Skin, hair and nails need a boost? These 6 natural oils will help

Straight from the bottle or jar, these natural oils are excellent, chemical-free emollients and are easy on your purse as well. Natural oils can treat all types of skin, scalp, hair and nail issues, and can rescue dry, distressed skin and resurrect over-processed, frizzy, limp and split-end locks. For those with nail problems, they can help if you have cracked cuticles and brittle nails. Suffering from skin issues? No problem. These natural oils tone, tighten, rejuvenate and preserve healthy skin, scalps and hair

Jojoba Oil

Jojoba oil (grown in Northwestern Mexico, California, and Arizona) contains microelements such as zinc, copper, silicon, iodine, chromium, and vitamins E and B. It closely resembles your own skin sebum and your skin’s own lubricating medium, giving jojoba a natural affinity to the skin and scalp.

It easily absorbs without making the skin feel greasy or tacky and it does not clog pores – hugely important if you suffer from blemish-prone skin as this writer does. It also contains skin-softening properties, as well as the ability to minimise fine lines and wrinkles – another winning quality. You can use this as stand-alone oil or you can add a drop or two to your own creams and body lotions.

Coconut Oil

This is probably the most well known of all our natural oil choices, and a favourite of many. This is the oil that you can quite literally use for almost anything. Whether you have hair, skin or nail conditions, coconut oil is here to act as a best friend and help you out. Coconut oil is sometimes referred to as “the healthiest oil on earth,” which we would fully agree with.

Its essential proteins and capric and lauric acids fight wrinkles, and tone and tighten skin while nourishing healthy hair. It’s also one of the richest source of MCFAs (medium-chain fatty acids) and is easily absorbed by the body, strengthening your skin’s connective tissues therefore also promoting a healthy scalp, and acting as a revitialiser for your dry or damaged hair.

Macadamia Nut Oil

Macadamia nut oil is a light, non-greasy healing and regenerative, stable oil. Macadamia oil reduces wrinkles and dryness. It is a natural moisturiser and emollient (emollients attract and trap moisture from the air). It is light and non-greasy so it is easily absorbed into the hair shaft and skin. It contains proteins, and vitamin E.

The high count of mono-unsaturated fatty acids makes the oil mimic the sebum (naturally produced oil on scalp and skin which protects it from damage). All of these qualities contribute to its reputation as a superb hair and skin treatment, as well as an aid for healing scars, sunburn, wounds and irritations. Other benefits of this particular oil are that it acts as a UV barrier protection from excessive heat, wind, and hair colour oxidation and sun and chemical damage.

Argan Oil

This would be another fairly common natural oil that you can use as part of your skin, hair and beauty routine. Traditionally, argan oil was used extensively in Morocco to treat various ailments, such as dry skin, acne, wrinkles and joint pain.

Hailed as a miracle-worker by celebrities such as actress Eva Mendes, this oil is a plant-based solution that relieves the effects of patchy skin and lacklustre locks, it also is richer than olive oil in vitamin E and is packed full of fatty acids marking it as one of nature’s most effective moisturisers. It helps to revive stressed skin and bring brittle nails back to life too.

Almond Oil

Almond oil, containing vitamins A, B1, B2, B6 and E, is an all-natural beauty treatment for all skin, scalp and hair types. This one also contains anti-ageing properties (yay!) known to naturally and visibly plump, fill and moisturise your skin. While its B6 benefits are known to promote healthy hair growth, its fatty acids and mineral content of magnesium, iron and unsaturated triglycerides provide nourishment to the hair.

It deeply moisturises, soothes inflammation and nourishes skin – resulting in a glowing complexion. For nails, the potassium and zinc in almond oil help improve nail strength, so massage a bit of the oil into your cuticles if they really need some TLC. It can also work to get rid of those tired under-eye bags. Actually, there’s pretty much nothing this oil can’t do.

Grape Seed Oil

The porcelain-skinned beauty that is Emma Stone Swears by this one. This is another oil that can act as a perfect moisturiser. Almost odourless and light in texture the natural product is easily absorbed by the skin and is commonly used as a massage oil. It’s non-greasy and is a great conditioner for hair, skin and nails. It is also able to protect skin from the signs of premature ageing. Sounds good to us.

All the above oils are available in most local pharmacies or health food stores near you. Have you got any other oils you swear by and would you (or have you) tried any of these? Share your oily secrets please!

Main photograph: Jason Llyod-Evans