How to Choose the Right Body Oil for Your Skin Type

Why Body Oil Works Better Than Lotion (And What's Actually Moisturizing Your Skin)

Like most of my millennial friends, I grew up using St. Ives and Jergens lotions. They worked — or at least they seemed to turn my scaly, dry, Canadian winter legs into something closer to what I saw in the commercials. And I never really questioned what was in them.

What I know now, that I didn't know then is that the ingredients actually moisturizing my skin were the plant butters and oils inside the formula.

If you look at almost any lotion ingredient list, the first thing you'll usually see is water. After that comes the structure of the formula — emulsifiers, stabilizers, preservatives, and fragrance, often including ingredients like polysorbates, BHT, parabens, or undisclosed fragrance components such as phthalates — and hidden among them are the true hero ingredients like shea butter (Butyrospermum parkii), sweet almond oil (Prunus amygdalus dulcis), jojoba oil (Simmondsia chinensis), or coconut oil (Cocos nucifera).

These plant oils are usually what's actually helping your skin feel soft — but they're only part of the formula.

Many conventional lotions also include petroleum-based ingredients such as mineral oil (Paraffinum liquidum) or petrolatum, which help create a smooth texture and prevent moisture loss, but don't offer the same nutrient value as plant oils and are derived from crude oil, a non-renewable resource.

When you strip away the water, the emulsifiers, the preservatives, and the synthetic fragrance, what's left doing the real work is usually the same kinds of plant oils and butters that have been used in skincare for centuries. When you start looking into the history of skincare, you see the same ingredients come up again and again. Camellia oil used by Japanese geishas to keep their skin and hair smooth, black seed oil used in ancient Egypt, olive oil in Mediterranean traditions, and rich seed oils and butters used in herbal and folk remedies long before modern cosmetics existed.

These weren't complicated formulas. They were simple plant oils, chosen because they worked.

Somewhere along the way, as skincare became more about convenience, long shelf life, and mass production, those simple ingredients got buried under layers of stabilizers, fillers, and synthetic fragrance. The focus shifted toward products that could sit on a shelf for years, travel easily, and feel the same every time — even if that meant moving further away from the kinds of ingredients people had trusted for generations.

Many people looking for natural skincare today are simply trying to get back to those same kinds of simple, plant-based ingredients that were used long before modern lotions became the norm.

Body oil is simply removing those extra ingredients and focusing on what actually benefits the skin.

The oils I've chosen for our custom body oil formulations were selected for their quick absorption, nutrient density, and skin feel. All of our base oils are considered dry oils that work well for most skin types, and the enhancer oils are more luxurious, nutrient-rich oils often reserved for facial skincare — but I say, why not nourish your entire body with that same level of care?

Because these oils absorb quickly and don't rely on synthetic fillers, they tend to work well for dry skin, sensitive skin, and anyone trying to simplify their skincare routine.

What Is a Base Oil? How to Pick the Right One for Your Skin

Once you strip skincare down to simple plant oils, the next thing you realize is that not all oils feel the same on the skin. Some absorb quickly, some sit heavier, some feel silky, and some feel more protective.

That's why every custom body oil at Jaded starts with a base oil.

The base oil makes up most of the blend and determines how the oil feels when you put it on — how fast it absorbs, how light or rich it feels, and how well it works for your skin type. I chose the base oils in our lineup very intentionally. All of them are considered dry oils, meaning they absorb well and don't leave you feeling greasy, which makes them ideal for everyday use.

Because these oils absorb quickly and don't rely on synthetic fillers, they tend to work well for dry skin, sensitive skin, and anyone trying to simplify their skincare routine.

• Coconut MCT is the lightest of the three and works really well for people who don't like the feeling of oil but still want the benefits.
• Jojoba is the closest to the skin's natural oil, which makes it a great place to start if you're not sure what to choose.
• Camellia feels a little more nourishing but still absorbs beautifully — this is one of my favourites for that soft, smooth skin feel.

Once the base oil is chosen, that's where the enhancer oils come in — the richer, more nutrient-dense oils that take the blend from simple to luxurious.

Best Nourishing Oils for Skin: How Enhancer Oils Change the Blend

Once the base oil is chosen, the next step is adding what I call enhancer oils.

These are richer, more nutrient-dense oils used in smaller amounts to boost the blend. They're packed with beneficial fatty acids and antioxidants that help soften the skin, support the skin barrier, and give that smooth, healthy glow commonly reserved for facial products. Because they're more concentrated, they add extra nourishment and make the final blend feel more like skincare than just a basic body oil. And since the rest of your skin goes through the same dryness, cold weather, and daily wear as your face, it only makes sense to use the same quality ingredients everywhere.

Each of these oils brings something different to the blend beyond just how it feels on the skin.

• Meadowfoam oil is known for its unusually stable fatty acid profile, rich in long-chain fatty acids that help support the skin barrier and prevent moisture loss while still feeling light.
• Marula oil is high in oleic acid and antioxidants, which makes it especially good for softening the skin and improving elasticity, and is one of the reasons it's often used in facial serums.
• Castor oil has a very different structure, with a high ricinoleic acid content that makes it thicker, more protective, and deeply conditioning, which is why it works well for very dry skin or harsh weather.

In general, these enhancer oils contain higher levels of beneficial fatty acids like omega-9 and omega-6, along with naturally occurring antioxidants that help support the skin's lipid barrier. This is the same reason oils like these are commonly used in facial skincare — they help the skin stay soft, resilient, and less prone to dryness without relying on synthetic fillers.

Fragrance vs Essential Oils: Why Ingredient Transparency Matters

On an ingredient list, fragrance is usually listed as fragrance or parfum, which sounds harmless but can actually represent a mixture of many different chemicals. Because fragrance formulas are considered trade secrets, companies are not required to list the individual ingredients inside them. A single parfum ingredient can legally stand in for dozens or even hundreds of compounds.

These can include things like phthalates, synthetic musks, solvents, and preservatives, some of which are known to cause irritation or sensitivity, especially for people with dry or reactive skin. Not every fragrance is harmful, but the lack of transparency makes it hard to know exactly what you're putting on your body.

For people trying to simplify their skincare or avoid unnecessary additives, fragrance is often one of the first ingredients they choose to reduce.

At Jaded, body oils are scented only with pure essential oils, and always at a low dilution of about 1%, which is considered a safe level for body products. This keeps the scent light, natural, and customizable, without overpowering the formula or adding ingredients your skin doesn't need.

Because each blend is made to order, you can choose exactly what you want — fresh, floral, grounding, or no scent at all.

If you're new to body oils, it doesn't have to be complicated. The oils I use in our custom blends were chosen because they're easy to work with and suitable for most skin types, so it's hard to make a bad combination. If you're not sure where to start, here are a few simple combinations based on what your skin needs and how you like to use your body oil.

Which Body Oil Combination Is Right for You?

Still unsure?

Everyone's skin is different, but these are good starting points. If you're not sure what would work best for you, I'm always happy to help you choose a combination that fits your skin and your routine.

You can text, email, DM, or call — whatever's easiest.