When you’re creating skincare for dry, tight, or mature skin, choosing the right oils matters just as much as choosing the right butters or extracts. Some oils hydrate deeply, melt into the skin, and restore a healthy barrier. Others — even if widely recommended — can make dryness worse.
Understanding which carrier oils to avoid helps you create smoother, more moisturizing products that actually support the skin, rather than sitting on top of it or clogging pores. This guide shows you the oils dry skin should skip — and the nourishing alternatives that truly transform the moisture barrier.
Dry skin lacks the oils and lipids needed to keep moisture inside the skin. The goal is to support the barrier with:
Some oils, especially lightweight or astringent ones, don't give dry skin the replenishment it needs. Others are too occlusive or comedogenic, causing irritation and breakouts.
The oils below are commonly used — but aren’t ideal for dry, mature, or compromised skin.
1. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil is rich and heavy, but it sits on top of the skin instead of penetrating deeply. For many skin types, especially dry and sensitive, it can:
It creates a superficial barrier without restoring the skin’s natural lipid balance.
2. Grapeseed Oil
Light and elegant, grapeseed oil is excellent for oily or combination skin — but not for dryness.
Why?
Dry skin needs oils that linger, nourish, and rebuild the moisture barrier.
3. Olive Oil
Olive oil is controversial in skincare, but for dry skin, it’s not ideal.
Research suggests that high-oleic oils like olive may disrupt the skin barrier in some individuals — especially if their barrier is already damaged.
Additionally:
There are much better options for deep hydration and repair.
Now for the fun part — the oils that do support dry, dehydrated, or mature skin beautifully. These alternatives offer lasting hydration, rich nourishment, and a silky, spa-like finish.
Pumpkin Seed Oil
Deeply nourishing & barrier-supportive.
Prickly Pear Seed Oil
The luxury oil of choice for glow.
Extremely high vitamin E content
Squalane Oil
Elegant, lightweight, universally compatible.Skin-identical lipid
Tamanu Oil
Thick, healing, rich, and restorative.
Excellent for dry, irritated skin
Jojoba Oil
Technically a wax ester — beautifully stable.
A perfect dry-skin blend includes:
Example 50g Dry Skin Formula
This blend is silky, nutrient-rich, and glows beautifully under makeup.
→ Link to “Best Carrier Oils for Dry Skin”
→ Link to “What Is Squalane Oil?”
Choosing the right oils — and knowing which carrier oils to avoid — gives you a powerful advantage as a formulator. By skipping lightweight, overly-occlusive, or barrier-disrupting oils, you make room for ingredients that genuinely restore, soften, and hydrate.
Dry skin needs nourishment, not just occlusion. With pumpkin, prickly pear, squalane, tamanu, and jojoba, your formulas will deliver comfort, glow, and long-lasting moisture — true Mango & Emerald elegance.
Get formulation guides, oil profiles, and dry-skin recipes delivered weekly.
www.mangoandemerald.com/join