5 Ways Oils Can Benefit Your Beauty Routine

When it comes to beauty, oils get a bad rap — usually because people are thinking of greasy skin. But depending on the kind you use and how you use them, they can offer big benefits, from enhancing the staying power of your signature fragrance to calming inflamed skin. Here, four ways to incorporate oils into your beauty routine.

Skin Moisturizer

Plagued by dry skin? Meet nourishing plant oils. And it’s not as though you have to slather on olive oil from the bottle in your pantry. Most formulas with oils are sophisticated and often blended with other hydrating ingredients, so they don’t leave a greasy sheen on skin. Look for one with jojoba oil, which is packed with hydrating fatty acids. Research suggests it may have an anti-inflammatory benefit, too.

Lip Treatment

Oil’s hydrating benefits don’t stop at skin on your face. The lips are just as in need of moisture as anywhere else—and maybe more so, since they don’t have the advantage of oil glands to moisten them throughout the day. Use a lip oil, like ChapStick Total Hydration Vitamin Enriched Lip Oil, to keep your lips hydrated all day long.

Hair Hydrator

Want to keep your hair from getting dry and frizzy? Oil can help with that. Look for hair products that are already blended with beneficial oils like argan oil, or apply a natural product like straight coconut oil. To avoid your hair looking greasy, start with a small amount and keep it close to your ends and away from your scalp.

Makeup Remover

Oil dissolves oil-based products, so if you’re having no luck scrubbing away your waterproof makeup, try coconut oil. The potential antibacterial and anti-yeast ingredient can help dissolve the oil in your makeup, making it easier to remove without any tugging or pulling at your skin. Just be sure to rinse it off well once you’ve swept away your makeup, because coconut oil’s so rich that it could clog pores.

Fragrance Extender

Unscented oils, like almond oil, serve as a clean canvas for fragrance. If you apply a scent to dry skin, your skin essentially absorbs it, which is why it seems to fade. But by first dabbing on unscented oil before you spritz on perfume, you create an extra layer between your scent and your skin, allowing it to last longer.