Five face oils for dry skin that come into their own in winter

On the first evening in November, the heating comes on and your skin lets you know about it: after cleansing, your face feels tight, your cheeks pull, and the moisturiser that felt so comfortable in July suddenly seems to pass straight through without nourishing anything. That is the moment to streamline the routine rather than add to it: a gentle cleanse, a few drops of plant oil and nothing more. The edit below starts from that minimal step: a few bottles for the evening, plant oils at the heart of it, short ingredient lists, pump or dropper formats, and textures designed for the face rather than the body. It is aimed at dry or dehydrated skin, and at anyone who would rather reach for one simple oil than a pile of serums, with prices we found running from under €10 to around €15. As always, this edit is not a test: it is based on the product information and prices we found, never on a trial we have not carried out.

The versatile base for combination skin

First up is Naturoleum's organic jojoba oil, which acts as the base of the edit: a 50 ml bottle at a keen price, intended for the face straight after cleansing. Its selling point is a texture close to the skin's own sebum. Check how your own skin tolerates it; it stays comfortable even on combination areas where a richer oil can feel heavy. In the evening, it suits anyone who wants one step, without layering serum and then moisturiser.

Using it is hardly complicated: two or three drops in the palm, warmed between the hands, then pressed onto a still slightly damp face, paying extra attention to the cheeks and forehead. There is no need to add more the next morning if your skin does not feel tight – in winter, jojoba is enough on skin that is not very dry. The 50 ml bottle should easily last the cold season, which makes it the logical entry point for the routine.

The step up when your moisturiser feels too light

When the moisturiser that worked in September starts to feel too light, Puressentiel's organic argan oil takes over. The 50 ml bottle contains a yellow-to-brown oil with a very soft, discreet scent – a welcome detail if you dread heavily scented oils. It is aimed at dry skin that needs a nourishing film as the final step in the evening, and its restrained price puts it among the more affordable options here.

Unlike lighter jojoba, argan is a rich oil: use no more than three drops, warmed between your palms and pressed on as the very last step after cleansing. You can also reserve it for the areas that feel tightest, such as the cheekbones and around the mouth, rather than applying it all over, and keep a lighter texture for the rest of the face. Closed tightly and kept away from light, the bottle should keep well through winter.

The soothing step after cleansing

Some skin does more than feel tight: it goes red and reacts to water that is a little too hot. For those evenings, Pranarôm's organic calendula oil is the most comforting option in the edit, in a large 100 ml bottle – the most generous in our list. Use it as a last step, but also as a gentle massage oil, which makes it useful beyond the face – on a tight neck and chest, for example.

It comes into its own on evenings when your skin feels uncomfortable: press a few drops onto the face without rubbing, or take a minute to massage it in slowly with your fingertips. The 100 ml format means you need to keep it away from light and heat so it does not degrade before the end of the season. Choose it if your priority is immediate comfort rather than a featherlight finish.

Two drops for dull complexions

Winter does not just dry skin out; it dulls it, too. Cosmesana's organic rosehip oil, in a 30 ml bottle, addresses that with a product the brand presents as regenerating rather than as a simple protective film. It is one of the smallest formats in the edit, making it a good way to try a facial oil without committing to a large bottle. It is aimed more at dull and mature skin, with two or three drops enough per application.

In use, press it onto the face in the evening, perhaps alternating with a richer oil every other night. Because it comes in a 30 ml bottle, it is easy to keep by the sink so you do not forget the step. At a low price, it is the most treatment-like product in the list, without making the routine any longer.

The gentlest option, in a pump

Finally, Distillerie Saint-Hilaire Auvergne's organic apricot kernel oil is the most affordable product in the edit, at under €10 for 50 ml. Its distinctive detail lies elsewhere: it is the only one with a pump, in a 50 ml glass bottle, which avoids drops slipping through your fingers and makes it easy to dose one-handed. It suits dry skin that wants a simple facial oil without spending much.

Use it like the others, as the last step in the evening, pressing it into the cheeks and avoiding the eye area if you are not used to facial oils. Its rather gentle texture also makes it a good transition oil for anyone who has never tried oil on the face. One maintenance note: give the nozzle a quick wipe from time to time to prevent build-up around the pump.

Budget and where to buy

The prices we found for this edit run from under €10 to around €15; at a rough conversion, that is about £8 to £13, but treat that as a guide rather than a UK retail price. Four products – Naturoleum jojoba, Puressentiel argan, Cosmesana rosehip and Distillerie Saint-Hilaire Auvergne apricot kernel – are under €10; Pranarôm calendula oil sits at around €15. What changes the price is quantity (30 ml for rosehip, 50 ml for jojoba, argan and apricot, 100 ml for calendula), the raw material and its degree of purification more than the brand itself. In practice, a small format does not necessarily cost more per season than a large bottle left at the back of the cupboard.

Where to find them? Jojoba and apricot are stocked by La Fourche, argan by MapHarmaNaturelle, calendula by Redcare Pharmacie and rosehip by Onatera. These are French stockists, so check current delivery to the UK and any customs charges before ordering. The prices are indicative, observed on 31 October 2026 and subject to change; some links on the site may be affiliate links, with no effect on the price you pay or on the content of this edit.