Glow up with face oil: My DIY recipe for happy skin

Tobi Afolabi, Content Editor at Marie Claire Nigeria, and her choices for face oil

My skincare routine is incomplete without this cocktail of oils my skin absolutely loves.  

People often ask what I use that makes my skin glow the way it does. One of the secrets? Face oil. When I was first introduced to skincare a few years ago through Bare, a friend’s AI skincare app, I learned so many things about my skin and skincare in general. Myths like “Black women don’t need sunscreen” were broken and discarded. Another was that face oil is bad for your skin and clogs your pores.

On the contrary, face oils are great emollients, helping to lock in moisture and also fight off issues like acne or harmful phenomena like UVB rays. While the skincare routine curated for me initially didn’t include oil — it was a basic one consisting of face wash, a serum, moisturiser, and sunscreen — something felt missing when I started it. It felt odd layering sunscreen directly onto my moisturiser, so I went searching. After speaking to people and scouring the World Wide Web, I “discovered” face oil.

A collage of my bare face without make-up, in different lightings
A collage of my bare face, in different lighting, by Tobi Afolabi

Okay, maybe not truly discovered – people have moisturised their face and hair with oil for centuries. But I did discover how it could be good for my own skin. However, I didn’t want to buy just another product with ingredients I couldn’t be absolutely sure of, so I did more research. Armed with knowledge of my skin type and the inherent feeling that I needed face oils, I experimented and finally created the perfect mix that fit right into my routine. And though I’ve evolved my routine and replaced some products, my face oil has remained constant.

 

My face oil recipe

So, here’s a breakdown of the mix I use for my face oils and why. This isn’t skincare advice, just sharing what has worked for me.

Base/Carrier: Olive oil

Percentage: 70% or 4–5 tablespoons

A small bottle of olive oil surrounded by olives via Freepik
An unbranded bottle of olive oil via Freepik

Growing up in a Pentecostal home, I first encountered olive oil as “anointing oil,” so it was an easy and accessible choice (my dad still sends me anointing oil, lol). Beyond its accessibility, olive oil is great for internal use — it’s a good ingredient in a mean salad vinaigrette — but it’s also great for external use.

According to experts, olive oil is a fantastic moisturiser. In fact, one study shows that olive oil works to fight off ultraviolet rays that cause skin cancer. Olive oil is rich in vitamins and antioxidants that help reverse sun damage. The antioxidants are particularly potent in olive oil due to an ingredient called squalene, which appears in other oils but in higher quantities in olive oil. Many skincare products contain an olive oil base, and that’s no mistake. I’m not a fan of the smell (also hate the taste), but I was sold on using it as the base for my face oil mix.

 

Read also: Clean & radiant: A Beauty Editor’s minimalist beauty routine

 

Carrot oil

Percentage: 10% or 2–3 drops

A small jar of carrot oil with two carrots and some shredded carrots via beautytrendtracker.com
A jar of carrot oil via beautytrendtracker.com

Carrot oil is another favourite. Apart from the scent, which I absolutely love, another reason I chose carrot oil is its ability to help achieve an even skin tone. Carrot oil also has anti-fungal and bacterial properties, which means less possibility of skin rashes or issues like eczema.

According to research, it also helps block harmful sun rays by absorbing ultraviolet rays. What’s not to like about this essential oil? To be honest, I would have added it simply for the smell alone, but the other benefits were good too. I add only minimal amounts because it’s an essential oil and don’t apply directly onto skin without a carrier oil.

Jojoba oil

Percentage: 10% or 2–3 drops

 A small brown bottle of jojoba oil pictured with jojoba seeds via prevention.com
A small bottle of jojoba oil with jojoba seeds via prevention.com

Jojoba oil is another favourite, for me and the entire skincare industry. Let me preach the gospel of jojoba: it’s a humectant ingredient, which means it has intensely moisturising properties. It helps attract and retain moisture, keeping skin hydrated. And of course, as we know, hydration helps prevent other issues like inflammation, acne, etc.

Jojoba oil also has all the good stuff like antibacterial and antioxidant properties: it contains the natural form of vitamin E, which fights off everyday toxins, especially for us who live in cities. However, the most interesting thing I found about jojoba oil is that because it’s quite similar to the natural sebum our skin produces, it’s non-comedogenic. This means it’s unlikely to clog your pores — which is a concern many people share about using face oils. If you’re not sold yet, I don’t know what will get you there.

Tea Tree Oil

Percentage: 10% or 2–3 drops

An outlay of tea tree oil bottles via Tesco.com
Nature Spell natural tea tree oil via Tesco.com

Tea tree oil is mostly medicinal, which makes it great for my skin as well. Due to its antifungal and antibacterial properties, it works very well to help reduce skin inflammation. Ironically, according to research, it helps reduce skin oiliness, especially for people who battle acne.

It also helps with the healing of wounds, itching, and dryness. It’s often very concentrated, however, so always use it with a carrier oil.

These are the chosen soldiers for my face oil mix. I mix them in their different quantities in a skincare bottle and top up every few weeks. It’s a formula that has worked for me for years, and it’s not one I’m letting go of any time soon. It serves as the perfect layer between my moisturiser and sunscreen, adding a perfect finish that feels wonderful on my skin.

 

Author

  • Oluwatobi Afolabi is a writer and editor passionate about shaping African narratives, particularly those pertaining to women. With experience at media houses like Document Women, TechCabal, and Zikoko, she specialises in content strategy, storytelling, and editorial leadership. Her work spans features, digital media, and brand storytelling, crafting impactful content that resonates with diverse audiences. She's currently the Content Editor at Marie Claire Nigeria.

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