FACIAL OIL

Facial oils are perfect for Cherubs with dry skin! Oils deeply penetrate the skin barrier to hydrate and lock in moisture. They also protect the skin from daily impurities while providing benefits like brightening and anti-aging effects.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you use a facial oil?

Apply facial oil after your moisturiser (not before), because oils are heavier and form an occlusive seal. If you apply oil first, it stops your other lighter products from absorbing.

Take 3 to 5 drops, warm them between your palms, and gently press into your face and neck. The warmth helps the oil sink in. You shouldn't need to rub.

Facial oils are particularly useful for: dry or dehydrated skin in winter, mature skin that needs extra nourishment, and as a moisturiser-booster during a barrier-stripping routine.

A pro tip from our community: mix 1 to 2 drops of facial oil into your moisturiser or foundation if you want a dewy K-beauty glow without changing your whole routine.

Cult favourites in our community: Beauty of Joseon Ginseng Essence Water (light, glow-giving), Aromatica Rose Absolute Vital Oil for mature skin, and SKIN1004 Madagascar Centella Air-Fit Suncream Stick (a SPF oil hybrid).

When should I use facial oil?

Facial oil is best used as your final hydration step, after your moisturiser but before SPF in the morning. This is the K-beauty layering order: thinnest to thickest.

Most people benefit most from facial oil in the evening, when your skin is in repair mode and you don't need to worry about it interacting with SPF or makeup.

Whether to use facial oil daily or occasionally depends on your skin and the season:

  1. Dry or mature skin: every evening, especially in winter
  2. Combination skin: 2 to 4 times a week, focused on dry zones
  3. Oily or acne-prone skin: occasional use only, and choose a non-comedogenic oil (squalane, jojoba, rosehip) rather than coconut or olive
  4. Sensitive skin: patch test first, since some essential oils can irritate

Pro tip: a few drops mixed into foundation transforms a matte finish into a luminous one, perfect for a glass-skin makeup look.

Are oils better than creams?

Different jobs. Neither is universally better.

Oils are occlusives: they form a barrier on top of your skin to prevent moisture from escaping. They're brilliant for sealing in hydration, especially for dry or mature skin, in cold dry climates, or on top of other skincare. But oils on their own don't add water to your skin.

Creams contain a mix of humectants (which pull water into the skin), emollients (which fill in skin gaps), and occlusives. They both deliver and seal hydration. For most people most of the time, a moisturiser cream is the foundational product.

The ideal in many K-beauty routines is both: a moisturiser cream as your main hydration step, with a facial oil layered on top for that extra glow and barrier seal.

If you only have time or budget for one, choose a moisturiser. If you want the full glass-skin layered routine, add facial oil.