Why I’ve Ditched ALL My Facial Oils for This One

Working at Beautylish, I get the chance to try a myriad of facial oils across all textures and price points. That may sound like a dream come true, but there’s a downside. From all that experimentation, my skin has gone through a rollercoaster of facial horrors: breakouts, greasiness, inflammation, flakiness, the list goes on. But now, after four years in the skincare game, I’m hanging up the towel. I have found the one that has made me a complete convert and forsake all others: Good Molecules’ Ultra-Hydrating Facial Oil. The best part? It’s only $10.

Now, to paint a picture of my skin-type: I veer towards combination-dry. I have a few dry patches, but I can get a little greasy in my t-zone throughout the day. For the most part, my skin feels dehydrated, desperately in need of moisture. I also have a fair amount of surface redness on my cheeks, and it tends to appear more inflamed if I apply anything too abrasive on my skin. When searching for a facial oil, I wanted one that would balance and calm the skin while keeping it well-hydrated. And the emphasis is on one facial oil. At my core I am lazy, and like to keep my skincare as simple as possible.

Enter Good Molecules’ Ultra-Hydrating Facial Oil. The only two ingredients are camellia oil and sea buckthorn oil, both known to be extremely hydrating and soothing. My first time trying this oil was when it was still in its product development stages—in the sample vials straight from the lab. I nervously tried it on one evening after toning and applying my serums. It’s a heavy-duty oil, but by no means was it thick or greasy, and it absorbed surprisingly quickly into my skin. It felt like a substantial stand-in for a moisturizer and my skin felt properly hydrated with no need for another product. So far, so good.

Flash forward to the next morning—my skin still felt nourished and, to my surprise and delight, my surface redness was noticeably mitigated. That is no easy feat for someone who has struggled with finicky skin and a bright red face since her teenage days. To say the least, I loved this oil and salvaged the lab sample to the very last drop.

Now that it has officially launched, I’m making sure I have backups for my backups. I’ve even started incorporating the oil into my morning skincare routine. Since it absorbs very quickly into the skin, it works well as a hydrating primer before makeup. Forewarning: it does have a slight orange tint from the sea buckthorn oil, but I like to think it contributes to a more “sunkissed look.” My skin looks healthy throughout the day with a hint of dewiness—my ideal aesthetic. A facial oil that can be used both day and night? One and done.

Guest post written by: Jennifer Hui

Illustrations by Megan Badilla