Why Botanical Oils Are Better for Your Skin Than Water

1. They Deliver Moisture That Matters

While water is the best thing we can drink to hydrate our bodies, when it comes to skin, water is great for washing—but not so great for providing much needed moisture. Though water often plays center stage in skincare and makeup products, many of the claims surrounding water’s ability to hydrate skin can be misleading. Sure, water may be a main ingredient—but it’s often used as a “filler” ingredient because it’s still viewed as a “cheap” commodity and can serve as a “base” for other ingredients.

Consider how your skin feels when you’ve showered and don’t moisturize afterward. Does your skin tend to feel tight, dry or itchy after a while? That’s because water can actually dehydrate skin by carrying away its oils—and oils keep skin supple, balanced and comfortable.

That’s why, in lieu of water, we love botanical oils in our skincare and waterless beauty products. Botanical oils deliver actual moisturizing benefits to skin, making it radiant from the inside out. Think about all your favorite foods: From olive oil to avocados, the best things we can put in our diet turn out to be some of the best things to put on our skin. As it turns out, botanical oils are a beauty lover’s best-kept secret! They deliver long-lasting moisture that balances skin: Dry skin drinks it up, and oily skin can slow down its own overzealous oil production because it’s getting what it needs from the botanical oils. A win-win!

2. They Up the Ante with Antioxidants

Antioxidants—those free-radical fighters that help protect skin from environmental stressors that can speed up the aging process—are one of the major benefits of using botanical oils on your skin. Sunflower, apricot kernel, jojoba, camellia seed, macadamia nut and avocado oils can be found in our Pinch of Color products in place of water. These oils boast both oleic and linoleic acids that are high in omega-9s and omega-3s to boost antioxidant protection as they moisturize and soften skin. As a bonus, these omegas also help to calm the look of irritated and dry skin while reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

3. Small Molecules Mean They Absorb Easily

For many people, slathering oil onto one’s skin seems completely counterintuitive. They worry they’ll clog their pores or they’ll be left feeling greasy all day. But many botanical oils, including jojoba—which most closely mimics skin’s own sebum—have small molecules that absorb easily into skin, leaving behind only a radiant glow—not grease!

And, because botanical oils don’t rely on waxy fillers or preservatives often found in water-based products, they’re more potent, are more readily accepted by skin and work to penetrate skin instead of sitting on top of it. When using your Pinch of Colour Skin Therapy Waterless Elixir, make sure to apply to clean damp skin to help the oil soak in even faster.

Are you ready to go swap out your water-based products for waterless beauty infused with botanical oils? With benefits like these, your skin—and the Earth’s water supply— is sure to thank you.

Amy Flyntz, Contributing Writer