Can we just say that initially we balked at the idea of purposely putting oil anywhere? We have a feeling that we're not alone—unless you somehow escaped pre-teendom unscathed by problem skin. You probably had it hammered into your head that oil was the enemy and something to be avoided by any means necessary. Let's break down the error of our collective ways: when you strip your skin of oil with drying alcohol-laden toners, your skin becomes convinced that it actually needs to produce more. Regardless of where you fall on the dry/oily spectrum, we're betting you could benefit from swapping out some of your current skin and hair fixes for oil formulas. 

Hair oils are probably the least intimidating, thanks in part to the ubiquity of argan oil, which can now be found in virtually every brand's product line-up. Bumble & bumble's Hairdresser's Invisible Oil is clear, making it ideal for blondes. Clear oils are preferred, since they don't leave a brassy sheen the way some yellow-hued oils do. As you may be learning when it comes to oil, just a little goes a long way—which is why we love Alterna's Bamboo Smooth Kendi Oil Dry Mist, which comes in a spray bottle. Just make sure to direct the spray toward your ends, not your roots. Shu Uemura also kills it in the hair oil department with their Absolue Nourishing Protective Oil, which you can even use as a treatment prior to shampooing. Finally, if you feel most confident in going the argan route, we love Josie Maran's take; its already amazing scent is made even better by the addition of geranium and bergamot. And we don't know about you, but when it comes to beauty, we're all about a multi-tasker—cue Caudalie's Divine Oil; it does double duty by offering pure, nourishing moisture for both body and hair. 

For us, oil cleansers are complete game changers, all industry hyperbole aside. There's something strangely satisfying about seeing every last trace of the day's make-up and grime go down the drain. We can't emphasize enough how ideal it is for all skin types, from acne-prone to Sahara-dry. Shu Uemura's Cleansing Oil and M.A.C.'s Cleanse-Off Oil are two that have earned a permanent spot inside our medicine cabinets, and both come with a range of formulas for differing skin types. As of late, we're also loving Tatcha's One-Step Camelia Cleansing Oil and SK-II's Facial Treatment Cleansing Oil. All completely obliterate dirt and debris (sorry, but it's there), without leaving behind any residue, and reduce the whole make-up removal process to a single step. We've also noticed significantly less breakouts of all kinds since making the switch over to oil.

PS: Stay tuned for part two of our “Oil Spill” investigation Friday!

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