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Despite what you may think, face oils are actually a great moisturizer for all skin types. Even those with oily skin can benefit from incorporating one into their routines since they can help balance skin's moisture levels and regulate sebum production. And though these typically tiny bottles are often accompanied by hefty price tags, many of the best drugstore face oils work just as well as their higher-end counterparts.
It's important, though, to figure out which oil your specific skin type will benefit from the most. Argan oil, for example, isn't recommended for oily skin, because the molecules are so large, which means it might clog your pores. But it's a great choice for dry skin, because those large molecules act as a barrier that traps moisture. For oily skin, gel-oils are a popular choice since they're hydrating but noncomedogenic.
You should apply your face oil as the last step in your skin-care routine (after serum and moisturizer) to seal everything in. Also with oils, a little product goes a long way, otherwise, you might wind up feeling greasy. With most formulas, a drop or two is all you should need.
Below, find six of the best affordable face oils you can buy online.
1The Best Drugstore Face Oil For Smooth, Bright, Even Skin
If you're just starting out with face oils, this Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula Skin Therapy Oil For Face is a great choice. A blend of oils and cocoa butter moisturize and soften skin, but this formula takes things ever further in the regenerative department with the help of retinol. Retinol promotes skin cell turnover, which can improve uneven tone and texture, and this oil also contains vitamin C which is known for its brightening abilities. Combined, these two ingredients can help fade hyperpigmentation and encourage a clearer, more radiant glow.
Because this oil contains retinol, which can make skin more photosensitive, you might want to start by just using it at night, and if you do use it during the day, always apply SPF in the morning.
2The Best Drugstore Face Oil With SPF
This innovative formula from L'Oréal gives you your daily sun protection in the form of an oil — pretty cool, TBH. The Hydra-Nutriton SPF 30 Facial Oil contains a sumptuous blend of eight oils that moisturize, hydrate, and deliver a dewy, but not shiny, glow. People with dark skin are particular fans, since unlike most traditional sunscreens, it doesn't leave any sort of white cast behind.
"I still can't believe this is sunscreen. It absorbs so well into the skin. I have normal to dry skin and it keeps me moisturized," shares one reviewer. Another notes, "It does not leave your face greasy or clog your pores. It feels really good when you put it on and your skin soaks it up."
3The Best Drugstore Face Oil For Very Dry Skin
For dry, flaky faces, there's no better face oil than Physicians Formula Argan Wear Argan Oil. It's made with 100 percent argan oil, an intensely nourishing oil that moisturizes skin, though you can also use it in your hair or add it to your conditioner to help repair damage and dry ends. Try using it as a cuticle oil, too — the options are pretty endless. When used on your face, it can help fade signs of damage and even out skin tone and texture. This formula also has just a touch of shimmer in it, resulting in a complexion that looks sun-kissed and glowy.
4The Best French Pharmacy Face Oil
For a French drugstore option, try Vichy's Neovadiol Elixir Oil Face Serum. This little golden bottle is packed full of ingredients that are great for skin: omegas which help replenish lost lipids; shea butter, for hydration; and safflower oil, an emollient that softens skin. It also contains the brand's signature mineral water, which has soothing and naturally restorative properties. Reviewers love that it's particularly lightweight and non-greasy, comparing its texture to "velvet" and hailing it as a "dry oil." Overall, this is a wonderful option for all skin types.
5The Best Drugstore Face Oil For Oily Skin
If you've got oily skin, you have to be more careful about the oils you choose for your face. One of the best affordable picks out there is CeraVe's Skin Renewing Gel Oil, a unique hybrid that feels like a lightweight gel, but offers the moisturizing benefits of an oil. It contains a combination of five ceramides that work to hydrate and repair skin, and the formula is fragrance-free, fast-absorbing, and noncomedogenic. Dry skin types can also benefit from this oil, since it's so intensely nourishing.
6The Best Drugstore Primer & Oil Duo
A bi-phase formula, like Aveeno's Positively Radiant MaxGlow Serum + Primer, is a great option for all skin types. It suspends two different oils in a soy- and kiwi-based complex, meaning you need to blend them by shaking the bottle before application. This is less of a traditional oil than the other products on this list, but it offers similar moisturizing benefits and is even better for prepping skin for makeup application. The results? A smooth, illuminated complexion that looks healthy and bright. Bonus points for being noncomedogenic and free of parabens and phthalates.
