoba oil is known to trick the skin into stopping the overproduction of its own oils.

2. Tea Tree Essential Oil

Powerfully anti-bacterial, tea tree oil makes the perfect spot treatment. But keep in mind, tea tree oil is so powerful that it should never be used on its own! Mix a bit with some jojoba oil for ultimate pimple-fighting power.

3. Rosehip Oil

Awesome for healing acne scars, rosehip oil contains high amounts of vitamin A, which revs up cell regeneration. It also has a “dry” feeling, if you're more into the matte look.

4. Evening Primrose Oil

Super high in linoleic acid (at a whopping 73%), evening primrose oil is best for those suffering from hormonal acne as it is one of the best hormone-balancers, both topically and when ingested.

5. Myrrh Essential Oil

Battling from both acne and signs of aging? Myrrh is the oil for you. It’s intensely anti-inflammatory and healing, which is awesome for blemishes as well as wrinkles and lack of elasticity.