Oils and butters for the skin: which one is right for you?
Does your skin feel tight after bathing, or do your cheeks need a little extra care when it gets cold? An oil or butter is a simple and lovely way to care for your skin. But which one should you choose? Here’s an overview of the oils and butters we use and what each one is good for.
In brief
- Oils and butters soften the skin and help it retain moisture. Pure oils do not add water, so try using them on damp skin or over your cream.
- Light oils such as jojoba oil and squalane are well suited to the face. Shea butter and richer oils are good for very dry skin, lips, hands and heels.
- All skin types can use oil, including oily skin. It’s about choosing the right one and using a little.
What do oil and butter do for the skin?
The skin has its own thin layer of fats that retains moisture and keeps irritants out. When skin is dry, it is missing some of that layer. Some plant oils can support this layer, helping the skin retain moisture better. How well an oil helps depends in part on what it is made up of1.
Oils such as almond oil and jojoba oil work mainly in the skin’s outermost layer, where they soften the skin2. Pure oil does not add water, but it helps the skin retain moisture3. That’s why it works best on slightly damp skin, for example just after bathing.
Oil or butter: what’s the difference?
Oils and plant butters both soften the skin. Butters, such as shea butter, are solid at room temperature and melt on contact with the skin, while most oils are liquid. Coconut oil is an exception, as it is also solid when cool. How greasy the product feels depends on what it is made of and how much you use. Many people use a light oil on the face and a butter on the lips, hands and heels.
Which oil is right for you?
If your skin feels tight, choose a rich oil or a plant butter. If it gets oily easily, pick a light oil and use just a couple of drops. If your skin is sensitive, look for a fragrance-free oil and try it on a small area first.
| Feels | Good for | |
|---|---|---|
| Jojoba oil | Light and absorbs quickly | Face, body, hair and beard |
| Squalane | Very light, non-greasy | Face and all skin types |
| Almond oil | Soft and glides smoothly | Dry skin, body, hands and massage |
| Argan oil | Light to medium | Dry skin, lips, hair and beard |
| Coconut oil | Solid, melts on the skin | Hair and dry skin on the body |
| Castor oil | Thick, adds shine | Dry lips and dry skin |
| Shea butter | Rich and solid | Very dry skin, lips, hands and heels |
Find your oil
- Jojoba oil: Light oil for face and hair
- Argan oil: For hair, beard and dry lips
- Shea butter: Rich butter for very dry skin
- Coconut oil: For hair and dry skin
- Castor oil: Thick oil that adds shine
- Rosemary oil: What does it do for hair?
- Almond oil: Soft oil for the body and massage
- Squalane: Light and softening
- Vitamin E: Keeps oils and creams fresh
Jojoba oil
Jojoba oil feels light and softens. It is suitable for the face, hair and beard, even if your skin is a little oily. The oil is actually a liquid wax from the seeds of the jojoba shrub, and it keeps for a long time without going rancid. Read more about jojoba oil.
Squalane
Squalane softens the skin and feels light when you use just a little. It is a more stable form of squalene, a fat found naturally in the skin’s sebum4. Read more about squalane.
Almond oil
Almond oil is a mild, softening oil that makes dry skin supple and helps it retain moisture5. It glides easily, making it good for massage too. Read more about almond oil.
Argan oil
Frizzy hair or lips that feel tight? Argan oil adds shine to hair and beards and softens dry skin and lips. The golden oil is pressed from the kernels of the argan tree’s fruit. Read more about argan oil.
Shea butter
Shea butter (shea butter) softens dry skin and melts as soon as it touches the skin. Use it where skin is driest: on lips, hands, elbows and heels. Read more about shea butter.
Coconut oil
Coconut oil is solid when cool and melts in your hand. It makes dry hair softer and softens dry skin on the body. Read more about coconut oil.
Castor oil
Castor oil (castor oil) softens and adds shine, which is why you’ll often find it in lip care and makeup. The thick oil is pressed from the seeds of the castor plant. Keep it well away from the eyes. For eyelashes, only use products made for the eye area. Read more about castor oil.
Vitamin E and rosehip extract
Vitamin E is an antioxidant that the skin itself has in its outermost layer6. It is often included in oils and rich creams, where it also helps keep the oils fresh. Read more about vitamin E.
Rosehips are the fruit of the dog rose. In our face oils, they are included as a fruit extract alongside caring oils. Read more about rosehip extract.
Myth or fact?
Oil adds water to the skin.
Myth. Oil helps the skin retain moisture, but it does not add water itself. That’s why damp skin is the best starting point.
If you have oily skin, you should stay away from oil.
Myth. Oily skin can also benefit from a light oil such as jojoba oil or squalane. Use a little and try it on a small area first.
The more oil, the better.
Myth. A few drops are enough for the face. Too much will just sit on the surface.
How to use oil on your face and body
Oil works best on damp skin. Use it just after bathing or over your serum and cream to help retain moisture.
- Cleanse your skin and lightly pat it dry so it is still slightly damp.
- Moisturise with your serum or cream.
- Warm 2–3 drops of oil between your fingers and gently press them in.
- Protect your skin with sunscreen in the morning.
- Take a bath or shower in lukewarm water.
- Pat your skin lightly with a towel.
- Apply the oil to damp skin.
- Enjoy a couple of minutes while the oil absorbs.
A tip from us
Mix a drop of face oil into your night cream when your skin needs a little extra care in winter. And take a moment for yourself: massage the oil in with gentle movements. It’s a little piece of everyday luxury that is good for your skin too.
Face oil or body oil?
A face oil is made for the thinner skin on the face and usually absorbs quickly. A body oil (body oil) is made for larger areas and is typically used after bathing. Some oils, such as our Multi Oil, can be used on the body, face and hair. See our face oils and body oils.
Here’s where you’ll find our oils and butters
For the face, we have three oils. Face oil from our 50+ series contains almond, olive and jojoba oils, rosehip extract and vitamin E and gives the skin a fresh glow. Facial Oil contains wheat germ oil, rosehip extract, squalane and jojoba oil, among other ingredients, and nourishes dry skin, leaving it soft and supple. Firming face oil is fragrance-free and contains almond and jojoba oils and bakuchiol, and is suitable if you also want to address fine lines.
Face oil
Fragrance-free face oil for dry and mature skin that nourishes, hydrates and ...
Facial Oil
Our Facial Oil provides intense moisture and nourishment, softens skin, gives...
Firming face oil (Firming Face Oil) 30 ml
Get softer skin with a beautiful, natural glow. Firming Face Oil (fragrance-f...
For the body, we have Multi Oil with organic jojoba and sesame oils, which you can use on the body, hair and beard, and which is also available fragrance-free. Men, Beard & Body Oil, with argan and jojoba oils among other ingredients, is made for men. And for the driest areas, there is Multi Balm, a fragrance-free balm with shea butter, almond oil and argan oil.
Multi Oil
Organic body oil that nourishes and softens skin, hair and beard and can also...
Men, Beard & Body Oil
Beard oil and body oil for men that softens the beard, cares for skin affecte...
Multi Balm
Fragrance-free balm for very dry skin that restores the skin barrier and soot...
If you’re not happy with your purchase, you’re covered by our 100% satisfaction guarantee.
Not sure what else your skin needs? Take the short test below.
Find your routine
What should your routine help with most? Pick here and we find your routine.
- Answer a few short questions
- Get your personal routine
- Save 20 % on 3 different products from the routine
Frequently asked questions
Which oil is best for dry skin?
For the face, an oil with a little richness, such as argan oil or almond oil, is suitable. For the driest areas, such as lips, hands and heels, shea butter is richer. Use the oil on slightly damp skin to help it retain moisture best.
Which oil is suitable for oily skin?
Choose a light oil such as jojoba oil or squalane and use just a couple of drops. Try it on a small area first and see how your skin feels.
What is the difference between oil and butter for the skin?
The main difference you’ll notice is the consistency. Plant butters such as shea butter are solid and feel rich, while most oils are liquid. How greasy the product feels depends on what it is made of and how much you use.
Should oil go on before or after cream?
Usually after. The oil sits on top and retains moisture from your serum and cream. You can also mix a couple of drops into your cream.
Can oil clog pores?
It can happen. Some people experience more blemishes from oily skincare products3, even when they feel light. Use a little, try a new product on a small area first, and stop if you develop more blemishes.
Sources
- Vaughn AR et al. Natural Oils for Skin-Barrier Repair: Ancient Compounds Now Backed by Modern Science. American Journal of Clinical Dermatology. 2018. PubMed
- Lin TK et al. Anti-Inflammatory and Skin Barrier Repair Effects of Topical Application of Some Plant Oils. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2017. PubMed
- Emollients and moisturisers. DermNet. dermnetnz.org
- Huang ZR et al. Biological and pharmacological activities of squalene and related compounds: potential uses in cosmetic dermatology. Molecules. 2009. PubMed
- Blaak J, Staib P. An updated review on efficacy and benefits of sweet almond, evening primrose and jojoba oils in skin care applications. International Journal of Cosmetic Science. 2022. PubMed
- Thiele JJ, Ekanayake-Mudiyanselage S. Vitamin E in human skin: organ-specific physiology and considerations for its use in dermatology. Molecular Aspects of Medicine. 2007. PubMed
