Best Luxury Face Oils for Glowing Skin

A face oil helps seal in moisture and soften skin, adding a layer of nourishment and often a healthy glow. It works best as a final step to lock in the hydration from serums and creams underneath. Different oils suit different skin, from lightweight single oils for daily use to richer blends for very dry skin.

Apply face oil after your water-based serums and moisturiser, as the last step, because oil seals in what is beneath it but water-based products cannot penetrate through oil. Use a few drops, warm them between your palms, and press gently into the skin. At night is common, though lightweight oils work under makeup by day too.

Some are, if you choose a lightweight, non-comedogenic oil and use only a few drops. Lighter oils can actually help balance skin, while heavy oils may feel greasy or clog pores for some people. If you are acne-prone, patch test first and start with a light single oil rather than a rich blend.

Usually yes. Oils lock in moisture but do not add water to the skin, so most people apply a hydrating serum or moisturiser first and use the oil to seal it. Only very dry skin types might use a rich oil alone. Pairing a water-based hydrator with an oil gives the best of both.

Sometimes. Prestige oils like Drunk Elephant or Clarins offer refined textures, careful formulation, and reliable quality, which many find worth it. But good affordable oils exist too, and a simple, well-chosen budget oil can perform well. Spend more for a specific formulation or experience, and less when you just want basic nourishment.

Start with two to four drops, which is plenty for the whole face. Oils go a long way, and using too much leaves skin greasy without extra benefit. Warm the drops in your palms and press them in rather than rubbing. You can add a drop more for very dry areas or in winter.

Yes, if you use a lightweight oil and let it absorb fully first. A few drops of a fast-absorbing oil can give a dewy base under foundation. Heavier oils may disrupt makeup or make it slide, so save those for night. Allow a minute or two for the oil to sink in before applying makeup.

Keep face oils away from direct sunlight and heat, which can degrade delicate ingredients, especially vitamin C or botanical blends. A cool, dark cupboard is ideal, and closing the cap tightly limits air exposure. Properly stored, most oils last well, but note any period-after-opening symbol and stop using an oil that smells off.