Oils skincare Cyrille Laurent

Oils and skincare

Oils are hydrophobic chemical substances made of a high ratio of carbon and hydrogen. Doesn’t make any sense? Don’t worry I’m here to clarify. Today’s topic deal with oil in skincare. 

Oils origin in skincare 

Oils are either extracted from a plant or petroleum. Mineral oil is distilled from crude oil and is one of the most used oils in skincare formulation. Highly refined mineral oil is not toxic for the skin despite all you can read. Mineral oil is often used in dermatologic treatment due to its simple formula and to its low allergic potential. A “natural” ingredient is not better than man-made ingredients. There are plenty of natural poisons that could kill us from mother nature. Each ingredient used in cosmetics as to be assessed for its potential toxic for the skin, whether there are derived from plant, petroleum or another source. 

Do not confuse oils and essentials oils. Essential oils are volatile and fragrant and have to be used cautiously. 

Oils use 

Oils are used in skincare as occlusive and emollients. Occlusive are oils that will sit on top of the skin forming a natural “shield” preventing any water from escaping. Emollients prevent water loss but are less effective but soften the skin. The primary use of oils in skincare is to avoid excessive water loss (aka transepidermal water loss) and replenish the skin with lipids. 

Plant oils versus mineral oil

In general, plant oils have a composition more complex in lipids (=fat) than mineral oils. Depending on your skin type some oils will be more beneficial than others. In general, mineral oil is one of the safest options if you are suffering from skin allergy and hyper-reactive skin. I do not advice to use pure mineral oil but instead a face cream containing mineral oils. Nowadays, they are more and more plant oils that are used in face cream and their pure form. I do not consider pure oils as a replacement for a face moisturizer but as a bonus to layer on top or to mix with it. 

Watch my video on the topic where I discuss three oils, squalane, Marula oil, and Rose Hip Seed oils along with product recommendations.

⚗️ Products mentioned: 

Thank you for reading me. 

A bientôt, 

Cyrille 

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