What's a good all-around moisturizing body oil?
May 9, 2015 8:19 AM Subscribe
I want to experiment with oil instead of store-bought moisturizing creams and lotions for the body. My main criteria is that it MUST NOT GO RANCID on the shelf, and won't stain clothes. Sweet almond oil, grape-seed oil, or what? Coconut oil is out as it's just too heavy in texture. Please share your experiences.
(This is for body use, not facial moisturizing.)
How about Jojoba oil? It's never gone rancid for me, keeping it for several months.
posted by anadem at 9:13 AM on May 9, 2015
posted by anadem at 9:13 AM on May 9, 2015
I like a mix of jojoba and sweet almond, but mostly because I have them already and use them for my Oil Cleansing Method mix. A friend who is more into these things recently suggested mixing in some camellia oil for body moisturizing, but it is pretty pricey.
I keep a smallish bottle (basically, it's the biggest bottle I can stand to leak or spill and not completely lose my mind over) out and my back stock in the fridge.
For winter and dry weather, oil really isn't enough for me. I'm using raw shea butter melted down and cut with enough sweet almond oil to be mushy at room temperature. I got the shea on Amazon. (I'm also scenting it with a mix of essential oils that kind of replicates a discontinued Lush product I adored. The scenting is entirely optional but shea butter does kind of have a weird play-doh smell on its own.)
posted by Lyn Never at 9:16 AM on May 9, 2015
I keep a smallish bottle (basically, it's the biggest bottle I can stand to leak or spill and not completely lose my mind over) out and my back stock in the fridge.
For winter and dry weather, oil really isn't enough for me. I'm using raw shea butter melted down and cut with enough sweet almond oil to be mushy at room temperature. I got the shea on Amazon. (I'm also scenting it with a mix of essential oils that kind of replicates a discontinued Lush product I adored. The scenting is entirely optional but shea butter does kind of have a weird play-doh smell on its own.)
posted by Lyn Never at 9:16 AM on May 9, 2015
I use Alpha Keri oil. At the end of my shower I put some on a wash cloth or just on my hands, rub it over my wet skin, and then rinse. Just a quick rinse, you don't want to rinse it all off. It doesn't take much, the water spreads the oil. You really just want a thin film. Then pat, rather than rub, yourself dry. The shower floor does get slick after a while, so you have to watch that. I use a soapy scrubbie sponge and just wipe the floor down and rinse at the end my showering.
posted by BoscosMom at 9:33 AM on May 9, 2015
posted by BoscosMom at 9:33 AM on May 9, 2015
I would say jojoba, macadamia nut, meadowfoam, sunflower, and watermelon seed are all excellent oils that combine a fairly long shelf life, quick absorption, and not-too-heavy moisturizing properties. To that end, here's an extensive list of moisturizer-friendly oils and their respective shelf lives. You can just pop them in the refrigerator if you're worried about them going rancid at room temperature.
If you're looking for a pre-made product rather than a straight-up 100% pure oil, my highest recommendation is reserved for Orico London Rush Hour Dry Body Oil. It smells incredible, absorbs pretty much instantly, won't stain, but is still wonderfully moisturizing -- it's mostly sunflower oil.
posted by divined by radio at 10:29 AM on May 9, 2015
If you're looking for a pre-made product rather than a straight-up 100% pure oil, my highest recommendation is reserved for Orico London Rush Hour Dry Body Oil. It smells incredible, absorbs pretty much instantly, won't stain, but is still wonderfully moisturizing -- it's mostly sunflower oil.
posted by divined by radio at 10:29 AM on May 9, 2015
I haven't used it myself, but I have heard argan oil recommended for daily moisturizing
posted by torisaur at 10:34 AM on May 9, 2015
posted by torisaur at 10:34 AM on May 9, 2015
Given the complaint about heaviness and the rancidity issue, I kind of suspect you maybe don't want a plain oil oil, but a product that is an oil with other ingredients -- something with a little more "slip" to the feel, a preservative, and a lightweight result? Neutrogena does a good job with its "light sesame formula" body oil product.
Olive oil has been my friend for winter dryness, but it is heavier than coconut. Jojoba is nice but gets expensive to slap all over your flesh daily. If $ is not a concern, NUXE Huile Prodigieuse is a delight to use. Smells dreamy, does everything you'd want an oil to do and some things you never thought it could (I have fine hair and would not normally bring oil anywhere near it, but a dab of that on the ends was just the thing).
The marketing for Bio Oil is really horrible -- obviously a topical OTC is not going to do anything for scars or stretch marks that any moisturizer wouldn't also do -- but I picked some up out of a clearance bin once and was surprised by how nice it was to use. I still loathe the BSy ads, but might buy it again because it went on well -- I was nice and moist but not greasy, and it smells nice.
posted by kmennie at 10:38 AM on May 9, 2015
Olive oil has been my friend for winter dryness, but it is heavier than coconut. Jojoba is nice but gets expensive to slap all over your flesh daily. If $ is not a concern, NUXE Huile Prodigieuse is a delight to use. Smells dreamy, does everything you'd want an oil to do and some things you never thought it could (I have fine hair and would not normally bring oil anywhere near it, but a dab of that on the ends was just the thing).
The marketing for Bio Oil is really horrible -- obviously a topical OTC is not going to do anything for scars or stretch marks that any moisturizer wouldn't also do -- but I picked some up out of a clearance bin once and was surprised by how nice it was to use. I still loathe the BSy ads, but might buy it again because it went on well -- I was nice and moist but not greasy, and it smells nice.
posted by kmennie at 10:38 AM on May 9, 2015
fractionated coconut oil is much lighter, and easily absorbed than regular coconut oil.
posted by Blitz at 11:35 AM on May 9, 2015
posted by Blitz at 11:35 AM on May 9, 2015
I quite like grape seed oil, but I think that it can make your clothes smell. I used to use it when exchanging massages, and the robe that I put on after the massage and having a shower still smells like oil despite washing it dozens of times (and even soaking it with some vinegar in the water). I cannot be 100% certain, because I did use another oil once or twice, but I am 99% sure that it was the grape seed oil that left the smell.
posted by kinddieserzeit at 2:09 PM on May 9, 2015
posted by kinddieserzeit at 2:09 PM on May 9, 2015
I know you didn't ask for lotion, but I've personally found the Gold Bond Ultimate Men's Essential Lotion to be quite usable for all over.
posted by kschang at 11:36 PM on May 9, 2015
posted by kschang at 11:36 PM on May 9, 2015
Jojoba's good, it's what I use for cleansing and sugar scrubs and lotions. Keep in mind that an oil cannot straight up replace a lotion- a lotion is oil and water, emulsified (at its simplest). If you're using the oil without moisture on your skin, it's only going to have the emollient and some occlusive properties, but no hydration. Use it on damp skin or add a few drops of water to your palm before the oil.
posted by oneirodynia at 3:03 PM on May 10, 2015
posted by oneirodynia at 3:03 PM on May 10, 2015
Trader Joe's sells good quality jojoba oil, grapeseed oil, and olive oil at a reasonable price, and their organic virgin coconut oil is very light and soaks into skin readily. You may also want to check out Molivera brand on Amazon. I've been pleased with Molivera's shea butter and sweet almond oil, and the company emails you with tips and recipes for making your own beauty products using their ingredients.
posted by the thought-fox at 7:35 PM on May 10, 2015
posted by the thought-fox at 7:35 PM on May 10, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
Also, any oil will go rancid after a certain point, so I'm not sure what you mean...
posted by LoonyLovegood at 9:11 AM on May 9, 2015 [1 favorite]