Facial oils are one of the most nourishing products you can use in your skincare routine, making them the perfect addition for anyone looking to address premature signs of ageing, or hoping to boost skin health and lock in moisture.

“Facial oils can be beneficial to all skin types, even oily or blemish prone skin,” says oculoplastic surgeon, facial aesthetics doctor and MZ Skin founder Dr. Maryam Zamani. 

Rather than being the gateway to breakouts, the best facial oils can actually help to balance the skin’s natural sebum levels as well as lending an extra layer of moisture.

“They are typically formulated with non-comedogenic [non-pore blocking] botanical oils, essential oils, plant extracts, oil soluble ingredients or antioxidants to act as a protective barrier, resulting in less trans-epidermal water loss,” explains Dr. Zamani. In other words, they’ll help give you healthier, happier skin. 

In a hurry to hydrate? The GHI tried and tested a range of leading face oils with the help of a panel of 240 people. These are their favourite products in a handy list but scroll on for their full reviews.

Which facial oil is best for me?

“Squalane and marula are wonderful for normal to dry skin,” says Dr. Zamani. “For more oily or combination skin types, look for lighter oils such as jojoba or tea tree oils.”

Many people with blemish-prone skin may worry about adding an oil to their routine, but in some cases, drying, stripping products remove too much sebum and make skin produce oil twice as fast to make up for it. A lightweight oil keeps moisture locked in and ensures you don't get dry skin forming over sebaceous glands, thus trapping in dirt and oil and causing breakouts. Having said that, if you have acne-prone skin, always consult a doctor or dermatologist before adding anything to your skincare arsenal.

Oils are particularly valuable for menopausal skin. Due to the loss of oestrogen, oil production slows, and skin can struggle to hold onto moisture, often leaving it feeling dry. Using oils can help with dehydration as their occlusive properties help the skin hold onto hydration.

“An oil is a welcome addition for menopausal skin because it helps to restore the barrier function and maintain the water retention capacity, all working to deliver a dewier complexion,” says Dr. Zamani. 

How to use a facial oil

“Facial oils are usually used in conjunction with a moisturiser, but they can also be used on their own,” says Dr. Zamani. If you’re layering them as part of your routine, they should always be the penultimate product applied to your skin before SPF. This is because oils sit on top of the skin, locking in moisture. Plus, anything placed on top of an oil will not penetrate through into the skin as easily.

Oils can be used either day or night, but Dr. Zamani’s personal preference is to incorporate them into her night regimen, after serums, actives or moisturisers. 

How we test facial oils

The GHI recruited a team of over 240 of our testers to put a range of facial oils to the test for two weeks. They then gave detailed feedback on their performance, design, ease of use and how well they kept skin supple and hydrated throughout the day.

Back in the lab, our experts analysed how effective each product was at hydrating the skin by using our TEWL (trans epidermal water loss) meter to measure the skin's moisture levels before applying the facial oil and six hours afterwards.

Read on for the most nourishing facial oils money can buy.