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6 reasons why your skin needs facial oils this winter

Applying anything from the oil family onto one's face may not be particularly desirable, but face oils may just hold the secret to achieving healthy, radiant skin - no matter what your skin type (yes, it's even for those with perpetually oily skin!). Packed with nutrients, they penetrate the skin to transform, protect and nourish, and come loaded with other benefits. Read on to find out what they are.
1) Bye bye, wrinkles
Facial oils are packed with antioxidants, which prevent further ageing. If your skin tends to be on the shinier side and you're nervous about trying oils, try dabbing grape seed oil because it's anti-ageing, light, non-greasy, and beautifully fragranced. After washing your face at night, dabbing a tiny bit of your preferred oil onto your forehead, cheeks, nose, and chin can be beneficial.
2) Dry skin saviour
Plummeting temperatures suck moisture straight out of the skin. Oils are the ideal antidote to dry, flaky skin and rough cheeks - and they can be more effective at moisturising than your over-the-counter lotions and creams. Apply a pea-sized amount before hitting bed each night and wake up with beautiful soft skin in the morning.
3) It's all about protection
Oils can penetrate deep into the skin, trapping water and other moisturizing goodness in, while keeping toxins out. Some oils also help fortify and strengthen our own natural skin barrier. On a cold winter day, using a product with rosehip seed oil, which is highly concentrated with antioxidant ingredients, would be a definite win-win.
4) Prime and prep
Oils like mandarin and pumpkin seed zip into the skin quickly, settling comfortably into areas that need hydrating the most. These give an immediate plumping effect and create the perfect canvas for your makeup - and the smoother your skin, the better your whole face will look.
5) Rash relaxer
Many oils have anti-inflammatory properties as well, helping to calm irritated skin. Argan and yangu oils are ideal for irritations that follow use of anti-ageing products with ingredients such as retinol or alpha hydroxy acids. Geranium oil is also great at reducing redness from rosacea.
6) Fight oil with oil
Certain oils can actually help balance out your skin's oil production, get rid of excess oil on your face and minimise the appearance of pores. Oils can dissolve excess sebum and remove grime and fats from pores, thus minimising their appearance. Believe it or not, tea tree oil is a pretty good zit zapper. And no, you won't get more pimples if you use oils.
How You Should Use Them: You can always mix oils in with your moisturiser, but if you're going to give them a spot of honour in your skin care routine (which I recommend), do it before you moisturise but after - or even instead of- your serum.
Happy oiling!
Injeel is a beauty blogger

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