The United Kingdom of oils! Face oils round-up

Ah facial oils, they used to be the culprit to misery, supposedly home of all skin woes for oily skin. But they have come a long way since and an increasing amount of skincare brands put the spotlight on the benefits of high quality (Co2 extracted or/and cold-pressed) face oils. Of course, one has to keep in mind that not all oils work for all skin types. It took a lot of trials and errors before I found the blends that worked for my oily skin. Today, I’m delighted to share with you 5 remarkable oils, which are all made in the UK.

(see slideshow for all the oil pics)

• Holistic Green Beauty – Pink Lotus Cellular Repair Oil*
  

In 2015, Danny and Scott launched Holistic Green Beauty, after several years of intense work. If you were reading Danny’s blog, then you know how amazing his skin looks. I was lucky enough to test out the Pink Cellular Repair Oil, which contains Pink Lotus extract indeed. A first for me and amongst its properties, the flower is rich in natural alpha-hydroxy acids that help exfoliate the outer layer of skin, thus promoting cell renewal.
The Pink Cellular Repair Oil is the skin nectar of the gods. A luxurious and decadent blend, an all-in-one face oil (anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, soothing, hydrating.), rich in Omega 3, 6 and 9, fatty acids, and vitamins. Amongst the most exotic ingredients we have Baobab (even though I’m seeing more and more products with it), Acmella flower, Goji Berry, Sacha Inchi, Pink Lotus, Crambe Abyssinica seed oil and Açai fruit oil. This is definitely the kind of product I would imagine finding in a luxurious tropical spa resort.
I apply three drops on the palm of my hands and massaged my face and neck. Every time it feels like a mini skin workout, it boosts the skin circulation and my complexion looks rosy plump and healthy-looking. For added aromatherapeutic benefits, I like to cup my hands and inhale for a few seconds, the rich uplifting scent. They could genuinely launch a fragrance bottle with it.  It’s a high-end product for sure, but one can tell a significant amount of work and search has been done prior its release. It’s not your average face oil. Texture-wise, it’s velvety soft, and the oil is easily absorbed. You know how invigorated you can feel after a good pep talk? Well, imagine the Pink Lotus as a pep talk for your skin, after several weeks my complexion looked overall more even, revitalized and softer. I’m 26, and I use the Pink Lotus cellular repair oil for its antioxidant/revitalizing benefits, but mature skin types might actually see the elasticity-restoring and collagen-boosting benefits.
Price: £80 for 20Ml
Ingredients: Rosa Canina (Rosehip) Fruit Oil*, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil*, Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Seed Oil*, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil*, Crambe Abyssinica Seed Oil*, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil*, Adansonia Digitata (Baobab) Seed Oil*, Ximenia Americana Seed Oil**, Salvia Hispanica (Chia) Seed Oil*, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Euterpe Oleracea (Açaí) Fruit Oil, Plukenetia Volubilis (Sacha Inchi) Seed Oil*, Hippophae Rhamnoides (Sea Buckthorn) Fruit Extract*, Camellia Sinensis (Green tea) Leaf Extract*, Lycium Barbarum (Goji Berry) Fruit Extract, Calendula Officinalis (Marigold) Flower Extract*, Spilanthes Acmella Flower Extract, Ubiquinone (Coenzyme Q10), Squalane, Nelumbo Nucifera (Pink Lotus) Flower Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract*, Santalum Spicata Wood oil*, Plumeria Acutifolia (Frangipani) Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract*, Tocopherol

• Rosalena “Love & Me” + “Frank & Sense” oils”*

You may know that my fondness for puns knows no bound, of course, I can only approve of Rosalena’s product names. Depending on the product your choose, each blend is formulated with botanical oils, active plant extracts and essentials oils. Frank & Sense has more active plant extracts for Love & Me for instance.
Both are fantastic glow-boosting concoctions, but each of them has its specificities. Frank & Sense is meant to replenish the skin, for instance during the winter or after sun exposure to rehydrate it and help maintain its balance. Formulated with Buriti oil, Safflower oil, Seabuckthorn oil, Frankincense (hence the pun! 😉 Sandalwood and Vitamin E, Frank & Sense soothes the skin, the retains moisture really well, and provides a healthy glow. Having oily skin, I enjoyed its benefits particularly during the winter, but dry skin types might actually use it as an all-season oil.
Love & Me feels lighter than Frank & Sense and has a more floral scent. It’s so lovely to use to prep the skin before makeup because it doesn’t overwhelm the skin yet gives it the right amount of hydration. Made with Rose otto, Jasmine, Neroli, Baobab seed oil (also found in the Pink Lotus oil), Vitamin E, White tea oil and Evening Primrose oil, Love & Me awakens the complexion and leaves the skin noticeably brighter and soft. It also diffuses this delightful aroma (notes of jasmine, rose and neroli) which instantly uplifts my spirits. Love & Me feels like a little love declaration to yourself.
I just wish the website was a bit easier to browse, because your can’t see the full ingredient list (on the flash window that appears, all the active ingredients and oils are listed, just not the naturally-occuring ingredients from essentials oils. Since I have the full ingredient list from the packaging, I can assure you that the blends are “natural” (with botanical oils, active plant extracts and essentials oils).
Packaging-wise, Rosalena kept it fun and sweet, each bottle comes in a shiny/metallic color, which I find adorable. They are also very convenient to carry with you on holiday, because they are not heavy and come with a pipette.
Price: £42
Ingredients (for Frank & Sense): Carthamus Tinctorius Seed oil, Tocopherol, Camellia Kissi seed oil, Oenothera Biennis oil, Helianthus Annuus Hybrid oil, Mauritia Flexuosa Fruit oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Calendula Officinalis Flower extract, Bisabolol, Rosa Canina seed extract, rosmarinus officinalis extract, Helianthus Annuus Seed oil, Splanthes Acmella Flower extract, Ubiquinone, Tocopheryl Acetate, Citrus Aurantium Flower oil, rosa damascena flower oil, anthemis nobilis flower oil, boswella carterii oil, santalum album oil, citronellol, farnesol geraniol, limonene, linalool *naturally occuring ingredients

• Coce Skincare Calming face oil*

Coce Skincare currently has 4 collections, each targeting a specific need: Calming, regenerative, renewing and antioxidant. I love it and recommend it for a simple reason: the Calming face oil does exactly what it says. It’s my go-to after a purifying mask. A few weeks ago, I had a reaction after using a glacial mud mask, normally I don’t touch my face when that happens, but I decided to use the calming face oil to see if it would alleviate the redness and relieve the tingling sensation. It worked like a charm. Before we get on about the stellar formula, I really want to mention the clever packaging of Coce. While it comes with a pipette, you don’t actually need to squeeze it to release a few drops, instead your press the button on top. It’s just a little detail, but this was the first I came across this type of system :).
It’s a potent treatment to bring your skin back to a zen and calm shape because it was specially designed for sensitive, reactive, inflamed, itchy, acne-prone skin. A base of Sunflower seed oil, Oat oil (amazing for sensitive skin!) Meadowfoam seed oil, and packed with renowned calming and soothing ingredients such as Chamomille, Marshmallow root, Comfrey, Aloe Vera, Calendula, Chickweed, the Calming oil is one of the most efficient oils I’ve used to quickly bring relief to stressed and inflamed skin. There are a lot of oils that work to prevent inflammations, but I’ve found fewer options once the inflammation is kicking in. For instance, when my face acts up and becomes extremely reactive, I strictly resort to Indie Lee’s Squalane oil, until everything calms down. Now I can happily add Coce Skincare’s Calming oil to my “fight the skin karma” arsenal.
Price: £30
Ingredients: Helianthus annuus seed oil – Sunflower seed oil*, Avena sativa kernel oil – Oat oil, Caprylic/capric triglyceride, Limanthes alba seed oil – Meadowfoam seed oil, Isoamyl laurate – renewable vegetable emollient derived from sugar, Althaea officinalis root extract – Marshmallow root extract*, Bisabolol, Aloe Barbadensis leaf extract – Aloe vera leaf extract Symphytum officinale leaf extract – Comfrey root extract*, Stellaria media extract – Chickweed extract*, Simmondsia chinensis seed oil – Jojoba (seed) oil*, Calendula officinalis flower extract – Calendula flower extract*, Tocopherol – Vitamin E, Oryza sativa germ oil – Rice bran oil, Isoamyl cocate – renewable emollient derived from coconuts, Avena sativa kernel extract – Oat kernel extract*, Amaranthus caudatus seed extract – Amaranth seed extract* Lavendula angustifolia oil – Lavender oil*, Matricaria recutita, extract – Chamomile extract*, Matricaria recutita flower oil – German blue chamomile oil, Rosmarinus officinalis leaf extract – Rosemary leaf extract

• La Belle Lune*
  

I can’t help but rave about the packaging first. While one can not always judge an oil by its bottle, just looking at this pristine constellation-themed bottle made me want to try it. Luckily, the product itself is as gorgeous as it looks. La Belle Lune (meaning “the beautiful moon” in French) night-time elixir is infused with the Rose otto, Lavender, Frankincense to soothe your mind and prep your skin for its beauty sleep. Specially designed to work as a healing overnight treatment in conjunction with a restful night of sleep, La belle Lune face oil leaves your skin feeling fresh and glowy the next morning. Rich in Vitamins A, Bs, C, D, E, Amino Acids, Omega 3, 6, 7, 9 and Beta-Carotene, it’s an amazing asset to help your skin combat free radicals and environmental pollutants. In my case, I noticed an overall healthier-looking complexion, along with the fading of some small acne scars on my chin area. It nourishes the skin without feeling greasy. Depending on the batches, the color of the oil may change, mine has a beautiful golden/light orange color (thanks to the Rosehip Seabuckthorn and carrot seed). I don’t know if it’s strictly due its scent, but this night-time elixir also has some strong appeasing properties. Every time I massage my face with it, I feel much more relaxed. All in all, La Belle Lune face oil is my kind of magic! I also had the pleasure to do a mini interview of Annabelle, the founder of La Belle Lune:

1.What drove you to create La Belle Lune?

La Belle Lune came about from a love of oils and aromatherapy and wanting to create a natural, organic skin care brand to showcase the amazing benefits of these wonderful ingredients from Mother Nature. I personally have had acne on and off over the years and although I believe it’s a deeper imbalance of the body, the use of Organic Skin over time has drastically helped with healing scars and kept my skin youthful without the use of harsh chemicals. So I wanted others to benefit too!

2.You’ve launched your first product. Is it the first product of many more to come, or are you focusing on one star product instead ? 

Natural skincare using the finest organic/wildcrafted ingredients is something I’m passionate about, so I am definitely hoping to expand and introduce some other products. I have a few up my sleeve so watch this space… 

3.During the whole creation process, what was for you the most challenging part?

For me the most challenging part was creating the brand image and bringing it all to life. I wanted something that would capture the imagination and be a little mysterious and magical. Luckily it was also very enjoyable, even through the tears!

4.How do you recommend using the night-time elixir ?

Your skin needs feeding just like your body, so we prefer using Organic Skin at night, when your body repairs itself and utilises all the potent nutrients while you are sleeping and dreaming away. We recommend using 1 to 3 pumps on a cleansed face, neck and décolletage. Your skin may be damp or dry as you wish. We also recommend once you have pumped the elixir into your hands that you gently rub them together and for a few seconds and deeply inhale the deliciously relaxing scent before applying. It all adds to a lovely bedtime routine…

5.Can you share (in a few words) what your beauty routine is like ?

Personally I go through phases with my beauty regime like most women. At the moment I’m obsessed with using the hot cloth cleansing method (I use a mixture of castor oil and jojoba oil or another cleanser) to remove make-up and grime from a busy day, it just feels so good and leaves my skin feeling super clean, soft and prepped for the next step…! Of course my nightly go to is Organic Skin, I can honestly say it does everything I want from a night time serum. In the morning I cleanse with witch hazel and use a moisturiser or serum (currently I’m using Estelle and Thild’s Age Control serum) before applying make-up. 

 

Price: £46 20ml (now also available on Content Beauty)

Ingredients: Rosa Rubiginosa (Rosehip Seed Oil) Silybum Marianum (Milk Thistle Seed Oil) Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond Oil) Salvia Hispanica (Chia Seed Oil) Hippophae Rhamnoides (Sea Buckthorn Oil) Persea Gratissima (Avocado Oil) Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender Essential Oil) Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba Seed Oil) Rosa Damascena (Rose Otto Essential Oil) Boswellia Carterii (Frankincense Essential Oil) Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot Seed Essential Oil) Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary Leaf Extract) *d-Limonene, *Geraniol, *Linalol, *Farnesol *Naturally occurring in Essential Oils.

Bottom line, UK’s oil game is very strong and as we speak I can even add more brands to the mix, such as A.S Apothecary which I’m currently reviewing.

What face oils are you loving lately?

Take care,

*Sent for review considerations, all opinions my own