Treating fat with fat, it looks like the Asian cosmetics school has hit again! Close to the cutaneous sebum, certain vegetable oils act as a decoy. The skin smelling the grease outcrops says it doesn't need to make any and, in fact, produces less sebum. An interesting idea from which the skin derives great benefits: respect, nutrition, balance and purity.
In Asia it's not new, but in France it is, especially in mass distribution! In a selective network, Clarins has already familiarized mixed or oily skin with the benefits of oil (its Lotus Oil, 30 ml, 40 €, was created in 1968!). Naturally astringent, this 100% pure plant oil combines hazelnut oil and essential oils of rosemary, geranium and sage to (in use) regulate sebum production and improve the quality of natural sebum, tighten pores and refine skin texture, while preventing dehydration of the epidermis. We can also mention, among the leaders of this trend, the Darphin Niaouli Aroma Care (15 ml, 49.90 €), which rebalances combination to oily skin, clarifies the complexion and controls the shine of the epidermis.
An oil to control the"oily" aspect of the skin, we may find that strange, and yet, this way of treating evil with evil is quite sensible, and close to alternative medicines such as homeopathy or traditional Asian medicine. Because by not"flying" lipids to the skin (as other more"muscular" and aggressive active ingredients can do), certain oils well chosen"calm the game" and lead to a regularization of sebum production, while bringing to the skin the nutrients essential to its balance. Good quality vegetable oils (virgin, first cold pressed) offer excellent biocompatibility with the skin which contains a lot of lipids (the constituent of cell membranes or intercellular cement). Depending on the length of the fatty acid chains they contain, some can reveal omega 3 and 6, essential fatty acids that the skin cannot produce on its own.
In the gigantic palette of vegetable oils, one will retain, of course, for mixed or oily skins, the finest and penetrating, with a dry touch, which do not leave a greasy feeling and protect without over-fatting. It is the case of the virgin vegetable oil of Melon of water of Kalahari (100 ml, 9,50 €), of the virgin oil of Chaulmoogra (100 ml, 7,50 €) which is appropriate for the acneic skins, Organic certified desert date vegetable oil (100 ml, 8.50 €) with anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, or organic certified Coconut vegetable oil (100 ml, 4.90 €), all four at Aroma-Zone. Very fashionable at the moment, coconut oil contains more than 48% lauric acid, a saturated fatty acid with antibacterial properties. It also offers anti-drying benefits without being occlusive or comedogenic. We can also mention Melvita Organic Nigella Oil (50 ml, 11.90 €) or Jojoba Oil, very close to sebum and suitable for combination skin with acneic tendency (Organic Balancing Jojoba Oil from Ladrôme Laboratory, 100 ml, 14.50 €). Some brands choose to combine different vegetable oils, like Susan Kaufmann in her Balancing Oil (30 ml, 58 €), ideal for combination skin.
With essential oils: the perfect marriage
Instead of pure vegetable oils, we can prefer combinations of vegetable oils and purifying essential oils, even more effective to quickly regulate the skin. In close affinity with vegetable oils, essential oils can even serve as vectors, which allows them to be better assimilated.
Most spring novelties"work" on this scheme. To each his own recipe! Jojoba, dogrose, nigella… vegetable oils and essential oils of green oregano, lemon balm, lemongrass, citronella, clove, rosemary, lavender, chamomile for L'Oréal Paris Extraordinary Rebalancing Oil (30 ml, 17.90 €), a dry oil designed for normal to combination skin, which tightens pores and refines the skin texture. Jojoba and olive vegetable oils, combined with a complex of nine organic essential oils (rosemary, thyme, mountain savory, green oregano, lemon catnip, clove, lemon balm, Ceylon lemongrass) for Essence Magnifica Purifying botanical concentrate certified organic Sanoflore (30 ml, 35 €). The brand conducted a clinical study under dermatological control, demonstrating that this complex of essential oils has an efficacy equivalent to Triclosan, a well-known antibacterial active. After one month of twice-daily use, blackheads decrease by 40.6%, as do imperfections. The pores are tightened, sebum production rebalanced, while preserving the balance of the skin ecosystem. Académie Scientifique de Beauté combines vegetable oils, essential oils of cadier wood and rosemary and plant extracts (wild thought of Auvergne and peppermint of the Hautes-Alpes) in its Oil of care antiimperfections for the fatty skins (30 ml, 46,80 €, range Aromathérapie).
Ariane Le Febvre
