Oil has gotten a bad rap when it comes to beauty. Women don’t aspire to have oily hair. Oily skin gets blamed for blemishes. Even suntan oil has lost popularity, bringing to mind leather skinned ladies who value skin color over skin health. But the truth is that oil may be just what’s missing from your beauty routine, especially as we age.

Oil is so essential to great skin that even young women are using it, so this is one beauty secret you can pass along to your granddaughters now.

As I mentioned in my Facebook LIVE event about beauty and skincare, I’m a believer in the skin-saving power of pure oils, so this week I’ve gathered the top three ways to incorporate oil into your skincare routine. 

A Trio of Oils to Cleanse Skin

Dermalogica’s Precleanse is a deep cleansing oil that first warmed me to the idea that oil could truly benefit skin of all types.

The olive, kukui and apricot oils in Precleanse melt away sebum, sunscreen, and even waterproof makeup. It’s so gentle, I even use it around my eyes because it effortlessly washes away waterproof makeup.

Plus, thanks to the essential fatty acids in key oil ingredients, Precleanse nourishes skin, leaving it ultra clean and hydrated, but not even the slightest bit ‘oily.’ Get it here.

Pictured: Dermalogica PreCleanse

A Leg Up With Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is ideal for a host of grooming purposes because it improves the moisture and lipid content of skin.

Loyalists swear by coconut oil for everything from conditioning hair to removing makeup, but I’ve found the best use for coconut oil, hands down, is shaving. Purchase unrefined organic coconut oil if possible (it’s sold at most grocery stores) and simply apply it to wet legs.

Massage the oil into the skin to create an emulsion and shave as usual. You’ll be left with the softest, smoothest legs, no razor bumps, and soft, smooth skin afterward… no dry, flaky legs for you! Get it here.

Pictured: Organic Coconut Oil

Lavender Oil Banishes Blemishes

Just when you think you’ve seen it all… pimples after 50 are really a thing! Acne, yes acne, the bane of teenage years, often creeps up again during menopause, typically around the mouth, chin and, jaw, according to the American Academy of Dermatology.

Using oil to combat oil shouldn’t seem crazy; after all, we’ve been told to ‘fight fire with fire.’ But somehow those of us with oily skin seem to want to dry it out rather than slick it up.

Enter Kerstin Florian’s Clarifying Lavender Oil, a skin treatment ideal for acne prone menopausal skin thanks to a 3 percent essential lavender oil concentration. Lavender oil is incredibly effective at nourishing, healing and detoxifying skin while supporting cell regeneration. Sold for $66 at upscale resort and d