Petro, you know it has experienced when something changes. Usually the first alarm bell comes from the smell. If it is rancid or simply different, it means it’s going bad.

Yulia, yes you can totally use oils alone without a moisturiser at night.

Some oils can dehydrate your skin tbut that depends on the type of oil you use and weather it agrees with your skin type. Some oils are better for oily skin while others are godsends for dry skin so you want to make sure you’re using one suitable for your needs. In my opinion, it is best to use a product with a mixture of different oils. Each oils has its own unique properties so using a combination will give you the best of different worlds.

Lucy, thanks for your kind words. So glad you love my blog. 🙂

I understand your decision to go down the natural route, but natural isn’t always best. You can read my thoughts about that here: http://www.beautifulwithbrains.com/best-organic-skincare-products/

Going down the natural route, as you discovered, is particularly tricky for oily skin because most natural substances are rich oils or butters that can clog pores. Another thing no one tells is that plants are made up of tens of thousands of compounds, some of which give them their moisturizing, antioxidant and soothing properties, while others are irritating. That’s cos all plants contain toxins to protect themselves from predators. When you use a plant extract or oil you get everything – the good and the bad – so you need to do more research to figure out which plants are higher in goodies and lower in the bad guys and which ones are more suitable for your skin type. This may be the reason why your skin is becoming more sensitive.

For oily skin, I’d recommend jojoba oil. It’s the oil that most resembles human sebum so it shouldn’t cause any side effects (unless you use too much). Tea tree oil is great for blemishes but, frankly, I would use it only as a spot treatment. It’s too harsh for use all over the face. That’s why it’s found only in trace amounts in most skincare products. The Body Shop Tea Tree Overnight Lotion is the perfect example. It contains only a drop of tea tree oil instead of the 5% concentration you need to fight blemishes. Don’t bother with it. Same for the toner. There’s barely a drop of aloe vera in there! The cleansing oil, instead, is good.

I also wouldn’t limit myself just to natural products. An exfoliant with salicylic acid (BHA) is the best thing to keep the pores clear and both prevent and treat breakouts. The key is to choose a leave-in exfoliant as SA works best when left on the skin for hours. Pick one that has at least 1% SA.

Hope this helps.

Loving your blog – you talk about everything i’m interested in – i just wish i could find something that works for me!

I am super confused with my skincare. I decided i would start dedicating more time to researching and looking at more organic products so i avoided the harsh chemicals but it feels like a minefield!

I wouldn’t say i have acne but i have a new blemish everyday and its so frustrating. I have always religiously taken my makeup off and am now using oils to do that (cleanse). I tried coconut oil as everyone was raving about it, which was an awful decision for my skin with a comedogenic rating of 4, so i then tried argan oil and i also use rose water as a toner but i’m still finding i wake up every day with either a blemish or bumps and i don’t understand whats causing it. i’ve tried a tea tree oil toner, diluting it to 1 part for every 9 parts of water to avoid and irritation but that still stings my skin.

Generally i have combination/spot prone skin but i feel it is getting more sensitive the more i try things that don’t work but i keep changing because products aren’t working or are making my skin worse! Next i am planning on trying The Body Shop camomile cleansing oil, The Body Shop aloe vera toner and The Body Shop tea tree overnight lotion – whats your thoughts on these?

If you could offer any suggestions i would hugely appreciate! I usually aim for affordable and as natural/organic as possible. I’m trying so hard to find something that works because i am going travelling in a few months so i need something really simple but effective and also ingredients/products i can get abroad, which is obviously tricky!