Last week we invited our Instagram community to “ask us anything about our Oil & Water Ritual.” We were delighted by the array of thoughtful questions that filled our DMs. Initially we’d promised to send our answers in a newsletter but the questions proved too wonderful, and our answers proved too lengthy for that format, so we moved it here, to our blog.
Here are the answers to your most pressing Oil & HydroSoul questions.
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Q.
Should I be switching up my routine with various oil/serums?
A.
If you are loving your current oil, it’s not necessary to rotate. But if you feel inspired, rotating both oil serums and hydrosols can be a wonderful thing for the skin because it diversifies the phytonutrients and essential fatty acids your skin is receiving. We approach rotating in three different ways. The first is centered around current skin condition. If your skin is normal to combination, but you’re currently having a lot of sensitivity, it can be helpful to shift to formulas designed to treat/pacify sensitivity. The second approach to rotating your oil/hydrosol is to change things seasonally. We are huge proponents of seasonal skin care, both because of its ability to keep skin harmonious during the shifting weather and temperatures, but also because it’s a great opportunity to bring a diversity of nutrients to the skin, much like with eating seasonally. The third approach to rotating oil/hydrosol is intuitively/instinctively. If you feel deeply drawn to a particular oil serum or hydrosol, regardless of any logic or language regarding its appropriateness for your skin we say go for it. Trust your instincts. Let your body guide you.
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Q.
I did exactly what I was supposed to, but my cheeks are still dry.
Why didn’t it work?
A.
There are several factors that contribute to dry and dehydrated skin. While a chronic issue can be topical, it’s more often than not an internal imbalance. Sometimes it might be addressed by simply increasing healthy fats, upping water intake, and ingesting some internal hydrators like aloe vera, cucumber, tremella mushroom, or hyaluronic acid supplements. Topically, climate, age, and season can all play a role in dryness and dehydration, and a damaged hydrolipid barrier is often a main culprit.
To treat extra dry and dehydrated skin, we suggest exploring a richer lipid, like our Whipped Shea Butter with Olive Leaf — mixing it with a hydrosol and treating it in the same way you would an oil serum. We actually consider our Whipped Shea Butters to be our richest oil serums, as they are just pure lipids and contain no emulsifiers or fillers. You can also use our Whipped Shea Butter as a moisture mask, by steaming it into the skin with a warm washcloth. Using our Whipped Shea Butters in both of these ways, plus abundant hydrosol application can really transform even the most painfully dry and dehydrated skin.
If the issue persists, it’s possible the chronic dryness/dehydration is actually tied to a deeper internal issue that could be related to autoimmunity or thyroid diseases.
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Q.
Do you have to use the oils and waters of the same line?
Can I intermingle?
A.
You can absolutely intermingle any of our oil serums and hydrosols. All of our oil serums moisturize, deeply nourish and are brimming with antioxidants and phytonutrients. All of our hydrosols hydrate, balance pH and plump. And any combination of our oil serums and hydrosols will support the hydrolipid barrier.
However, if you have an extreme skin imbalance (i.e. immense sensitivity, acne, etc) your skill will likely respond best with consistent use of the products formulated for your skin imbalance.
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Q.
What combinations of oil serum & hydrosol do you love?
A.
Beyond the pre-developed pairs within the lines (ex. Rose Geranium Hydrosol and Rosehip Balancing Serum, etc), some of our favorite, slightly more unexpected combinations are the following...
Rosehip Balancing Serum with Douglas Fir or Tulsi Hydrosol
Rosehip Calming Serum with Frankincense Hydrosol
Argan Intensive Serum with Rose Petal, Lemon Thyme, Floral Trinity, or Frankincense Hydrosol
Pomegranate Repair Serum with Floral Trinity or Frankincense Hydrosol
Blue Cactus Beauty Elixir with Rose Geranium, Lemon Thyme, or Frankincense Hydrosol
Neem Immortelle Purifying Infusion with Immortelle, Rose Geranium, or Floral Trinity Hydrosol
Notice a common thread? It’s true. Our team loves Frankincense Hydrosol.
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Q.
If oil and water don’t mix, how is this working and penetrating the skin?
A.
It’s true, oil and water don’t mix if there isn’t an emulsifier present, but the skin actually acts as the emulsifier for the oil & hydrosol. And then, because the skin recognizes the blend of lipids and waters as part of itself, the blend ends up absorbing very quickly. Here’s a little experiment you can try to see the difference. On the back of one hand add a drop of your oil serum and blend it in. On the back of the other hand add the same amount of oil serum, but follow it with a few sprays of hydrosol, and blend it in. In about a minute look at and feel both of your hands. You’ll be able to tell a clear difference between the two. The hand without hydrosol will likely still be slightly oily, where as the hand with the hydrosol has already absorbed and has a more desirable silky and luminous glow.
The hydrosol anchors the oil deeper to the skin. The oil helps hold the hydration onto the skin rather than letting it evaporate. When used together, they work in perfect harmony.
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Q.
Can you spray hydrosol before, or do you have to do it together, or after?
A.
The short answer is that as long as you have your oil serum and hydrosol on your face at the same time, you’re good. However, speaking from our experience we find it the most efficient and pleasant to do one of the following. Our first choice is to lightly mist the face, and then combine your oil and hydrosol in your hand, blend together, and massage into the skin. The other option is to mist the face thoroughly with hydrosol, and apply your oil serum overtop, and massage in. The oil applies best when the skin is damp, and you’ll find you need less oil than you would if you apply oil first.
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Q.
I’m scared that using oil on my face will break me out.
A.
The myth of oil causing blemishes is actually a misconception. The negative connotation of oil is actually tied to the oils used in conventional beauty products -- generally petroleum based, or potentially hydrogenated and not-skin friendly GMO oils.
This misconception has done a huge disservice to skin health world wide because the skin absolutely needs lipids for its health, clarity, adaptability and beauty. Pure, organic and cold-pressed plant oils are some of the best things you can feed your skin, and they not only will NOT break out you, they will actually nourish, protect, moisturize, and beautify skin in a way no other single skin care product can.
If you’re new to using oil on your face, we recommend starting with our Rosehip Balancing Serum or Rosehip Balancing Serum, two very light weight oil serums with that nourish, balance, and beautify all skin types. If your skin is dry/oily/combo then we suggest trying Rosehip Balancing Serum, and if your skin is sensitive, scarred, or hyperpigmented, we recommend trying Rosehip Calming Serum.