↑

  • Recipe Index
    • Appetizers
    • Main Dish
      • Casseroles
      • Main Dishes: Beef
      • Main Dishes: Pork
      • Main Dishes: Poultry
      • Main Dishes: Vegetarian
    • Salads
    • Soups
    • Sandwiches
    • Side Dishes
    • Desserts
      • Slow Cooker
      • Instant Pot
      • Holidays
  • Travel
  • Fitness & Health
    • health
    • free workouts
    • buy chanelle’s eBook!
    • shop chanelle’s faves
  • Pets
  • Crafts & DIY
  • Lifestyle
    • entertainment
    • home decor
    • productivity
    • style & beauty

  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

  • About Me
  • Terms of Use | Privacy Policy

Eat Move Make

recipes | DIY | lifestyle

  • Recipe Index
    • Appetizers
    • Main Dish
      • Casseroles
      • Main Dishes: Beef
      • Main Dishes: Pork
      • Main Dishes: Poultry
      • Main Dishes: Vegetarian
    • Salads
    • Soups
    • Sandwiches
    • Side Dishes
    • Desserts
      • Slow Cooker
      • Instant Pot
      • Holidays
  • Travel
  • Fitness & Health
    • health
    • free workouts
    • buy chanelle’s eBook!
    • shop chanelle’s faves
  • Pets
  • Crafts & DIY
  • Lifestyle
    • entertainment
    • home decor
    • productivity
    • style & beauty
Home » Style & Beauty » I Put Oil on My Face and Now I Feel Extremely Dumb TBH

I Put Oil on My Face and Now I Feel Extremely Dumb TBH

By: Liz  /  Published: April 26, 2017  /  Updated: July 12, 2020  /   Leave a comment

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

I really can’t believe I’m writing about skincare AGAIN. I’m so sick of thinking about it!

Luckily my skin has improved significantly over the past few months so I’ve been able to think about it less and less. The real turning point was when I started using a Differin prescription I got from YoDerm (which I reviewed here) in conjunction with finding a foundation and moisturizer that my skin mostly liked.

yoderm-before
Before Differin
yoderm-progress
Using Differin. Better, but not good enough!

(I say “mostly liked” because it still took me a couple more months to pinpoint some ingredients that were still disagreeing with my skin.)

I switched to Bare Minerals foundation because the only ingredients in it are pigments and physical sunscreens. I figured, let’s go back to basics and if simple pigments and sunscreen irritate my finicky skin, well, I’d better just lay around indoors for the rest of my life. But in all seriousness, I’d used Bare Minerals throughout college so I kinda knew it would work for me. I use the original one, which has SPF 15.

As far as moisturizers go, I tried to find one without the ingredients I know my skin hates:

No fatty alcohols. That means cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol…basically anything that ends in “-yl alcohol”.

There’s nothing inherently wrong about fatty alcohols; in fact, they’re extremely moisturizing for your skin. But for some people they do cause irritation, and after a loooong process of elimination, I determined that this group of poor, unfortunate, irritated-skin-having souls includes me.

No silicones. This one took me forever to figure out.

I had found a moisturizer I liked and used it for a few months but wondered why I still kept getting clogged pores that sometimes turned into big zits. It wasn’t the Bare Minerals makeup, it wasn’t the acne medication, it wasn’t my hair products. Had to be the moisturizer.

I was disappointed by this development because the moisturizer I was using feels and smells great. If you’re looking for a gel moisturizer and your skin doesn’t mind silicones, definitely give it a go: Dr. Jart Water-Sure Gel.

Soooo with those two ingredients out, I wasn’t left with much to go on. Since I’d gone back to basics with Bare Minerals makeup, I thought I should do the same with my moisturizer, and what’s more natural than oil?

The prospect of using an oil as moisturizer was a little scary after all the oil-free indoctrination I went through as a teen, but I figured the results couldn’t be worse than with anything else I’d tried over the years.

High school Chanelle
Back in high school when my skin was perfect and I never gave it a second thought 🙁 🙁 🙁

I did a lot (A LOTTTTT) of research and landed on this extremely informative blog post that discussed the fact that all oils are composed of several acids, including oleic acid and linoleic acid. People with skin that’s prone to clogged pores (me) are usually deficient in linoleic acid, so moisturizing with a high linoleic oil is beneficial.

After some hemming and hawing, my choices were this grapeseed oil and this rosehip seed oil. In the morning I mix two drops of each in my palm and apply to my face after cleansing. At night, I do the same thing, just after letting my acne treatment dry.

And YOOOOOOOO. My skin is looking great.

Rosehip and grapeseed oil as moisturizer
My skin now that I use grapeseed oil + rosehip seed oil as moisturizer

No pimples, no clogged pores, just an overall clear tone and some residual scarring on my chin from past breakouts. Are you kidding me?! Why didn’t I try this sooner?

Let’s look at the progress pictures all together:

yoderm-before
Before starting Differin
yoderm-progress
Using Differin
Rosehip seed oil moisturizer
Differin + rosehip seed oil and grapeseed oil as moisturizer

Um yeah, I’ll let the results speak for themselves.

So if you have easily clogged pores and struggle to find a moisturizer that works for you, try an oil that’s high in linoleic acid. I’m shocked at how well this has worked for me. You may have to do some experimentation to find the right blend, but here are the ones I’m using:

  • 1-2 drops of Hobe Naturals grapeseed oil
  • 2 drops of Life-Flo rosehip seed oil

Oils, I’m sorry I ignored you for my entire lifetime. Please forgive me.

Related topics
Style & Beauty

About Liz

Liz is a midwestern mom gone southern (accent in transition). She lives in North Carolina and loves cooking, baking, traveling, movies, crafts, hot and cold tea, wine, pizza and the occasional nap. She also revels in the fact she's a crazy cat lady.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sean says

    March 28, 2019 at 10:18 am

    Hi, how long did you use the oils before you noticed a difference and are you continuing to use them?

    Reply
    • Chanelle says

      March 28, 2019 at 3:59 pm

      Hi Sean! I noticed a difference in the feel/hydration of my skin right away, but would give it about a month to let your skin adjust its natural oil production. Nowadays I just use the oil when I feel extra dehydrated. I also mix it into my body lotion. Hope that helps!

      Reply
  2. Vanessa says

    November 4, 2018 at 1:52 pm

    How long do you wait for the Differin to dry before using the oils?

    Reply
    • Chanelle says

      November 5, 2018 at 1:43 pm

      I would wait about 20 minutes, then pat on the oil.

      Reply
  3. Janine says

    March 21, 2018 at 5:16 am

    You and I are on the same page with the Differin and oils. I wouldn’t call my skin especially acneic, but I’ve always had some subclinical acne on my forehead, and mild hormonal zits. Oil level is normal but I can feel that I’m naturally too high-oleic (you can tell because the oil on your face feels thick and greasy instead of light, liquid and delicate). I’m all about simplifying face care, and nowadays I’m having great results from just CeraVe hydrating cleanser and OTC Differin at night, and Olay All Day Moisturizer SPF 15 for combo skin in the morning (the one for normal skin works fine too but the combo skin one has a slighty more elegant texture.) My skin looks and feels super.

    In the recent past I was using this homebrewed oil mixture with great results: 1 part rosehip oil, 2 parts grapeseed oil, and then i adjusted the oleic/linoleic balance by adding a bit of coconut oil, because the very high-linoleic mixture was actually drying out my skin. So maybe 1/4 part coconut oil. My mix also included beneficial essential oils: geranium, lavender, tea tree, and a bit of lemongrass to drown out the tea tree stank.

    I was cleansing with Pond’s cold cream at this time, and using Thayer’s rose petal witch hazel, which is an amazing product, and Differin.

    My skin looked very flawless and beautiful. But now that I’m just using CeraVe cleanser and Differin, my skin still looks great.

    Steal my oil recipe, though. And that witch hazel is something everybody needs in their life. It’s alcohol-free, moisturizing because it contains glycerin, and it smells amazing. Witch hazel has so many benefits and even gets rid of precancerous cells.

    Reply
  4. Amy D says

    January 20, 2018 at 1:50 pm

    Wow! Thank you for sharing your skincare research and success story with your own skin. I have heard that rose oil was good, but I’ve never heard of grapseed oil also being good for the skin. Amazing. I just got into essential oils. I’ve been trying frankensence on my hyperpigmentation, but haven’t seen any difference yet. Peppermint oil is amazing for congestion, circulation in my feet when doing tough exercise as well as helping my breathing during hard cardio workouts.

    Reply
  5. S says

    October 22, 2017 at 7:01 am

    We have nearly the exact same routine! Bare minerals had been the go to for years and back to the differin with rosehip and jojoba after struggling to find anything with non comedogenic oils or silicon. So far so good.

    Reply
  6. Diana Met Danny says

    April 30, 2017 at 9:36 pm

    Wow your skin looks amazing! I need to try using oil on my face, I’m a little scared still but I think I will now!

    Reply
  7. Brianne says

    April 28, 2017 at 11:25 am

    You look gorgeous! I was very against the oil thing too, but I just started using one and it really works!

    Reply
  8. Jocelyn @ Hip Mama's Place says

    April 28, 2017 at 9:20 am

    I’ve been experimenting on and off with natural skin care oils and I love using oils on my face for cleansing. I can see the difference in your facial skin clarity from your photos. Thanks for sharing your experience!

    Reply
  9. Carol Cassara says

    April 27, 2017 at 9:59 pm

    I never try oil based products on my face because I feel like my face gets more oily. This doesn’t sound like that and I’ve been hearing good things about grapeseed oil. This is actually worth a try.

    Reply
  10. Dogvills says

    April 27, 2017 at 9:40 pm

    Oh this is so different from what our grandmothers told us. That we have to keep our face squeaky clean to avoid getting breakouts, when all we actually need is a good oil preparation to keep our skin moisturized. Dry skin is more prone to breakouts – that is what I found out early in life. 🙂

    Reply
  11. Annemarie LeBlanc says

    April 27, 2017 at 7:59 pm

    Thank you for sharing your story. I will have to look for the -yl ingredients and avoid them. Finding the right moisturizer is a hit and miss process and I am happy you found the products that worked for you.

    Reply
  12. Louise Bishop says

    April 27, 2017 at 5:26 pm

    Wow this stuff worked very well for you. The difference is night and day.

    Reply
  13. CourtneyLynne says

    April 27, 2017 at 2:18 pm

    I’m all about using oils for my skin and hair!! I was scared for years because I was convinced I would be an oily mess, but they work wonders and soak roghtbin. At least they do for me lol

    Reply
  14. Seattle Travel Blogger says

    April 27, 2017 at 12:05 pm

    Skin care is so important.
    You look great. I can see the differences in the before and after pictures.

    Reply
  15. Tracey says

    April 27, 2017 at 10:01 am

    You’d think putting oil on your face would it make more oily and cause you to break out. Instead it looks like the opposite! Your skin is glowing!

    Reply
  16. Melissa says

    April 27, 2017 at 9:52 am

    Thank you for the lesson on the oils and why we should be using them on our skin. Your skin does look good. I will try and take your advice and add this to my daily regimen

    Reply
  17. Ashley says

    April 27, 2017 at 8:23 am

    Oooo I should try this! My skin gets so dry and nothing seems to help. I didn’t think about using grapeseed oil on my face! I use it when I cook!

    Reply
    • Chanelle says

      April 27, 2017 at 9:10 am

      I heard it’s great for cooking! You may have to purchase a different kind for your face since there are different purity standards for cooking and cosmetics.

      Reply
  18. Rosey says

    April 27, 2017 at 7:20 am

    So many people tout the benefits of oil. Hurrah that they really are working well for you too!

    Reply
  19. [email protected] says

    April 27, 2017 at 3:43 am

    I love using oil as a moisturizer. It has also really helped my skin improve as well. I have had a lot of people question my sanity over using oil but it definitely works and I definitely recommend it as well.

    Reply
  20. Tami Qualls says

    April 27, 2017 at 12:47 am

    My daughter and I are both going to have to try this. We need moisturizer but we are currently breaking out.

    Reply
  21. Janell Poulette says

    April 26, 2017 at 10:56 pm

    Wow, your skin looks great after using those oils. Not that it looked bad before! I have really got to start using reship seed oil and grapeseed oils.

    Reply
  22. Lisa Collins says

    April 26, 2017 at 8:49 pm

    Your skin is looking great and i can see the results! Glad you found a combination that is working for you!

    Reply
  23. Pam says

    April 26, 2017 at 8:44 pm

    I love BareMinerals makeup. I have different skin issues than you, but I know that finding a moisturizer that works for you is so important!

    Reply
  24. Tonya Wilhelm says

    April 26, 2017 at 7:30 pm

    I’ve heard a lot of good things about both those oils. I’m glad you are finding success with a natural product. Your skin looks amazing.

    Reply
  25. Kelly Hutchinson says

    April 26, 2017 at 5:40 pm

    I have struggled with finding a good moisturizer that didn’t break me out. I would have never thought about the silicone in them. Who knew?!

    Reply
  26. Marcie W. says

    April 26, 2017 at 4:11 pm

    I love that you made it a point to get in tune with your skin and its unique needs. I use all natural products yet still have issues, so these oils are a must try for me!

    Reply
  27. Neely Moldovan says

    April 26, 2017 at 2:14 pm

    I cant use many oils because my skin is super sensitive. But I have heard great things about a few of them.

    Reply
  28. Neha Saini says

    April 26, 2017 at 11:37 am

    This is awesome. Natural products are best to be used for skin.

    Reply
  29. Divya says

    April 26, 2017 at 11:21 am

    So interesting! I use this anti-aging blend that includes a few of these oils that you mention. I can definitely notice a difference!

    Reply
  30. Colleen Lanin says

    April 26, 2017 at 10:19 am

    I’d love to give these oils a try! I’ve been looking for a natural way to moisturize my skin, and I think this could be just the thing.

    Reply
  31. Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle says

    April 26, 2017 at 10:18 am

    That is so awesome! Of course using all natural moisturizers and other products is best for the skin. All that man-made stuff really gunks up everything.

    Reply
  32. Robin Rue says

    April 26, 2017 at 10:13 am

    Wow, I can definitely see the difference. So happy to know this actually works 🙂

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

liz mays photo

Welcome!

I’m Liz! Thank you for visiting Eat Move Make. Here you will find a collection of easy & delicious year-round recipes, seasonal ideas and DIY craft inspiration as well as exciting travel destination ideas! Visit my About Me page for more of my story.

recipes in your inbox

Subscribe for the latest updates

Thank you!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

.

Summer Favorites

chocolate oozing from side of black and white s'mores

Black and White S’mores (A Twist on the Black and White Cookie)

bowl of strawberry banana cheesecake salad with strawberries and bananas on top

Strawberry Banana Cheesecake Salad

patriotic jello cups in small clear cups

Red, White and Blue Jello Cups

hand holding spicy burger

Grilled Spicy Burgers

blueberry cheesecake salad

Blueberry Cheesecake Salad

A close up of a sandwich sitting on top of a table

Fiesta Burgers – Grilled Burgers with a Mexican Twist

slice of strawberry cream cheese pie

Strawberry Cream Cheese Jello Pie

dessert bars on plate

Red, White and Blue Bars

Slush and Strawberry

Skinny Strawberry White Wine Slush

firecracker cupcakes

Firecracker Cupcakes

Popular Posts

swamp soup in white bowls on white table with basket of corn muffins

Easy Turnip Green Soup (Swamp Soup)

hand holding symphony brownie

Symphony Brownies

close-up Bisquick impossible cheeseburger pie

Bisquick Impossible Cheeseburger Pie Recipe

mock chow mein casserole in dish on table

Mock Chow Mein Casserole Recipe

cranberry chili meatballs

Slow Cooker Cranberry Chili Meatballs Recipe

slow cooker turkey tenderloin

Slow Cooker Turkey Tenderloin with Maple Glaze and Wild Rice

A plate of cookies

Pistachio Pudding Cookies with Chocolate Chips

olive salad in bowl

Muffuletta Olive Salad Recipe

eat move make featured in graphic

Footer

Meet Liz

Meet Liz

Hey there, i’m Liz!

I’m the founder of Eat Move Make and a North Carolina mom of two humans and six cats. I love to cook, bake, craft and travel. I’m also addicted to tea (but not sweet tea).

When I’m not creating something in my kitchen, and since my kids are now adults, I’m all about my bucket list of travel destinations and adventures.

recipes in your inbox

Subscribe for the latest updates

Thank you!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list.

.
©2022, Eat Move Make / About / Terms Of Use / Privacy Policy / Site by Pixel Me Designs