Face oils: yay or nay?

They’re not for everyone, all year round but, if you get dull, dry skin in winter, they can be a good addition to your skincare routine. As the formulas are absorbed easily and can penetrate deep into the dermis, face oils can combat seasonal ailments like windburn, cold-related breakouts, irritated rashes and a rough complexion that are caused by the dramatic changes in temperature.

Read more: 8 hyaluronic acid products for perennially dry skin

Don’t swap out other products, just add a pea size amount to your face before bed before your face cream to trap in the moisture that’s sapped by the cold temperatures and strengthen the natural skin barrier. Or add a few drops to the moisturiser itself, morning and night.

Though they’re often skirted by those with oily skin types, they are often the people that need it the most. Counterintuitively they can balance your skin’s production of oil and sebum, leaving your skin less shiny and prone to spots! Tea tree is the obvious one, but the same goes for lots of oil-based formulas — just stick to drier textures, like sesame and jojoba, in the day if you have oily skin, whereas, at night or for drier skin types, you can experiment with coconut and shea.

Here’s our tried and tested edit of the best natural face oils for winter — apothecary bottles are where it’s at…

Birch Recovery Face Oil, £43, Bjork & Berries

With the perfect brand balance between traditional and innovative, eco and luxe, not only is Bjork & Berries’ face oil a real glow-booster, it’s 100% natural.

Super Seed Facial Oil, £70, Votary

As well as being bloody BEAUTIFUL, like all Votary products, this industry favourite is fragrance free making it perfect for sensitive skins. Made from 22 different seeds, it addresses all different types of problems — justifying the slightly high price tag.

Super Seed Facial Formula, £30, Sister & Co 

This weeny little bottle packs a derma-punch, with antioxidants and a trio of wonder oils, including Amazonian Cacay Seed Oil (which is a natural alternative to anti-ageing Retinol), skin-boosting geranium and all-rounder rosehip. Plus, unsurprisingly, it smells divine.

Frankincense Divine Vegan Face Serum, £29.99, Awake Organics

Called a serum, this product from vegan brand Awake Organics is more of an oil — packed with firming Frankincense and a combo of other soothing, softening blends, it’s up there with the best for bringing brightness back to winter skin. And take note of the beaut rebranding!

White Magnolia Restoring Smoothing Cell Renewing Face Oil, £91, Nazan Schnapp

Get Nazan Schnapp on your skincare radar. Vegan, 100% natural and toxin-free, this Swedish brand is one of our favourites for plant-based products with real results — like this face oil, which is a must for super dry or mature skin.

Phoenix Face Oil, £67.79, Herbivore Botanicals

A real resetter, Herbivore’s Phoenix oil — one of three different, equally ‘Grammable, blends — will renew, rehydrate and revitalise seriously dry and depleted skin and reverse signs of damage. Natural, vegan and cruelty-free, the speedy change it makes to skin hydration, texture and glow is pretty impressive — and just look how PRETTY it is. Bonus: The site now delivers to the UK.

Cell Repair Night Oil, £62, Aurelia

A repeat award-winner, this face oil, from probiotic skincare brand Aurelia, provides the perfect overnight everything-boost for all skin types. The smell, the texture, the bottle; you can’t find fault with this wonder product.

Antioxidant+ Facial Oil, £43, Grown Alchemist

Suitable for all skins, Grown Alchemist’s famous facial oil is one of the prettiest additions to your bathroom shelf, plus an effective combo of borago, rosehip and buckthorn to boost, plump and hydrate your complexion. Add a few drops to your moisturiser day and night.