The Face Oil That Cleared Up My Skin

Face oils get a bad rap among people with acneic skin. The logic goes like this: "If my skin is already oily, why would I put even more oil on it?" We now know that belief has been roundly dismissed by the skin-care industry, but many are still afraid to try oils. But after giving Uma's Ultimate Brightening Face Oil a shot, I can vouch for the benefits firsthand. It has routinely helped my occasional breakouts clear up almost immediately — so much so that it's found a place in my regular skin-care regimen. The oil is a heady mix of skin-helping extracts. Orange and neroli essential oils stimulate rapid cell turnover and even out skin tone. It's also packed with frankincense essential oil, which is an ancient anti-inflammatory ingredient — and one that I think is key to this product's breakout-fighting powers. Acne is a type of inflammation — and the frankincense targets it head-on.

Before I started using Uma’s brightening oil, my zits would stick around for days — sometimes weeks. I’d tend to get the same three whiteheads on my chin that would become inflamed and pus-filled no matter what I did. But since I started using this oil, I’ve been seeing fewer flare-ups. And the ones I do get rarely turn into whiteheads, and are typically cleared up in a matter of days. My zits are also easier to cover up, making me a much happier camper.

Bonus: This stuff absorbs super-quickly. One of the major gripes about oils is that they can feel heavy and mask-like, especially in the summer. But this one has a pomegranate-oil base, which is thin and seamlessly sinks into the skin, ensuring it won't sit on your face and feel sticky. Pomegranate oil is also chock-full of antioxidants. I typically use this formula as the second-to-last step in my morning skin-care regimen, right before my sunscreen. I put a few drops on my palms, rub them together, and gently press the oil all over my skin. Aside from the acne-clearing benefits, I see a brightness and luminosity to my face that wasn't there before — I've even started noticing when I forget to use it. While the price is on the steep side, the benefits (and the fact that all the ingredients are grown on Uma's very own farm, vegan, and cruelty-free) make it worth it to me. Do you have a miracle skin oil? Let us know in the comments below. Uma Oils Ultimate Brightening Face Oil, $150, available at Uma Oils.

The grown-up guide to dealing with acne. Read more from The Acne Diaries here.