If you have dry skin, a natural facial oil is often one of the simplest and most effective ways to support your skin barrier.
But confusingly, facial oils are moisturisers…so what people usually mean when they search “facial oil vs moisturiser” is actually facial oil vs face cream. And there’s a very important difference between the two.
Face creams and lotions are made by mixing oils with water (aqua) – indeed it’s the definition of a ‘cream’ or ‘lotion’. Once water is added to a skincare product, emulsifiers are needed to bind the oil and water together, preservatives are needed to stop bacteria and mould growing, and stabilisers and thickeners are usually added to improve texture and shelf life.
Facial oils are different because they contain pure oils without the water or these processing chemicals. That means every drop is actively nourishing the skin rather than being diluted down. For dry or sensitive skin, this can make a really big difference.
What Does a Moisturiser Actually Do?
The role of a moisturiser is to protect and support your skin barrier.
Your skin barrier is the outer protective layer of your skin. When it’s healthy, skin tends to feel soft, comfortable and resilient. When it’s compromised, skin often becomes dry, tight, flaky, irritated or reactive.
The ingredients doing most of the moisturising work in skincare are oils, waxes and lipids which help prevent moisture loss and keep skin comfortable. In addition, natural plant oils can be particularly beneficial for dry skin because many contain fatty acids and antioxidants which help soften, nourish and protect the skin.
What’s the Difference Between a Face Cream and a Facial Oil?
A face cream is an emulsion. In simple terms, this means oil and water mixed together.
Water-based creams became the industry norm because they are inexpensive to manufacture, easy to spread and create a light texture many people enjoy using.
With water-free skincare, you apply the nourishing oils directly rather than diluting them down. And because facial oils do not contain water, they don’t require the emulsifiers, stabilisers and preservatives found in traditional creams and lotions.
Some skins tolerate these ingredients perfectly well. But for dry, sensitive or compromised skin barriers, simpler formulations are often gentler and easier to tolerate.
Are Facial Oils Better for Dry Skin?
In many cases, yes 👍 Dry skin often benefits from oils because oils help strengthen the skin barrier and reduce transepidermal water loss (the process where moisture escapes from the skin).
We talk a lot about waterless skincare here on our blog and on our socials, but still, many people are surprised to discover that most traditional moisturisers are largely made from water. Water can temporarily make skin feel hydrated, but most of the water quickly evaporates leaving skin feeling dry again.
Facial oils work differently because they help seal moisture into the skin barrier.
This is why we always recommend applying facial oil to slightly damp skin rather than completely dry skin. The dampness provides all the hydration your skin can actually absorb, while the oil helps lock that hydration into the skin.
It’s a very simple change but it can completely transform how comfortable dry skin feels.
Are All Face Creams Bad?
Absolutely not 😊 Some people genuinely love creams and lotions and get on brilliantly with them.
But – as we’ve mentioned – if your skin is dry, sensitive, reactive or easily irritated, it’s often worth looking at simpler formulations with fewer processing ingredients.
At Neve’s Bees, we choose not to dilute our skincare with water. Instead, we focus on oils, waxes and all natural, botanical ingredients which actively support dry and sensitive skin.
For us, we believe that skincare should contain ingredients that are there for your skin, not ingredients that are only there to hold water together.
How To Use Facial Oil Properly
One of the biggest mistakes people make with facial oils is applying them onto completely dry skin.
Facial oils work best when applied to slightly damp skin after cleansing. The residual water on your skin helps spread the oil beautifully while the oil seals hydration into the skin barrier. You only need a few drops 😊
A good quality facial oil should leave skin feeling soft, calm and nourished rather than greasy.
So Which Is Better for Dry Skin?
If your skin is dry, sensitive or compromised, switching to a simpler water-free moisturiser can make a really noticeable difference to the comfort and resilience of your skin barrier.
That’s because oils are the ingredients doing most of the moisturising work in traditional creams anyway, and for many people, simplifying their skincare routine is the moment their skin finally starts to feel calmer, softer and more comfortable again.
Julie Macken
After graduating with a Chemistry Degree and subsequent MBA, Julie spent 25 years 'in corporate life' working in Sales and Marketing for companies including Unilever and GSK. Her 'aha moment' came whilst running a marketing workshop in Brazil persuading South Americans to eat plastic-packed frozen chips instead of fresh potato.
Realising there were more fulfilling ways to utilise her skills, Julie founded Neve's Bees a family skincare business – creating a unique range of waterless skincare, using only natural and sustainable ingredients blended with Oxfordshire beeswax, promoting healthy skin and a healthy eco-system. Following a lifelong passion, Julie is also studying part time for a degree in Traditional Herbal Medicine.
Julie lives in Rural Oxfordshire with her husband, 2 children, 3 cats, 4 hens, 5 beehives, 6-acre wildflower meadow…and Bella the Dog.