One of the benefits of our interconnected world is easy access to the best natural skincare solutions. Marula oil may come from Africa, but it’s available worldwide. For the people of Namibia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, and South Africa, it’s a regular moisturizer and part of their diet, too. For the rest of us, it’s an exotic cure for damaged skin (1).
The best marula oils for the face are good for all complexion types but especially helpful for acne-prone and dry skin. It doesn’t clog pores, yet it seals in moisture. Marula oil for the face benefits also include antioxidants and antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects (2).
Since marula oil has a high amount of fatty acids and it’s similar to the skin’s own natural lipids, it absorbs quickly and prevents water loss. This is excellent news if your regular moisturizer isn’t doing a good enough job. There’s no problem with wearing makeup over the top, either.
Moreover, marula oil combats premature aging with plenty of antioxidants. It neutralizes the negative effects of UV rays and pollution. Plus, it has amino acids that help keep the skin firm with plenty of collagen and elastin.
Lastly, marula oil is good for treating acne because it’s biomimetic and mimics sebum. Therefore, it balances oil production while it calms redness and inflammation. Some say that it fades acne scars, too.
How do you choose marula oil for the face? Check out our top picks below:
The best marula oils for the face | Why we love them |
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The Ordinary 100% Cold-pressed Virgin Marula Oil |
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Acure The Essentials Marula |
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InstaNatural Organic Marula Facial Oil |
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Pure Body Naturals Marula Facial Oil |
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Shea Terra Namibian Marula Cold-Pressed Extra Virgin Oil |
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Sdara Skincare Organic Marula Face Oil |
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Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil |
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Marula Facial Oil by Le Saint |
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Contents
- 1 Best Marula Oils for the Face in 2024
- 1.1 The Ordinary 100% Cold-pressed Virgin Marula Oil
- 1.2 Acure The Essentials Marula
- 1.3 InstaNatural Organic Marula Facial Oil
- 1.4 Pure Body Naturals Marula Facial Oil
- 1.5 Shea Terra Namibian Marula Cold-Pressed Extra Virgin Oil
- 1.6 Sdara Skincare Organic Marula Face Oil
- 1.7 Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil
- 1.8 Marula Facial Oil by Le Saint
- 2 Conclusion
Best Marula Oils for the Face in 2024
The Ordinary 100% Cold-pressed Virgin Marula Oil
Pure marula oil is a great place to start. We recommend experiencing uncut, un-blended marula oil before purchasing a product with other ingredients. It’s how you’ll know whether or not marula oil works wonders for your skin. (It also tends to be less expensive. Just compare this product to the last one at the bottom of the page).
We like The Ordinary’s marula oil because it’s reasonably priced and cruelty-free. Furthermore, the brand never includes parabens, formaldehyde, or other questionable ingredients in any of their products.
The oil comes with an eyedropper, and it only takes two or three drops for both the face and neck. It has a smooth texture that sinks in quickly. There’s no problem wearing it underneath makeup, and it’s perfect for after cleansing at night. Just be sure to put it on while the skin is damp.
Those with dry skin will find that foundation looks a lot smoother once the face is moisturized with marula oil. And reviewers who’ve been using it for a few weeks say their skin is much more supple than when they started.
Pros:
- Pure marula oil with no additives
- Comes with an eyedropper for dispensing
- From a cruelty-free brand
Cons:
- None
Acure The Essentials Marula
The official name of the marula tree is Sclerocarya birrea. Those are the words on the label of this pump-top bottle of marula oil. It comes from wildcrafted sources raised without pesticides, plus it’s cold-pressed and unrefined. In short, it’s pure and as potent as possible.
Feel free to use the oil on your face, body, and hair. It’s an excellent conditioner wherever you apply it. Since it’s lightweight and fast-absorbing, it doesn’t feel greasy. Of course, it’s non-comedogenic, too.
Users say it works best on damp hair and damp skin. One reviewer recommends placing a few dots and connecting them with a light massage to spread the oil.
Pros:
- Pure, unrefined, cold-pressed extracted
- From wildcrafted sources that are pesticide-free
- In a pump top bottle
Cons:
- None
InstaNatural Organic Marula Facial Oil
Did you know that you could add marula oil to shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, and face creams? It’s also a lovely primer for dry skin that keeps makeup from creasing and caking.
As a hair treatment, it revives dull, dry hair and protects against damage from heat styling. It smooths split ends, too. Put a few drops at the end of your strands after you’ve washed your hair. There’s no need to shampoo or rinse afterward.
Blend it with argan, rosehip, or other natural oils if you like. It’s safe for sensitive skin and it won’t clog pores. This brand’s marula oil is certified organic and it comes with an eyedropper.
Reviewers say they get similar results from this affordable marula oil when compared to premium brands.
Pros:
- Certified organic
- Blends well with other natural oils like argan and rosehip
- Ideal for conditioning dry hair and skin
- Excellent for priming dry skin before applying makeup
- Comes with an eyedropper
Cons:
- None
Pure Body Naturals Marula Facial Oil
The main difference between this marula oil and others is that it’s refined. Virgin marula oil is thicker because it contains natural plant wax among other things. Sometimes it can feel a little greasy. But refined marula oil is lighter and easier for the skin to absorb. Users say it’s even lighter weight than rosehip oil.
Otherwise, this is wild-harvested and cold-pressed from the seeds of the marula tree. It’s packaged with an eyedropper and quite affordable.
Pros:
- Wild harvested, cold-pressed, and refined
- Lightweight texture and less greasy when compared to unrefined marula oil
- Comes with an eyedropper
Cons:
- If you want unrefined marula oil, this isn’t it – but if you have oily skin, it’s probably a better choice
Shea Terra Namibian Marula Cold-Pressed Extra Virgin Oil
How can you know that this is truly unrefined extra virgin marula oil? If you can compare it to refined marula oil (like the one above), you’ll see, feel, and smell the difference. It’s thicker, darker-colored, and has a slight nutty odor.
This brand sources marula from Namibia where they’ve developed relationships with villagers who wild harvest the seeds from the best trees.
The local inhabitants process the oil by hand. They start with crushing the hard shell of the marula seed, which they remove. Then they dry the seeds in the sun.
Once dried, the seeds are ground into a paste and cold-pressed in a mill to extract the oil. Once the oil is ready, it’s checked in a lab for purity and potency. Lastly, the virgin marula oil is flown to the packaging facility where it’s placed in a pump top bottle. It has no added ingredients at all.
Pros:
- Unrefined, wild-harvested oil processed by hand in Namibia
- Checked for potency and purity
- Pump top bottle
Cons:
- None
Sdara Skincare Organic Marula Face Oil
Does marula oil lighten skin? Anecdotal evidence says that it might. Of course, it won’t have the same impact as hydroquinone, but it’s perfectly capable of evening out skin tone. It may take a few weeks of daily applications, but the oil is naturally healing and nourishing anyway.
Not only is this marula oil USDA-certified organic, but it’s also unrefined and cold-pressed. Since it was never heated, it’s as potent as possible. With no additives, it’s 100% natural and kind to sensitive skin.
It’s packaged in a bottle with an eyedropper. You might have seen this product featured on Glamour or other beauty sites. The brand recommends using the oil with a jade roller or gua sha stone. It’s also perfect as a carrier oil for essential oils.
One thing we noticed has nothing to do with the oil and everything to do with the brand. They are quick to respond to questions, and that’s always a good sign.
Pros:
- USDA-certified organic, unrefined, and cold-pressed for maximum potency
- Ideal for use with a gua sha stone or a jade roller
- Packaged with an eyedropper
Cons:
- None
Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil
And now, the question that’s working in the back of your mind: Is Drunk Elephant marula oil worth it?
Well, it’s not even the most expensive marula oil. However, you aren’t just paying for the ingredient, but also the brand. After all, it’s made in the USA, cruelty-free, and free of harmful additives. There’s no doubt that Drunk Elephant makes high-quality skincare products. Not only are they thoroughly tested, but they rack up tons of positive reviews.
In fact, the marula oil clinical trial had spectacular results. Ninety-seven percent of the women who tried it said it was gentle and non-irritating and their skin felt moisturized with it.
Pros:
- Unrefined marula oil with no additives
- From a cruelty-free American brand
- Clinical trials had excellent results
- Comes with a dropper
Cons:
- None, if you can afford it
Marula Facial Oil by Le Saint
This isn’t just marula oil, but a specially formulated facial serum. It’s made for all skin types, but it’s amazing for dry, sensitive, and aging skin. It has moisturizing, anti-aging, and brightening properties. The blend fades dark spots and smooth lines and wrinkles, too.
First, the marula oil is produced in Kenya’s Rift Valley. It’s the most important part of the formula as it makes up 94% of the serum.
Next, the marula oil is combined with other natural extracts and oils like chia seed, pomegranate seed, crambe, watermelon seed, blackcurrant seed, lavender, frankincense, and sunflower seed oils. There are no artificial fragrances or harsh chemicals added.
Finally, the serum is packaged in a dark violet glass bottle that keeps it fresh and protected against UV rays that can weaken its potency. The bottle has a pump top for easy application.
Reviewers say that the serum smells light and nice. It wears well during the day and at night. Not only does it make their skin more supple, but it also allows them to wear less makeup and go longer without having to do touchups.
Pros:
- Facial serum that smoothes lines and wrinkles and fades dark spots
- Consists of 94% marula oil from the Rift Valley in Kenya
- Also features chia seed, pomegranate seed, crambe, frankincense, and other natural extracts and oils
- No added fragrances or harsh chemicals
- Wears well underneath makeup, as a daytime moisturizer, and a night cream
- Pump top bottle
Cons:
- Expensive but worth it to many who have tried it
Conclusion
Marula oil is all-around useful. Not only does make the face look more youthful, but it also repairs and adds shine to dry hair. We highly recommend trying it if you’re struggling with dry skin or acne as it’s proven to help with both.
We hope our reviews inspired you to try marula oil for your face today. Feel free to let us know in the comments below how it’s working out for you.
Source:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marula_oil
2. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26528587/ Komane B, Vermaak I, Summers B, Viljoen A. Safety and efficacy of Sclerocarya birrea (A.Rich.) Hochst (Marula) oil: A clinical perspective. J Ethnopharmacol. 2015 Dec 24;176:327-35. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2015.10.037. Epub 2015 Oct 31. PMID: 26528587.
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