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As our skin ages, it tends to become drier and less elastic. Natural oils can be a game-changer for mature skin by providing deep hydration and essential nutrients. Rich in vitamins, antioxidants, and fatty acids, oils help combat fine lines, sagging, dryness, loss of elasticity, and age spots. They create a protective barrier that locks in moisture, plumps up the skin, and fights free radicals that accelerate ageing. Incorporating facial or body oils into your routine can nourish and revitalise ageing skin, restoring a healthy glow and suppleness over time.

Top Natural Oils for Mature Skin

Below I explore some of the best natural oils for ageing skin, each with unique benefits to address specific concerns. These oils can often be used on both the face and body, either on their own or as key ingredients in skincare products.

Argan Oil – Elasticity & Firmness Boost

Argan oil is often called “liquid gold” for its anti-ageing benefits. This Moroccan oil is packed with vitamin E and essential fatty acids that deeply moisturise and improve skin elasticity. In fact, studies on postmenopausal women found that applying and consuming argan oil significantly increased skin elasticity, providing an effective anti-ageing boost. By restoring elasticity and firmness, argan oil helps tackle sagging skin and softens the appearance of fine lines. Its antioxidants also neutralise free radicals, which can reduce age spots and UV damage over time.

Lightweight yet richly nourishing, argan oil absorbs well without greasiness, making it ideal for dry, mature skin on both face and body. You can use a few drops of pure argan oil as a night-time moisturiser or look for it in products formulated for ageing skin (it’s a star ingredient in many creams and serums).

Rosehip Oil – Collagen Booster & Radiance

Rosehip oil is derived from the seeds of wild rose fruits (rosehips) and is a powerhouse of skin-loving nutrients. It’s naturally rich in vitamin A (natural retinol), vitamin C, and essential fatty acids. These nutrients work together to boost collagen production and promote cell turnover, leading to firmer, smoother skin. Research shows rosehip can increase skin elasticity and collagen when used consistently. Vitamin A (retinoids) in rosehip oil gently exfoliates and encourages new cell growth, helping to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Meanwhile, vitamin C brightens the complexion and can fade age spots or sun damage.

Rosehip oil’s anti-inflammatory properties also soothe dryness and redness. The result is more radiant, even-toned skin with improved elasticity. This “dry” oil (non-greasy feel) sinks in quickly, making it perfect for all skin types. It’s often recommended as a night serum – for example, Pai Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil (a UK favourite) is a gentle choice. With regular use, rosehip oil can help aging skin appear brighter and more youthful, tackling fine lines and pigmentation simultaneously.

Sea Buckthorn Oil – Omega-Packed Revitaliser

Sea buckthorn berry oil is a bright orange oil packed with omega fatty acids (including the rare omega-7), vitamins C, A, and E, and carotenoids. It’s a true superfood for the skin. This nutrient-dense oil excels at revitalising dry or mature skin. The rich lipids in sea buckthorn oil deeply moisturise and soften skin, noticeably improving elasticity. In fact, one article noted that sea buckthorn’s fatty compounds help improve skin firmness and reduce water loss, which is especially beneficial as skin loses elasticity over time. Sea buckthorn oil also promotes cell regeneration and renewal, thanks to its high antioxidant content.

This means it can assist in repairing skin and reducing the appearance of fine lines. Its anti-inflammatory properties help calm redness or irritation. This makes it suitable even for sensitive, ageing skin that might also be prone to conditions like eczema. You’ll often find sea buckthorn oil in revitalising facial oils or serums targeted at dull, fatigued skin. Even a few drops added to your regular moisturiser can give a nourishing, skin-plumping boost. With regular use, sea buckthorn oil can help restore a healthy glow and improve the tone and texture of ageing skin, combating sagging and dryness simultaneously.

Jojoba Oil – Hydration & Barrier Repair

Jojoba oil is actually a liquid plant wax from the jojoba seed that closely resembles our skin’s natural sebum. This unique quality makes it exceptionally well tolerated and non-comedogenic (won’t clog pores). For ageing skin, jojoba oil provides intense hydration and helps repair the skin’s barrier. It’s full of vitamin E and antioxidants; about 79% of its content is vitamin E, which softens skin and fights oxidative damage. As jojoba mimics natural oils, it absorbs easily to relieve dryness, flakiness, and tightness. It effectively smooths rough, dry patches and improves skin elasticity, helping the skin feel more supple. By reinforcing the moisture barrier, jojoba oil also reduces trans-epidermal water loss, crucial for keeping mature skin plump.

Fine lines often look more pronounced when skin is dehydrated, so jojoba’s moisturising power can make wrinkles less noticeable. It’s gentle enough for use on the face (even around the eyes) and is also wonderful as a body oil for crepey skin on the arms or legs. You can use pure organic jojoba oil directly on damp skin after cleansing, or find it listed in many natural skincare formulations. It’s a great carrier oil too – meaning you can mix a few drops of essential oil (like frankincense or rose) into jojoba for a DIY anti-ageing body treatment. Overall, jojoba is a versatile oil that keeps ageing skin balanced, nourished, and soft without any heavy residue.

Pomegranate Seed Oil – Antioxidant Firming Oil

Pomegranate seed oil is a luxurious oil pressed from pomegranate seeds, celebrated for its high antioxidant content (punicic acid, a rare omega-5 fatty acid, and polyphenols). These antioxidants give pomegranate oil remarkable anti-ageing properties. They help fight free radicals and reduce cellular damage, which in turn can decrease the formation of wrinkles and age spots.

Pomegranate oil is also known to stimulate keratinocytes (skin cells) and accelerate cell regeneration. In practical terms, it supports your skin in shedding old cells and forming new ones, leading to a brighter complexion and smoother texture. One study even found that when applied to skin, pomegranate extract helped diminish age spots and wrinkles in mice, and human studies are underway. Furthermore, pomegranate seed oil can improve skin’s resilience: Weleda (a natural skincare brand) claims that their pomegranate body oil improved skin elasticity significantly within just two weeks of use​ makeupalley.com.

This oil is fairly rich, so it’s especially beneficial for very dry, stressed, or mature skin that needs extra nourishment. It helps preserve moisture and firmness, and its anti-inflammatory effects can calm redness. You’ll often see pomegranate oil blended into anti-ageing face oils and serums (for example, some facial oils for mature skin include pomegranate for its firming action). For body care, it’s a key ingredient in Weleda Pomegranate Regenerating Body Oil, a product renowned for keeping mature skin supple and radiant. If you’re looking for an oil that targets loss of elasticity and dullness, pomegranate is a potent natural remedy to consider.

Nourishing Oil Blends and Products for Ageing Skin

In addition to using single-ingredient oils, you can opt for formulated oil blends or oil-based products. These often combine multiple oils (and sometimes botanical extracts) to address a range of mature skin concerns in one bottle. Below are a product recommendations, that illustrate the kind of oil-based products that work well for ageing skin. All are widely available in the UK or globally.

Facial Oil Blends for Youthful Skin

Specially formulated facial oils can deliver a cocktail of rejuvenating ingredients to your skin. A great example is Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate, a much-loved night-time oil serum. This blend features evening primrose oil (rich in omega-6 gamma-linolenic acid) to bolster the skin barrier and improve elasticity, squalane (an ultra-hydrating yet light oil derived from olives) to lock in moisture, and lavender essential oil to soothe skin (and senses) overnight​ sephora.me. Users often wake up with a plumper, more refined texture and reduced fine lines, thanks to this restorative mix.

Another superb blend is The Body Shop’s Oils of Life™ Intensely Revitalising Facial Oil, which infuses skin with three precious seed oils: black cumin seed (antioxidant-rich, helps protect against free radical damage), camellia seed oil (lightweight hydration and nourishment), and rosehip seed oil (for regeneration and anti-wrinkle action). This 99% natural-origin formula is known to revive skin’s radiance and softness, without feeling heavy. It’s brilliant for dry or lacklustre skin, helping to smooth out fine lines and give a healthy glow.

When using a facial oil blend, apply just 2-3 drops after cleansing (and after any water-based serums) by gently pressing it into the skin. You can use it alone or follow with a moisturiser to seal in all that goodness. Over a few weeks, a quality facial oil can visibly improve skin firmness, tone, and luminosity, making it a valuable addition to an anti-ageing skincare routine.

Body Oils for Mature Skin

The skin on our body often shows signs of ageing too – think dryness, thinning, or age spots on the hands, chest, or legs. Using a nourishing body oil can help keep mature skin below the chin just as pampered as the face.

Weleda Pomegranate Regenerating Body Oil is a fantastic choice for ageing body skin. It blends oils like jojoba, sesame, and macadamia with pomegranate seed oil to intensely moisturise and improve skin tone. As noted earlier, pomegranate seed oil in this formula helps increase elasticity and speed up skin cell renewal, making the skin feel firmer and smoother​ makeupalley.com. The texture of this Weleda oil is silky, and it absorbs well (especially if applied to slightly damp skin after a bath or shower), leaving no sticky residue – just softer, more supple skin with a healthy sheen.

Another beloved product is Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse, a dry oil that has reached icon status. This French multi-purpose oil can be used on body, face, and even hair. It contains a blend of seven botanical oils, including sweet almond, camellia, hazelnut, macadamia, argan, and borage oils, which together nourish and soften the skin for hours without any greasy feel. A quick spritz of this oil and a rub into the skin can remedy dry, rough patches (like elbows or knees) and impart a subtle glow – plus it has a beautiful natural fragrance that makes it a pleasure to use.

For those concerned with scars or stretch marks (which can come with ageing or after pregnancy/weight changes), Bio-Oil is a popular option. It’s a lightweight oil-based serum that combines plant oils (like calendula, rosemary, and chamomile) with vitamins A and E. Bio-Oil is frequently used to improve the appearance of scars, stretch marks and uneven skin tone; with regular use it can help fade hyperpigmentation or age spots and relieve dryness (without feeling too oily). While it’s not “all-natural” (it has a mineral oil base), many people with mature skin swear by it for keeping their body skin hydrated and more even-toned.

When to apply

When applying body oils, it’s best to massage them into damp skin after showering – this helps trap extra water in the skin for added hydration. A little goes a long way; start with a few drops or one pump per limb. The result is skin that feels velvety-soft and more resilient. Over time, nourishing body oils can improve the look of crepey or sagging areas and give the skin a youthful glow. Plus, taking a moment for a self-massage with aromatic oils is a lovely self-care ritual that reduces stress – and less stress can mean happier skin!

Final Thoughts

Whether you choose a single-ingredient oil like argan or rosehip, or a beautifully formulated blend, integrating oils into your skincare routine can do wonders for ageing skin. Consistency is key – give it a few weeks to see the benefits as your skin drinks up the nutrients. Also, remember to patch test any new oil to ensure your skin tolerates it well, especially on the face.

By addressing dryness, reinforcing the skin’s barrier, and delivering antioxidants, oils help mature skin become more smooth, elastic, and radiant. It’s all about finding the oils that your skin loves the most. Here’s to healthy, glowing skin at every age, with a little help from nature’s finest oils.