Why apply oils to wet skin?

Plant-based beauty oils are still on everyone’s lips.

However, many people are hesitant to use pure oils on their skin (both on the face and body) because they feel that oils can be too heavy and leave a greasy film that takes forever to absorb.

This can also worsen with age as our skin loses its ability to absorb oils more easily, which in turn can make the skin feel heavier and somewhat uncomfortable.

In the application tips for our water-free oils and balms, you can read that they should always be applied to damp skin .

But why should oils be applied to wet skin?

A brief digression: The skin is covered by a hydrolipid film composed of sebum, lipids (fats), amino acids, and dead skin cells . This layer protects the skin from moisture loss, germs, and environmental pollutants. Creams are a mixture of predominantly water and oil (i.e., an emulsion) that mimics the skin's own natural principle.

Our skin needs both moisture and oil to prevent moisture loss. However, plant oils alone don't provide moisture; they retain the skin's moisture. For oil to be absorbed properly, water is needed.

However, since oil and water don't combine naturally in a product, a cream requires many additional ingredients. Typically, several emulsifiers permanently combine the water and oil. Preservatives are necessary to preserve this mixture. Thickeners, stabilizers, and other synthetically produced ingredients are added to create the skin feel and behavior expected from a cream.

Most of these ingredients are fillers without vitamins, essential fatty acids or antioxidants that provide no added value to the skin.

Our bepure oils and balms do not contain any emulsifiers, water or preservatives.

Water acts as a carrier

A simple trick to avoid the "oily problem" on skin is water. So, when you apply oils or balms to damp skin, you essentially aid the oil's ability to spread across the surface, preventing over-application and protecting the skin from being overwhelmed. Applying oils this way also feels incredibly soft.

bepure Tip: Avoid applying oil to dripping wet skin, as this will most likely dilute the product before all the good nutrients can penetrate.

After cleansing, simply leave the skin damp or apply a water-based product, e.g. BALANCING TONIC or SOOTHING NECTAR , before applying oil or balm, e.g. INTENSIVE DAYCARE , MIRACLE BEAUTY or body oil .

The water or toner mist left on the skin acts as a carrier; helping to support the spreadability of the oil while improving absorption.

Occlusive - not all oils are the same

Use oil-based serums and facial oils that contain semi-occlusive oils, which help prevent water from evaporating from the skin. Oils such as argan oil, prickly pear seed oil, jojoba oil, or cranberry seed oil are all naturally semi-occlusive and non-comedogenic, meaning they won't clog pores or affect acne-prone skin.

Cover photo Marine Sintes via unsplash.com