Move over, argan! From dilo to moringa, here are 4 of the best new beauty oils for your face and hair
The success of argan has solidified oils’ place in the beauty world. Now, new imports from Africa, Asia and the South Pacific are giving Morocco’s golden elixir some steep competition.
By Wendy Schmid
The beauty industry has a new list of buzzwords: Dilo, moringa, marula, camellia. They don’t exactly trip off the tongue, but each one is a nutritive oil primed to be a hit. And while they may be new to us, to indigenous peoples they’re long-time beauty secrets. Culled from nuts, seeds and flowers and brimming with antioxidants and essential fatty acids (omegas 3, 6 and 9), they are nature’s true anti-agers. When combined with high-tech ingredients, they pack an even bigger punch. Here, a look at the ones you’ll want to be smoothing on your skin and hair this season.
See the best face and hair oils »
Camellia
Referred to as the tea flower in China and tsubaki in Japan, this scentless flower produces an oil that’s been used for centuries in Asia. Geishas slicked it through their hair, and Japan’s famed women divers, the Ama, doused their skin with it for protection before deep-water plunges. “Oils stop trans-epidermal water loss,” says Manhattan dermatologist Dr. David Colbert. “When a water molecule meets an oil molecule, rather than evaporating it goes in the other direction, staying in the epidermis so skin stays hydrated.” As with the other It oils, camellia’s rich vitamin content (A, B, D and E) and essential fatty acids help it segue from face oil to lipgloss to shampoo. And while it may seem counterintuitive to wash your hair (or face) with them, oils actually draw out the dirt. “In biochemistry, like dissolves like,” says Colbert. “You’re washing away the oils you don’t want and replacing them with the oils you do want.” Your end result: glowing skin and glossy hair.
Pictured: La Bella Figura Daily Elements Defense Face Oil ($95, labellafigurabeauty.com)
Where else you’ll find camellia oil: Lancôme Absolue Sublime Oleo-Serum, Nude ProGenius Treatment Oil, Tatcha Gold Camellia Beauty Oil and Gold Camellia Nourishing Lip Balm, Julie Hewett Camellia Lip Balm, Kérastase Bain Elixir Ultime.
Dilo
Fijian women cold-press this oil from the nut of the Dilo tree, believing it enhances skin’s own repair mechanism. Facialist Kate Somerville discovered the oil while on the Fijian island of Wakaya. “These women had unbelievable, plump skin, even beyond their 40s—and no excess pigment,” she says. “The oil is highly compatible with our natural skin lipids, which helps it really hydrate.” As for the lack of age spots—remember, Fijians spend their lives in the sun—Los Angeles dermatologist Pearl E. Grimes explains that fatty acids like linoleic (omega-6) and alpha-linolenic (omega-3) decrease pigmentation by attacking tyrosinase, a key enzyme in the production of melanin.
Pictured: Kate Somerville Dilo Oil Restorative Treatment ($65, katesomerville.com)
Where else you’ll find dilo oil: Pure Fiji Dilo Oil Anti-Aging Booster.
Moringa
Drought-resistant and hardy, thanks to its native Himalayan soil, the nutrient-rich moringa oleifera tree produces an oil loaded with 46 antioxidants. Its exceptional oxidative stability gives it a shelf life of up to five years and a unique ability to help your skin achieve its own youthful equilibrium. “When you use high-level antioxidants regularly, you have less oxidation of your cells,” says Colbert. “They won’t age as rapidly.” Moringa also packs all the essential amino acids, which means it’s an effective anti-ager for hair. New York hairstylist Kosia Asiamah sources the hero ingredient for her Kosia Naturals hair and skincare products from her family’s moringa farm in Ghana.
Pictured: Matrix Biolage Exquisiteoil Moringa ($22, matrixcanada.ca)
Where else you’ll find moringa oil: Kosia Naturals Growth & Repair Serum, The Body Shop Moringa skincare, Jane Iredale PureGloss lipgloss, Sai-Sei Mineral Retreat Bath Oil.
Marula
“The acne-prone can still be hesitant, but most women now appreciate what oils can do for their skin,” says Manhattan dermatologist Dr. Francesca Fusco. In fact, the beauty of oils like southern African marula is that they can actually benefit the breakout-prone due to their natural antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory properties. With four times the vitamin C found in oranges plus flavonoids, catechins and two beneficial forms of vitamin E, marula is an anti-ager pre-packaged by nature. But when it’s mixed with ingredients like retinol, it doesn’t just push the envelope, it becomes the delivery system. “Oils trick the skin into taking actives deeper,” Colbert explains. “They release them closer to the fibroblasts—the cells that make collagen and elastin.”
Pictured: Rodial Stemcell Superfood Facial Oil ($80, murale.ca) and Marula Pure Marula Oil (from $78, red-pear.com)
Where else you’ll find marula oil: Colbert M.D. Illumino Face Oil, Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel with Marula Oil, African Botanics Marula Oil skincare.
, they are nature’s true anti-agers. When combined with high-tech ingredients, they pack an even bigger punch. Here, a look at the ones you’ll want to be smoothing on your skin and hair this season.
See the best face and hair oils »
[caption id="attachment_151376" align="alignleft" width="600"] Photography by Carlo Mendoza[/caption]
Camellia
Referred to as the tea flower in China and tsubaki in Japan, this scentless flower produces an oil that’s been used for centuries in Asia. Geishas slicked it through their hair, and Japan’s famed women divers, the Ama, doused their skin with it for protection before deep-water plunges. “Oils stop trans-epidermal water loss,” says Manhattan dermatologist Dr. David Colbert. “When a water molecule meets an oil molecule, rather than evaporating it goes in the other direction, staying in the epidermis so skin stays hydrated.” As with the other It oils, camellia’s rich vitamin content (A, B, D and E) and essential fatty acids help it segue from face oil to lipgloss to shampoo. And while it may seem counterintuitive to wash your hair (or face) with them, oils actually draw out the dirt. “In biochemistry, like dissolves like,” says Colbert. “You’re washing away the oils you don’t want and replacing them with the oils you do want.” Your end result: glowing skin and glossy hair.
Pictured: La Bella Figura Daily Elements Defense Face Oil ($95, labellafigurabeauty.com)
Where else you’ll find camellia oil: Lancôme Absolue Sublime Oleo-Serum, Nude ProGenius Treatment Oil, Tatcha Gold Camellia Beauty Oil and Gold Camellia Nourishing Lip Balm, Julie Hewett Camellia Lip Balm, Kérastase Bain Elixir Ultime.
[caption id="attachment_151373" align="alignleft" width="600"] Photography by Carlo Mendoza[/caption]
Dilo
Fijian women cold-press this oil from the nut of the Dilo tree, believing it enhances skin’s own repair mechanism. Facialist Kate Somerville discovered the oil while on the Fijian island of Wakaya. “These women had unbelievable, plump skin, even beyond their 40s—and no excess pigment,” she says. “The oil is highly compatible with our natural skin lipids, which helps it really hydrate.” As for the lack of age spots—remember, Fijians spend their lives in the sun—Los Angeles dermatologist Pearl E. Grimes explains that fatty acids like linoleic (omega-6) and alpha-linolenic (omega-3) decrease pigmentation by attacking tyrosinase, a key enzyme in the production of melanin.
Pictured: Kate Somerville Dilo Oil Restorative Treatment ($65, katesomerville.com)
Where else you’ll find dilo oil: Pure Fiji Dilo Oil Anti-Aging Booster.
[caption id="attachment_151378" align="alignleft" width="600"] Photography by Carlo Mendoza[/caption]
Moringa
Drought-resistant and hardy, thanks to its native Himalayan soil, the nutrient-rich moringa oleifera tree produces an oil loaded with 46 antioxidants. Its exceptional oxidative stability gives it a shelf life of up to five years and a unique ability to help your skin achieve its own youthful equilibrium. “When you use high-level antioxidants regularly, you have less oxidation of your cells,” says Colbert. “They won’t age as rapidly.” Moringa also packs all the essential amino acids, which means it’s an effective anti-ager for hair. New York hairstylist Kosia Asiamah sources the hero ingredient for her Kosia Naturals hair and skincare products from her family’s moringa farm in Ghana.
Pictured: Matrix Biolage Exquisiteoil Moringa ($22, matrixcanada.ca)
Where else you’ll find moringa oil: Kosia Naturals Growth & Repair Serum, The Body Shop Moringa skincare, Jane Iredale PureGloss lipgloss, Sai-Sei Mineral Retreat Bath Oil.
[caption id="attachment_151377" align="alignleft" width="600"] Photography by Carlo Mendoza[/caption]
Marula
“The acne-prone can still be hesitant, but most women now appreciate what oils can do for their skin,” says Manhattan dermatologist Dr. Francesca Fusco. In fact, the beauty of oils like southern African marula is that they can actually benefit the breakout-prone due to their natural antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory properties. With four times the vitamin C found in oranges plus flavonoids, catechins and two beneficial forms of vitamin E, marula is an anti-ager pre-packaged by nature. But when it’s mixed with ingredients like retinol, it doesn’t just push the envelope, it becomes the delivery system. “Oils trick the skin into taking actives deeper,” Colbert explains. “They release them closer to the fibroblasts—the cells that make collagen and elastin.”
Pictured: Rodial Stemcell Superfood Facial Oil ($80, murale.ca) and Marula Pure Marula Oil (from $78, red-pear.com)
Where else you’ll find marula oil: Colbert M.D. Illumino Face Oil, Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel with Marula Oil, African Botanics Marula Oil skincare.
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