In the age of social media, it has occurred to me that misinformation can circulate faster than facts (especially in the world of skin care). There are also those that rely heavily on the word of dermatologists and estheticians, which we know can have very biased and sometimes inaccurate opinions. Science is broad, but so is nature. We must remember that science is derived FROM nature and that as humans, we offer theories of most things but we simply cannot understand everything. With that being said, lets talk about oils and your skin! A few weeks ago, I saw an argument on a social platform saying that oils cause of breakouts on the face. The argument was divided in half, with some people arguing against using oils on the face and some arguing for using oils in facial care. Well I'm here to give some insight and offer my herbalist facts. Do oils break out your face? The truth is no AND yes. Here's the missing piece to the debate that people left out: the comedogenic scale.
Oils are rated on a comedogenic scale. Comedogenic in short, is the probability that your pores will be clogged by a specific product. Oils and butters are rated on a scale of 0-5, with 0 meaning there's no chance of this oil clogging pores, to 5 which means there's a high chance. Now this article is strictly dealing with the face, since this is primarily where breakouts are experienced. The body is less sensitive and usually welcomes any oils or butters, as long as you aren't allergic. Anyways, using an oil or butter with a 4 or 5 rating could clog pores in certain skin types. However, it definitely depends on the skin type and the natural size of your pores. There are four skin types: oily, dry, combination, and sensitive. So if you had 4 people (each having one of these skin types), and they all used a comedogenic oil, you would have a different report and experience from each person. Now, lets move on to oils that are non-comedogenic or that are lower on the scale. These are the oils that do not cause breakouts! That means if you use a facial product from a company and all of the oils that make up the product have a comedogenic rating of 0-3, then this facial product is generally great for all skin types. It is also important to note that the amount of the specific oil used in the formulation matters! Even if a product has a comedogenic oil in it, if the percentage is low then that entire product is not going to be pore-clogging.
That's why the answer is no and yes. There are some oils that can clog your pores if you're not careful, which can possibly lead to breakouts. However, that's not the full story and people leave out the other truth. There are also plenty of oils that will not clog your pores and are great for facial care routines. All oils are not created equally! Also, an oil being comedogenic does not mean it's bad or toxic. This scale teaches you to proceed with caution when picking facial care products that you won't rinse off. Some oils are deeply penetrative. It does not mean you can't use it, but its good to test it and see if it's compatible with your skin type. An example is coconut oil. It has numerous benefits, including being anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, etc. But it's a fatty oil, and it's high on the comedogenic scale. So, it may work for someone who has normal to dry skin with small pores. But it could make the problem worse for someone with oily skin that's acne-prone. Combination skin is case by case basis. It works wonders for some, and not so much for others. Again, individual experience is key here. So to be safe, if your skin is oily or if you have large pores, it's best to seek facial oils and serums that do not contain high comedogenic oils. We formulate all of our facial moisturizers with non-comedogenic ingredients. So the Illuminate Botanical Facial Serum will not clog your pores at all. It also has herbs and essential oils which will clear common skin problems up with consistent use.
Anyways, that's all for today. I have gotten away from posting in my info series blog, but its necessary this day and age. I love keeping my followers properly informed by painting a full picture, and not just trying to get compensated (unlike dermatologists/estheticians). You will find that most medical professionals will not push natural healing or natural alternatives, because this does not benefit them. The only way to stay fully informed on natural options is to do your own research and get some insights from those who study nature and herbal medicine (like myself). I hope you enjoyed this thorough read and until next time, Adios!