Is It Dry Skin? Dehydrated Skin? Or An Autoimmune Skin Condition Like Eczema? * Wild As The Wind Essential Oils

9th September 2026

Is It Dry Skin? Dehydrated Skin? Or An Autoimmune Skin Condition Like Eczema?

It is difficult to distinguish between dry and dehydrated skin because the outward appearance of your skin is usually very similar, despite very different underlying causes.

This article will help you discern whether you have dry or dehydrated skin. It will also explain the best approach to returning your skin to a more sumptuous, healthy and youthful condition.

It will also help you to differentiate between less severe skin conditions, like dry and dehydrated skin, and the more complex autoimmune skin conditions, like eczema and psoriasis, where skin dryness is a symptom.

What Is The Difference Between Dry & Dehydrated Skin?

Dry skin is caused by insufficient natural oil, (also called sebum), in the skin.

Conversely, dehydrated skin is a condition that is caused by insufficient moisture / water in the skin.

Is Crepey Skin A Dry Skin Condition?

Dry skin is a feature of crepey skin. However, crepey skin is a skin condition prompted by ageing, rather than a dry skin condition. Nevertheless, severe dryness can make crepey skin look and feel much worse.

Crepey skin has a thin texture, and is like crinkled crepe paper in appearance. It develops due to the structural loss of the skin. As we age we lose collagen and elastin, the fibres that keep skin firm and smooth, leading to thinner crepey looking skin.

Learn more here: Crepey Skin

Are Autoimmune Skin Conditions Dry Skin Conditions?

Whilst dry skin is a symptom of eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis, they remain much more complex skin conditions than dry and dehydrated skin.

This is because eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis are chronic, inflammatory autoimmune conditions with complex precursors.

However, these conditions respond well to the carrier oils and essential oils recommended in this post, so please read this post in full before following the link provided below.

Quite a few of the individual carrier oil write-ups in this post directly reference eczema and psoriasis. However, all of the oils listed would be beneficial, so hopefully the information provided here will inspire you to do more of your own research. 

Please note, whilst carrier oils and essential oils can help to reverse things like hyperpigmentation, scarring, and dryness, and can also reduce swelling, itching, soreness and discomfort, they cannot address the fundamental underlying issues that cause autoimmune skin conditions

You can learn more about the root causes of autoimmune skin conditions by following the link below:

Are Eczema & Psoriasis & Dermatitis Dry Skin Conditions?

Do You Have Dry Or Dehydrated Skin?

If your skin makes too little natural oil it will feel rough, flaky, and often itchy, especially at certain times of the year. Extreme weather conditions can exacerbate dry skin conditions.

However, dry skin, caused by insufficient sebum, will be a persistent issue all year round. Seasonal flare-ups will simply make dry skin more noticeable, usually because it makes it more uncomfortable.

In winter months, for example, dry skin can chap and become very sore. It also means that wearing clothes can feel abrasive, and touching things with dry hands can sometimes be painful.

Dehydrated skin, by contrast, is a result of your body losing too much water, which can happen to people of all skin types, even those with oily skin.

Dehydrated skin feels tight, looks dull, and shows fine lines easily.

How To Fix Dry & Dehydrated Skin?

The first thing to do to repair dry and dehydrated skin is to restore skin barrier function. There are a good number of natural oils which are excellent for this.

*Please note: natural oils are also known as carrier oils.

***I have listed some of the best natural oils and essential oils for restoring skin barrier function in the following sections of this article.

It is vital to restore skin barrier integrity as the first step, because a broken barrier lets in irritants, that trigger more inflammation, ultimately leading to more moisture loss.

Put simply, the skin cannot retain water / moisture until the skin barrier function is working well.

Once your skin barrier function has been reinstated, then restoring moisture levels in the skin is the next step.

This can be very simply and easily achieved by applying oils to damp skin after showering, or using a Hydrosol Toner to dampen your skin prior to oil application.

Most people choose to use a Hydrosol Toner before facial oil application in order to increase moisturisation benefits.

Best Natural Oils For Restoring Skin Barrier Function & Improving Moisture Levels

Carrier oils and essential oils can be used synergistically to help restore skin barrier function.

Carrier oils are expressed from nuts and seeds whilst essential oils are extracted from flowers and leaves etc, via steam distillation, making them very concentrated and potent.

Because essential oils are extremely concentrated, they must first be diluted with a suitable carrier oil before they can be safely used on the skin.

Essential oils complement, and often enhance, the benefits of carrier oils, and vice versa.

I have compiled a list of the best essential oils for restoring skin barrier function, followed by a list of the best carrier oils for restoring skin barrier function, directly beneath it.

How Do Essential Oils Help Promote Skin Barrier Function?

Soothing essential oils strengthen the skin barrier by suppressing inflammatory pathways, accelerating cellular turnover, and enhancing the structural integrity of the upper stratum corneum.

*The stratum corneum is the outermost layer of the epidermis, which is the topmost layer of the skin.

Because essential oils are highly volatile and concentrated, they cannot rebuild the physical lipid wall alone. Instead, they act as biological triggers that prompt the skin to heal itself.

Only carrier oils can directly restore lipid levels, but essential oils can play a key role in supporting lipid health and function. This is why these two distinctly different types of oils need to be used synergistically to achieve optimal effects.

Best Essential Oils For Restoring Skin Barrier Function

All of the following aromatherapy oils deliver critically important actions that help restore skin barrier function. These include:

Anti-inflammatory Action: Anti-inflammatories stop the chemical signals that break down protective lipids and loosen skin cells. Chronic inflammation breaks down natural fats that form skin structure (like ceramides) which keep the outer skin layer sealed. Plus, inflammatory chemicals weaken the connections between skin cells.

Antioxidant Action: Antioxidants neutralise free radicals, preventing lipid oxidation, and halting the breakdown of the skin cellular matrix.

Antibacterial Action: Antibacterials restore skin barrier function by removing harmful overgrowths of pathogenic bacteria that trigger inflammation and break down the skin’s protective lipids. Plus, antibacterials prevent micro-tears / bacterial damage, which keeps the outer layer (stratum corneum) strong, so it can hold onto moisture.

Antimicrobial Action: Antimicrobials work in a similar way, neutralising pathogens, like fungal infections and yeasts, boosting immune function by preventing secondary infections in micro-cracked or fragile skin.

The following essential oils possess all of these functions, and more…

Frankincense Essential Oil

Frankincense Essential Oil supports cellular renewal and helps improve elasticity in compromised or mature skin.

Key Actions:

Reduces surface inflammation
Supports cellular renewal
Locks in essential moisture
Rich in active monoterpenes like alpha-pinene, frankincense reduces redness, inflammation, swelling, and irritation that compromise a weak skin barrier.
It exhibits cytophylactic properties that promote healthy skin cell turnover, helping to shed damaged cells and surface roughness.
Delivers antioxidants that neutralize free radicals, protecting structural integrity, shielding skin cells from daily environmental stress that degrades barrier strength.
By soothing micro-inflammation and improving cellular health, it assists the skin in locking in vital hydration rather than losing water.

Wild As The Wind carries several Frankincense Essential Oils:

Roman Chamomile Essential Oil

Roman Chamomile Essential Oil reduces acute sensitivity and eases skin discomfort with natural anti-inflammatory compounds. It also calms irritation & reduces moisture loss.

Key Actions:

Contains Apigenin, a natural antioxidant flavonoid that helps regenerate and improve the function of the skin’s outermost protective layer.
Potent anti-inflammatory agents ease redness, swelling, and itchiness associated with reactive or damaged skin.
Prevents Moisture Loss: It acts as a gentle, soothing emollient that helps lock hydration into dry or flaky skin.
Relieves Sensitivity: Its mild and gentle nature makes it ideal for calming flare-ups linked to stress or environmental damage

Wild As The Wind carries several Roman Chamomile Essential Oils:

Helichrysum Essential Oil

Helichrysum Essential Oil is: antibacterial + antibiotic + antifungal + anti-inflammatory + antimicrobial + antioxidant + antiseptic + cicatrisant (wound healing / formation of a cicatrix) + cytophylactic (cell-regenerating) + vulnerary (wound healing)

As a deeply anti-inflammatory oil, Helichrysum Essential Oil supports essential skin lipid and ceramide production, promotes skin cell replication and helps accelerate the healing of irritated or textured skin, whilst also protecting tissue from oxidative stress.

Key Actions:

Active compounds, like arzanol and italidiones, soothe redness, irritation, and reactive skin pathways.
Research suggests that components like neryl acetate influence epidermal differentiation, helping the skin form necessary ceramides and barrier lipids.
Encourages cellular repair and collagen deposition, which aids in healing micro-damage or compromised areas of the outer skin layer.
Neutralises free radicals from pollution and UV exposure, preventing further degradation of the skin’s protective layer.

Wild As The Wind carries several Helichrysum Essential Oils:

Ethically Sourced Helichrysum Essential Oil
Organic Helichrysum Essential Oil
Wild Crafted Organic Helichrysum Essential Oil

Lavender Essential Oil

Lavender Essential Oil is antibacterial + antifungal + antihistamine + anti-inflammatory + antimicrobial + antioxidant + antiseptic + detoxifying + immune-stimulating + vulnerary (wound healing)

It calms redness, soothes irritation, reduces inflammation, balances moisture, providing antimicrobial defence and provides gentle antioxidant protection for reactive skin.

Key Actions:

Contains Linalool, a primary constituent for calming skin at a molecular level, easing redness and soothing reactive tissue.
Also contains Linalyl Acetate, which works alongside linalool to lower skin stress and combat surface microbes.
Being anti-inflammatory it quiets skin irritation that wears down the natural lipid barrier over time.
It balances sebum, thereby regulating skin oils, helping to hydrate dry patches while controlling excess oil.
A natural antibacterial and antimicrobial it protects a compromised barrier from harmful microbes and infections and relieves the burden on our immune systems.

Wild As The Wind carry a good number of Lavender Essential Oils – please use the search box at the top of this page to view the full selection. Simply type Lavender into the search box and click return…

Patchouli Essential Oil

Patchouli Essential Oil is an exceptional oil for restoring a weakened skin barrier. It is highly regarded in clinical skincare for its profound tissue-healing and cell-regenerating properties.

Key Actions:

Actively signals the skin to speed up cell division. When the barrier is stripped, this accelerated regeneration helps your skin rapidly build new layers of the epidermis to replace damaged, peeling tissue.
It is uniquely suited for skin that feels “papery” or parched.
Excellent for cracked skin.
A profound anti-inflammatory it is excellent for reducing redness and irritation.

Wild As The Wind carry a good number of Patchouli Essential Oils:

Other Important Essential Oils For Barrier Function

Neroli Essential Oil: Highly beneficial for cytophylactic properties, meaning it promotes the health of skin cells and boosts elasticity. Its calming nature helps reduce the stinging sensation common to a stripped moisture barrier. *Organic Neroli Essential Oil is also available.

Sandalwood Essential Oil: Packed with natural santalols, this dense oil behaves as a powerful anti-inflammatory. It deeply calms heat and redness while acting as a natural emollient to prevent moisture from evaporating from the epidermis.

Geranium Essential Oil: A master regulator for the skin’s acid mantle. Geranium balances sebum production and evens out hydration levels, ensuring the skin environment remains hospitable for natural ceramide production.

*The following Geranium Essential Oils are also available:

An Important Oil For Cracked Dry Skin

Myrrh Essential Oil is widely considered the best essential oils specifically for cracked, chapped, and severely weathered skin. While other oils are highly popular for general dryness, the unique resinous properties of Myrrh Essential Oil give it a distinct advantage for treating deep cracks or broken skin barriers.

I advocate diluting Myrrh Essential Oil with Organic Nigella Sativa Oil for cracked heels, etc.

*Organic Myrrh Essential Oil is also available.

Best Carrier Oils For Restoring Skin Barrier Function & Moisture Levels

Carrier oils rich in essential fatty acids, antioxidants, and lipids are the best for restoring skin barrier function. They do this by acting as emollients and occlusives that replenish lost lipids, reduce water loss, and deliver bioactive micro-constituents directly to the stratum corneum, (outer layer of the skin).

Occlusion: Forms a physical, breathable seal on the surface of the skin to halt trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL).
Lipid Replenishment: Supplies essential structural building blocks that integrate directly into the intercellular lipid matrix (the binder surrounding skin cells).
Anti-Inflammatory Modulation: Calms irritated, micro-wounded barrier tissue and down-regulates inflammatory pathways.

Key Constituents & Their Roles

Linoleic Acid (omega-6): A crucial polyunsaturated fatty acid and a direct precursor to ceramide synthesis, helping re-establish proper lipid organisation in compromised skin. Oils high in linoleic acid, such as Organic Rosehip Oil, excel at barrier repair without disrupting cell cohesion.
Oleic Acid (omega-9): A monounsaturated fatty acid that deeply softens and penetrates dry, structurally deficient skin, though it is best balanced with linoleic acid for optimal repair.
Vitamin E (Tocopherols): Acts as a potent antioxidant that neutralizes free radicals and safeguards the skin’s repaired lipids from oxidative degradation.
Phytosterols: Plant compounds that reduce micro-inflammation, soothe visible redness, and encourage cellular regeneration in damaged tissue.
Waxes and Long-Chain Esters: Found in oily alternatives like Organic Jojoba Oil, these constituents closely mimic human sebum to seamlessly integrate and reinforce surface cohesion. *Organic Jojoba Oil is known as an oil, but it is actually a wax. More specifically it is a liquid wax ester rather than a true triglyceride-based plant oil.

Using Carrier Oils For Dry Skin

Blending two or three carrier oils together and then adding up to five essential oils is the best way of creating an optimal oil for restoring your skin. *Sometimes a single essential oil will be enough, but usually two or three essential oils will provide better results. This is because aromatherapy oils work best in synergy with each other, elevating the benefits of each essential oil used.

There is no “one size fits all” when it comes to carrier oils and essential oils. This is simply because everyone is different, with differing dermal needs. So, please read the nutrient and constituent profiles of each of the following oils to determine which ones would best serve your individual needs.

There is one oil, however, that is recommended for all: Adding 20% Organic Jojoba Oil to your blend is a great foundation for your dry skin oil.

Beyond Organic Jojoba Oil choose two or three other oils from this list to create your unique dry skin restoration oil blend.

We can easily use a 100ml bottle of carrier oil in less than a month, so don’t worry about buying two or three oils to create your optimal blend.

In order to achieve the best results you will be applying your dry skin restoration oil blend daily. This means that, even with a light application of oil, for example a teaspoon of oil, (5ml = 1 teaspoon per day), a 100ml bottle of oil will last about 20 days.

Using Your Dry Skin Oil

Apply your oil to damp skin directly after a shower. This will trap in moisture.

If you are trying to reduce facial dry skin, then using a Hydrosol Toner to add moisture to your skin would be preferable to dampening skin with tap water. *Please note, not all carrier oils are suitable for facial application.

Top Carrier Oils For Dry Skin

Organic Argan Oil

Organic Argan Oil is highly effective for skin barrier restoration because it possesses a unique, naturally balanced molecular profile that functions as a deeply hydrating emollient and a potent anti-inflammatory protective shield. Unlike oils that are heavily skewed toward just one fatty acid, Organic Argan Oil features a near-perfect equilibrium of structural lipids and antioxidant micro-constituents.

The Linoleic acid content directly activates ceramide production to glue skin cells back together and repair breaches in the skin barrier.

The Oleic acid content ensures the oil absorbs deeply, softening rough flakes and making the skin pliable without leaving a heavy, suffocating film.

Organic Argan Oil provides a powerful antioxidant network that protects the skin’s lipid barrier from oxidative stress, environmental pollution, and UV damage, allowing the compromised barrier to heal without further irritation.

Organic Argan Oil is rich in plant sterols (like schottenol and spinasterol) which closely mimic human skin lipids. They soothe inflammation, reduce redness, and accelerate structural skin repair.

Squalene, a naturally occurring lipid, found in Organic Argan Oil, blends seamlessly with human sebum to lock in moisture and drastically lower trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL).

Despite its rich nutrient profile, Organic Argan Oill ranks low on the comedogenic scale. This means it can effectively repair a damaged, compromised skin barrier without clogging pores or triggering acne flare-ups.

*This makes it suitable for facial application.

Organic Blackcurrant Seed Oil

Organic Blackcurrant Seed Oil is exceptional for skin barrier restoration because it is one of the few botanical oils that naturally delivers a highly balanced combination of both omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids, including the rare anti-inflammatory component Stearidonic Acid (SDA).

Whilst other powerhouse oils for repair, like Organic Borage Seed Oil and Organic Evening Primrose Oil exclusively provide Omega-6 lipids, Blackcurrant Seed Oil provides an optimal 4:1 ratio of omega-6 to omega-3, treating both surface structural cracks and deep cellular inflammation simultaneously.

Key Benefits:

The Multi-Omega Matrix (omega-3, 6, and 9): Organic Blackcurrant Seed Oil delivers a comprehensive lipid profile that mimics the diverse fatty acid needs of the stratum corneum:

Linoleic Acid (omega-6) used by the skin to manufacture acylceramides, effectively patching up breaches in the moisture barrier.
Alpha-Linolenic Acid (omega-3) deeply nourishes dry skin cells and helps restore membrane flexibility.
Oleic Acid (omega-9), a rich emollient that softens the skin, helping to remove dry scale and flakiness without triggering an overproduction of sebum.

Dual-Action Anti-Inflammatory Pathways (GLA + SDA): What sets Organic Blackcurrant Seed Oil completely apart is its double-hit of rare, highly bioavailable therapeutic acids:

Gamma-Linolenic Acid (GLA): Directly converts to DGLA in the skin to switch off inflammatory cytokine signaling. *Organic Blackcurrant Seed Oil contains higher amounts of GLA than Organic Evening Primrose Oil.
Stearidonic Acid (SDA): A rare omega-3 that acts as a plant-based precursor to EPA (typically found in marine oils). SDA blocks the inflammatory pathways triggered by environmental stressors like harsh wind, extreme cold, or UV exposure.

Stratal Impregnation & Water Retention: According to clinical data, compiled on PubMed, topical emulsions containing Organic Blackcurrant Seed Oil achieve complete impregnation of the stratum corneum. The exogenous fatty acids physically bind with the skin’s endogenous lipids to construct an airtight (yet breathable) shield that lowers trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) whilst also significantly raising deep moisture reserves. Source: Evolution of lipid composition in skin treated with blackcurrant seed oil

Rich Phytochemical Defence: Beyond structural fats, Organic Blackcurrant Seed Oil is packed with natural tocopherols (vitamin E) and plant sterols. These antioxidants protect the lipid content of the oil from oxidative stress and degradation, allowing a heavily irritated skin barrier, damaged by over-exfoliation, retinoids, or eczema, etc, to rebuild in a stable environment.

Organic Blackcurrant Seed Oil has a very low comedogenic rating of 0-1, making it very suitable for facial application.

Organic Borage Seed Oil

Organic Borage Seed Oil is very high in GLA and is antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and mildly antibacterial. It helps to reduce immune function load, and supports lipid balance, making it an excellent oil for restoring skin barrier function.

The exceptionally high concentration of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), replenishes missing lipids in the stratum corneum. As well as replenishing intercellular lipids, the GLA content of Organic Borage Seed Oil is a precursor for the production of ceramides and the skin’s lipid matrix, helping to fix the binding action between skin cells to prevent moisture loss.

The human body can be highly inefficient at producing GLA from other fats due to stressors like age, UV exposure, or blood sugar fluctuations. Because the topical application of Organic Borage Seed Oil delivers a massive dose of GLA directly to the stratum corneum, it integrates straight into your lipid matrix to correct essential fatty acid deficiencies, visibly plumping the skin and drastically reducing trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL).

Key Actions:

Reduces Inflammation: The body converts GLA into anti-inflammatory compounds (like DGLA and PGE1 prostaglandins) that soothe redness, irritation, and reactivity.

Restores Balance: Research shows that GLA-rich botanical oils improve hydration, smooth rough patches, and help stabilise the skin’s protective mantle.

Powerfully Anti-Inflammatory: GLA converts into dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA). This molecule triggers the production of anti-inflammatory prostaglandins (PGE1). This specialized pathway down-regulates inflammatory signaling, making it exceptionally good at calming severe barrier flare-ups, redness, and irritation linked to conditions like eczema, psoriasis, or rosacea.

Restores Natural Skin pH & Filaggrin: Research demonstrates that Organic Borage Seed Oil can actively help restore the skin’s optimal, slightly acidic pH balance. It up-regulates the expression of filaggrin, a vital structural protein, essential for creating a strong, resilient skin envelope and generating natural moisturising factors (NMF) within the barrier.

Preservation Of Structural Proteins: Compounds in Organic Borage Seed Oil also target the cellular ageing environment. Studies indicate that it can inhibit collagenase and elastase. These are the specific enzymes responsible for breaking down collagen and elastin. Thus, Organic Borage Seed Oil concurrently preserves skin elasticity and firmness while it repairs the outer defensive wall.

With a comedogenic rating of 2, Organic Borage Seed Oil is suitable for facial application, but it would benefit from being blended with at least one other carrier oil with a higher omega-6 concentration, as this would effectively bring the comedogenic rating down, and reduce the risk of clogging pores.

Cacay Seed Oil

Cacay Seed Oil is considered an exceptional “super-oil” for skin barrier restoration and anti-ageing due to its highly concentrated, synergistic nutrient profile. Sourced from the Amazonian Caryodendron orinocense tree, it outperforms many traditional carrier oils in key lipid and vitamin metrics.

Like Organic Prickly Pear Seed Oil and Organic Marula Oil, Cacay Oil is highly suitable for facial application.

Key Actions:

Exceptionally High Linoleic Acid: Cacay Oil is composed of over 70% linoleic acid. This essential fatty acid is a primary building block of the skin’s ceramide matrix. A deficiency in linoleic acid directly compromises the skin barrier, leading to dryness, irritation, and acne. Cacay Seed Oil contains roughly twice the linoleic acid of Organic Argan Oil, rapidly reinforcing the skin’s protective shield.

Natural Retinol / Bioretinol (vitamin A): Cacay Oil contains up to three times more natural retinol than Organic Rosehip Seed Oil. Unlike synthetic retinoids, that can trigger redness, peeling, and barrier damage, the natural retinoid precursors in Cacay Oil accelerate cell turnover and boost collagen production without disrupting a sensitive skin barrier.

Deep Antioxidant Protection (vitamin E): Boasting 50% more Vitamin E than Organic Argan Oil, it acts as a powerful shield against oxidative environmental stress. Vitamin E works alongside the fatty acids to lock in moisture, soothe inflammation, and improve skin elasticity.

Non-Comedogenic & Lightweight: Despite its rich nutrient profile, it has a low comedogenic rating (0–1) and behaves as a “dry oil”. It absorbs rapidly into the skin without leaving a greasy film, making it safe for acne-prone skin that is simultaneously suffering from a damaged barrier.

*This makes Cacay Oil highly suitable for facial application.

Organic Evening Primrose Oil

Organic Evening Primrose Oil is another oil, like Organic Borage Seed Oil, rich in gamma-linolenic acid (GLA), that helps soothe reactive, sensitive, or eczema-prone skin. However, Organic Evening Primrose Oil also contains high amounts of Linoleic Acid (LA), making it an ideal choice for relieving chronic dryness, structural sensitivity, and inflammation.

LA and GLA, at the levels found in Organic Evening Primrose Oil, affords this inexpensive, easily absorbed oil, a dual-action lipid profile which uniquely targets both surface protection and deep cellular health.

Key Actions:

Structural Fluidity and Ceramide Production: Linoleic acid, (omega-6), serves as a primary structural building block for the skin barrier. The stratum corneum uses it to synthesise acylceramides, which are the essential lipids that bind skin cells together. Applying Organic Evening Primrose Oil helps re-establish a tight, flexible, and unbroken cellular matrix, which prevents environmental irritants from penetrating the skin and drastically reduces trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL).

High Bioavailability of GLA: The GLA present in Organic Evening Primrose Oil is highly bioavailable. This fatty acid, which is also an omega-6, bypasses the skin’s naturally limited enzymatic conversion steps, embedding directly into the cell membranes. It improves overall membrane fluidity, corrects structural lipid deficiencies, and transforms rough, scaly, or flaking skin into a smooth, plump surface.

Rapid Anti-Pruritic (Anti-Itch) and Calming Effects: When absorbed, the GLA in Organic Evening Primrose Oil converts into anti-inflammatory compounds that actively suppress inflammatory cytokines. This makes Organic Evening Primrose Oil highly effective at soothing the intense itchiness, heat, and swelling associated with a broken skin barrier, particularly during flare-ups of eczema, atopic dermatitis, or retinol-induced peeling.

Regulation of Sebum Quality: When the skin barrier is damaged, sebum can become thick and sticky due to a deficiency in linoleic acid, which often leads to clogged pores. By supplying a massive dose of linoleic acid, Organic Evening Primrose Oil helps liquefy and balance the skin’s natural oils. This allows it to repair the barrier of acne-prone or congested skin types without triggering breakouts.

Organic Grapeseed Oil

Organic Grapeseed Oil is highly effective for skin barrier repair and hydration because of its exceptionally high linoleic acid (LA) content and lightweight, fast-absorbing texture.

Extracted from the seeds of wine grapes, it delivers powerful barrier-strengthening nutrients without clogging pores, making it exceptionaly suited for those with combination, oily, and acne-prone skin, who typically struggle with heavier oils.

Key Actions:

Replenishes Essential Lipids: Organic Grapeseed Oil contains between 65% to 85% linoleic acid (omega-6). Linoleic acid is a crucial component of the skin’s natural lipid matrix. When the skin barrier is damaged or acne-prone, it is frequently deficient in linoleic acid. Topically applying Organic Grapeseed Oil directly patches these gaps, locking in moisture and keeping irritants out.

Lightweight and Non-Comedogenic: With a comedogenic rating of 1, it has an almost zero risk of causing breakouts. It functions as a “dry oil,” absorbing almost instantly into the skin without leaving a heavy or greasy film.

It is naturally rich in vitamin E and oligomeric proanthocyanidins (OPCs). These powerful antioxidants neutralize environmental free radicals, reduce inflammation, and help protect the skin’s structural proteins (like collagen and elastin) from degradation, whilst the barrier heals.

Regulates Sebum Production: Because it delivers a concentrated dose of linoleic acid, Organic Grapeseed Oil helps balance the skin’s natural oil profile. This signals to your sebaceous glands to slow down overproduction, making it highly effective for balancing oily yet dehydrated skin.

Organic Jojoba Oil

Organic Jojoba Oil is one of the most effective and widely tolerated oils for skin barrier health because it is not actually an oil. It is a liquid wax ester.

Extracted from the seeds of the Simmondsia chinensis shrub, its molecular structure is virtually identical to human sebum (the natural oil your skin produces), allowing it to trick the skin into balancing its own oil production while patching up a damaged barrier.

***Both Wild As the Wind face oils (Facial Oil No. 2 and Facial Oil No. 8) contain 20% Organic Jojoba Oil, for this reason.

It is recommended that Organic Jojoba Oil is added to ALL body and face oils that are created for problem skin and dry skin, etc. A minimum of 20% can be used, going up to a maximum of 50%, depending on your needs. *Please note, that these amounts are guidelines only, because you can safely use Organic Jojoba Oil on its own. However, introducing one or two more carrier oils will deliver more benefits to your skin.

Key Actions:

Perfect Sebum Mimicry: Human sebum is naturally composed of roughly 25% wax esters. Organic Jojoba Oil is the only plant oil that mirrors this exact composition. Because your skin recognizes it as its own natural lipid, Organic Jojoba Oil integrates seamlessly into the skin’s surface, filling in microscopic cracks in the barrier without being detected as a “foreign” heavy substance.

Intelligent Sebum Regulation: Because it is so biochemically similar to sebum, topically applying Organic Jojoba Oil sends a signal to your sebaceous glands that the skin has sufficient moisture. This prompts them to slow down oil over-production, making it highly effective for balancing oily and combination skin.

Zero-Clog Non-Comedogenic Profile: With a comedogenic rating of 2, it closely matches the skin’s natural flow and is highly unlikely to clog pores. Blending Organic Jojoba Oil with oils containing higher levels of omega-6 will reduce the comedogenic value further.

Penetrates Deeply: Unlike heavier triglycerides, Organic Jojoba Oil penetrates deep into the follicular neck, softening hardened plugs of sebum and dirt, which can actually help reduce blackheads and congestion over time.

High Oxidative Stability: Organic Jojoba Oil contains powerful natural tocopherols (vitamin E). Because it is a wax ester rather than a traditional triglyceride oil, it is incredibly shelf-stable and highly resistant to rancidity and oxidation. On the skin, this stable structure creates a breathable, long-lasting protective seal against environmental irritants.

Organic Marula Oil

Organic Marula Oil is highly celebrated in skincare because it acts as a super-rich, deeply comforting emollient that excels at reversing extreme dryness and preventing chronic moisture loss. Harvested from the kernels of the African marula fruit (Sclerocarya birrea), its unique structure mimics the skin’s natural fatty acid composition, allowing it to provide intense nourishment without a heavy, suffocating feel.

Like Organic Prickly Pear Seed Oil and Cacay Oil, Organic Marula Oil is highly suitable for facial application.

Key Actions:

Mimics Epidermal Lipids (Rich In Oleic Acid): Unlike Organic Grapeseed Oil or Cacay Oil, which are dominant in linoleic acid, Organic Marula Oil is composed of 70% to 78% oleic acid (Omega-9). Oleic acid matches the lipids naturally found in the outer layer of human skin. This structural similarity allows it to sink deeply into the epidermis, patching cracks in the barrier and drastically lowering Transepidermal Water Loss (TEWL).

Superior Occlusive Properties: Whilst it absorbs rapidly as a “dry oil”, Organic Marula Oil’s palmitic and stearic fatty acid content creates a microscopic, breathable protective coating on the surface of the skin. This shield traps hydration underneath and blocks environmental irritants from triggering sensitivity.

Ultra-Stable Antioxidant Shield: Organic Marula Oil is exceptionally rich in vitamin E (tocopherols) and flavonoids. It contains up to 60% more antioxidants than Organic Argan Oil, giving it incredible stability against oxidation, and a long shelf-life, whilst also actively calming redness and inflammation.

Amino Acid Support: It naturally delivers essential amino acids like L-arginine and glutamic acid. These act as natural moisturising factors (NMFs) that support cellular repair and keep the skin smooth and plump.

Organic Nigella Sativa Oil

Organic Nigella Sativa Oil (commonly called black seed oil or kalonji oil) can help soothe and hydrate dry skin because it is rich in essential fatty acids, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory compounds.

*Wild As The Wind carry a Food Grade, Organic Nigella Sativa Oil that can be taken internally as well as applied topically, thereby potentially getting closer to the root causes of dry skin issues.

Key Actions:

Deep Nourishment: It contains omega-3, -6, and -9 fatty acids that help reinforce the skin barrier and lock in moisture.

Soothing Properties: Natural components like thymoquinone help calm irritation, flakiness, and redness associated with very dry or compromised skin.

Antioxidant Protection: It protects the skin from environmental stressors while supporting overall skin health and softness.

Organic Prickly Pear Seed Oil

Organic Prickly Pear Seed Oil is an exceptionally beneficial oil with many skincare applications. Lauded for its ability to prevent dermal moisture loss, it is a powerful emollient, and one of Nature’s super foods.

As well as being hydrating, it deeply repairs and strengthens the skin barrier because it contains a very high concentration of linoleic acid (omega-6) and vitamin E.

Like Organic Marula Oil and Cacay Oil, Organic Prickly Pear Seed Oil is highly suitable for facial application.

Key Actions:

Rebuilds Ceramides: Linoleic acid makes up over 60% of the oil, helping to construct essential skin lipids that stop water loss and seal in moisture.

Fights Free Radicals: High levels of vitamin E neutralize environmental stressors and prevent cellular damage.

Non-Greasy Absorption: It has a light liquid texture that penetrates the skin quickly without clogging pores or leaving a heavy film.

Soothes Inflammation: Natural antioxidants reduce redness, calm irritation, and help balance acne-prone or sensitive skin.

Organic Rosehip Seed Oil

Organic Rosehip Seed Oil is one of the most effective oils for skin barrier restoration and cellular repair because it behaves more like a treatment serum than a standard emollient. Extracted from the seeds of wild rose bushes, its unique molecular structure delivers rapid healing, deep hydration, and tissue regeneration without feeling heavy.

Key Actions:

Perfect Balance of Essential Fatty Acids: Organic Rosehip Seed Oil is comprised of roughly 44% linoleic acid (omega-6) and 36% alpha-linolenic acid (omega-3). This rare, high concentration of both omega fatty acids allows it to seamlessly patch gaps in a damaged lipid matrix, dramatically reducing redness, lowering irritation, and boosting moisture retention.

Natural, Non-Irritating Retinoic Acid: Unlike most carrier oils, Organic Rosehip Seed Oil naturally contains trace amounts of all-trans retinoic acid (tretinoin). This component accelerates cellular turnover, repairs damaged tissue, and fades post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (acne scars). Because it is bound in a nourishing lipid base, it delivers these regenerative benefits without causing the dry, flaking side effects associated with synthetic retinoids.

High Concentration of Beta-Carotene: Its deep amber hue comes from pro-vitamin A carotenoids. These pigments function as powerful antioxidants that shield a vulnerable, compromised skin barrier from environmental stress and pollution while promoting active tissue healing.

Lightweight and Non-Greasy: With a comedogenic rating of 1, it is classified as a “dry oil”. It absorbs instantly into the skin, leaving a velvet-like finish rather than a shiny film. This makes it highly compatible with oily, dry, and sensitive skin types alike.

Organic Sea Buckthorn Oil

Organic Sea Buckthorn Oil is a skin superfood powerhouse for barrier restoration because it is one of the only plant oils to contain all four omega fatty acids (omega-3, 6, 7, and 9). And, it does this alongside an exceptionally dense concentration of vitamins and other nutrients.

Derived from the Hippophae rhamnoides shrub, its unique ability to modulate inflammatory signalling pathways makes it highly therapeutic for rebuilding a heavily compromised, peeling, or reactive skin barrier.

Like Organic Jojoba Oil, it is highly recommended that Organic Sea Buckthorn Oil is added to your blend. However, being a deep amber colour, quantities should not exceed 10%

Facial Oil No. 2 contains 10% Organic Sea Buckthorn Oil. This is a good level to start at within your body oil blend.

Key Actions:

Unmatched Concentration of Omega-7 (Palmitoleic Acid): A natural component of human sebum that keeps the outer matrix resilient. As skin ages, or suffers barrier damage, natural levels of omega-7 drop sharply. Topically applying Organic Sea Buckthorn Oil replenishes this missing lipid, integrating cleanly into the epidermis without causing heavy occlusion.

Complete Four-Family Omega Spectrum: Omega-6 reinforces the spaces between skin cells, omega-3 actively shuts down the inflammatory pathways that cause burning and tightness, and omega-9 maintains flexible cell membrane fluidity.

The Carotenoid “Vitamins A & C” Shield: The vibrant orange hue of Organic Sea Buckthorn Oil signals an incredibly dense concentration of carotenoids, lycopene, and beta-carotene. These precursors to vitamin A accelerate tissue regeneration, repair sun-stressed skin, and promote collagen synthesis. Furthermore, Organic Sea Buckthorn Oil carries up to 17 times more vitamin C than an orange, providing unmatched free-radical defence while the skin heals.

Deep Anti-Inflammatory & Phospholipid Boost: Clinical insights from The Journal of Functional Foods and PMC demonstrate that Organic Sea Buckthorn Oil elevates the skin’s internal phospholipid and free fatty acid levels. This biochemically prevents cellular moisture loss and limits the triggers that induce flare-ups from conditions like rosacea or eczema.

Organic Tamanu Oil

Organic Tamanu Oil is considered one of the best choices for skin barrier function because it doesn’t just sit on top of the skin like an ordinary emollient / cream. Instead, it is a highly bioactive and nourishing botanical oil with a unique biochemical structure that actively addresses the causes of skin barrier degradation.

Organic Tamanu Oil effectively supports and restores skin barrier function. This is because it promotes skin regeneration whilst also helping to protect the skin barrier.

Organic Tamanu Oil achieves these outcomes by delivering essential fatty acids, natural anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial compounds, and antioxidants, like vitamin E (specifically in form of delta-tocotrienol) that lock in moisture, calm irritation and protect against infection.

Organic Tamanu Oil is thought to be: anti-inflammatory + neurologically protective + antifungal + analgesic + anti-ageing + antibacterial + antifungal + antimicrobial + antioxidant + cicatrisant (wound healing)

Key Actions:

Fatty Acid Content: Rich in oleic and linoleic acids, which nourish the lipid matrix of the stratum corneum (surface of the skin) and prevent transepidermal water loss.

Regeneration and Repair: Promotes collagen production and skin cell renewal, making it valuable for soothing over-exfoliated or damaged skin. Research published in the OCL Journal demonstrates that it promotes cell proliferation and collagen production in human keratinocytes and fibroblasts, helping our skin to grow new, healthy barrier cells at a much faster rate.

Source: Tamanu oil and skin active properties: from traditional to modern cosmetic uses: https://www.ocl-journal.org/articles/ocl/full_html/2018/05/ocl180019/ocl180019.html

Antioxidant: Contains delta-tocotrienol which protects against oxidative stress and accelerates the formation of new skin tissue.

Anti-Inflammatory Action: Contains calophyllolide, (a unique anti-inflammatory lipid) that helps reduce redness, swelling, and discomfort in reactive skin. This powerful anti-inflammatory and healing properties of Organic Tamanu Oil help to soothe and calm dry, flaky, or irritated patches.

Repairs Skin Barrier Function: Organic Tamanu Oil features a highly balanced, dense concentration of both oleic and linoleic acids), alongside structural lipids like stearic and palmitic acids. This composition closely mirrors the skin’s natural lipid matrix. It fills the microscopic gaps in a damaged stratum corneum, reinforcing the lipid barrier more effectively than single-note oils.

Antimicrobial Support: Possesses natural antibacterial and antifungal properties that protect compromised skin from surface micro-organisms, without harsh disruption.

A compromised skin barrier leaves the body vulnerable to opportunistic micro-organisms like Staphylococcus aureus, which can worsen conditions like eczema. Studies* hosted by the National Institutes of Health (PMC) confirm that Organic Tamanu Oil naturally inhibits these harmful strains while simultaneously stimulating local skin immunity. This provides a protective shield against infection without stripping away the skin’s healthy microbiome.

Source: Potential of Tamanu (Calophyllum inophyllum) Oil for Atopic Dermatitis Treatment

Disclaimer

This disclaimer provides supplemental information to the website disclaimer.

The information provided in this article is not intended to replace the medical directives of your healthcare provider. Nor is it meant for the diagnosis of health issues.

This article provides general insights that may not be applicable to you personally:

If you are pregnant, have serious or multiple health concerns, consult with your healthcare provider before using carrier oils and essential oils.
If you have known allergies, for example to nuts etc, this may mean that some of the carrier oils listed in this article should be avoided. Some people also have intollerances and allergies to some essential oils. Please avoid using all oils that you anticipate you will have a reaction to.
If you do not have any known allergies it is still vital to perform a patch test prior to applying oils, for the first time, over large areas of you body.
If you experience any complications or adverse reactions to using carrier oils and essential oils, contact your healthcare provider immediately.

Categories:
Health News