Top 10 Oils and Butters For Skin

Top 10 Oils & Butters for Skin

With so many options at your fingertips, how do you make sure you're spending your hard-earned money where it counts? Here's a quick guide to our Top 10 Oils & Butters For Skin, and in which type of product they will provide the most benefit.

1. Organic Camellia Oil

Profile: Certified Organic, Cold-pressed Green Tea strikes again! Used widely in Japan and China, and for centuries by the Japanese Geisha for face, hair, scalp and body care. Camellia oil protects the skin from free radical damage, refines mature skin, and nourishes the complexion. It is lightweight and easily absorbed, leaving the skin silky smooth without a greasy feeling. It is rich in anti-aging nutrients, oleic acid and antioxidants. Camellia oil soothes skin irritations and prevents stretch marks, restoring a youthful glow. Look for this powerhouse in facial products that help with sun damage and wrinkles.

2. Hemp Seed Oil

Profile: Cold-pressed One of our favourite of the list of top 10 oils and butters for skin, Hemp oil is a cold-pressed oil that acts as a humectant, helping draw moisture to the skin and providing a protective barrier against moisture loss and environmental damage. This oil is able to penetrate more deeply than any other plant oil, so it draws out dirt and impurities from deep within your pores. Great for blemish-prone and dry skin. Look for it in anti-blemish products, cleansers and in face creams that boast about intensive hydration.

3. Pumpkin Seed Oil

Profile: Unrefined, Cold-pressed Pumpkin seed oil is considered to be extremely nourishing as a result of its rich content of Vitamins A, B, D and E, anti-aging minerals and proteins. High in Omegas 3 and 6 fatty acids, it is made up of over 60% unsaturated fatty acids which help combat fine lines and moisture loss. Pumpkin is ultra high in zinc and antioxidants, therefore it has tremendous benefits for the skin in terms of retaining moisture, fighting free radicals and maintaining a youthful appearance. The high amounts of zinc and Vitamin E also improve skin tone and elasticity. Considering it packs so much punch, you would think it might be ultra expensive. It's actually quite an affordable oil and is an excellent choice for those with very dry, mature, lack-lustre or under-nourished skin. Look for it in facial products that promise loads of natural Vitamin A and hydrating properties.

4. Wild Rosehip Seed Oil

Profile: Certified Organic, Unrefined, Cold-pressed Rosehip seed oil is extremely high in polyunsaturated fatty acids, which contain a high concentration of Vitamin C. This naturally occurring vitamin enables remarkable tissue rejuvenation and regeneration, helping to prevent wrinkles and firm skin. This oil is also known to help treat dry, irritated, weathered skin. It is also great for treating scars and stretch marks, as well as counter the effects of sun damage. This oil is a superstar, and a favourite at Awake Organics! Look for it in everything, but only pay top dollar for the unrefined version (the red/orange stuff). This is best in unheated products like face oils and body serums.

5. Sea Buckthorn Oil

Profile: Unrefined, Cold-pressed Used in Chinese medicine over 1000 years ago, Sea Buckthorn oil is rich in skin-loving vitamins and minerals. The fruit contains an exceptional concentration of natural anti-aging Vitamin C, approximately 12 x that of an orange. This oil has anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce swelling and redness associated with many skin conditions, including Eczema, Psoriasis and Rosacea. Look for it in face care products that are designed for sensitive skin, as well as in concentrated formulas to get a punch of Vitamins A, C & E.

6. Organic Evening Primrose Oil (EPO)

Profile: Certified Organic, Unrefined, Cold-pressed Is exceptionally rich in essential fatty acids that help to rejuvenate your skin and prevents wrinkles from forming. Regular use of this oil dramatically decreases fine lines and wrinkles, helps smooth rough skin, hydrates extremely dry skin, produces new skin cells, aids in repairing the skin at the cellular level, helps to lighten dark circles under the eyes and improves skin elasticity. Look for it in concentrated serums, moisturisers and eye creams: organic EPO is a superstar when it comes to improving your complexion, restoring that youthful glow and leaving skin looking radiant and refreshed.

7. Meadowfoam Seed Oil

Profile: Cold-pressed Meadowfoam Seed oil is definitely one of the top 10 oils & butters for skin! This oil is pressed from the seeds of the flowering plant and is native to the North American Pacific Northwest. It contains over 98% long chain fatty acids and also has higher triglyceride content than other oils. It is resistant to degradation due to high levels of naturally occurring Vitamin E, and is one of the most stable lipids known. Meadowfoam seed oil has wonderful anti-aging, moisturising and rejuvenating properties. Look for it in facial serums and other waterless products, as it helps extend the shelf life of less stable ingredients and boosts the natural Vitamin E profile.

8. Organic Shea Butter

Profile: Certified Organic The most widely used of all the cosmetic skincare butters, Shea Butter is renowned for its anti-aging skin moisturising and firming properties. It has been used to help heal burns, sores, scars, dermatitis, Psoriasis, dandruff, and stretch marks. It also helps diminish wrinkles by moisturising the skin, promoting cell renewal, and increasing circulation. Shea Butter contains Cinnamic Acid, a substance that helps protect the skin from harmful UV rays. It also protects the skin from both environmental and free-radical damage, containing Vitamins A and E, and has demonstrated both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. This luxurious butter is known for leaving a silky, glowing appearance. Look for it in for body butters and ultra-hydrating face creams that promise a natural SPF factor. Shea butter is quite heavy for the face, and best for mature skin. Excellent for body skin!

9. Organic Babassu Oil

Profile: Virgin, Cold-pressed Used in traditional medicine for thousands of years to soften skin and treat Eczema and Psoriasis, this versatile oil also protects the skin against environmental damage and promotes cellular healing. Babassu oil is one of the top 10 oils & butters for skin because it feeds the skin with natural fatty acids, giving it a more youthful, healthy appearance. Keeps skin supple, reducing the “sag” effect. Very similar to Coconut oil but it has the added bonus of absorbing into the skin faster and having a less of a chance of blocking pores. Look for it in everything from moisturisers, neck creams, to lip balms, to hair conditioners.

10. Organic Cocoa Butter

Profile: Certified Organic, Unrefined A 100% natural, organic Cocoa Butter is a very hard saturated fat pressed from cacao beans. When warmed the butter forms oil, which provides a protective layer on top of skin and holds in moisture. This oil is renown for softening skin, preventing stretch marks, and for healing scars and discolouration. Look for it in products that provide extra hydration, like lip balms and hair conditioners. There you have the Top 10 Oils & Butters For Skin! We take great care in selecting unadulterated ingredients that are ultra rich in naturally occurring anti-aging antioxidants, minerals and fatty acids. We choose ingredients based on their purity, their locality, their organic certification and the ethical and sustainable practices put in place by their suppliers. Read more about this here. SaveSave SaveSave SaveSave SaveSave SaveSave