Dry Oil: The New Way To Moisturise
Skincare Spotlight: Dry Oil
Ours is a bittersweet relationship with oils. We love the nourishment oils provide to our skin and hair ~ but the sticky-icky feeling ~ not so much. We enjoy their fragrance and ability to deeply moisturise but not the sheen. I’ve always hoped that someone could come up with a plan to eliminate what we don’t like about oils while retaining all of their good qualities.
Enter: Dry Oil {Your skin’s new BFF}
What comes to mind when you think of oil? A slick and viscous liquid? Include the word dry before it, and it sounds like a paradoxical expression, doesn’t it? In what manner would a substance be able to be both wet and dry?
I wanted to find out, so I ordered a bottle of dry oil for myself. This oil is meant to nourish your skin and hair while adding a bit of shine but without leaving it sticky or greasy. Intrigued by the promise, I used it on my hair a few times, and realised that it was truly effective!
Now that I knew it could be great for my hair {and perhaps my skin}, I had a lot of questions about how it was actually possible for oil to work in this manner.
Solving the Mystery: What Is Dry Oil? {My findings}
As it turns out, dry oils are essentially oils ~ but the magic is in the texture. Although I am sure it is the job of a playful marketer to have clubbed the words dry and oil together, the truth is that the word ‘dry’ does not describe the oil itself. Instead, it is meant to describe the way your skin and hair absorb the oil allowing them to be nourished and moisturised without the sticky feeling.
Traditional oils are laced with waxes and emulsifiers that make them heavy and leave a residue after your skin absorbs nourishment from them {thereby clogging your pores}. Dry oils, on the other hand, are free of these heavier ingredients making them non-greasy and lightweight, and easier to absorb.
Why I love them!
There is no hiding the fact that we all love well-nourished skin and hair. And, while skin oils and hair are known for being nourishing and moisturising, those benefits sometimes come with some undesirable slip and shine. And to tell you the truth, I feel that we were somehow settling for them only because the perfect solution wasn’t available yet.
Dry oils are quick to work. And with a shorter rundown of ingredients than a potent serum, they deliver an equal measure of nourishment as your favourite body lotion or hair oil, without the additional weight. Furthermore, in case you’re one for heaping on moisturiser, dry oils don’t require a lot of massaging in and will not leave your skin parched before your day comes to an end.
Using Dry Oil
Depending on the brand you use, dry oils will usually come in a variety of blends catering to a specific set of uses. If one works great on your hair, the other may be great for very dry skin and yet another would be suitable for overnight oiling. The main objective of all these oils is to provide you with adequate nourishment effortlessly, and to help you enjoy glowing skin and lustrous hair without the ~ yes ~ greasy feel.
I would recommend using your dry oil right after you shower, when your skin is still damp and able to absorb more nutrients. Lightly mist the parts of your body that could use a little extra love, and then gently work the oil into your skin. You will need a very small amount of oil for your face. Rub it on the palms of your hands before massaging it in.
My hair loves the nourishment it gets through my regular use of dry oil as an overnight treatment. I apply dry oil to my hair at night and wash it out in the morning for soft and sleek hair.
While moisturisers are great, Dry Oil aces the skin nourishment game!
What do you think of dry oils ~ love it or leave it? Share in the comments below or tweet me.
This is a brilliant introduction and elucidation of dry oils. I am surprised at how well they work when you use them routinely. Thanks for doing what you do, Tanya! ❤️
It’s comments like these that bring warmth to the heart, Shivani!
Absolutely stunning work, Tanya! I have been using serum with moisturiser both in the morning and at night. I used to apply oil on my face and can’t recall why I stopped. I am reconsidering using dry oils to help my parched skin!
I recommend trying both techniques and seeing how your skin responds, Shivani.
What an incredible post! All this while I thought a toner and lotion were sufficient for my day to day skincare routine. Thank you for clarifying the use of dry oils in this simple yet detailed manner. 🙂
If your skin needs something a little extra, dry oils are a great way to go, Jayanthi 🙂
These are literal facts – thank you for the detailed explanation! What matters now is that I’m willing to move forward with a better mindset… 🙂
Thanks Sonali – glad it has provided some insight, and now hopefully some hydration as well.
A beauty shaukeen like you can take such pains to create such a fine post! 🙂 I do use a serum… perhaps I need to include a facial oil with a specific end goal to address my skin concerns.
Thank you for such warm appreciation, Khushi.
Very well articulated, Tanya! I love applying dry oil after a warm shower, particularly in winter! Its results are instantaneous and it has done wonders for my dry skin. 🙂
I can understand how uncomfortable it must be to feel dry and itchy all the time, Jenny. Glad to have dry oils come to your rescue…
Loved this detailed post, Tanya. Everyone seems to be applauding dry oils for speedy pampering… I love this soothing, velvety blend of shea butter that’s the perfect mix of nourishing oils. 🙂 Keep up the good work!
Glad you found this article helpful, Tiasa. I love dry oils for that deeply hydrating effect.
So beautifully expressed! ❤️❤️ I love moisturisers and elixirs and all the skin care products out there! But over the last couple of months I’ve felt the need to go organic, and have been using coconut oil and sesame seed oil for full body moisturising.
I’m glad you found what works for you, Loveena. Nothing like a lush moisturising oil blend!
These are great tips… My skin’s elasticity and tone have improved markedly since incorporating oil into my regime. I haven’t tried dry oil yet so that will be my next purchase!
Different oils have different properties. It is a good idea to therefore to do your due research, Gomathi. 🙂
Love the application tips, Tanya! I adore the soft and silky texture of my skin when the dry oil I use eases in… one of a kind! Thank you for sharing your insights.
So happy to hear this. Thank you for stopping by, Gulshan.
Really interesting read, Tanya. I’ve been using serums, but your post has me convinced to give dry oils a try. I am really looking forward to starting an effective skin care routine. 🙂
Its sinks in quickly and has enhanced my skin tone and texture, Soumi. Can’t go wrong with it!
This is one of only a handful of amazing articles I have read about dry oils! Any opportunity to use something good on my body that helps improve my skin health is great! Thank you for sharing. 🙂
Glad to hear it, Shivam. Dry oils smell, look and feel incredible!
In recent years I have changed over to natural skin care products, and can’t express how much better my skin is for it, and how much more settled it looks! What goes on your skin is just as essential as the food you put into your body. ❤️
It absolutely is, Maria. Keep reading the labels and telling your friends and family as well. 🙂 Best of health to you!
Thanks for the tips! My secret is to use two or three drops of facial dry oil in combination with a few of drops of serum. It works like a charm to lock in moisture, and keeps my skin more hydrated and plump throughout the day!
Different things work for different people, Nisha. If this combination works for you, then awesome!
Here is to a girl who captures your imagination like no other! ❤️
By the way, I love dry oils. Not only do they work wonders for my skin but also enable me to feel confident and refreshed after every use. Highly recommend!
Yes to all the benefits you’ve mentioned, Aparshakti.
Always so beautifully informative! This post has inspired me to briefly cut out my body lotions and include some every-day dry oil. ✨✨✨
So happy to hear this, Aakriti. Dry oils are the ultimate addition to your skincare routine!
In love with the details! ❤️ I use virgin coconut oil for my skin and it has completely replaced my creams! It doesn’t leave any residue behind if I apply it in optimum quantity… Is that what you would refer to as a ‘dry oil’?
A feature I really like when it comes to EVCO is that it actually absorbs quite quickly without leaving any overbearing residue. But that does not make it dry oil, Shongruff 🙂 Like I’ve mentioned in my post, dry oil simply refers to a lightweight formula that is instantly absorbed. The Body Shop carries a Coconut Nourishing Dry Oil For Body & Hair that you may perhaps like to try, to understand the difference.
You are the beautiful treasure at the end of the rainbow, Tanya! ❤️ And yes, I’d love me a luxurious body oil that will nourish, protect and replenish my skin, leaving it supple, hydrated and glowing! 🙂
Such a beautiful thing to say! And thank you for appreciating this, Amaera.
You are such a beautiful soul inside out and the same reflects in your aura as well. ❤️ And I so agree with your advice! Dry oils brighten and even out skin tone, as well as leave you smelling amazing!
Thank you, Prabhleen. You’re very gracious and affectionate. 🙂