Every time I've decided to add a face oil to my skin-care routine has been filled with regrets. They always seem to feel like a pore-clogging layer of pizza grease smeared on my face that I want to wash off minutes after slathering on. My acne-prone skin takes them as the ultimate opportunity to freak out, and whiteheads pop up quicker than I can say, "What have I done?"
So when I received the Kinship Kinskin Oat Ceramide Relief Face Oil, I was skeptical. At first, I didn't even want to take it out of the box in fear that its mere presence in my apartment would make me breakout. However, the clean beauty brand's cofounder and product formulator Christin Powell convinced me to try it on the back of my hand, and I noticed the face oil smells like delicious, fresh peaches. Consider me reeled in.
I pat on just one just two drops before moisturizer, just as Powell recommended for my skin type. Minutes later, the irritation and dryness I've been experiencing due to my antique radiator, staying inside for days at a time, and a hormonal breakout seemed to disappear. My complexion instantly seemed plumper, calmer, and, overall, happier. If I had known I'd see these kinds of results, I would have taken before and after photos.
Cosmetic chemist Jim Hammer even gave Kinskin the all-clear for all skin types. "The natural oils can help dissolve away dirt and sebum and unclog clogged pores that can lead to breakouts," he tells Allure.
The face oil has a velvety soft, dry finish and is so lightweight that Powell colloquially calls it a treatment. For the same reason, California-based board-certified dermatologist Marie Jhin says it's safe for specifically oily and acne-prone skin types. "It's gentle, so it can also help hydrate skin when using acne medicines, which dry it out," she adds.
For these same reasons, quickly after applying Kinskin, I even forgot I had a facial oil on, and my skin didn't feel (or look) greasy at all as the day went on.
Kinskin most likely absorbs quickly into skin thanks to the first item on its ingredient list: sesame seed oil, according to Hammer. Also, it's "high in natural antioxidants, helping to fight free radicals that cause premature aging," he adds.
A bit further down on the list, you'll find oat kernel oil — hence the name, Kinship Kinskin Oat Ceramide Relief Face Oil. The product was originally supposed part of Kinship's debut lineup, but Powell discovered the power of oats while in Sweden and vowed to spike the face oil with the soothing ingredient.
"Oat kernel oil is rich in fatty acids that are similar to those naturally found in the skin," Hammer explains. "It helps to moisturize skin, promote elasticity, and contains tocopherols [aka vitamin E], phospholipids, and omega-6 fatty acids, giving it antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects." Essentially, oat kernel oil is packed with ceramides to help repair your skin barrier, so your skin can retain moisture better.
All of the botanical oils and fruit extracts added to the mix — including, but not limited to, jojoba, rosehip, and sea buckthorn — are cold-pressed to get the most intense nutrients from them while being as sustainable as possible. (Plus, they're poured into a recyclable glass bottle.)
The natural oils and extracts are joined by another star ingredient for protecting skin: tetrahexyldecyl ascorbate, which is a more stable, oil-soluble form of vitamin C. "It helps break down the free radicals that blue light can produce," Jhin says.
With all these benefits in mind, I now look forward to putting this face oil on. Weird, right? You can shop the Kinship Kinskin Oat Ceramide Relief Face Oil starting today, February 2, for $35 on lovekinship.com.
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