Oils

Everyone seems to be talking about plant-based oils. Over the last decade or so, they’ve become the darlings of the skincare industry, touted as miracle ingredients for glowing skin.

You may have wondered: What exactly are these oils? And aren’t oils bad for your skin, especially if you have oily skin?

We want to use natural, clean ingredients on our skin—and plant-based oils qualify—but you may be unsure whether oils belong in your skincare routine.

Here’s what we know: When used correctly, plant-based oils can be one of the most nourishing and transformative additions to your skincare routine, no matter your skincare type. Yes—even oily and acne-prone skin can benefit from the right kinds of oil!

At CV Skinlabs, we use scientifically proven and medically accepted plant ingredients with the safest and most therapeutic benefits for sensitive skin. Our bio-compatible and clinically proven formulas help transform a variety of skin conditions and concerns to healthy radiant skin.

In this post, we’ll explain what plant-based oils really are, why they’ve become so popular in skincare, the science-backed benefits they offer, and which oils are particularly suited to sensitive skin.

What Are Plant-Based Oils?

Also called botanical oils or carrier oils, plant-based oils are natural oils extracted from plants’ nuts, seeds, or fruits. Manufacturers process them in various ways, but they often cold-press them to preserve their nutrients. And though it may seem that they’ve appeared relatively recently in the beauty world, they’ve been used for centuries in skincare and wellness practices worldwide.

Traditional skincare products have used mineral oil (derived from petroleum) and lab-made synthetic oils in skincare, thinking they were just as effective as natural options. But today, we know better.

Plant oils are rich in essential fatty acids, triglycerides, vitamins, and other skin-loving ingredients that the body naturally recognizes and uses, much more easily than synthetic options. Many of these oils closely mimic the skin’s natural components, making them more biocompatible and less likely to irritate the skin.

Fatty acids: These help moisturize the skin, maintain elasticity, and support barrier repair. Oleic acid is perfect for dry skin, while linoleic acid is lighter and more suitable for oily and acne-prone skin, helping to calm inflammation and regulate the production of skin oils.
Tryglycerides: These are naturally found in the skin and act as emollients, creating a protective layer that keeps moisture in and environmental irritants out. They help improve texture and smoothness.
Vitamins (A, C, E): Vitamin A (retinoids) helps accelerate skin cell turnover and helps fade dark spots. Vitamin C brightens the complexion and boosts collagen production, while vitamin E is a powerful antioxidant that protects against free radical damage and supports healing.
Polyphenols: These are antioxidant-rich compounds that help fight inflammation, reduce oxidative stress, and protect the skin from UV rays and pollution.

Plant-based oils can be used on their own, particularly as a final step in a skincare routine to seal in moisture. But they are often more effective when blended into well-formulated skincare products like serums, moisturizers, and facial cleansers.

Why Have Plant-Based Oils Become Popular in Skincare?

If plant-based oils have existed for so long, why have they become popular only recently?

Over the last decade, the beauty industry has turned toward more natural, holistic, and ingredient-conscious formulations. As consumers have become more educated about the ingredients in their products, they’ve started seeking clean beauty. Brands have responded by focusing more on natural ingredients wherever possible.

So what changed?

Scientific Backing

Over the past several years, more scientific studies have shown the benefits of specific plant oils on skin health, barrier repair, and inflammation reduction.

Clean Beauty Movement

As consumers started to turn away from synthetic and chemical ingredients like mineral oil and parabens, manufacturers had to change to continue producing products consumers would want to buy.

Ancient Wisdom Meets Modern Science

Natural oils have been used in traditional medicine for centuries. Modern extraction methods make it easier to collect and use them safely and effectively in skincare products.

Versatility

You can use plant-based oils alone or add them to serums, creams, masks, or cleansers. This versatility makes them a flexible option in skincare routines.

What Are the Benefits of Plant-Based Oils?

So what can these natural oils do for your skin? Let’s break it down.

Nourish the Skin Barrier

Your skin barrier is your first line of defense. Oils rich in essential fatty acids help replenish and strengthen this barrier, preventing moisture loss and keeping irritants out.

Deliver Deep Hydration

Unlike water-based moisturizers that evaporate quickly, oils help lock in moisture and keep the skin supple and soft. Some plant-based oils, like jojoba and squalane, even penetrate the deeper layers of skin.

Calm Inflammation

Sensitive skin, in particular, is often inflamed. Many plant-based oils have anti-inflammatory properties that soothe redness, irritation, and flare-ups. Sunflower and rosehip, in particular, help with conditions like eczema and rosacea.

Balance Oil Production

If you have oily or acne-prone skin, you may be concerned about using plant-based oils. Ironically, certain oils (like jojoba and squalane) help regulate skin oil (sebum), helping reduce breakouts. When harsh skincare products strip your skin, it reacts by producing even more sebum. Giving it a nourishing skincare product with plant-based oils can help prevent that reaction.

Protect from Environmental Aggressors

Vitamin E, polyphenols, and carotenoids found in plant oils fight free radicals, helping to slow down visible signs of aging, like wrinkles and dark spots.

Support Wound Healing

Oils like rosehip, castor oil, and tamanu help promote skin regeneration and help heal scars, making them perfect for post-acne marks or sensitive, damaged skin.

Best Plant-Based Oils for Sensitive Skin

If you have sensitive skin, you want soothing, non-clogging, and anti-inflammatory oils. Here are some ingredients that will work well in your skincare routine. (FYI: They’re all included in CV Skinlabs products!)

Olive oil: Moisturizing and rich in antioxidants, olive oil is ideal for dry, flaky skin. It’s a thicker oil, so it’s best used in formulas rather than alone.
Sunflower seed oil: Lightweight, calming, and rich in linoleic acid, sunflower oil supports sensitive skin and won’t clog pores.
Jojoba oil: This one balances skin oil without irritation. It’s perfect for easily reactive or combination skin.
Rosehip seed oil: Rich in vitamin C, along with other antioxidants like vitamin A, this oil is excellent for brightening skin, improving tone, and supporting collagen production. It’s also gentle on the skin, with properties that help heal scars.
Castor oil: This oil has natural antibacterial properties, helps heal wounds, and deeply hydrates. It works great for calming irritation and softening dry patches.
Squalane (when plant-derived, it comes from olives or sugarcane): This ultra-light, non-irritating, and safe oil is excellent for all skin types. It mimics the skin’s natural oils, making it a highly effective moisturizer that helps restore suppleness without clogging pores.
Calendula oil: Known for calming and healing, this oil benefits red, itchy skin.

If you’re looking for oils for sensitive skin, keep in mind that the formulation matters. Look for safe, fragrance-free versions whenever possible, and always start with a small patch test if you’re new to oils.

How CV Skinlabs Uses Plant-Based Oils to Nourish and Repair Sensitive Skin

Founded with a mission to create safe, effective solutions for people with sensitive, compromised, or medically treated skin, CV Skinlabs makes products that are packed with nourishing plant-based oils that help heal, soothe, and restore the skin barrier.

Inside our four core products, you’ll find ingredients like the following and many more:

Sunflower seed oil— for hydration and barrier support
Olive oil-derived squalane — for non-greasy moisture
Calendula and chamomile extracts — for calming inflammation
Jojoba oil — for restoring balance without irritation

CV Skinlabs products are also free from synthetic fragrances, parabens, and toxic preservatives, making them a top choice for those with eczema, dermatitis, rosacea, or post-procedure skin.

Whether you’re new to oils or ready to elevate your skincare routine, CV Skinlabs provides a trustworthy, dermatologist-recommended option that combines the power of plants with the precision of science.

So if you’ve been on the fence, consider this your invitation to embrace the beauty of botanicals! And you can do it today with CV Skinlabs.

Are you a fan of plant-based oils?

_{Featured image by PNW Production via Pexels.}

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Hey folks! I am back on the bloggie, this time to chat about choices businesses have to make with ethical labeling, product sourcing / supply chain, and profits in the essential oil businesses. This is no defense thesis, but you may learn something new or have an opinion to share. To begin with. Today’s post was brought about by the opportunity to try out a new brand of essential oils (Simply Earth). You may be an essential oil user or not. I was not until I moved to Guatemala and wanted a natural, chemical-free bug repellent. One of my students’ parents in Guatemala actually sells essential oils out there too!

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In a time where being a socially conscious business is hip and to a certain degree expected, it is important to not only understand the players, but the game, when we are making choices. Why? Because companies may obtain certain certifications or slap fancy labels on their website or products which may actually be misleading. You, as the consumer, should be aware of what that pretty label is actually worth, especially if you are trying your best to be an informed consumer. There are many certifications including Fairtrade, Rainforest Alliance Certification and Equal Exchange to name a few of the popular ones (read more here). However, for multiple certifications, the certification process is out of budget, and for some, only a small percentage of the product’s materials has to follow the labeling standard to be certified. Recently in the makeup industry, we see the difficulties of following the production chain with how easy it is for the mineral mica to secretly involve child labor then be sold to a main supplier in a neighboring town who may in fact have an ethical certification. This is then sold to the producer of the sparkly lip gloss or eye shadow which you use. It is so easy to not be aware of all that occurs in the supply chain. The same thing happens with palm oil, which you can find in anything from makeup to ice cream to soap to shampoo! While I was studying for my Master’s degree, I learned a lot about supply chains. This is all to say that I view ethical certifications as better than nothing, but I do prefer direct trade. When dealing with companies which are direct trade, weather they are certified or not, it is really up to the consumer to believe what they see based on information provided to the consumer, since it is not an option to visit every supply chain supplier for every single product which you wish to consume. Imagine that!

I have looked into a few essential oils businesses and pleasingly see how multiple work directly with farmers in developing countries across the world. In cutting out the middle man, a buyer (like Simply Earth) is allowed to purchase the raw material from the seller (farmer) and the seller can name their price. There are actually essential oil farmers not too far from where I live in Guatemala. Some work with middle man and some work directly with companies. Many times a middle man will push a seller to lower his price so that the middleman can take a cut for the coordination work involved in the transaction. You can see this in everyday life too! So, when companies like Simply Earth work directly with the farmer, the majority of the time, it implies that the farmers’ work is more valued economically and socially. Moving forward to the post-production side of things, once a brand has their finished product, it is their choice to decide how to go about administration, packaging and profit distribution.

Simply Earth with their farmers in Haiti (Simply Earth 2019).

Companies like Simply Earth, and even food companies like Newman’s Own, have decided to not only go ecofriendly with packaging, but have decided to go a step beyond and give profits to help further a social cause. In the case of Simply Earth, they donate 13% of their profits to help end human trafficking! Human trafficking (labor trafficking, debt bondage and sex trafficking) is a real-life problem which takes freedom, innocence and joy from millions of people every year! In college, I was very involved with a few anti human trafficking groups and to bringing down a multi-billion dollar industry requires a lot of funds to help raise awareness, rescue victims and provide rehabilitation to survivors. If you want to get involved in anti-human trafficking efforts check out this link. This is all to say that I am so pleased with the Simply Earth business model. They not only take into consideration production, but they area also conscious with their packaging and profit choices. Way to go!

As far as their essential oils. I am no essential oils know-it all. I can tell you that I had a lot of fun whipping up a few mixtures and that I thought that lavender oil was the best in the world because of it’s anti-mosquito qualities, however, I am now a fur tree fan because of it’s fatigue and pain relieving and deodorizing qualities. The great thing is that this month’s Kid themed box came with both, so I am one happy camper! I was given a bonus box which came with a almond and coconut carrier oils, along with coconut oil and a bunch of glass bottles (diffusers and roll-ons). I am typically not a perfume smell person because strong smells usually give me a headache. But I think that in small portions I am a fan of these, because they smell like a fruit, a tree and a flower, which are all things found in nature! I also looked up the pros and cons of essential oils. One concern with the use of essential oils is that they cause free radicals. Free radicals are necessary for the body but are also found in fried foods and are created by excess alcohol and smoking and stress (anyone have stress in their life?). After reading more, I realized that, like anything, excess is harmful and that essential oils are an alternative to man-invented chemical lotions, bug repellents and detergents which also cause cancer. If I had to choose between the two, I would choose the choice closest to what God created for us. After all, if you are reading this, you are interested in a lifestyle that brings us back to the more natural and God-glorifying way of life. 🙂

Let me know what you think about certifications, supply chain and essential oils! This was very interesting for me to write and I would love to hear your opinion!

Have a blessed rest of your week,

Christine