Can you use sunscreen and facial oil together?

Oils are meant to rid the skin of make-up and SPF. Can the two then really be a part of the same skincare routine?

The universe of skincare has its unique ways to surprise you. The moment you think you’ve aced your skincare game there enters a plot twist: A new concept, new trend, or perhaps, an unheard-of fact that proves to be game-changing. The smorgasbord of information and accessibility can quickly result in an influx of mayhem, spurring many questions pertaining to your everyday AM and PM routines. One rather unusual question: Can sunscreen and facial oil be used together? This is a tricky one, almost dilemmatic. If oil is emollient enough to break down make-up and sunscreen, isn’t the two sharing space in the same routine counterintuitive? We turn to the experts who decipher the phenomenon for us.

How different is facial oil from cleansing oil?

In an ideal world, any oil would be an oil but the skincare universe clearly has its own rules. Facial oil and cleansing oil are two different products–albeit with many overlapping ingredients–created for two very distinct purposes. As the names suggest, the former is a leave-on oil that boosts nourishment and glow while the latter is a wash-off oil whose only job is to melt away the most stubborn make-up and sunscreen. “There are no proper studies or evaluations done that can actually show how facial oil interacts with sunscreen or behaves differently than cleansing oils,” shares Dr Madhuri Agarwal, celebrity dermatologist and founder, Yavana Aesthetics.

Elaborating on the baseline difference between both oils, Dr Niketa Sonavane, celebrity dermatologist and founder, Ambrosia Aesthetics, says, “Facial oils are made primarily or entirely of natural oils. They are marketed as skin emollients. Cleansing oils and balms, on the other hand, are primarily composed of natural oils, with the addition of ingredients that aid in emulsification, or the ability to mix with water and rinse off.” Furthermore, Agarwal informs, “Facial oils contain only plant oils with other actives at times, whereas cleansing oils also contain other surfactants that emulsify the make-up and other products applied on the face.” Sonavane summarises it by saying, “While natural oils can be used in double cleansing (followed by a foaming cleanser), cleansing oils cannot be used as emollients (or facial oils).”

What happens when sunscreen and facial oil are used together?

If you’ve exclaimed “The sunscreen will start pilling!” in your head, you’re partially right and partially wrong. “Using facial oil in the daytime is slightly tricky,” admits Sonavane. Of course, it’s not that simple. “Facial oil and sunscreen don’t mix well so I usually do not recommend applying them together,” shares Agarwal.

However, according to Agarwal, “Facial oils don’t have surfactants that could emulsify the sunscreen off the face.” Sangeeta Jain, co-founder of RAS Luxury Oil—a farm-to-face brand that offers an assorted range of facial oils and has also introduced their newest Solaris sunscreen—explains, “If the face oils are used with any other clay-based sunscreen or any products having a high percentage of gelling agents then it may cause pilling.” Jain also sheds light on how the nourishing oils in the Face Elixirs (like rosehip, argan, jojoba and grapeseed oil) and the water-based NMF (Natural Moisturising Factor) ingredients in the sunscreen are compatible and safe when used together. By this, we derive two conclusions: Firstly, the basic compositions of sunscreen and facial oil largely influence their compatibility. Secondly, as Sonavane says, “While facial oils have the potential to degrade your sunscreen or make it less effective, they haven’t been proven to completely erase the traces of sunscreen from your skin.” 

What’s the best way to go about this?

Sonavane demystifies it for us by saying, “If you use a chemical sunscreen (one that includes  ingredients like avobenzone, octinoxate and oxybenzone), apply it before your facial oil to allow it to absorb properly. If you’re using mineral sunscreen (containing ingredients like titanium dioxide and zinc oxide), first apply your facial oil, then wait for 2-3 minutes before applying your sunscreen,” she suggests. Jain, on the other hand, makes a suggestion based on the formulations of her products. “We would recommend using our face elixirs before using our sunscreen, but you must wait for about 5-6 minutes and allow the face oil to get completely absorbed in the skin and then apply the sunscreen,” she says. 

Agarawal is still in favour of restricting facial oil to your nighttime routine. “I recommend using facial oil at night as it has repair properties.” If you still wish to start your day on an uber-glowy note and are keen on wearing them both together, she suggests wearing it when you are not stepping out in the sun and are going to be primarily indoors. However, in case you’re stepping out: “Choose a lighter formulation of facial oil that is absorbed well. Apply it before the sunscreen, leave it for 5-10 minutes until it is well absorbed and then apply the sunscreen,” she advises.

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