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When it comes to acne, oil has gotten a pretty bad name. While it's true that excess sebum — the oil your skin produces naturally — can clog pores and cause breakouts, that's totally different than the oils you apply to your skin. In fact, the best facial oils for acne prone skin can actually help your skin produce less pore-clogging sebum. These amazing oils also contain effective properties that can eliminate acne-causing bacteria, reduce inflammation, and help shed dead skin cells that can clog pores and create more pimples, blackheads, and whiteheads.
Are facial oils bad for acne?
Basically, everything you've been told about how acne prone skin requires products that produce a Sahara-like environment is a total lie. Starve your skin of oils and it will rebel by producing even more sebum — and all of that excess oil will linger on your now shiny skin, sink into pores, and return the favor with more acne.
Rather than drying out your skin, a much more effective acne-fighting solution involves incorporating facial oils to your routine. For the best facial oils for acne prone skin, look for jojoba, tea tree, and olive-derived squalane oils, and apply them directly to skin after cleansing and toning.
These eight oils can be applied alone, mixed into your daily moisturizer, or even applied on top of a light lotion. Many are anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, and capable of the near-impossible: balancing your oily, acne prone skin without stripping it of its natural oils.
1An Anti-Bacterial Oil: Herbivore Botanicals Lapis All Natural Facial Oil
Herbivore Botanicals Lapis All Natural Facial Oil, $72, Amazon
This pretty, blue blend of botanical facial oils includes squalane, anti-inflammatory German blue chamomile, oil-balancing Blue Yarrow, and jojoba, an oil that holds the distinction of supreme oily skin moisturizer (one that won't clog pores). It's 100 percent vegan and all of the oils have been cold pressed or steam distilled so you can be sure you're using high quality ingredients.
According to one reviewer: "I was not sure about this facial oil in the beginning, as I have been taught that acne prone skin should avoid oil, but this oil has been an amazing addition to my beauty regimen. It acts as a primer for me before applying my foundation, so my skin is soft, moisturized and dewy. I also use it at night before I go to bed, goes on like butter, and I wake up with a glowing face."
2A Marula Oil: Acure Marula Oil
Acure Marula Oil, $12, Amazon
If you have acne, you probably also have a considerable amount of redness in your skin that is hard to get rid of with most products. Marula oil is exceptional at curbing redness and hydrating dry and irritated skin. This oil is rich in omega fatty acids and sinks into skin without creating a greasy film.
According to one reviewer: "Amazing! I am currently adding the Argan oil to my facial moisturizer and body lotion. I was skeptical about adding this to my moisturizer, i have acne prone oily combo skin. What it has done has balanced my oil production, i don't get as oily because my skin keeps a moisture balance. Awesome product."
3A Jojoba Oil: Leven Rose Jojoba Oil
Leven Rose Jojoba Oil, $10, Amazon
Because it's so close to mimicking the body's own natural oils, jojoba oil is the ideal natural oil for acne-prone skin because it absorbs into the skin within seconds. This 100 percent jojoba oil formula tackles everything from acne to other skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis, and rosacea, and cysts. If you have acne-prone and sensitive skin, you need a bottle of jojoba oil in your medicine cabinet.
According to one reviewer: "If you have skin problems of any kind anywhere (especially acne-prone) then you need to buy this oil. I've struggled with acne and very sensitive skin since I was young (I'm 25 now) and finding anything to help combat it was a consistent battle. It got to the point where I felt like if a feather brushed by my face I was going to break out. It wasn't until I started really looking for more natural and less chemical heavy ways to heal my scarred, acne-prone skin that I came upon Jojoba oil. And trust me, in my 10 [plus] year struggle with acne [and] VERY sensitive skin, I felt like I have tried e-v-e-r-y-thing."
4A Squalane Oil: Timeless Skin Care Squalene
Timeless Skin Care Squalene, $11, Amazon
Olive-derived squalane has numerous benefits for acne prone skin that include the ability to replenish parched skin without making your complexion greasy. This oil absorbs super fast, exfoliates dead skin cells, is light weight, and reviewers who use it say their skin has never looked as good.
According to one reviewer: "I think I’m more prone to acne when I don’t use it. This stuff is amazing. Moisturizes without any heavier creams to clog pores and cause breakouts. Great multipurpose item for face and body moisturizing, for make up removal, for cuticles, etc."
5An Antioxidant-Rich Oil: RMS Beauty Oil
RMS Beauty Oil, $78, Amazon
Protect acne prone skin against free radicals with this antioxidant organic beauty oil, rich in coconut oil and other essential oils like jojoba and rose seed. The unusually high amounts of lauric acid found in this oil give it antibacterial, antifungal, and antimicrobial properties that are a treasure for acne prone skin.
According to one reviewer: "This oil is truly remarkable! I have used Clarins oils which smell nice but left oil stains on my pillow case and don't really do much. RMS oil absorbs beautifully giving moisturized and balanced skin that glows. My skin has never looked better."
6A Rosehip Oil: InstaNatural Organic Rosehip Oil
InstaNatural Organic Rosehip Oil, $22, Amazon
Using unrefined, cold-pressed 100 percent pure rosehip oil, this product delivers benefits for acne-prone skin that include essential fatty acids that boost healthy cell production and turnover, encouraging old acne scars to vanish. The Vitamin A in this oil is a natural antioxidant that helps reverse skin damage brought on by sun exposure and this organic oil is free of chemicals, sulfates, additives, and fragrances.
According to one reviewer: "This is by far the best smelling and best moisturizing rosehip oil I’ve tried so far. Somehow all four of them I bought said organic and natural yet they all have very potent smells and are all different colors. This is the only one with a more oil light smell and I’ve been using it for my acne scars! Working so far!"
7A Tea Tree Oil: Keeva Organics Tea Tree Oil
Keeva Organics Tea Tree Oil, $35, Amazon
Of all of the essential oils praised for their anti-acne and anti-inflammatory qualities, tea tree oil is high up on the list. This organic acne treatment cream combines tea tree and salicylic acid (both superior acne healers that can be drying on skin) with soothing, moisturizing ingredients like sesame seed and olive oils, Vitamin E, shea butter, and even hyaluronic acid.
According to one reviewer: "I've been suffering from on and off hormonal ACNE on my T-zone area I never had a clear skin its always appeared regardless how expensive products I used mostly tried everything, name it i tried it. I'm glad that i have found KEEVA my skin are finally clear... thank you KEEVA"
8A Tamanu Oil: Leia Naturals Organic Tamanu Oil
Leia Naturals Organic Tamanu Oil, $15, Amazon
Tamanu oil stands out amongst essential oils because it's the only one that contains Calophyllic acid, which can absorb all three layers of skin to address acne scars and acne from deep within. This anti-inflammatory and antioxidant oil is one of the best for healing acne and has actually been dubbed the "miracle oil."
According to one reviewer: "This stuff is truly amazing! I've been dealing with acne for over 20 years. I've tried every topical brand on the market & all they do is dry & irritate my skin, causing further breakouts. Obviously chemicals are not the answer so I decided to research essential oils & came across this. I saw results in days & now almost a month later, my skin is clear, more even toned & my scars are faded."
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