This Face Oil Saved My Combination Skin, and It’s Only $10

When I first heard about face oils, I thought the whole concept was a gimmick. How could applying very expensive oil to your skin possibly provide any benefit? Surely skin problems would only be aggravated by heavy, pore-clogging oil. 

Boy was I wrong. After I moved out to the East Coast five years ago, my finicky combination skin absolutely rebelled against the winter weather. As soon as the temperature dips below 40 degrees, my skin goes from balanced and happy to dry, brittle, and often painful—especially on my face. I’ve tried multiple products and have been disappointed by most of them, but after a lot of trial and error (and a little help from a friend), I figured out a solution: Acure Essential Argan Oil.

Buy now: Acure Essentials Argan Oil, $10, Amazon.com

After struggling with annoying combination skin for years, a friend of mine gave me some samples of argan oil from a different skincare company. I tried it and was hooked, right off the bat. Almost overnight, my skin was totally transformed. 

There was just one (well, two) problems: this stuff was super expensive and not widely available in stores. I ran out just in time for my first winter in Maryland. 

After experimenting with a few other types of face oils, including sweet almond oil (too heavy), jojoba oil (not heavy enough), and coconut oil (irritates my skin), I decided to try Acure Essentials Argan Oil. The price was so low that my expectations weren’t high, so I was pretty excited when it worked even better than the pricier oil my friend had given me. It’s also widely available online, as well as at Whole Foods and other grocery store chains. 

Acure’s product is pretty simple: it’s just 100% Moroccan argan oil. Argan oil is prized for its ability to fight the effects of aging, due to its high vitamin E and fatty acid content. Acure’s argan oil is cold-pressed, certified organic, and vegan.

One great quality of face oils in general is the ease of application. There’s no crazy 10-step moisturizing protocol. Every morning, as soon as I get out of the shower, I put one pump of Acure Essentials Argan Oil  in the palm of my hand, rub my hands together, and then massage it into my face. So simple! It’s probably one of my favorite moments of the day, right up there with the first sip of coffee.

One potential downside is that the oil is unscented. However, if you’re looking for a similar item with a bit of fragrance, Acure’s Radically Rejuvenating Rose Argan Oil is also an amazing product. It’s composed primarily of argan oil, with a slight aroma from organic rose oil. 

Acure Essentials also works well as a hand moisturizer, but it isn’t as long lasting as other products I’ve tried. I’ve heard argan oil is a great hair product as well, but I’m pretty sure my very fine hair would be overwhelmed by it. Then again, I thought the same thing about my face, so who knows!

Unlike a lot of other facial moisturizers, Acure Essentials provides balanced moisture all over my face, and I never have to re-apply it during the day. It comes in a small container but lasts a long time—I only have to buy it three or four times a year, even with daily application. Considering the cost of some moisturizers out there, this one is pretty hard to beat.