Best Facial Oils for Winter: Face Oils, Oil Serums and Balms

Cold air holds less moisture than warm air, and indoor heating dries it out even more. That is why skin that behaved all summer suddenly feels tight and looks dull in December. A face oil does one simple job: it seals in the water your skin already has, and it adds a soft glow at the same time. Marula oil, one of the most popular, comes from the nut of the marula tree, which grows across southern Africa, where the fruit and oil have been used for generations.

The first row is pure face oils. Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula is a light, fast-absorbing marula oil. The Ordinary Rose Hip Seed Oil is cold-pressed and simple. Biossance Squalane Oil is made from sugarcane and is the lightest oil here, good even for combination skin. Herbivore Phoenix Facial Oil is a rich, rosy blend for very dry skin. MUTHA Face Oil is loaded with nourishing seed oils and absorbs quickly. Aesop Fabulous Face Oil has a lovely herbal scent. African Botanics Pure Marula Oil is another single-ingredient marula, and Le Prunier Plum Beauty Oil is pressed from plum kernels and smells faintly of marzipan.

A quick test: press two drops onto damp skin after cleansing. If it has sunk in within a few minutes, the oil suits you. If it still sits on the surface, try a lighter one.

An oil serum sits between a serum and an oil. They are lighter than pure oils and usually carry other ingredients, which makes them easy to add to a routine you already have.

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate is a classic overnight oil serum with a lavender scent. fresh Rose & Squalane Deep Hydration serum pairs rose with squalane for a dewy finish. Glossier Futuredew is an oil-serum hybrid that gives a glow and works under makeup. GUERLAIN Abeille Royale Youth Watery Oil is light and watery, as the name says. erborian Skin Therapy is a multi-perfecting night oil serum. Dr. Barbara Sturm Ceramide Drops use ceramides and squalane for dry, sensitive skin. Dezi Skin Pink Nectar is a squalane oil serum in hydrating drops, and Sweet Chemistry Reparative Oil Serum Infusion is made for skin that feels stressed and dry.

Pairing tip: use an oil serum after your water-based serum and before your moisturizer. Oil goes on after water, never before, or it blocks the lighter products.

What I would skip: an oil serum under sunscreen if your skin gets shiny by noon. Keep it for night, when a little extra glow does not matter, and use a lighter moisturizer in the morning.

Some nights, even an oil is not enough. On the coldest days, a face balm or butter is the richest step, a thick layer that protects skin from wind and heating.

ANFISA AN-BALM is a radiant hydra-balm that feels cushiony. Oak Essentials Moisture Rich Balm is plant-based and soothing. Nuxe Rêve de Miel Face Balm is made with honey for very dry skin. alo Magic Multi Balm works on face, lips and hands. First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Rescue Balm uses dimethicone and doubles as a mask. Peter Thomas Roth Water Drench Hyaluronic Balm is a barrier cream made for redness. Avène Moisturizing Melt-in Balm is silky and fast-absorbing, and JOSIE MARAN Whipped Argan Oil Face Butter is a light, whipped texture.

How to use them: apply a balm as the last step at night, over your oil or moisturizer. It seals everything in.

What I would skip: a thick face balm on skin prone to breakouts. It can clog pores. Use it only on the dry areas, like cheeks and around the mouth, and keep your T-zone lighter. A thin layer on the cheeks before a winter walk also helps against wind.

Start with one light oil, like squalane or marula, and press two drops into damp skin at night. If your skin still feels dry, add an oil serum in the morning or a balm on the coldest nights. Always apply oil after water-based products and before a balm. Most dry skin feels better within a week, and it stays softer when the heating is on all day. A humidifier in the bedroom helps too. Face oils are a small step, but in winter they make a real difference to how skin looks and feels. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Lotion for Dry Skin and Eucerin Cream and Richer Moisturizers for Very Dry Skin.