What is Body Oil + How to Use It?
If you’re truly looking to nourish your skin barrier and alleviate dryness - all while giving your skin a radiant glow - body oil should be your go-to body moisturiser for self-pampering. In fact, from anti-aging benefits to promoting supple skin, choosing body oil over lotion just might be the best choice you can make for beautiful skin!
Curious to know what body oil can do for you? Read on to learn exactly what body oil is, how to use it, and why body oil is our first choice for long-term skin health!
What is Body Oil?
Body oil is a body care product made from oils that nourish, protect, and hydrate the skin. Lightweight body oils are formulated to absorb quickly into the skin, leaving even the driest skin feeling soft, smooth, and hydrated. Body oil also gives skin a healthy, radiant glow when applied on its own or layered over body lotion.
Body Oil vs Body Lotion
So, how is body oil different from body lotion? The main difference between body oil and body lotion is that body oil delivers more beneficial ingredients to the skin. While body oil is made primarily from skin-loving oils, body lotion often contains as much as 80% water.
Natural body oils are made from botanical oils that have a high fatty acid content. From omega-3, 6, and 9 to oleic and linoleic acids, the fatty acids in natural body oil play a major role in strengthening the skin barrier and protecting against premature ageing.
On the other hand, body lotions contain mainly humectants, which draw moisture to the skin. While they’re also helpful for skin barrier function, they don’t usually contain the high concentration of fatty acids and other beneficial nutrients for the lasting benefits that body oils do.
Body lotion is also lighter in consistency than body oil, so it tends to evaporate from the surface of the skin more quickly, while body oil seals in moisture (especially when applied after showering) and provides immediate results, as well as long-lasting benefits that increase over time.
What is Body Oil Used For?
Now that you have a better understanding of what body oil is and how it’s different from body lotion, let’s take a look at the benefits of body oil and what it’s used for.
Provide Deep Hydration
One of the most noticeable, immediate benefits of body oil is deep hydration. Body oils that are formulated with natural botanical oils and emollients, like our Honey-Infused Body Oil, are used to provide deep hydration. They are also rich in vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids that revive very dry skin and improve elasticity, especially when used regularly over time.
Seal in Moisture
Body oil has occlusive properties that make it especially useful for sealing in moisture. Body oil does an amazing job of sealing in moisture that’s already there, such as when your skin is damp after a shower or bath. Body oil can also be used to seal in and enhance the moisturising effects of your body lotion.
Nourish and Protect with Antioxidants
Many natural botanical oils used in body oil contain powerful antioxidants that nourish the skin and protect it from free radical damage. Vitamins A, C, and E are often found in these oils and offer amazing benefits for boosting collagen production and fighting premature ageing.
Smooth and Soften Skin
Natural botanical oils are amazing for smoothing and softening the skin because they imitate the natural lipids that are already present in our skin barrier. Lipids fill in the gaps between our skin cells that are caused by lack of moisture, thereby creating a softer and smoother surface. Lipids also trap moisture in the skin, reducing dryness, flakiness, and scaly patches immediately and over time.
How to Use Body Oil
The best way to use body oil is to apply it immediately after a shower. Simply put a few drops in the palm of your hand, rub your hands together to warm the oil, and massage it into your warm, damp skin. You’ll be left with skin that’s deeply moisturised, with a healthy, radiant glow.
That being said, there really isn’t a wrong way to use body oil. Here are a few more ways you can incorporate body oil into your daily routine for amazing results.
- If you’re looking to save some time, try applying body oil right in the shower as the last step in your routine. It’s a great way to counteract the drying effects of cleansing and warm water. Just be careful not to overdo it because the oil could make the shower floor slippery!
- Another smart way to use body oil is to apply it before your shower. This is especially beneficial if you suffer from extremely dry or compromised skin. The body oil will create a barrier between the warm water and your skin, helping to minimize moisture loss.
- You can also apply body oil before you shave. It will protect the skin against razor burn and help you get a closer, smoother shave.
- The high-quality plant oils used in many body oils smell amazing. Try adding a few drops to your bath water for a luxurious fragrance and deep moisturisation.
- Try adding a few drops of body oil to your body lotion. It will not only amp up the moisturising effects but also leave your skin with a healthy, radiant glow.
- Give those extra dry areas a little extra TLC by massaging in a few drops of body oil. Dry elbows, knees, heels, and cuticles will all benefit from a body oil’s deeply hydrating effects. You’ll notice immediate improvements that increase with repeated application. Incorporate our Honey Infused Beauty Balm into your routine for even more benefits!
Best Ingredients to Look for in Body Oil
Always choose a body oil that is made primarily from all-natural ingredients, rather than one made from cheap fillers like mineral oil. While mineral oil may provide some short-term occlusive benefits, botanical oils offer so much more, including beneficial nutrients and antioxidants that deliver immediate and long-lasting benefits for strengthening the skin barrier and eliminating dryness.
Our Honey-Infused Body Oil is formulated with 98% natural ingredients, including three powerful actives, that work together to nourish the skin, provide long-lasting moisture, and illuminate the skin with a radiant honey glow.
In addition to the best body care oils, including jojoba oil, grape seed oil, and oat kernel oil, you’ll also find the following powerful, nutrient-rich key ingredients in our body oil:
- Mirsalehi Bee Garden Oil Blend: Our proprietary natural oil blend is a powerhouse of beneficial ingredients, including antioxidants and omega fatty acids that strengthen the skin barrier and deeply moisturise the skin.
- Mirsalehi Honey: Mirsalehi Honey is a renowned natural humectant with numerous benefits for the skin. It’s rich in antioxidants, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals that provide immediate and long-lasting benefits for skin barrier renewal and hydration.
- Oleosoft-4: Oleosoft-4 is a natural active with a high fatty acid content. Derived from almond, olive, borage, and linseed oils, it absorbs readily into the skin and offers deeply nourishing and smoothing benefits to improve skin elasticity.
- Sensolene: Sensolene comes from olive extract and other naturally derived emollient oils. It softens and hydrates to leave the skin silky smooth while also supporting skin barrier function.
- Gatuline: Gatuline is a naturally derived active that comes from sustainably harvested Acmella flower extract. It provides skin-strengthening benefits and helps to tone, tighten, and firm the skin.
The Takeaway
When it comes to keeping the skin on your body moisturised and healthy, body oil is the obvious choice. Our Honey-Infused Body Oil can be incorporated into your routine in a variety of ways to provide amazing restorative benefits and a beautiful, radiant glow all year long. It’s one of the best things you can do to support a healthy skin barrier!