The 16 Best Face Oils for a Hydrated Skin and a Glowy Complexion, Per Testers

Best Overall

Le Prunier Plum Beauty Oil

$78 at Amazon View on Credo Beauty $72 at Neiman Marcus

Skin Type: All | Key Ingredients: Polyphenols, omega fatty acids 6 & 9, pro-vitamins A & E | Size: 1 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Le Prunier’s Plum Beauty Oil is proof that sometimes simplicity is best. Plum oil—its powerhouse sole ingredient—is rich in antioxidant polyphenols, nourishing omega fatty acids, and vitamins A and E, helping to condition the skin without overloading it. The pared-back formula is ideal for sensitive skin types (assuming you’re not allergic to plums, of course). Senior Beauty Editor Olivia Hancock loves the lightweight, nongreasy texture of this face oil, noting that it feels nourishing and soothing. The hydrating formula helps restore moisture to her skin, leaving it soft, supple, and glowing. While it may not be sufficient for dry skin types, you can always follow up with a hydrating moisturizer. 

Olivia Hancock, senior beauty editor with dry skin: “I appreciate how intentional the brand is about creating effective formulas with their home-grown ingredients. The Plum Beauty Oil is made with organically grown plums, which are rich with essential fatty acids and vitamins.”

Best Budget

The Ordinary Cold-Pressed Rose Hip Seed Oil

$11 at Amazon $11 at Sephora $11 at Ulta

Skin Type: All | Key Ingredients: Rosa canina seed oil | Size: 1 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Our budget-friendly pick is another one-ingredient wonder, this time from The Ordinary. It’s made from rosehip oil, which helps brighten and even out skin tone and improve elasticity, making it a great choice for mature skin. Because it only contains one ingredient, it plays well with other formulas, adding plenty of hydration on top of retinol or exfoliating AHAs. Our tester describes the formula as “oily in a good way.” Her face was slick when she applied it before bed, but it felt perfectly soft and hydrated by morning. Although the face oil is designed for all skin types, our tester found it too rich for her oily T-zone, as her sunscreen slid right off when applied on top. Note to self: Give this formula plenty of time to absorb.  

Shannon Bauer, former associate editorial director with combination skin: “I noticed pretty immediate moisture and always woke up with my skin feeling soft and smooth.” 

Best for Glowy Skin

Youth to the People Superberry Hydrate + Glow Dream Oil

$49 at Amazon $49 at Sephora $49 at Kohls.com

Skin Type: Normal, dry, combination, oily | Key Ingredients: Omega oil complex, prickly pear extract, acai extract | Size: 1 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

A luminous, glowy complexion is just one step away. Enter: Youth To The People Superberry Hydrate and Glow Dream Oil. This ultra-hydrating oil is formulated with an omega oil complex, prickly pear, and acai extract. The results are a radiant, plump complexion that leaves your skin feeling fully nourished. Plus, it works great layered with makeup (no pilling here) and doesn’t interfere with the rest of your skincare products. While it takes longer than standard oils to fully sink in, we promise the wait is worth it. Get ready to embrace your new glow. 

Shannon Stubbs, associate editor with dry and combination skin: “When applied at night, I wake up with glowier skin that looks bouncy and smooth. I love that I can apply as much as I want without fear of breaking out.” 

Best for Intense Hydration

Bio-Oil Skincare Oil

$24

$22 at Amazon $15 at Ulta $13 at Target

Skin Type: All | Key Ingredients: Chamomile oil, lavender oil, vitamins E and A | Size: 2 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

There’s a reason so many women use Bio-Oil to help prevent stretch marks during pregnancy; it’s famous for being ultra-hydrating yet still lightweight. The formula boasts a slew of nourishing oils to help condition the skin, including soothing chamomile, calendula, and rosemary. Our tester loved the smooth, thin consistency of the product, which felt dewy and light on his skin. Although it absorbed quickly with no residue left behind, he preferred to use it as the final step in his evening skincare regimen. By morning, his complexion was moisturized and radiant. 

Mikey, tester with combination skin: “Over time, the face oil improved my skin’s overall hydration, too. I used the face oil at night before bed, and it allowed me to wake up in the morning with a soft glow and radiant finish.”

Best for Dry Skin

Merit Great Skin Instant Glow Serum

$42 at Sephora

$42

$38 at Meritbeauty.com

Skin Type: Normal, dry, combination, oily | Key Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, cacao seed extract | Size: 0.5, 1.69 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Quench your skin’s thirst with the Merit Beauty Great Skin Instant Glow Serum. This gem is formulated with a blend of skin-loving ingredients that pack a hydrating punch. Infused with hyaluronic acid to moisturize, niacinamide to brighten and even out texture, and cacao seed extract to give your skin that plump, bouncy look, this nongreasy oil instantly melts into your skin. It’s great on its own for rejuvenating your skin or as a prep for a glass skin base. While the formula is a bit runny, it provides a gloss-like layer of moisture that’s sure to improve any dryness and bring that lovely buoyancy back to your skin. 

Derek Deng, associate content editor with combination skin: “This bi-phase serum from Merit is truly glass skin in a bottle. I reach for it whenever I’m feeling a dewier look—it adds this beautiful, nongreasy sheen to the skin that makes you look like you just got the most rejuvenating facial.” 

Best for Sensitive Skin

Well People Plant Elixir Replenishing Botanical Facial Oil

$35

$25 at Ulta $25 at Macy's

Skin Type: All skin types | Key Ingredients: Chia, broccoli, and meadow seed oil | Size: 1 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

The Well People Plant Elixir Replenishing Botanical Facial Oil is our top pick for sensitive skin. The gentle formula blends together chia, broccoli, and meadow seed oils to transform your skin one drop at a time. The formula itself is slightly more viscous than other facial oils we’ve tried, but fortunately, it can be combined with your go-to moisturizer to help thin it out. Whether you use it with your gua sha to promote lymphatic drainage or lather it on at night alone, you can rest assured knowing your skin won’t break out in irritation. 

Lauren Pardee, associate editorial director with combination and dry skin: “I have been using this product for about a year now—it’s my go-to for gua sha and just for refreshing my skin when it feels dull. Like any oil, it feels slightly heavy on the skin, but it truly never clogs my pores or causes breakouts.”

Best for Mature Skin

MARA Algae + Moringa Face Oil

$72 at Amazon $72 at Sephora $40 at Themarabeauty.com

Skin Type: Mature | Key Ingredients: Algae, moringa, watermelon | Size: 0.5, 1.8 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Mature skin needs a little extra TLC, and this face oil aspires to provide just that. It’s enriched with antioxidant-packed, moisturizing moringa oil and a proprietary algae blend crafted to smooth fine lines and wrinkles. The product spreads nicely with an aloe-like texture that’s easily absorbed and never feels oily. Our tester loved the hydrating, brightening effects of this oil so much that she felt completely comfortable stepping out without a scrap of makeup on her face. It even helped fade areas of hyperpigmentation, leaving her skin supple and glowing. 

Samantha, tester with mature, sensitive skin: “The darkness around my mouth and chin lessened and I do think this face oil can take credit for that. I feel like this face oil did the darn thing and not only made my face feel better, but actually look better as well.” 

Best Nourishing

Summer Fridays Heavenly Sixteen All-in-One Face Oil

$55 at Amazon $55 at Sephora $55 at Kohls.com

Skin Type: All | Key Ingredients: Meadowfoam, hemp, and rosehip oil | Size: 1 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

This quenching, nourishing formula contains a blend of 16 noncomedogenic oils, and it feels like an instant pick-me-up for the skin. Our tester loved how smoothing and hydrating it felt, as well as how easily it absorbed. Unlike other face oils she’s tried, this one layered well under makeup, giving her a lovely glow on days when she was feeling tired or just plain “blah.” Although she liked its “neutral nutty” scent, others might not be so keen. 

Lauren, tester with sensitive/combination skin: “Immediately after using this face oil, my skin would get a glow. This is likely because it adds a quick, intense layer of hydration. I often use face oils for this purpose, especially on mornings when I look tired, or my skin appears dull.” 

Best With Retinol

Cosrx The Retinol 0.5 Oil with Super Vitamin E + Squalane

$27

$22 at Amazon $24 at Ulta $27 at Nordstrom

Skin Type: Mature | Key Ingredients: Squalane, retinol, soybean oil | Size: 0.67 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

Retinol is a powerful radiance-boosting and fine-line-smoothing ingredient, but it can initially cause the skin to become dry and flaky. By combining it with hydrating squalane and soothing vitamin E, this pick aims to counter any potential irritation. Our tester loved the light, thin consistency of the oil, which never felt overly greasy. It took up to an hour for the formula to fully absorb, so it’s best to apply it right before bed. However, on occasions when she used it in the morning, it layered surprisingly well underneath makeup. Our tester noticed her skin felt hydrated and elasticity improved, although it didn’t make a huge difference to her forehead lines. What really set the oil apart, in our tester’s opinion, is the healthy glow it imparted. “I haven’t been able to replicate it with any other product,” she said. 

Ashley, tester with combination skin: “It provides my dry skin with nourishment and moisture. My skin elasticity improved slightly.” 

Best for Acne-Prone Skin

Sunday Riley U.F.O. Salicylic Acid BHA Acne Treatment Face Oil

$40 at Sephora View on Dermstore $40 at Kohls.com

Skin Type: Oily, combination, normal | Key Ingredients: 1.5% Salicylic acid, tea tree oil, black cumin seed oil | Size: 0.5, 1.8 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If you struggle with acne, it may seem counterintuitive to slather an oily product on your skin, but this dry oil was specifically formulated with clarifying tea tree and exfoliating salicylic acid to help treat breakouts while gently moisturizing the skin. Our tester appreciated that the mid-weight oil was easy to spread and layered well with other skincare products. It made her skin feel hydrated and fully absorbed in an hour or two, without feeling too heavy or greasy. Immediately after application, her skin became noticeably more radiant—so much so that she often skipped makeup on certain days—and her complexion continued to improve daily. Although our tester’s skin isn’t particularly oily, this pick did help clear some bumpy breakouts along her chin.  

Cullen, tester with normal/dry skin: “I feel as though my skin has looked better and better. The bumps around my chin don’t feel as prevalent as they did when I started using the face oil.”

Best for Layering

Tata Harper Retinoic Nutrient Face Oil

$132 at Amazon $132 at Nordstrom $132 at Bluemercury.com

Skin Type: All | Key Ingredients: Rosehip seed oil, olive fruit oil, jojoba oil, apricot kernel oil | Size: 1 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

There’s nothing more annoying than painstakingly applying your favorite beauty elixirs and then noticing they’re starting to pill. That wasn’t an issue with this oil from Tata Harper, which our tester used as the final step in her morning skincare routine. Not only did it pair nicely with her other products, but it also made a great base for makeup, adding a dewy finish to her favorite foundation. It’s a thin oil, and a little goes a long way, so the best approach is to pat it on with your fingertips. Once applied, our tester says her skin looked radiant and felt hydrated throughout the day.

Ashley, tester with combination skin: “My makeup applied nicely when it was worn under my foundation, as long as I did not apply too much oil. My skin looked more radiant with the oil than without.”

Best Under Makeup

Herbivore Lapis Blue Tansy Face Oil for Oily & Acne-Prone Skin

$58 at Amazon $88 at Sephora View on Herbivorebotanicals.com

Skin Type: Oily/blemish-prone | Key Ingredients: Blue tansy, kukui nut oil, jojoba oil | Size: 0.3, 1, 1.7 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

The slippery texture of face oil may not create the best canvas for applying makeup in most cases, but this formula from Herbivore might just be the exception. It gave our tester’s complexion a glow that made his base makeup look perfectly dewy. The lightweight, bright blue formula was easy to spread and delivered deep hydration. His skin reacted well to the product, and he noticed improvements in its texture with consistent use. 

Saleam, tester with normal-combination skin: “It works under makeup by adding a natural-looking glow as a base before applying foundation or a skin tint. It does add a noticeable radiance to the skin without looking like you’ve just applied heavy oil to your face.” 

Best Moisturizing

Ole Henriksen Hydrabarrier Peptide Face Oil

$60 at Sephora $60 at Ulta

$58

$41 at Olehenriksen.com

Skin Type: All | Key Ingredients: Peptides, elderberry oil, ceramides | Size: 1 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

A damaged skin barrier can cause all kinds of havoc for your complexion, and it’s not always the easiest issue to fix. Enter Ole Henriksen’s Hydrabarrier Nourishing Peptide Face Oil, which soothes, plumps, and hydrates with its cocktail of peptides, ceramides, and Scandinavian berry oils (cloudberry, lingonberry, and elderberry). Our tester loved how lightweight and quick-absorbing the formula was (although it is very liquidy, and will drip down your face if you don’t work it into your skin quickly). She loved the formula’s nongreasy feel and the fact that it layered nicely with sunscreen once completely dried down. With consistent use, her skin was noticeably more glowy, deeply moisturized, and super soft. As someone with sensitive skin, she also appreciated that the oil wasn’t heavily fragranced.

Cher Checchio, senior copy editor with dry, sensitive skin: “Immediately after application, my skin looked visibly brighter and more radiant. I noticed that it also felt more hydrated. After consistent weekly use, I didn’t notice any irritation—only more moisturized, softer skin.”

Best Nongreasy

Experiment Buffer Jelly Facial Oil-Gel

$32 at Amazon $32 at Sephora $32 at Urban Outfitters

Skin Type: All | Key Ingredients: Açai sterols, ceramide NP, jojoba, squalane, safflower oil | Size: 1 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

The greasy consistency of some face oils can be off-putting, but this jelly-like formula surprised our tester by being both thick and easily absorbed. It locks in moisture with ceramides and a nourishing, noncomedogenic blend of jojoba, squalane, and safflower oils, making it a great pick for the slugging step of your evening routine. Our tester found the hefty texture tricky to spread, but once applied it quickly soaked into her skin, creating a dewy-looking yet matte-to-the-touch finish. While the product had a slight tacky residue, it left no greasy marks on her sheets or pillows, and she woke up with radiant, hydrated skin. She also appreciated how soothing the oil was; her complexion was noticeably calmer and softer with regular use. 

Erica, tester with normal-to-dry skin: “Immediately after application, this oil gives you a slight glow and a soft dewiness. I started waking up with fewer dry areas every morning, especially around my lips, nose, and forehead.”

Best for Gua Sha

Elemis Superfood Facial Oil

$75 at Amazon $72 at Sephora View on Elemis.com

Skin Type: Dry, combo, normal skin | Key Ingredients: Flaxseed oil, daikon radish, broccoli seed oil | Size: 0.5 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

If your complexion skews dry and dehydrated like our tester’s, this ultra-nourishing face oil helps restore moisture fast. The lightweight formula is enriched with a blend of antioxidant-packed oils to boost suppleness and elasticity. Our tester applied five to six drops to her face and neck before bed (any more than that and her skin still felt slick upon waking), and by morning her skin was impressively smooth and hydrated. She did notice a little redness and irritation on her rosacea patches, but the sensitivity seemed to improve over time. Although it has a strong herbal scent that our tester found a little overpowering, she appreciated the spa-like experience of using this oil with her gua sha tool.

Kate, tester with dry, sensitive and rosacea: “I loved how it enhanced my skin’s radiance and helped create a smoother, softer texture thanks to the blend of antioxidant-rich superfood oils.”

Best Anti-Aging

Farmacy Honey Grail Ultra-Hydrating Face Oil

$52 at Amazon $52 at Sephora $52 at Ulta

Skin Type: All | Key Ingredients: Honey, sea buckthorn oil, 5-flower oil blend | Size: 1 oz | Cruelty-Free: Yes

One whiff of this luxurious oil and you’ll guess the star ingredient: soothing, nourishing, antimicrobial honey. Our tester said this face oil was a treat to use—and not just because of its good-enough-to-eat scent. It glided over her skin effortlessly, wrapping it in hydration and leaving it feeling nourished and cared for. While the formula was a little heavy to sit comfortably under makeup, incorporating it in her nighttime routine helped fortify her skin barrier, leaving her complexion hydrated and dewy. It even seemed to soften her fine lines, giving her skin a smoother appearance.  

Esme, tester with combination skin and fine lines: “I loved that it left an immediate dewy effect, smoothing the skin’s appearance and helping reduce fine lines. My skin felt insanely hydrated while using this oil and it even helped remedy some skin barrier issues I’ve been having.”