This Dry Body Oil Is Dull, Crepey Skin's Best Friend (& The Research Proves It!)

Unfortunately, certain skin concerns tend to go hand-in-hand: Acne and oily skin. Dryness and sensitivity. Fine lines and sagging. Dark spots and loss of elasticity.

Two you often see on the body? Dullness and a crepey appearance.

Crepey skin is a common skin condition in which the epidermis forms small, crinkly lines that resemble crepe paper. It’s triggered by age-related collagen decline and the appearance is exacerbated by lack of moisture.

Dull skin just refers to a loss of luminosity that often accompanies dry, dehydrated skin, which is more common as people get older. 

Since the texture of crepey skin can make the complexion rougher and more course-looking, it often also loses radiance. Plus, since the root of both skin concerns is lack of moisture, it’s likely that you’ll experience both simultaneously. 

As a recap: Crepey skin is caused by loss of and lack of hydration, and dullness is caused solely by the latter. So if you want to address the appearance, what do you want to treat? Collagen loss and hydration! Simple as that.

mindbodygreen’s dry body oil is made with an organic safflower oil that’s been shown to support collagen production and protect it from external damage. Safflower seed oil is a botanical oil rich in antioxidants and omega fatty acids 3, 6, and 9. It also contains a very special active compound called acacetin, a flavonoid. A 2020 study found that safflower seed oil and this compound can block damage to collagen. 

The research found that acacetin was able to inhibit an enzyme in the skin that's responsible for the "collapse [of] connective proteins such as collagen and elastin, leading to wrinkles." 

The specific pathway is MMP112, or collagenase-1, which degrades collagen types 1 and 3.

Collagen types 1 and 3 are the most abundant in the skin and the most critical for skin health. Essentially external stressors stimulate an enzyme in the skin's epidermal and dermal layers that then breaks down our structural proteins. Read: collagen loss. 

However, the acacetin in safflower seed oil was able to block this process. In regulating this enzyme, the flavonoid is able to reduce overall collagen breakdown.

And thanks to those healthy fats (omega fatty acids 3, 6, and 9 from sunflower seed oil, safflower seed oil, and prickly pear seed oil), this oil can help restore the skin barrier and help trap moisture into the skin. When applied as a last step or on damp skin, the oil acts as a seal, locking in hydration for the entire day. 

This is my go-to daily body oil, one that I’ve been using for years. It’s light enough to slather on head-to-toe without worrying about making a goopy mess, but it’s still chock-full of nutrient-dense botanicals.