Typically it’s thought that African American skin is oily and you shouldn’t use oils on oily skin. But on the contrary, it’s definitely possible to do. And for some reason we seem to like oils. We like oiling our body, our feet, our hands and it seems to provide us with a smooth, soft comfort feeling to the skin. Not only can the oils I’m about to tell you about be used on your skin, but they’re also good for your hair.

Jojoba – Jojoba oil is the top oil when it comes to a skin softener and it is an oil that comes from a plant that provides you with hydration and moisturizes. It’s closely related to your skin’s composition.

It will smooth out frizzy hair, it conditions and keeps your hair strong.

Marula – Marula is derived from the nuts of Africa’s marula tree and has been known to help clear up acne. It has anti-microbial elements that fight acne causing bacteria. It’s lightweight, doesn’t clog pores and can also aid in balancing out oil production in your skin.

Olive Oil – We all know olive oil. It’s either drizzled over a salad with fresh squeezed lemon juice or used to stir fry, but it’s also a great product that’s used in skin and hair care. With hair care in particular,  it’s used to ward off dandruff, dry or itchy scalp, helping to minimize those conditions.

It has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. One of the things you can use olive oil for is to massage your scalp. You take a quarter cup of olive oil, put it in a container so that you can lightly mist your scalp, then massage. Let it sit for 20 minutes and shampoo it out.

Olive oil is also used to help with fine lines and spots that are caused by sun damage. You can combine it with a coconut oil, essential oil and create a body oil to apply to your skin after you come out of the shower or tub.

Rose Hip Seed Oil – This oil is also known as an anti-ager. It’s extracted from the seeds of the rose bushes. It has powerful anti-oxidants like vitamins C, E and A. Vitamin A actually known is also known as the wrinkle fighting vitamin. So rose hip seed oil will protect your skin from damage that can cause fine lines and dark spots, as well as increase the cell turnover rate. This leads to a much smoother and more beautiful complexion.

Argan Oil – This oil has been getting a lot of attention. In Morocco it is referred to as liquid gold because they say it has many beauty benefits. It comes from the kernels of the argan tree and it’s packed with vitamin E, essential fatty acids and proteins. It is an ultra hydrating product for your skin and is also known to strengthen your hair. It’s good for your finger and toenails and you can create a good nail treatment by soaking them in small bowl of pure argon oil and you’ll see over time how it will assist you in the appearance of your nail beds.

Coconut Oil – We have known for a long time from our islander friends that coconut oil is considered a natural hydrator and it works for your face, body, lips and cuticles. It’s great for dry skin, packed with nourishing fatty acids and you can use it to gently remove makeup. You can also use it in body butters for moisturizing your skin. You can use it in combination with olive and grape seed oil as massage oils or hydrating oils for when you come out of the shower or bath.

Grape Seed Oil – This oil is becoming prominent in the beauty world for your skin. It’s used in anti-aging serums and creams because it has also been shown to aid in restoring collagen, which means it softens lines and helps your skin stay firm. Grape seed is an anti-oxidant that can help to calm inflammation. So by adding this oil to your moisturizer, it can be used as something that’s going to help with your daily regimen when it comes to using your oils for your skin.

This is just a quick list of oils to consider and we’ll be back with more information on those and others at another time.

That’s it for this week.  As always …

Dedicated to Your Beauty,

Juliette Samuel

Esthetician/Author/Publisher

Nyraju Skin Care