BLUME | MELTDOWN ACNE OIL

This review was originally part of my blog article titled, New Pampering Facial Oils that Wow Me - from Kjaer Weis, Biossance and More - Best Facial Oils for Dry Skin, Best Facial Oil for Acne Prone Skin. You can still catch the full piece here.

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This past week was grueling. It was the coldest it’s been in over a year. I don’t remember it being this frigid last winter. Of course, that was in a pre-pandemic blur and I was having mid-life hot flashes.

At the start of the winter season in November, I set out to craft a series of blog articles on cold weather skin care and winterizing the skin to defend against skin-aging dryness and dehydration. I was determined to prevent myself from aging the entire year in the months between December and February! It began with my series on my top ten Winter Moisturizers. You can catch Part I here; Part II is here.

I followed up my series on the best face creams for dry skin and all skin types in the cold with a piece on the best hydrating face mists titled, Favorite Face Mists for Keeping Skin Hydrated in the Cold — available to read here.

Continuing with my recommendations for keeping skin optimally hydrated and preventing trans-epidermal water loss, or TEWL, in mid-January I published an article on what I consider the best Hyaluronic Acid serums titled, My Favorite Humectant Serums — which you can catch here.

MY #SLUGGING ESSENTIALS: SKINFIX 911 OINTMENT AND SKINNIES WATERLESS SUNGEL SPF 30

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And last week, I crafted an article on one of my favorite new skincare trends for keeping skin healthy, happy and hydrated in the deepest, coldest, tundra-like conditions: #slugging. My #slugging Essentials: Skinfix 911 Ointment and Skinnies Waterless Sungel SPF 30 is available to read here. I’ve been slugging just about every other night for the last two weeks and I have to say my skin is as plump and hydrated today as it is on any hot, humid day in July.

I had always intended to cap off my winter series with a final piece on the best facial oils for dry skin. I love facial oils! In fact, I prefer them to conventional cream moisturizers. I didn’t always understand facial oils and, like so many, thought they were somehow better for other people.

There is a really wonderful article from the experts on the Paula’s Choice Research Team titled, How Facial Oils Help Skin. Here is a glimpse of their insights:

You may have noticed more and more brands are launching pure oils like argan, jojoba, coconut, or blends of oils with all manner of tempting claims. But do these facial oils live up to their potential?
The research-supported facts about what plant oils can do for skin is rather fascinating. They're not miracles, but the right plant oil or a beautiful a blend of beneficial oils can make a remarkable difference for dry, flaky, or dehydrated skin; in fact, non-fragrant facial oils can be suitable even for eczema-prone skin. Facial oils are for anyone whose skin could use a boost of nourishing, smoothing renewal, especially when seasonal cold or drier climates disturb your skin.
What are Facial Oils?
Facial oils can include any fragrant plant oils (often called essential oils, but they are anything but essential—more on that in a moment), non-fragrant plant oils (your skin will love these) or synthetic oils (such as mineral oil—which gets a bad rap in the world of skincare but for the record, the research doesn't support the negative information you find on the Internet).
Despite the name, these oils can be used anywhere on the face or body—there's no research showing that certain oils are better for one part of your skin or another. Such a notion is without logic or science.

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This isn’t my first article on facial oils; far from it. Given that my affinity for them goes back several years now, I think this may actually be my fourth or fifth piece. Some of my favorites include the Codex Beauty Bia Facial Oil and Herbivore’s Phoenix facial oil, an exceptional anti-aging facial oil infused with rose hip oil — one of the best non-fragrant plant oils for smoothing the look of lines and wrinkles and promoting optimal skin health.

Over the past several months, I’ve amassed quite the museum-worthy collection of facial oils in anticipation of this piece capping off my winter skincare picks. At one point just two weeks ago, there were still nearly a dozen oils in contention. Alas, I was able to whittle it down to my four favorites.

Each stands out for one reason, or several reasons — among them, uniqueness, superior quality, versatility, innovation and, as is the case with so many facial oils, sheer damn pleasure. That really is the gist of it. Facial oils are simply a pleasure to use! If you're not using a facial oil yet — either daily or every once in a while — now’s your chance to find one you’ll love.

Let’s have a look at the benefits of the Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil in detail…

Blume | Meltdown Acne Oil

This is perhaps the most intriguing and unexpected of my winter 2021 collection of facial oils for dry, damaged, dehydrated and weather-worn skin. I didn’t know what to expect from the Blume Meltdown Acne Oil — and I have to say I kinda like it, the formula’s flaws notwithstanding.

Even though I do not have acneic, blemish-prone or oily skin, I kind of appreciate the attempt to market a facial oil directly to acne suffers who are notoriously leery of facial oils.

Blume’s Meltdown Acne Oil has the look, feel and smell of a serious medicinal treatment. It’s quite pungent and I gotta say a little of this stuff goes a long way. It’s the kind of pungent oil that you can still smell on your skin hours later. I don’t mind it, but you may. Skincare is often emotional and our reactions to it always subjective.

The Meltdown Acne Oil is formulated with just 13 ingredients, many of them believed to be beneficial for soothing blemish-prone skin, including Blue Tansy Oil, Rosemary Leaf Extract and Black Cumin Seed Oil.

I’ve heard of Black Cumin Seed Oil, but haven’t come across it in skin care much — particularly at such an active concentration at ingredient number one.

So I googled it! And I found a wild piece on the Byrdie website titled, This Magical Middle Eastern Skin Oil Is Finally Gaining Recognition.

We recently learned of black cumin seed oil, an ancient ingredient that's been used in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia for centuries, and feel it deserves a spot in your collection. We'll admit that oils are not a new category in the world of natural beauty. There's argan, coconut, avocado, and jojoba—all of which have earned their rightful spots on the ingredient labels of skincare products. So we tapped two experts, celebrity makeup artist Aneela Zaman and professional esthetician Andrea Lopez, to learn all about the wonder ingredient that is black cumin seed oil.
Benefits of Black Cumin Seed Oil
Black seed oil uses are aplenty—here are the main benefits for skincare.
Fights acne, clogged pores, and inflammation: According to Zaman and Lopez, one of the most appealing benefits of this exotic black elixir is its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, which work to reduce clogged pores and control oil, as well as tame redness and soothe irritation.
Combats eczema: Thanks to its healing properties, black cumin seed oil is touted as a powerful eczema-fighter. One study depicted quick improvement of hand eczema among those who applied it topically twice a day for four weeks.

I would say Blume’s Meltdown Acne Oil is a mixed bag. Yes, there are some really great non-fragrant plant oils that all skins love, including Rosehip Oil (ingredient number two!), Tamanu Seed Oil, Sunflower Seed Oil and Chamomile Flower Oil. Yes, yes, yes and yes!

But there are several potential skin irritants including Rosemary Leaf Extract, Lavender Oil, and Tea Tree Oil — a classic, fragrant plant oil that often finds its way into acne products. It also happens to have the potential to sensitize skin and aggravate inflamed, irritated skin like acneic skin. This from the experts on the Paula’s Choice Research Team:

“Also known as Melaleuca, from the name of its native Australian plant source, Melaleuca alternifolia. Tea tree oil has skin-soothing properties and is also an antioxidant. However, as with most fragrant plant oils, tea tree oil contains volatile components (such as linalool, limonene, and eucalyptol) that can be sensitizing, particularly if you apply 100% pure tea tree oil.
For improving skin concerns such as breakouts, tea tree oil concentrations of 2.5% to 10% are recommended. However, the amount present in most skincare products is usually less than 1%, as higher amounts impart a strong scent many people find intolerable, not to mention these higher amounts increase tea tree oil’s potential to sensitize and redden skin.
Careful use and storage of tea tree oil is advised; like all plant oils, it should be protected from routine exposure to light and air. Tea tree oil’s potential to sensitize skin increases when it is exposed to air because the oxidation makes the volatile components more potent.”

Again, it’s quite pungent. If you don’t mind that, you have blemish-prone skin — and are looking for a facial oil that suits you, the Blume Meltdown Acne Oil may be what you’re looking for. It’s also affordable and may be worth giving it a try.

SHOP THE BLOG: Purchase the Blume Meltdown Acne Oil for $28 here.

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**Biography Golden Ray Glow Drops**
**Kjaer Weis The Beautiful Oil**
**Biossance Squalane + Vitamin C Rose Oil**
**Blume Meltdown Acne Oil**

The Ingredient List of the Biography Golden Ray Glow Drops:

Jojoba seed oil* Camellia seed oil* Pumpkin seed oil* Rosehip fruit oil* Raspberry seed oil* Pomegranate seed oil Cranberry seed oil* Carrot seed oil Watermelon seed oil Avocado oil* Sea buckthorn oil* Amla oil* Natural vitamin E Marine algae Sunflower seed oil Safflower seed oil Rosemary leaf extract Cedarwood oil Palmarosa oil Ylang Ylang oil Frankincense oil Geranium oil * Organic Ingredient

The Ingredient List of the Kjaer Weis The Beautiful Oil:

Rosa Canina (Rosehip) Oil, Olea Europaea (Olive) Oil, Prunus Amygdalus (Almond) Oil, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Oil, Dioscorea Villosa (Wild Yam) Root Extract, D'Orientine S, Spilanthes acmella (Buzz Buttons) Flower Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Extract, Fragrance, Geraniol, Citronellol, Canola Oil, Limonene, Citral, Linalool,