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Many people want to make sure that they can keep their skin nourished and moisturized, especially during the dry seasons such as late fall and throughout most of the winter, to promote dry and cracking skin. They also want to find a nourishing moisturizer that works well to hydrate skin.
One of the oils that people often use is coconut oil because it has a reputation for nourishing, hydrating, and providing other benefits to your skin, hair, and other parts of your body. However, the one thing that people don’t talk about when it comes to coconut oil is that it is incredibly comedogenic. And that is a significant problem for those who have acne prone skin , especially.
What Is A Comedogenic Oil And Why Is It A Problem For Many People?
A comedogenic oil will clog up pores in your skin, resulting in acne, which includes blackheads. Therefore, this type of oil traps bacteria and other particles into your skin’s pores and hair follicles. As a result, acne forms. Because oils are associated with causing breakouts, many people believe that any skin moisturizer that is a type of oil will automatically cause acne outbreaks.
However, the good news is that some oils are non-comedogenic, which means they do not clog pores and cause breakouts. A comedogenic scale goes from zero to four. Zero is entirely non-comedogenic for four, being extremely comedogenic. Coconut oil happens to fall at four on the comedogenic scale. However, five non-comedogenic oils fall on the scale anywhere between zero to two. Let’s go over them now.
Argan Oil
Argan oil is a popular non-comedogenic oil that falls at zero on the scale, which is rich in minerals in addition to vitamin E. Not only is it a potent moisturizer for the winter and early spring, but argan oil contains properties that help fight off acne. This particular oil is an excellent option for those who have acne prone skin and suffer from dry skin.
Another benefit of argan oil is that it contains properties that improve skin elasticity as it has anti-aging properties. A study in 2015 conducted on postmenopausal women by monitoring the effects of their skin after they applied and ingested argan oil. The results were that their skin elasticity improved a great deal, which led to the discovery of how much argan oil has anti-aging benefits.
Argan oil is a lightweight oil, which means you feel its effects on your skin a lot less than other oils, which can be quite distracting. That oil can also help reduce scars and fine lines, which you can credit to its elasticity-producing properties. Another oil is comedogenic that serves a similar purpose, which is shea butter.
Shea Butter
Shea butter is a thick oil; however, it falls on the comedogenic scale at zero to one. If your skin is naturally dry to normal, shea butter won’t clog up the pores at all. However, those prone to acne can end up with acne outbreaks from using shea butter. Therefore, those who have very oily and acne-prone skin are better off using another oil such as argan oil for moisturizing.
For those who have very dry and flaking skin will reap many benefits from shea butter. Shea butter has plenty of minerals, vitamins, antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. It also contains anti-aging properties that help reduce lines and wrinkles. Because shea butter is quite thick, you can change that around somewhat. You have the option to melt it and mix it with the essential oil of your choice. Another thing to do is to mix it with another face oil that is non-comedogenic to reduce the thickness.
That face oil will quickly hydrate your skin, so you never have to worry about flaking skin again. The best shea butter to buy is the type that is not refined, organic, and raw. There is another type of oil that is slightly more comedogenic. However, it has plenty of benefits.
Rosehip Oil
Rosehip oil falls at two on the comedogenic scale. That means if you have dry or normal skin, you won’t end up with acne breakouts. However, if your skin is oily or acne-prone, this face oil will clog up your pores, and you will end up with breakouts. The odds of that happening are even more significant than those with oily skin ending up with breakouts from using shea butter.
Rosehip oil contains both Vitamin A and E, which is excellent for moisturizing dry skin, and Vitamin A helps keep skin radiant, glowing, and smooth. It helps to reverse aging as it removes lines and wrinkles as well. Another benefit of rosehip oil is that it is relatively lightweight like argan oil. That is why it may be the one that people prefer to use over shea butter only because it is not so thick the same way that shea butter happens to be.
That face oil also comes with a lovely scent of roses. However, beware that it can cause allergic reactions if you have an allergy to roses. You will want to do a patch test before committing to using it to make sure you don’t end up with a reaction—the next oil to talk about falls at zero on the comedogenic scale.
Hemp Seed Oil
Hemp seeds are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids and other minerals and vitamins, and you can enjoy them in salads. Not to mention, hemp seeds make salads even that much more nutritious. The effects are the same for your skin. Using hemp seed oil as a non-comedogenic oil is another excellent way to keep your skin hydrated, nourished, and radiating with that youthful look.
Hemp seed oil falls at zero on the comedogenic scale, and it is suitable for all skin types. That oil is so high in Omega 3 fatty acids that it is so beneficial to your skin. You can count on it, removing wrinkles and lines so it will bring back that youthful appearance. The last oil is slightly more comedogenic than hemp seed oil but has some excellent properties.
Sunflower Seed Oil
Sunflower seed oil is rich in Vitamins A, B, D, and E, which repairs damaged areas of the skin and improves elasticity. In addition to that, sunflower seed oil contains plenty of linoleic acids, which helps to keep your skin’s natural sebum flowing freely and allowing the pores to stay open. For the most part, it is safe for those who have acne-prone or oily skin to use even though it falls somewhere between zero to two on the comedogenic scale.
Conclusion
Moisturizing and nourishing your skin is what you want to do, especially during the dry fall and winter months. However, the issue is that most moisturizers are comedogenic, which means they clog up pores. Therefore, they can cause your skin‘ to break out regardless of whether you are prone to acne breakouts or not.
That is why if you know of the oils that reverse aging, nourish and hydrate your skin correctly; you won’t hesitate to use them. The five non-comedogenic oils listed are great options for you keeping your skin healthy, youthful, and acne-free. Most of these oils are even safe for those who do have acne-prone skin as well.
