Not ten years ago, if you'd suggested slathering oil on my face in place of my moisturiser, or applying a slick of oil to my freshly washed hair, I'd have looked at you like a crazy person.
Greasy hair and shiny T-zones were exactly what I was trying to counter with my beauty artillery, so surely that meant oil-free everything right? Wrong, actually. It turns out that using beauty oils can actually make skin and hair less oily in the same way that over-washing ends up over-stripping your skin and hair and perversely ends up making them even more greasy.
These days, I'm fully sold on oils, so much so that I've got a bathroom cabinet packed with the stuff. From body moisturisers to lip balms and bath oils to face serums, here's my pick of the best of the bunch...
£40
After a long day there's nothing more luxuriously indulgent than slipping into an oil-laced hot bath. I love all Jo Malone's fragrances but the fruity, woody Wild Fig & Cassis is my absolute favourite.
Show Beauty Pure Treatment Oil
£50
My first foray into hair oils was the Moroccan Oil Hair Treatment which although still a firm fav, has been somewhat replaced in my affections by Tamara Ecclestone's Show Beauty Treatment Oil. Just a couple of drops of this applied to freshly washed hair leaves you with much more manageable, less frizz-prone hair. The gorgeous bottle also makes your dressing table look pretty snazzy.
Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Or - Multi Usage Dry Oil
£21
Apply this gold flecked body oil to bronzed limbs to amp up a tan and give a healthy, glossy glow. That's not even mentioning the delicious scent - summer in a bottle.
£10
Melt by name, melt by nature. We've blogged about this 100% organic coconut oil balm extensively before. We're totally obsessed with the way it liquifies upon contact with your lips, tastes like coconut macaroons and gives a gorgeous glossy sheen.
Caudalie Premier Cru The Elixir Facial Serum
£49
Half serum, half oil, this miracle in a bottle leaves skin firmer and smoother with megawatt glow after just a couple of weeks of use. Also great used under foundation for a dewy, fresh finish.
Neutrogena Body Oil Light Sesame Formula
US$9.99
This body oil leaves limbs deeply moisturised without any greasy residue and smells as delicious as a product with a price tag six times its size. Also doubles as a super sweet-scented insect repellant.
Bobbi Brown Instant Long-Wear Makeup Remover
£18
No more panda eyes and mascara-streaked pillows, just one swipe of this make-up remover and every last scrap of eye make-up disappears.
Johnson's Baby Bedtime Oil
£1.75
Slather this bargain basement product on before bed and get a double whammy - drift off immediately into a deep, deep sleep and wake up the next morning well-rested with baby soft skin.
Shu Uemura Anti/Oxi Cleanser
£30
I'd completely forgotten about this stellar cleanser until I got a mini version in my Lane Crawford Beauty Calendar this year. This wonder cleansing oil melts into your skin and removes every last scrap of make-up, grime and pollution.
L'Occitane Almond Shower Oil
£17.50
L'Occitane Almond Supple Skin Oil
£35.00
I first discovered these products just before I moved to Hong Kong and am now totally addicted to them. I use the shower oil every morning with an exfoliating mitt and then post-shower spritz on the body oil while my skin's still damp to lock in moisture. Feels like a huge cashmere hug and makes you smell good enough to eat.
Bio-Oil
£8.99
It's an oldie but a goodie. Not just for stretch marks, slather this oil on after a bath for a serious moisture shot.
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