Sorry, but I just can’t give up my addiction to posh face oils
SkinCARe-WiSe, all of us have our thing. After a high SPF — the ultimate essential for me and most dermatologists — i love an oil.
As summer gives way to autumn, there’s nothing i relish more than layering face oil under my sunscreen or slathering my aching features in an aromatherapeutic slick come evening.
if i open my desk- drawer- cumdressing table… actually, i can’t, because it’s crammed with glass bottles full of golden shimmer — 30ml of oil lasts a long time.
My latest joy is Augustinus Bader the Face Oil (£ 68 for 10ml, augustinusbader.com). the original cult cream made me break out in tiny pimples — a reaction to a preservative.
however, Professor Bader’s (slightly Sunday-roast-scented) oil is heaven on my complexion, imparting instant gleam thanks to tFC8, or ‘trigger Factor Complex’. this patented tech comprises more than 40 ingredients and was created following 30 years of research and clinical study.
My other daytime favourites are simpler: Willowberry nutrient Boost Face Oil (£26.99 for 30ml, willowberry. co.uk), designed for hydration past 40; trilogy Aromatic Certified Organic Rosehip Oil (£ 36.50, trilogyproducts.co.uk), that globally loved classic; and Charlotte tilbury Collagen Superfusion Face Oil (£25 for 8ml, charlottetilbury. com), which is scented with soothing lavender.
Bynight, i favour neom’s sleep - inducing Perfect night’s Sleep Face Oil (£43, neomorganics.com); Votary’s best-selling intense night Oil: Rosehip & Retinoid (£135, votary.co.uk); and my ‘if everything else vanished, i’d be extremely happy with just this’ obsession — Dr Michael Prager’s night Oil With Retinol (£90, pragerskincare. com). When i put it on, by morning all is glorious.
At this point, i should disclose that plenty of professionals detest face oils, seeing them as superficial, at best, and positively damaging, at worst.
A Skinceuticals facialist was appalled the other day when i confessed my love of using oils for cleansing and moisturising. Dermatologists frequently warn against them.
Dr Anita Sturnham is a gP specialising in dermatology, who
has a brand called Decree and a clinic on London’s Wimpole Street. her position is clear: ‘Most skins do not benefit from oilbased products. they feel great — i love their sensorial properties — but i do not love their impact.
‘ Oils tend not to have any benefits, and can lead to dehydration, inflammation, pore congestion and bacterial overgrowth.’ When she tells me that my face appears in good nick, she notes: ‘Perhaps you use other products that counteract the negative impact of oils — good fighting evil and keeping the skin neutral.
‘ i’d need to assess your hidden dermal layers to see whether your regimen is leading to issues that may present themselves in the future.’
But Arabella Pr e s t o n , the co - founder of Votary, is in the pro camp: ‘ you know your skin better than anyone else,’ she cautions.
‘As you age, maintaining a healthy and resilient skin barrier should be your number-one goal. Our skin is full of natural lipids (oils). As we age, just like all the other good stuff — collagen, elastin etc. — our oil levels decrease. Skin is dryer and therefore more prone to sensitivity. that’s why you need to up your hydration. Plant oils are a really good way of doing this.’
Dr Prager agrees: ‘Anti- oil propaganda shows how much false information is dispensed by the beauty industry. there’s no science behind any of these arguments. the free fatty acid chains in an oil work like an antioxidant, aiding repair and stabilising cell membranes.
‘there’s a reason why natural oils have been used for thousands of years. they’re a highly effective way of protecting skin — far more so than some designer moisturiser.
‘Brands add ceramides and peptides into synthetic moisturisers, but they are already part of natural oils. All this is down to the quality of the oil.’
to oil, or not to oil? All i can tell you is that they work beautifully on me, and many other midlifers. So pay your money and make your choice.
Follow: @HannahJBetts