Beauty of Five: 5 Facial Oils and Serums For Next Level Skin

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If you have oily skin, it may be surprising that an oil can take your skin to the next level…but it absolutely can.

Contrary to popular belief, facial oils (and serums concocted with oils) won’t clog pores, even if you have acne-prone skin. Instead, they can bring your skin to life and help repair it, with ingredients that give it a major glow, soothe inflammation, and moisturize it to the max. The same is true for all other skin types as well.

“Our body produces oil naturally, but as we age that production decreases significantly,” Ling Chan, celebrity facialist and founder of Ling Skin Care, told Forbes. “The skin needs oil to maintain a healthy balance, otherwise, it gets too dry which can cause breakouts, fine lines, and wrinkles. Using a facial oil helps keep moisture in the skin while protecting it from the environmental damage.”

Of course, not every facial oil is for everybody. It’s important to keep your skin type (acne-prone, sensitive, dry, oily, combination, etc.) in mind – and the issues you want to fix – as you search for the right facial oil for your skincare regimen.

To help with your search, we’re breaking down our picks for the top budget-friendly and/or luxe five facial oils we swear by for black skin.

Source: Breedlove / Breedlove

Breedlove Good Skin Elixir, $15

This elixir from black-owned beauty brand Breedlove is a mixture of oils – argan, rose, hip, tamanu, neem, and ylang ylang, and helps keep the skin looking radiant. It absorbs quickly, hydrates, and balances dry, damaged, or sensitive skin. Even better, Breedlove Good Skin Elixir ($15.00, Breedlovebeautyco.com) comes in a .5 oz size at an affordable price, which is perfect if you’re just starting to dabble in facial oils and want to try it out before fully committing.

Source: Epara Skincare / Epara Skincare

Epara Balancing Face Oil, $132

This black-owned U.K.-based brand’s natural Balancing Face Oil ($132, eparaskincare.com) targets imperfections, evens skin tone, and helps reduce hyperpigmentation. It also soothes the skin and helps brighten it too, thanks to its 100 percent natural ingredients.

Source: Buttah Skincare / Buttah Skincare

Buttah Skin Vitamin C Serum, $39.00

Buttah’s Vitamin C Serum is a daily treatment that absorbs deeply and gives the skin radiance after the first use. Created with a mix of Vitamin C, antioxidant and vitamin-rich Grapeseed Oil, anti-inflammatory, Chamomile Extract, collagen-boosting Vitamin A and soothing, oil-balancing Ferulic Acid, Buttah Skin Vitamin C Serum ($39.00, buttahskin.com) boots skin and target dark spots and hyperpigmentation, resulting in smoother, radiant complexion. It also contains Green Tea, Grapeseed and Fireweed Extracts that help repair and prevent environmental damage while hyaluronic acid raises moisture levels for softer, more supple skin.

Source: Saint Jane / Saint Jane

Saint Jane Luxury Beauty Serum, $125.00

If there were a holy grail of CBD beauty oils, Saint Jane’s Luxury Beauty Serum ($125, saintjanebeauty.com) would be one of them. It’s an investment at over $100, but worth it if you can afford to splurge. It is packed with 500 mg of Full Spectrum CBD – the highest dose and concentration on the market thus far – and has deep penetration into the skin. It’s lightweight, absorbs fast and makes the skin ultra radiant.

Source: Tatcha / Tatcha

Tatcha Violet C Brightening Serum, $88.00

Tatcha’s Violet C Brightening Serum ($88, tatcha.com) helps soften, smooth and brighten for radiant, even-toned skin with its formula of 20% vitamin c and 10% AHAs. It is geared towards all skin types, and also contains Japanese angelica root, which helps reduce the look of dark spots, discoloration, and post-acne scarring.