Oils for Acne and Oily Skin: Good or Bad?
ByRead full story on The Green Beauty Guide
A few days ago a customer complained that Purifying Skinsaver Original Cream contains plant oils which she believes are bad for acne. She admitted she was a fan of “not-so-green” (can I assume conventional, chemical?) acne products and advised that we made our acne products oil-free, that is, made with synthetic emollients and silicones.
Sorry. Not going to happen. If you want a chemical solution for your acne, you know where to get it. From Proactiv to Neutrogena, there’s plenty of options in every price range, and even the least expensive line offers lots of “oil-free”, toxin-rich acne treatments.
Yes, our products contain plant oils, and for good reason. For example, most of our skin oils contain organic grape seed oil that is full of antioxidant polyphenols, proanthocyanidins, and resveratrol. I use oils daily on my combination oily skin and my skin is perfectly clear. But when I use (occasionally) an oil-free foundation with silicones in it (no scent, no FD&C colors, no parabens), I break out mercilessly in hard-to-treat deeply rooted acne blemishes.
Petite Marie Organics face creams also contain organic cold-pressed olive oil which contains the highest amount of polyphenol antioxidants. In fact, application of olive oil immediately following exposure to UVB rays has a preventive effect on the formation of tumors and skin cancer. So along with emollient and film-forming qualities of oil we are supplying a rich dose of skin-protecting antioxidants.
There’s a classical myth that oily skin gets only worse from application of oils, and to prevent skin from becoming oily you should get rid of all oils altogether.
This same myth spawned a fat-free diet craze in early 1990s, and just like that craze proved to be worthless in terms of weight loss, so is oil-free myth is useless and in fact harmful when it comes to skincare. Oil production cannot be regulated from outside.
Sebum glands operate based on “commands” from our endocrine system, not the olive oil applied to skin surface. Regular cleansing, avoidance of irritating synthetic chemicals and fragrances, and careful moisturization with skin-friendly oils will do your acne-prone skin much more good than rubbing your skin with benzoyl peroxide, paraffin-laden “oil-free” lotion.
But the choice is yours, of course. Going green is a decision that you should make yourself.
Petite Marie Organics: Holistic Skincare for Problem Skin
