9 Organic Vegetable Oils for Skin Care

The first oil to appear on our list is an everyday kitchen essential. There’s no doubt about the health benefits in consuming the healthy essential fats in olive oil, and the same applies for using Olive Oil directly on your skin. It is a classic oil for dry, chapped skin on elbows, knees, hands and feet. Olive oil’s nourishing, softening and protecting properties are well-known but it is also an anti-inflammatory and so very valuable to use in oil blends that ease skin irritations, damaged skin, and itchiness.

Squalane, an important constituent of olive oil, is absorbed quickly by the skin and is proven to help regulate sebum.

Jojoba Oil is a classic and very popular oil for a wide range of uses from massage oils to face creams and hair packs. It is rich in Omega 9 and is a good choice for hair and skin products due to its protective properties and ability to retain moisture. Jojoba Oil works well with most skin types and is very commonly used as a massage oil as it absorbs slowly into the skin.

It has a chemical make-up very similar to sebum, our skin’s natural oil, and it is an excellent choice in acne prone skin products as it helps soften pores to help remove impurities.

Avocado Oil is another oil that deserves its place in your skincare routine as much as in your kitchen cabinet. Despite its distinctive earthy aroma and dark green colour, Avocado Oil is a mild oil with a high content of vitamin D.

It’s the best choice for dark skin, especially when combined with Organic Shea Butter or Organic Cocoa Butter in lip balms and body butters.

Pumpkin Seed Oil is an absolute powerhouse when it comes to vitamins, minerals, omegas and antioxidants. It contains high quantities of vitamins A, beta-carotene, B2, B3, potassium, magnesium and most importantly zinc. It is also high in omega 9, 6 and 3. Its high zinc content means it is the primary choice when it comes to lifting and firming products on the face, neck, chest and body.

Pumpkin Seed Oil also helps to encourage skin cell regeneration which will help relieve skin irritation and improve the appearance of acne scars.

Borage Oil contains exceptionally high levels of GLA (Gamma linolenic acid). Also found in a lower concentration in Evening Primrose Oil, GLA is a substance that the body needs to create the prostaglandins that prevent dryness, loss of suppleness and wrinkling and also help reduce inflammation.

Deficiencies in GLA also reduce the skin’s tolerance to sunlight and increase its healing time. Borage oil can be used in a wide range of products from anti-aging to anti-acne as it is suitable for all skin types.

Castor Oil is a very thick and heavy oil. It’s quite unique in that it is a cleansing oil – instead of being absorbed directly into the skin it​ sits on the surface and helps draw out impurities, helping leave the skin not only clean but incredibly moisturised.

It is very commonly used neat on the roots of the hair as well as the eyelashes and eyebrows as it strengthens the hair follicles and in doing so can help prevent hair loss and has been known to help stimulate hair growth.

Rosehip Seed Oil is quite special as it is the only oil to contain retinoic acid, also known as vitamin A. For this reason, it is a key ingredient in many anti-aging recipes as it helps reduce fine lines and wrinkles.

It makes an excellent face oil as it is absorbed quickly into the skin without leaving any residue. Rosehip Seed Oil is effective in treating all kinds of skin types such as oily, large-pored, combination and even the most sensitive skin.

Almond Oil is a very mild oil that is suitable for most skin types except oily or large-pored skin. It is mild enough to be used in baby products, especially when combined with other mild oils such as Apricot Kernel Oil or Peach Kernel Oil, however is it most commonly used as a massage oil as it absorbs into the skin very slowly much like Jojoba Oil.

Almond Oil is great for itchy skin, especially when combined with Chickweed, Comfrey, St John’s Wort and Marshmallow Root oils.