Last updated: September 2026 · Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
By Natalie, Founder of biobod
Searching for the best face oil for sensitive skin can feel like a gamble. The shelves are full of beautiful bottles promising glow, calm and nourishment. But for reactive skin, a single essential oil or a heavy base oil can be the difference between comfortable and irritated.
I will be upfront: biobod makes a face oil, and I will tell you about it. But the most useful thing I can give you is the checklist we used to formulate it, so you can judge any face oil on your shortlist, including ours.
Key takeaways
- Fragrance and essential oils are the first things to rule out for sensitive skin.
- Lightweight, skin-compatible oils such as squalane are a good starting point.
- Look for a brand that explains its ingredient screening and allergen review.
- Compare cost per month, not just the price of the bottle.
- A face oil can be used with your existing moisturiser or with a hydrating serum instead of one.
- Introduce any new oil on its own and patch test first.
Table of contents
- What makes a face oil suitable for sensitive skin?
- Sensitive skin face oil checklist
- Which oils suit sensitive skin?
- Face oil for dry, combination and oily sensitive skin
- Using a face oil with your existing moisturiser
- Are there affordable face oils for sensitive skin?
- Why an Australian-made face oil
- Our face oil for sensitive skin
- Where to buy face oils online in Australia
- Recommended biobod products
- FAQs
What makes a face oil suitable for sensitive skin?
A face oil for sensitive skin should add comfort without adding unnecessary triggers. In practice, that means:
- No fragrance and no essential oils. Many face oils are scented with lavender, rose, citrus or other essential oils. These are among the most common reasons reactive skin responds badly to a new product.
- Lightweight, low-comedogenic base oils. These are less likely to feel heavy or congesting.
- Skin-compatible lipids. Ingredients such as squalane closely resemble lipids your skin already produces.
- Antioxidants. Vitamin E and similar ingredients help keep oils fresh.
- Clear ingredient standards. A brand should explain how it assesses ingredients, not just call itself clean or natural.
Myth: A 100% natural face oil is automatically gentle.
Fact: Natural does not mean non-irritating. Essential oils and aromatic plant extracts are natural, but they can still bother sensitive skin. Fragrance-free and essential oil-free matter more than the word natural.
We explain this further in are essential oils good for skin? and our clean beauty ingredient checklist for sensitive skin.
Sensitive skin face oil checklist
Before you buy, check the label and the brand's website for these:
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Fragrance-free and essential oil-free | Removes two of the most common triggers for reactive skin. |
| Low-comedogenic ingredients | Less likely to feel heavy or congesting, especially on combination skin. |
| Full ingredient list published | Lets you check for anything you have reacted to before. |
| Ingredient screening explained | Shows the brand has a defined standard, not just marketing language. |
| Allergen review | A low-hazard ingredient can still be a common allergen. These are separate checks. |
| Nut-free, if relevant to you | Many face oils contain nut oils such as almond, macadamia or argan. |
| Trial size or guarantee | Reduces the risk of committing to a full bottle your skin does not like. |
Which oils suit sensitive skin?
Every skin is different, but these oils are commonly well tolerated and feel light on the skin:
- Squalane: a lightweight, stable oil that closely resembles a lipid naturally found in skin.
- Jojoba seed oil: technically a liquid wax, with a silky, non-greasy feel.
- Hemp seed and grapeseed oils: light oils rich in fatty acids.
- Meadowfoam seed oil: a stable oil that helps soften the skin.
- Oat kernel oil: a gentle oil from the same plant as colloidal oatmeal.
Oils to approach more carefully include heavily scented blends, undiluted essential oils and, for congestion-prone skin, rich oils such as coconut oil. Our ingredient glossary explains many of these ingredients in more detail.
Face oil for dry, combination and oily sensitive skin
| Sensitive skin that is | What to look for | How to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Dry | Squalane plus nourishing seed oils | Three to five drops over a hydrating serum, morning and night |
| Combination | Lightweight, low-comedogenic oils | Two to three drops, more on the cheeks, less on the T-zone |
| Oily or breakout-prone | The lightest oils, rated 0 to 1 on the comedogenic scale | One to two drops, starting at night only |
| Mature | Squalane, seed oils and antioxidants | Three to five drops over a hydrating serum |
If your skin leans oily, read is face oil good for oily or acne-prone skin?
Using a face oil with your existing moisturiser
You do not have to change your whole routine to add a face oil. For sensitive skin that feels dry, the simplest option is to press two or three drops of oil over your moisturiser as the last step before sunscreen.
If you find the oil is doing most of the work, you can swap the moisturiser for a water-based serum and use the oil on top. Read can you use face oil instead of a moisturiser? and how to layer serum and face oil for the details.
Are there affordable face oils for sensitive skin?
Face oils range widely in price, and bottle sizes vary even more. Many are sold in 15ml or 30ml bottles, which can make a lower price look better value than it is.
To compare fairly:
- work out the price per ml
- check how long the bottle is designed to last at the recommended dose
- consider whether the oil can also be used on your body or hair
As an example, the Barrier Restore Nutrient Oil is $95 for 100ml. Used on the face alone twice daily, one bottle lasts approximately four months, which works out to roughly $24 a month.
Why an Australian-made face oil
Australian conditions are demanding on skin. Strong sun, dry inland heat, humid coastal summers, cold southern winters and long hours in air-conditioning can all leave skin feeling different from one week to the next.
Choosing an Australian brand means products formulated with those conditions in mind, shorter shipping times and local customer support if you have questions. Whatever face oil you choose, mineral sunscreen remains essential. Cancer Council Australia recommends an SPF50 or SPF50+, broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen whenever UV levels are 3 or above.
Our face oil for sensitive skin
I created biobod for sensitive skin, and the Barrier Restore Nutrient Oil was designed to meet every point on the checklist above:
- Australian made, vegan and cruelty-free
- fragrance-free, essential oil-free and nut-free
- every ingredient rated 0 to 1 on the comedogenic scale
- led by plant-derived squalane, with jojoba, hemp seed, grapeseed, meadowfoam and oat kernel oils
- vitamin E and totarol as antioxidants
- every ingredient screened against the EWG Skin Deep database and selected for a low hazard score, with each formula separately reviewed for common allergens
- a 100ml bottle for face, body and hair
We designed it to be used over our Replenishing Hydra-Soothe Serum, as a two-step alternative to a moisturiser, but it can also be pressed over your existing moisturiser.
If your skin is persistently red, stinging or flaking, please speak with your GP or a dermatologist before trying new products.
Where to buy face oils online in Australia
Buying directly from the brand is usually the best way to be sure your face oil is fresh, stored correctly and covered by the brand's own guarantee.
biobod products are available online at biobod.com.au, with:
- free shipping on Australian orders over $50 (and New Zealand orders over $100)
- dispatch via Australia Post, with delivery typically within 2 to 7 business days after dispatch
- a 30-day Happiness Guarantee (terms apply)
If you would rather try before committing to a full bottle, the Discovery Set includes trial sizes of the oil, serum, cleanser and balm.
Recommended biobod products
Australian-made face oil
Barrier Restore Nutrient Oil
Best for: Sensitive skin of any type that needs extra comfort.
Fragrance-free, essential oil-free and nut-free, with every ingredient rated 0 to 1 on the comedogenic scale.
Explore the OilSerum + oil
Glow Set: Hydrate & Nourish
Best for: A complete sensitive-skin routine without a moisturiser.
The full-size serum and oil together, designed to be layered.
Explore the Glow SetTry it first
Discovery Set
Best for: Testing the oil before committing to a full bottle.
Trial sizes of our cleanser, serum, oil and balm.
Explore the Discovery SetRelated reading
- Do I Need a Face Oil If I Already Use Moisturiser?
- Is Face Oil Good for Oily or Acne-Prone Skin?
- Squalane Oil for Face: Why This Skin-Identical Oil Suits Sensitive Skin
- Barrier Repair Face Oil: Why Your Skin Needs This Blend
- Are Essential Oils Good for Skin?
- The Clean Beauty Ingredient Checklist for Sensitive Skin
FAQs
What is the best face oil for sensitive skin in Australia?
Look for a face oil that is fragrance-free, essential oil-free and made with lightweight, low-comedogenic oils such as squalane, from a brand that explains its ingredient screening. biobod's Barrier Restore Nutrient Oil is an Australian-made, vegan, fragrance-free and essential oil-free face oil formulated for sensitive skin.
Which face oils are recommended for sensitive skin?
Oils commonly well tolerated by sensitive skin include squalane, jojoba, hemp seed, grapeseed, meadowfoam and oat kernel oil. Choose blends that are free from fragrance and essential oils, and introduce any new oil on its own.
Are there Australian brands that make hydrating face oils?
Yes. biobod is an Australian skincare brand created for sensitive skin. Its Barrier Restore Nutrient Oil is Australian made and designed to be layered over the Replenishing Hydra-Soothe Serum, which provides the hydration, since oils themselves contain no water.
What is the best face oil for combination skin?
Combination skin usually suits lightweight, low-comedogenic oils such as squalane, hemp seed and grapeseed. Use two to three drops, applying more to drier areas such as the cheeks and less across the T-zone.
Can I use a face oil after moisturiser on sensitive skin?
Yes. Press two or three drops of a fragrance-free face oil over your moisturiser as the last step before sunscreen. You can also mix a drop of oil into your moisturiser in your palm.
Are there affordable face oils for sensitive skin?
Compare price per ml and how long a bottle lasts rather than the sticker price. biobod's Barrier Restore Nutrient Oil is $95 for 100ml and lasts approximately four months used on the face twice daily, or roughly $24 a month.
Where can I buy face oils online in Australia?
Buying directly from the brand helps ensure freshness and access to the brand's guarantee. biobod products are available at biobod.com.au, with free shipping on Australian orders over $50 and a 30-day Happiness Guarantee (terms apply).
The best face oil for sensitive skin is not the one with the longest ingredient list or the prettiest scent. It is the one your skin can live with every day.
Start with the checklist, introduce it slowly and let your skin tell you the rest.
Find your face oil: Explore the Barrier Restore Nutrient Oil, pair it with the serum in the Glow Set, or start with trial sizes in the Discovery Set.
biobod screens ingredients against information in the EWG Skin Deep database as part of its own formulation process. This does not imply that EWG has certified or endorsed biobod or its finished products.
