How to Use Sunflower Seed Oil in a Daily Routine

Sunflower seed oil belongs in a daily routine because it is one of the easiest oils to live with: light, rich in linoleic acid, quick to spread and comfortable on most skin types. The simplest way to use it is through products built around it, applied to slightly damp skin after washing, so the oil helps hold in the water already there. On the body, that means a scrub in the shower and a cream or oil straight after; for hands, a cream after washing; and for scent, a roller oil at the pulse points.

Why it suits everyday use

Some oils are occasional pleasures: rich, slow to absorb, best for a Sunday night. Sunflower oil is the opposite. It is high in linoleic acid, typically more than half of its fatty acids in the varieties used for skin care, and that is the fatty acid skin uses to help keep water in. It spreads easily and absorbs at a moderate pace, so it leaves skin soft without a heavy film, and it is generally well tolerated by dry, normal, oily and sensitive skin alike.

That combination makes it a good everyday oil. You can use it morning and evening, on large areas like legs and arms, without feeling coated.

In the shower: scrub first

If your body skin looks dull or feels rough, start in the shower. Our Lava Body Caviar combines sea salt and organic sugar with a blend of oils that includes sunflower, safflower, coconut, macadamia, kukui, passion fruit and Kalahari melon seed. Stir the jar first so the oils and crystals come together, then massage the scrub over wet skin from the neck down. Rinse with warm water and pat dry. The crystals polish; the oils stay behind, so skin feels cushioned rather than tight. Keep it to the body and never use it on the face.

Straight after: cream on damp skin

The moment you step out of the shower is the best time for a body cream. Skin is still slightly damp, and an oil-rich cream helps keep that water in. Our Rejuvenating Body Cream pairs Kalahari melon seed oil with coconut, sunflower, jojoba and avocado oils, plus aloe leaf juice and glycerin for a fresh layer of hydration. Apply it after bathing, or whenever elbows, shins and heels feel rough.

When skin is very dry, add a layer of Imperial Jade Body Oil over the cream. It is a short list of plant oils, mongongo, Kalahari melon seed, marula, grapeseed and argan, that glides on like silk and sinks in without a tacky film.

Through the day: hands

Hands lose the most to frequent washing. Keep a bottle of Hydrating Hand Cream by the sink and another at your desk, and massage a little over knuckles, cuticles and wrists after each wash. Its blend of Kalahari melon seed, coconut, sunflower, jojoba, avocado, argan and borage oils, with aloe leaf juice and glycerin, leaves a soft-touch finish with no grease.

For scent: a roller at the pulse points

Our Fragrance Roller Oils are sunflower seed oil and fragrance, nothing more. Roll one at your wrists, behind your ears and along your collarbone in the morning, and again whenever the day asks for it. Because the carrier is oil rather than alcohol, the scent stays soft and close to the skin and blooms with your warmth.

Adjusting for your skin

• Dry skin: use cream on damp skin after every bath or shower, and layer body oil over it in cold, dry weather.
• Oily or blemish-prone skin: sunflower oil is light enough for most, but keep the richer creams and scrubs to the body and choose lighter textures on the face.
• Sensitive skin: introduce one new product at a time. Sunflowers belong to the daisy family, so if you react to ragweed or chamomile, patch test first.

Storage and freshness

Linoleic-rich oils are delicate. They keep best capped, away from heat and out of direct sun, so keep bottles out of a hot window and close lids after use. A product made in small batches, as ours are, starts fresher, but good storage is what keeps it that way.

Questions about using sunflower seed oil day to day

Can I put sunflower seed oil on my face?

Many people do, as it is light and generally well tolerated. In our range, though, sunflower oil is in body and hand products; for the face we use oils such as those in The Royal Kalahari Face Serum.

Should body cream go on wet or dry skin?

Slightly damp is best. Pat skin with a towel so it is no longer dripping, then apply the cream so it helps hold in the remaining water.

Can I layer body oil over body cream?

Yes. On very dry skin, Imperial Jade Body Oil layers well over body cream. Apply the cream first, then a few warmed drops of oil.