Facial Oils vs Moisturisers: Which Does Your Skin Actually Need?
By Micaela Nisbet
If you’ve ever stood in front of your bathroom mirror wondering whether to reach for a moisturiser or a facial oil, you’re not alone. It’s one of the most common skincare questions we hear — and it makes sense. The difference between the two isn’t always clear, and plenty of brands muddy the waters even more.
So, let’s clear it up. What does each one do, and which is best for your skin?
At Neighbourhood Botanicals, we’ve always been drawn to oils for their purity, versatility, and ability to support skin in a more intuitive way. But we also believe there’s a time and place for a well-formulated moisturiser — especially one built to complement oils, not replace them.
What Moisturisers Actually Do
Moisturisers are typically a blend of water and oil (known as an emulsion). They contain humectants — ingredients like glycerin or hyaluronic acid — that draw water into the skin, alongside emollients and occlusives that soften and help trap that moisture in.
They’re useful for delivering water-based hydration, especially when your skin feels tight or depleted, or if you’re in a dry indoor environment that pulls moisture from your skin.
Our Mild Mannered lotion is exactly this type of product: packed with gentle, skin-repairing humectants like glycerin and aloe, designed to draw water into your skin and layer seamlessly with facial oils for long-lasting comfort.
What Facial Oils Do
Facial oils are oil-based only — no water. They don’t hydrate in the traditional sense, but they’re brilliant at sealing in hydration, supporting the skin barrier, and delivering skin-beneficial fatty acids, vitamins, and bioactives.
But here’s the important part — not all oils are created equal.
All of our facial oils are made with cold-pressed, raw, organic plant oils. That means they’re extracted without heat or solvents, so the delicate nutrients and antioxidants remain intact — nothing is destroyed or degraded. The result is oil that’s more active, more vibrant, and more beneficial for your skin.
It also matters for the planet. Organic, small-scale land farming avoids the use of pesticides and synthetic fertilisers, which protects soil health and local ecosystems. When you use organic oils, you’re not just feeding your skin — you’re supporting healthier land and cleaner waterways.
So Which One Do You Actually Need?
Here’s the simplest way to think about it:
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Use a moisturiser (like Mild Mannered) when your skin feels dry, tight, or dehydrated — especially after cleansing or sun exposure.
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Use a facial oil to seal in that hydration, add nourishment, and protect your skin barrier.
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Use both for the best of both worlds. Moisturiser brings in the water, oil locks it down.
If you’re only using one and skipping the other, your skin might be missing a crucial step. Think of it like watering a plant and then covering the soil so it doesn’t dry out.
Why We Lead With Oils
We built our facial oils to be potent, minimal, and powerfully effective. No synthetic emulsifiers, no unnecessary fillers. Just pure cold-pressed botanicals and bioactives, carefully chosen to align with your skin’s natural structure.
Each oil is designed to support a different skin mood:
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Dream Dream Dream for overnight repair and calm
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Another Year Wiser for barrier support and mature skin
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The Daily Glow for lightweight nourishment and gua sha rituals
They’re intentionally created to work alongside a moisturiser like Mild Mannered. It’s the ultimate duo: humectant-driven hydration with barrier-loving plant oils to lock it in.
Oils and moisturisers aren’t competitors. They’re teammates. The key is layering them in the right order — moisturiser first, oil second — to give your skin both water-based hydration and oil-based protection.
If you’ve never tried pairing them before, we’d suggest starting with Mild Mannered + Dream Dream Dream at night, or Mild Mannered + The Daily Glow in the morning. Let your skin drink it in.
