One of the most common misconceptions about cosmetics is still too widespread: Vegetable oils and combination skin don't mix.
But your skin, and especially your facial skin, even combination or oily skin, also needs fats and oils to keep it in tip-top shape. Combination skin can even become sensitive or reactive, so it needs special care to protect it.
But not all oils are created equal for combination skin. It's their texture, composition and penetration that make all the difference. A plant oil with the right affinity can become a skincare oil and be used in your skincare products, make-up removers or cleansers at different times of the day. In this article, we'll share our advice on how to understand their effects on your skin and choose the right products.
Combination skin: most common among adults and young people.
To know your skin type and adapt your skincare routine, it's essential to listen! Many factors can influence and change your skin. With the exception of very young children, it is rarely "normal". In fact, our skin is a reflection of what we experience, and therefore of our emotions. Add to this pollution, the weather, temperature and its variations, our diet, our lifestyle, stress, age, hormonal variations, and so on. It's easy to see that the quality of our skin is influenced by these factors, and can vary regularly.
So here are 4 tips or questions that will help you determine if your skin type is combination and help you take the best care of it:
How does your skin feel all day long?
If your skin is a little shiny or glossy, especially around the nose, the sides of the nose and the middle of the forehead, and you feel that your cheeks are tight; if you feel that your skin is uneven to the touch, and you alternate between oily and dry skin, then you probably have combination skin.
Look at your pores:
If your pores tend to be more present around your nose or the wings of your nose, if you have skin with imperfections, if you see blackheads, small pimples, you have a second signal of combination skin.
How does your skin feel after cleansing?
Combination skin is often sensitive and fragile. It tends to redden in dry areas and produce more sebum in the area near the nose.
After cleansing, you may feel fresh and clean on the middle of the forehead and nose, but with a pulling sensation on the cheeks or around the eyes.
Do you often need a moisturizing or nourishing treatment in your routine?
If you feel the need for a good nourishing treatment on your cheeks, but don't need it at all on your nose, forehead and mid-chin because you feel you have a slight oily film on this part of your face during the day, you definitely have combination skin.
Beware: combination skin, like other skin types, can also be sensitive and reactive, and often is, showing signs of ageing such as wrinkles, crow's feet or spots. Combination skin is not a question of age!
Why choose a plant oil for combination skin?
Chemically speaking, our skin is made up of 70% water, 27.5% protein, 2% fat and around 0.5% minerals and trace elements.
The skin's surface is covered with an emulsion of water and fats, forming what is known as the hydrolipidic film.
This hydrolipidic film has a protective function, acting as a barrier to bacteria. In the case of combination skin, the hydrolipidic film is unbalanced. On the one hand, tight skin lacks water and doesn't produce enough sebum, while on the other, oily skin produces too much sebum. But it's the balance between water and oil that's going to get the skin back into shape.
To maintain this barrier, you need to apply vegetable oil, even to oily areas, to regulate sebum production and retain water.
These oils have the power not only to nourish, but also to protect and retain water in the skin. Indeed, to ensure their survival, plants must produce molecules to protect themselves from the cold, sun, frost and pollution... which is why they concentrate their benefits and their various properties. Vegetable oils derived from cold-pressed plants concentrate all these benefits. This is particularly interesting in cosmetics.
They have also developed specific compositions and different powers depending on where they are grown: oilier and more occlusive near the equator or the Mediterranean, drier, finer and more anti-inflammatory in colder climates.
Not all oils are suitable for all skin types. For combination skin, the ideal is to combine several varieties, but always organic and cold-pressed to preserve all their properties. They are easy to incorporate into your skincare routine.
There's such a wide range of oils to choose from that you're sure to find something to suit not only your combination skin, but also your body and, of course, your hair. This is also why oils are key ingredients in almost every cosmetic care product.
Jojoba oil | The star oil for combination skin
Its composition is close to that of sebum, enabling it to regulate sebum production. Jojoba oil also has a nourishing, protective and softening action. It's one of the ideal plant oils for combination skin to include in your beauty routine.
This oil is ideal for combating imperfections. It penetrates very easily and doesn't leave a greasy film, making it all the more pleasant to apply. Jojoba oil can also be used as a make-up remover for skin and eyes. It is used in a wide range of cosmetics.
Tip: If used alone, apply jojoba oil every night to reap its benefits.
Hazelnut oil
Rich in essential fatty acids (omega 9), this oil nourishes and softens without leaving the skin greasy after use. Hazelnut oil is ideal for combination to oily skin, as it regulates sebum production. It also contains vitamins A and E, helping to slow cell aging. And it smells divine!
Sesame oil
Used in Ayurvedic medicine, it is rich in essential fatty acids (omega 3, 6 and 9), regenerating and softening the skin. It plays an anti-oxidant role thanks to the vitamin E it contains. Sesame oil helps combat skin irritation and flaking.
Tip: Sesame oil is ideal for treating pimples in combination with Zinc.
Hemp oil
Rich in essential fatty acids (omega 3 and 6) and vitamins B and E, hemp oil has nourishing and softening properties for the face and body. It helps combat cellular aging and acts on irritation and redness. It's one of the best products to use if you suffer from redness, and is highly anti-inflammatory.
Tip: This oil is highly suitable for sensitive skin.
Safflower oil
Rich in essential fatty acids (omega 3 and 6), this oil nourishes and soothes face, hair and body. The vitamins B, E and phytosterols it contains give it regenerating and healing properties. Useful if you use it in anti-wrinkle or anti-aging cosmetics. It also protects hair from dehydration. It can be found in cosmetics, but is also widely used in food supplements.
Sunflower oil
Not widely used in cosmetics, this oil is rich in essential fatty acids (omega 3 and omega 6), making it nourishing, softening and smoothing. It can be blended with active exfoliants for a gentle body scrub effect.
Tips: It is also suitable for dry hair.
Grape seed oil
Grape-seed oil owes its antioxidant qualities to its high vitamin E and polyphenol (OPC) content. Omega-6s are excellent lipid-replenishing agents, protecting the epidermis from dehydration. It has sebum-regulating and healing properties, and can be used as part of an anti-acne routine.
Plum Oil
Plum oil is packed with vitamin E, a powerful natural antioxidant. It helps combat the action of free radicals responsible for the appearance of signs of skin aging. What's more, it's non-comedogenic, making it a good ally for combination skin. As a bonus, it smells great and is perfect for dry hair.
How to incorporate plant oils for combination skin into your daily routine?
As we have seen, combination skin is not uniform. To nourish, regulate and protect it, it's best to combine your oils. These can be used on their own, but it's also best to vary the textures on your skin according to the season and your skin's sensitivity.
Morning routine:
If your skin has been thoroughly cleansed the day before, don't over-cleanse: the idea is to add freshness and softness. Choose textures containing oils that are ultra-gentle to your skin's pH level and will simply purify your skin. A gentle cleansing powder containing oils is preferable to a pure oil.
- Beware of overly stripping milk or gel textures.
- Save make-up-removing oils for the evening, so that in the morning the skin has not been aggressed or soiled. Some mornings, a simple misting with thermal spring water may be enough to refresh and oxygenate the skin.
- You can then massage in a fine-textured plant oil instead of your day cream, or choose an oil-balanced, non-greasy day cream after cleansing to rebalance the skin.
- Avoid balms or very oily skincare textures, which are better suited to dry skin, otherwise pimples may appear.
Evening routine:
In the evening, oil can be used for everything: make-up removal, skincare, massage ....
Remove any excess with a warm towel. Skin regenerates at night, so there's no need to overload it in the evening.
Find pure, organic, first cold-pressed Jojoba, Sesame, Hazelnut and Plum vegetable oils in YODI products:
- Our prebiotic powder cleansers are ideal for combination skin: alternate between the jojoba oil and natural vitamin C cleanser and the purifying cleanser with charcoal, zinc and sesame oil.
- For a facial massage, a small pipette of Muesli and Pure Vanilla Precious Oil will be a real moment of relaxation for your skin, and a natural recharge of antioxidants and vitamins.