The oils have it

The world of beauty can be lightening paced, with new hi-tech formulations appearing what feels like weekly, but one skin saviour has survived millennia – and that’s the humble oil.

Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics and burial sites depict that early tribes used a variety of plant-based oils in their bathing rituals, including castor, olive, sesame and moringa oils. “Botanical oils have been used for thousands of years across the world to protect, moisten and nourish the skin,” says medical herbalist and renowned skin expert, Dr Mariano Spiezia of InLight Beauty. “They’re an excellent natural source of skin-loving nutrients such as essential fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.”

Oils are capable of feeding, hydrating, treating, calming, and even cleaning our skin, but how can something so basic rival the latest sci-fi serum? It has a lot to do with something called biocompatibility. Much of our skin is made up of lipids very similar to the anatomy of oil, and therefore readily accepts it. “Skin is impermeable, so water-based products evaporate, rather than penetrate the deeper layers with nutrients. Oils are also water-free so there’s no