Camellia Oil for Face: My New, Favourite Beauty Oil
Time to find a facial oil that is exquisite, provides wonderful skin benefits, feels incredibly luxurious, goes a long way on application and is quite inexpensive. Wanna know more about this oil? Keep on reading!
Many plants produce fruits or seeds that once cold pressed can create wonderfully botanical oils. These oils are in general a fantastic addition to our skincare routine as they moisturise, soften and hydrate.
Camellia oil, known as tsubaki oil, is a highly specialised facial oil and has been popular in Japan for skin and hair care for thousands of years. High in monounsaturated oleic acid (85%), this is truly an excellent oil for a facial oil as oleic acid has wonderful properties for the skin: it’s very moisturising, regenerates the skin, offers anti-inflammatory properties, assists nutrients through the skin barrier and helps cell regeneration.
If that’s not enough there’s the added bonus of this being an inexpensive beauty oil. What more could you ask for? Oh, but there’s more. I’ve totally fallen in love with this incredible oil and below I explain why.
If you’re thinking about getting started with facial oils but have doubts which one to go for (there are so many lovely oils to choose from!), I very much recommend you get started with Camellia oil.
If you’re already familiar with facial oils but are not sure which oil to go for on a regular basis, camellia oil is the one I recommend you keep at hand on your beauty counter.
Combine Face Oils With Moisturisers
Face oils can be a wonderful way for you to moisturise your skin. They add softness and smooth out the skin, help prevent transepidermal water loss, condition, nourish, moisturise, return elasticity to your face and can have wonderfully beneficial properties for the skin because of their fatty acid composition.
Different oils can be used for different skin conditions (dryness, inflammation, rosacea, hyperpigmentation, dermatitis, psoriasis, etc etc etc) but there’s one oil that is lately making it to the top of my list.
But before looking at why camellia oil has won me over wholeheartedly let me show you why oils, in general, are such a wonderful addition to any skincare routine!
Oils Are an Effective Way of Delivering Fatty Acids Into Our Skin
Topical application of oils can truly be an effective means of delivering fatty acids to the skin (check out what fatty acids are here). Omega-6 and omega-3s, for example, are converted into compounds that help with inflammation of the skin. Their levels in skin can also influence the cellular response to UVR.
Although camellia oil is not high on omega-6 and omega-3, it has incredible high levels of another truly beneficial fatty acid: oleic acid (omega-9), which has wonderful benefits for our skin as we will look at below.
Similar in Composition to Your Own Skin Lipids
Botanical oils can be similar in composition to our own skin oils so they are absorbed by our skin through something called enzymatic decomposition (by the way, mineral oils, as opposed to botanical oils, are instead synthesised, and so they’re not metabolised!).
Botanical oils contain truly beneficial components such as flavonoids, phytosterols, triglycerides and vitamins all of them providing additional benefits to our skin.
Oils penetrate the stratum corneum of our skin and filter down through the top 2-3 layers delivering all these benefits straight where they’re needed.
This is one of the reasons I absolutely love using facial oils: I’m adding more of what my skin already loves with added benefits from all the different components the oils contain, as well as using them as carriers so they can penetrate deep into my skin and bring their goodness along.
Oils Prevent Transepidermal Water Loss
Oils are occlusive, which means they help form a barrier over the top of our skin. This increases moisture levels because of the physical barrier they provide and so preventing epidermal water loss.
How? It is quite basic: the oil traps water beneath it thus preventing the loss of the water through evaporation. Results? The skin feels softer, smoother, nicer. Also mature skin produces less oil as the years go by so this type of skin (like mine), benefits from the barrier formed by the oil. I apply facial oil at least once a day, sometimes even up to 3 and when I’m feeling like I need a good pamper, I can even go up to 4 and 5 times! Facial oils can be addictive, I warn you. They feel wonderful on the skin and once you get used to them you just want more.
Facial oils are considered to be emollients, which also provide some occlusivity to the skin, which, in turn, helps improve its appearance by smoothing the flaky skin cells.
Finally, Oils Provide Anti-Ageing Benefits
Facial oils are excellent for all types of skin (normal, combination, dry, mature, and yes, even oily skin!).
Facial oils can play a key role in regards to mature skin. For example, repeated application of an oil increases the water content of the skin and helps cell turnover.
They can also plump the skin and help with skin elasticity.
How Camellia Oil Made it to the Top of My Facial Oils List!
So, having said the above regarding oils (I have over 40 oils at home! – all truly wonderful!), I must say that in the last few months, slowly but surely, camellia oil has become my favourite facial oil. If I was to stay in a desert islands for 3 months and had to choose 1 oil from my collection, I have to say camellia oil would be the one coming with me to the island.
Not only do I use a lot of different oils on my skin but I also make my own lovely blends (I’ll publish a post soon to give you some oil blend ideas). The main difference regarding camellia oils is the way it feels on my skin. It has LUXURY written all over it: when applying it feels like I’m putting on a silky layer of some sort of expensive wondrous silicone.
Basically this oil is just so addictive! Besides how silky it feels with its silicone-like texture – which is unlike any other oil I’ve tried – I just LOVE LOVE LOVE the way it feels on my skin when I extend it with my end of my fingers.
Gucci Westman Replaced Silicone for Coconut Oil & Camellia Oil
Note: I found out famous makeup artist Gucci Westman from Westman Atelier replaced silicone in one of her products for coconut oil and camellia oil. Good for you Gucci! Here’s the clip where she mentions it (from minute 1.05).
It is most definitely VERY different to all other oils in the way it feels and sits on the skin. It spreads so beautifully and with such elegant glide; it doesn’t feel greasy at all and at the same time somehow manages to have excellent grip as well as great viscosity which means a little of the oil goes a really long way.
The texture is completely different to the other oils and I just can’t explain how beautiful it feels, this is something you’ll have to experience yourself.
The goodies? camellia oil contains vitamins A, B and E as well as phosphorus, calcium, iron, manganese and magnesium. It is one of the richest oil on oleic acid in the market which is great as anti-inflammatory amongst other benefits (see below).
Used alone is a FANTASTIC facial oil (a favourite of many stars according to Naturally Thinking) and basically I’m totally under a spell with it because of its incredible silky feeling.
Below I cover the properties and benefits of camellia seed oil so you can see why this oil is such a must as part of your beauty skincare regime.
More About Camellia Seed Oil…
There are different varieties of camellia which all produce similar but distinct oils (tsubaki oil, tea seed oil, camellia oil, Camellia sinensis, Camellia oleifera, Camellis negra, Camellia sasanqua and more). The oil is pressed from the seeds and has been popular in Japan for skin and hair care as well as cooking for thousands of years.
The two most notable things about this great oil are:
- the high contents of oleic acid (omega 9)
- the oil is high in tannins similar to the tannins found in a cup of tea which make it astringent and doesn’t clog pores.
This is why camellia oil is such a great choice when compared to other oils that are high in oleic acid which can be problematic for oily skin.
Here are camellia oil’s benefits at a glance:
- It has been exalted as a beauty secret of the Geishas in Japan
- Light in nature
- Renowned for its anti-ageing properties since the dawn of time
- Great moisturising properties (softens and smoothes)
- Really high in oleic acid!
- A dry oil (non-oily) because of the tannins present in the oil (more on the tannins below!)
- Excellent conditioning properties
- Does not clog pores
- It is an astringent oil (making it a better choice than other oils high in oleic acid)
- Able to rejuvenate and maintain moisture in the skin
- Protective polyphenols
- High in nutrients: rich in minerals, nourishing squalene, vitamins A, B, C and E, phosphorus, calcium, iron, manganese and magnesium
- Antioxidant protecting the skin from UV and environmental exposure
- Easily absorbed by the skin (it’s one of the most rapidly absorbed oils which makes it an EXCELLENT choice for a facial oil)
- Helps regulate oily skin (or when our own oils are being over produced)
- Great for skin that has lost its tone
- Highly restorative effect on the skin
- A stable oil! (It won’t go rancid for a while, meaning it will withstand oxidation for a good amount of time and I really, really love this!)
Benefits of the tannins in the oil:
- It is considered a ‘dry oil’ (it doesn’t leave an oily feel, but more of a ‘dry feel’ on application)
- The tannins help tighten tissues and tame over-productive sebaceous glands that cause oily skin
- The tannins make it an astringent oil (this is a good oil for oily skin)
- Prevents and repairs scarring
- The tannins in the oil (as in the tea) help to condition as well as tone the skin
- Helps rebalance and protect oily skin
- The tannins in camellia oil can also be found in other dry oils like rosehip seed
Here’s some more!
- excellent moisture retaining properties
- corrects rough and flaky skin
- soothes easily irritated complexions
- provides some ultraviolet protection that can help remedy hyperpigmenation spots
- Leaves the skin extra soft as well as supple
FATTY ACID COMPOSITION
Oleic Acid 80 – 85%
Linoleic Acid 9%
Palmitic Acid 7%
Stearic Acid1%
Arachidic Acid 1%
Up to 85% Oleic Acid in Camellia Oil!!
Oils containing oleic acid are really moisturising and also help the regeneration of cells. They have anti-inflammatory properties. They are well absorbed by the skin offering softening properties.
Oleic acid in a nutshell:
- softens skin
- regenerates cells
- moisturizes deeply
- anti-inflammatory
Getting Started Using Camellia Oil
If this is the first time you’re considering using facial oils then the best thing would be for you to apply the oil before your moisturiser (or as a replacement for your moisturiser).
I use it morning or night or morning and night, depending on my mood. Sometimes I apply facial oil up to 5 times a day!
At first it might feel strange to add just oil to your face if you’re not used to it but, believe me, in no time you’ll become an addict like me. Try for a week and you’ll see on week two how you just add more quantities of the stuff as a couple of drops won’t seem to be enough.
Add the oil after cleansing and toning or after washing your face.
How to Apply
Add a few drops to the palm of your hand, rub hands together and apply evenly around your face, neck and decolletage.
I also rub the back of my hands once I’m finished applying the oil on my face and neck to make sure I make the most of whatever is left on my hands after applying!
Create A Truly Luxurious Serum Using Camellia Oil & Sea Buckthorn Berry Oil
Although camellia oils is a wonderful oil on its won and the perfect facial oil you can take it to the next level and create a luxurious blend by mixing camellia oil with sea buckthorn berry oil.
Sea buckthorn berry oil is simply a fantastic addition to any facial oil blend. It has one of the highest sources of vitamin E (261 mg Vitamin E per 100 grams of oil!). Vitamin E has wonderful free radical scavenging properties. This oil is also high on palmitoleic acid (C16:1) which is fantastic for mature skin since the skin reduces the production of this acid over time.
I truly love sea buckthorn berry oil. The first time I saw it I remember thinking it looked different to all the other oils I had purchase from Naturally Thinking. The colour, the scent, the ‘feel’ of the oil while working with it (I think I was making a night cream); everything about it felt different to the other oils.
I add it to all of my facial oil blends (only a little bit as it can stain the skin. Check out how fabulously red-orangey this oil is due to the amount of carotenoids (between 300 and 1000 mg per 100 grams of oil) which act as free radical scavengers. Just as with viramin E, carotenoids can help increase the shelf life of your sea buckthorn berry oil. I’ve got a bottle I purchased quite a while ago and I’m still amazed at how it has not oxidised yet. Same with my pomegranate oil, which is high on vitamin E as well.
Packed with phytosterols (cholesterol, campesterol, sitmasterol and B-sitosterol) which help reduce redness and inflammation as well as helping if you have itchy skin.
Finally, sea buckthorn berry oil can be beneficial for burnt skin. It has anti-inflammatory and healing properties being able to accelerate the regeneration of tissue (good healing effects).
I love this oil so much that my next thing will be to purchase the CO2 extraction and add it to my creams at a low percentage.
So, what does this mean in a nutshell? Sea buckthorn berry oil is a wonderful, wonderful addition to your facial oil blend, believe me.
- free radical scavenging properties
- anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory
- regeneration of cells
- a great moisturiser
- softens skin
- restores barrier function
- reduces transepidermal water loss
- This is not a cheap oil!!
HOW TO MAKE THE FACIAL OIL
Just add 10% sea buckthorn berry oil to your camellia oil and you’re done!
Place on a pipette like this one (affiliate link) and you’re good to go.
This is a speciality facial oil, a high-end product, a truly luxurious blend. Even though sea buckthorn berry oil can be expensive this will make such a great gift for anyone.
Beare, Facial Oils Can Be VERY Addictive!
Since I started using facial oils a couple of years ago I’ve just got ‘worse’ over time. I remember at first I would add only a few drops. Nowadays I literally pour the pipette bottle on the palm of my hand and the amount of oil I apply on my face is simply insane.
I can’t get enough of the scent (faint, but it’s there!), the feel, the amazing softeness it provides my skin with, the way it feels on application…. Everything about a good facial oil is simply addictive.
Beware – if you’re anything like me you’ll eventually want to try as many oils as you can get your hands on!
I hope you enjoy camellia oil or the blend I mentioned above (camellia together with sea buckthorn berry oil). If you try either of them, let me know wheat you think in the comments area.
Keywords: camellia oil for face, camellia oil benefits, japanese camellia oil, best camellia oil for face
RESOURCES
Benefits of oils for skin because of their fatty acid composition
