If you were stranded on a remote tropical island and could only bring three beauty oils to keep you looking as naturally gorgeous as your surroundings, which would you choose? You’d likely want each one to be remarkably clean and pure, and of course they’d each have to do their part to truly bring out your inner radiance.

With so many wonderful artisan oils to choose from, it can be challenging to decide which are really the best oils for skin, hair, and nails, so we’ve done the research for you! 

Here are our top three, must-have oil picks for head turning beauty, anywhere you happen to be.

1. Chia Seed Oil

The seeds of the Salvia hispanica L. plant (better known as chia) may be a trendy and delicious superfood, but their natural cold-pressed oil is also serious nutrition for your skin. These tiny seeds produce a lovely oil that has an almost perfect ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids and abounds with vital nutrients like protein, B vitamins, carotenoids, calcium, iron, magnesium, polyphenols, zinc, and linolenic acid.¹

Why We Love It:

It encourages a fresh dewy complexion. Omega-3 fatty acids bring deeply hydrating, calming moisture for plump, supple, glowing skin that never feels greasy or oily.² Vitamin B3 and zinc brighten and invigorate to keep your complexion looking luminous, balanced, and even.³ And to maintain your ageless radiance, chia’s unique combination of antioxidants, nutrients, and fatty acids help tighten and tone skin while reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

It helps hair look glossy and luxuriant. Chia seed oil’s protein, vitamins, and zinc help your hair stay shiny, long, strong, and manageable when you work one to three pumps into damp hair, add a few drops to your favorite conditioner, or just smooth a bit on anytime to tame occasional flyaways.

It gives you shiny, healthy nails. Massage a bit of chia seed oil into each nail for deep, spa-like conditioning. 

2. Avocado Oil

Nothing says creamy, natural goodness quite like noshing on an avocado. And while these green fruits might be a staple at your weekly brunch date, eating them isn’t the only way to reap their benefits. Rich, velvety avocado oil is finally getting its shine as a holistic beauty essential, and with good reason. 

This gentle oil with its soft green hue and pleasant nutty scent is made up mostly of healthful oleic acid, but it also contains a powerful blend of skin-pampering nutrients including vitamins A,C,D,E, and K, along with chlorophyll, beta carotene, palmitic acid, lecithin, linoleic acid, and docosadienoic acid.

Why We Love It:

It’s great for cleansing. Forget about harsh facial cleansers that strip away your skin’s natural moisture. Simply massage a dime-sized amount of avocado oil into your face to effortlessly lift away dirt, grime, and makeup—and then wipe away with a warm, damp washcloth.

It’s a rich, gentle moisturizer. Avocado’s luscious blend of essential fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals glides on smoothly and absorbs quickly to lock in hydration and glow with no oily shine. It’s even gentle enough for the delicate tissue around your eyes, where it delivers vitamin K to reduce the appearance of dark circles.⁴

It replaces chemical anti-aging products. Antioxidants and nutrients in avocado oil naturally help reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles for a fresh, smooth complexion.⁵

It helps skin stay calm and comfortable. Avocado oil’s healthy fats and chlorophyll can be your sensitive skin’s new BFF, and numerous studies explore this oil’s potential to help keep your skin looking and feeling its best, both in and out of the sun.^6,7,8

It conditions hair and nails. To keep your locks looking lush, add a drop or two of avocado oil to your regular shampoo or conditioner—or treat yourself to a deep conditioning hot oil treatment by mixing with an equal amount of castor oil, then warming, working into hair, and leaving in for at least 30 minutes. For alluring nails, simply massage a small amount of avocado oil into dry nails and cuticles.

It’s a soothing massage oil that plays well with others. Avocado oil’s silky texture and light, nutty scent make it just right for a relaxing whole body massage. And it’s also a perfect carrier oil for all your favorite essential oils, which alone are too strong to use directly on the skin. To safely enjoy tea tree, frankincense, lavender, and all your other favorite essential oils, just mix a few drops into avocado oil and smooth on freely.

3. Hemp Seed Oil

Can we just take a second to bust a couple of myths regarding one of the most misunderstood skincare botanicals on this planet? Folks often confuse hemp seed oil with marijuana or with cannabidiol (CBD) oil—neither of which is accurate. Hemp seed oil is simply the oil extracted from the seeds of hemp plants (cousins of the plants that produce marijuana). This gentle beauty oil has absolutely no psychoactive effect, and only contains insignificant trace amounts of THC and/or CBD (if any).

What this soft green oil does deliver is a nourishing blend of essential fatty acids, antioxidants, and amino acids along with a warm, nutty fragrance that makes it a relaxing and pleasant treatment for skin, hair, and nails.

Why We Love It:

Deep hydration for all skin types. Hemp seed oil is a safe moisturizing choice, even if your skin is oily or sensitive. It has a comedogenic rating of zero, which means it absolutely won’t clog your pores. And as a “dry oil” with a perfect 3:1 ratio of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, it moisturizes and locks in hydration without any oily residue or shine.⁹

It helps keep skin agelessly gorgeous. Hemp seed oil’s mild astringent properties minimize the appearance of pores, while helping skin look toned and tightened. And its luxurious cocktail of fatty acids, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals make hemp seed oil an excellent choice for helping to bring out the timeless radiance in mature skin.¹⁰

It keeps hair and nails looking great. Hemp seed oil is rich in amino acids and gamma linoleic acid to encourage shine, bounce, and strength in listless locks. Work warm oil into hair and leave in for about 30 minutes—or for everyday conditioning, just mix a drop or two into your shampoo or conditioner. To keep nails looking their best, massage a small amount into nails and cuticles.

Gentle, effective cleansing. To lift away grime, makeup, and excess sebum without stripping natural protective oils, work in a few drops and then place a moist, very warm washcloth over your face and relax for about a minute. (You might even want to put on some soft music or maybe light a scented candle!) Then use a second warm, moist washcloth to effortlessly wipe your face clean.

It’s an excellent carrier oil. Create custom skincare and aromatherapy oils by adding a few drops of your favorite essential oils.

When purchasing any of these must-have oils, be sure to choose pure products like Valentia’s that are ethically sourced, cruelty free, and never contain any synthetic preservatives, colors, parabens, sulfates, or other dangerous additives. When these wonderful oils come packaged in attractive dark amber glass bottles, they’ll stay fresh for years, which can come in handy on that uncharted tropical island—or anywhere else your beautiful journey takes you!

References:

1. Ullah, R., Nadeem, M., Khalique, A., Imran, M., Mehmood, S., Javid, A., & Hussain, J. (2015). Nutritional and therapeutic perspectives of Chia (Salvia hispanica L.): a review. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 53(4), 1750-1758. doi:10.1007/s13197-015-1967-0

2. Jeong, S. K., Park, H. J., Park, B. D., & Kim, I. (2010). Effectiveness of Topical Chia Seed Oil on Pruritus of End-stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Patients and Healthy Volunteers. Annals of Dermatology, 22(2), 143. doi:10.5021/ad.2010.22.2.143

3. Diwakar, G., Rana, J., Saito, L., Vredeveld, D., Zemaitis, D., & Scholten, J. (2014). Inhibitory effect of a novel combination of Salvia hispanica (chia) seed and Punica granatum (pomegranate) fruit extracts on melanin production. Fitoterapia, 97, 164-171. doi:10.1016/j.fitote.2014.05.021

4. Shatalebi, M., & Ahmadraji, F. (2015). Evaluation of the clinical efficacy and safety of an eye counter pad containing caffeine and vitamin K in emulsified Emu oil base. Advanced Biomedical Research, 4(1), 10. doi:10.4103/2277-9175.148292

5. Werman, M. J., Mokady, S., Ntmni, M. E., & Neeman, I. (1991). The Effect of Various Avocado Oils on Skin Collagen Metabolism. Connective Tissue Research, 26(1-2), 1-10. doi:10.3109/03008209109152159

6. De Oliveira, A. P., Franco, E. D., Rodrigues Barreto, R., Cordeiro, D. P., De Melo, R. G., De Aquino, C. M., … Maia, M. B. (2013). Effect of Semisolid Formulation of Persea Americana Mill (Avocado) Oil on Wound Healing in Rats. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013, 1-8. doi:10.1155/2013/472382

7. Stücker, M., Memmel, U., Hoffmann, M., Hartung, J., & Altmeyer, P. (2001). Vitamin B12 Cream Containing Avocado Oil in the Therapy of Plaque Psoriasis. Dermatology, 203(2), 141-147. doi:10.1159/000051729

8. Korać, R., & Khambholja, K. (2011). Potential of herbs in skin protection from ultraviolet radiation. Pharmacognosy Reviews, 5(10), 164. doi:10.4103/0973-7847.91114

9. Siano, F., Moccia, S., Picariello, G., Russo, G., Sorrentino, G., Di Stasio, M., … Volpe, M. (2018). Comparative Study of Chemical, Biochemical Characteristic and ATR-FTIR Analysis of Seeds, Oil and Flour of the Edible Fedora Cultivar Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.). Molecules, 24(1), 83. doi:10.3390/molecules24010083

10. Sapino, S., Carlotti, M. E., Peira, E., & Gallarate, M. (2005). Hemp-seed and olive oils: Their stability against oxidation and use in O/W emulsions. International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 27(6), 355-355. doi:10.1111/j.1467-2494.2005.00290_2.x