Okay, so let’s talk about dry skin. My skin, for the longest time, felt like sandpaper. Seriously. No matter what fancy creams I slapped on, it would just drink them up and then an hour later, flaky city. It was a real pain, especially in winter.
I went through a whole bunch of stuff. Coconut oil? Yeah, everyone was raving about it. For me? Breakout central. Then there was that argan oil phase – super expensive, and honestly, didn’t do a whole lot more than the cheaper stuff I tried later. Olive oil from the kitchen? Don’t even get me started. Felt greasy, smelled like a salad. Just a mess.
So, I started digging around a bit, you know, chatting with people, reading bits and pieces online – not the super scientific stuff, just real people talking. I figured, I gotta try things myself. I started buying small bottles of different oils. A little patch test here, a little mix there. It was a bit like being a mad scientist in my bathroom, trying to figure out what wouldn’t make my face freak out or feel like a desert.
After a ton of trial and error, a few really stood out for my stubborn dry skin. It took time, mind you. This wasn’t some quick fix.
The Ones That Actually Worked For Me
First up, Jojoba Oil. This one was a game changer. It’s funny, ’cause it’s technically a wax, but it feels like an oil. My skin just seemed to… recognize it? It soaked in nicely, didn’t leave me feeling like an oil slick. I started using just a few drops after washing my face, while my skin was still a bit damp. Big difference. I just put a little in my palm, rubbed my hands together, and pressed it onto my face.
Then, Rosehip Seed Oil. Heard a lot about this for scars and stuff, but man, it’s great for overall dryness and just making my skin feel… healthier, a bit more plump. It’s a bit richer, so I mostly used this one at night. Sometimes I’d mix a drop or two with the jojoba if I felt extra parched. Application was the same, just pat, pat, pat.
And for really, really dry patches, like my elbows or sometimes my cheeks in deep winter, Shea Butter (okay, not an oil, but close enough in its pure form!) or even pure Squalane Oil. Squalane is super light but packs a punch for hydration. I found a plant-derived one. For shea butter, I’d warm a tiny bit between my fingers and then apply it directly where needed. Squalane was just like the other oils, a few drops.
So, my basic lineup became:
- Jojoba: Daily, morning, on damp skin. My go-to.
- Rosehip Seed: Mostly nights, or mixed in when I needed more.
- Shea Butter/Squalane: Spot treatment for those extra dry, angry bits.
My whole routine became pretty simple. Cleanse my face, don’t dry it completely, leave skin a little damp, then pat in a few drops of whatever oil I was using that day. That’s it. Sometimes I’d layer a very simple, no-fuss moisturizer on top if I felt like I needed an extra barrier, especially if it was windy out or the heating was blasting.
Now, look, this is just what worked for my face. Skin is a funny thing, super personal. What my skin loves, yours might hate. I know people who swear by coconut oil and their skin looks amazing. Mine? Not so much, as I said. So, you really gotta listen to your own skin. Start slow, always patch test a new oil on a small spot, you know the drill. Don’t go slathering your face in a new oil right before a big event. I learned that the hard way once, let me tell you… but that’s a story for another day, maybe.
So yeah, that’s my journey with oils for dry skin. It wasn’t an overnight fix. It was a lot of trying things out, seeing what stuck, what my skin drank up happily, and what it threw a tantrum over. But finding a few good oils really did make a huge difference for me. My skin isn’t perfect, but it’s a heck of a lot happier and less like the Sahara desert than it used to be.
