In the unenlightened days before sunscreens and skin-cancer warnings, many a teenage tan-seeker swore by the same miracle product -- baby oil laced with a little iodine. We eventually wised up, but the damage was done. Not just to our skin, but to oil's reputation as a useful beauty ingredient. For nearly three decades, the arsenal of potions for skin and hair was dominated by creams, lotions, waxes, gels, mousses, serums and various elixirs. But hardly an oil in sight.
Now the onetime bad boy has become a golden child. Plant-based, petrochemical-free oils intended to cleanse, nourish, smooth and silken are the superstars of several organic beauty lines, from Dr. Hauschka to upscale Brit imports Bamford, Ren, Nude and Mama Mio. And antioxidant-rich argan oil (from the nuts of trees in Morocco's Atlas Mountains) is the hero in Kiehl's Superbly Restorative Argan Dry Oil and Moroccan Oil, a hair treatment voted Product You Can't Live Without at the annual Stylist Choice Awards.
Here's a moisturizing sampler:
• Kiehl's fragrant essence oils date to the 1920s, but the classic amber vials now come with roller-ball tips for spill-proof portability. $25 each, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and Ampersand.
• Macerated tiare (Tahitian gardenia) and refined coconut extract give Nars Monoi Body Glow II its heady, tropical-paradise scent. $59, Sephora and www.narscosmetics.com.
• Helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil leads the ingredients list of Bamford Rosemary Organic Nourishing Body Oil, with 99 percent organic components. $72, Neiman Marcus.
• Rub Nude Cleansing Facial Oil between palms, massage onto dry skin, then add warm water to form a light, detergent-free milk rich in omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E. $52, Barneys New York (www.barneys.com).
• Invigorating Dr. Hauschka Lemon Lemongrass Body Oil combines organic sunflower seed and jojoba oils with extracts of lemon, lemongrass and mistletoe. $29, Whole Foods Market and www.drhauschka.com.
