The Spread

By Riley Corboy

The concept of simple skincare has rocketed in popularity over the last few years, which is amazing. When you look at the lack of control the FDA has over the cosmetic industry, it’s enough to make you never want to buy another commercial product again. Beauty oils are a great natural addition to your daily routine, as long as you choose the right ones for your body.

FACE

My skin is a big insecurity of mine, so I know trying new products can be scary. The key here is matching your face to the right oil. If you have dry skin, avocado oil is a good option that won’t clog your pores the same way coconut oil does (DO NOT put coconut oil on your face unless you want a raging cystic acne breakout). People with oily skin, like me, can benefit from using jojoba oil, which replicates your body’s natural oil and tells it to chill with the excessive production. Tea tree and grapeseed oils both have anti-inflammatory properties, so they work well with acne-prone skin. If you’re looking for an all around good oil, rosehip is lightweight but will also help balance out your skin tone. When you’re ready to use your face oil, warm two drops between your fingers and press it gently into your skin after applying your regular moisturizer.

HAIR

When searching for hair oils, you don’t need to be as picky as you are about face oils because now you just want the right level of moisture. Almond oil will moisturize finer hair without making it look greasy, while argan oil will provide the necessary deep moisture for thicker, curly hair. If you have colored or damaged hair, avocado oil will help soften it.  To apply hair oils, section damp hair into several different parts and apply 2-4 drops per section depending on your hair type. You can also make a hair mask out of black castor oil and conditioner for an intense hair treatment.

BODY

First of all, don’t ever put body oils on your face; your face is way more sensitive and body oils aren’t formulated correctly for it. As with the hair oils, you don’t need to be as picky with these. Avocado oil is full of vitamin E, which has been known to minimize stretch marks, and olive oil has a high level of vitamin A. If you want to shrink pores you can try applying sesame oil. And if dry skin is the issue, coconut oil will pack a serious moisture punch (without the acne backlash that happens on the face).

MOUTH

Pulling oil doesn’t have a lot of scientific evidence to back it up, but despite diverse opinions, most people agree it whitens your teeth and makes a good natural mouthwash. I haven’t tried this yet myself, but the basic idea of it is that oil (coconut, olive, whatever) will pull toxins out of your mouth, which then stick to the oil. To try this, take a tablespoon of your choice of oil, swish it around for between 5-20 minutes, spit it out in the trash, rinse your mouth with warm saltwater, and then brush your teeth like normal. Whatever you do, though, do not swallow the oil after.