Our editors independently select these products. Making a purchase through our links may earn Well+Good a commission
From hair care to cuticle repair, there are more uses for oils in your beauty routine than I can count. However, not all oils are created equal, and it can be difficult to find affordable pure oils. With its latest launch of 15 pure oils, Tropical Isle Living is here to solve both of these issues. The oils can be used on their own, mixed together, or mixed into other products.
Experts in This Article
Lois Reid-Hines has made it her mission to make Jamaican Black Castor Oil a household staple while continuing to create innovative new products that are rich in tradition, culture, and natural Jamaican-sourced ingredients.
“We’re all about plant-based beauty, and he wanted to give people plant-based boosters,” says founder Lois Reid-Hines. “Not all oils work for everybody. So hence, we wanted to give our consumers, a wide gamut of oils that seal, refresh, or refine. wherever you are in your beauty regimen, or where you are in your life.”
Growing up in Jamaica, Reid-Hines says oils have always been a huge part of her beauty routine.
“I’m from Jamaica and in Jamaica our ancestors were slaves. Our ancestors created the Jamaican Black Castor oil,” says Reid-Hines. While Jamaican Black Castor oil has exploded, there are so many other nurturing oils that Reid-Hines wanted to make available in additive-free high-quality versions.
These oils work beautifully on their own but are designed with the customizable spirit in mind. You can mix them together to create or add a few drops to a preexisting product to better tailor it to your needs. Currently, the full line is available to shop on the Tropical Isle Living website with plans to expand to other retailers and add more oils. Below, find three of Reid-Hines’ favorite mixes and shop the Tropical Isle Living DIY Pure Oils collection.
The best recipes for Tropical Isle Living DIY Pure Oils, according to founder Lois Reid-Hines
Hot oil hair treatment
Reid-Hines loves this blend to soothe and hydrate the scalp. In a microwave-safe bowl, mix together two tablespoons of Coconut Oil ($7) with two tablespoons of Wild Charcoal Castor Oil ($17) and two to three drops of Black Seed Oil ($10). Place the blend in the microwave for five to 10 seconds to get it warm and then massage it into your scalp and put on a heating cap ($15).
“You’ll get the hydration sensation of the coconut oil, the sealing sensation of the wild charcoal that is detoxifying the scalp, and then the black seed is the one that is the one-two punch that helps to heal the scalp,” says Reid-Hines.
Bath scrub
This scrub is perfect for sloughing off dead skin. Reid-Hines says to mix one-third of a cup of baking soda, sea salt, and Epsom salt with a few drops of oil to make it into a paste and then scrub. She says you can pick whichever oil best suits your needs and that she loves to mix it with cerasse oil ($17). “It smells like a plant and is so healing to the skin,” she says. The brand will soon be adding a dry mix of baking soda, sea salt, and Epsom salt to the line, but until then, you can DIY the mix.
Dry skin blend
For those of us combatting dry winter skin, Reid-Hines recommends mixing a tablespoon of avocado oil ($12), chill-pressed castor oil ($10), and grapeseed oil ($6). After taking a shower or bath, she says to pat yourself dry with a towel leaving your skin a bit damp and then massage in the oil blend followed by your lotion of choice. It’s like following the LOC hair method but for your skin.
“You need to seal your skin before you put on some of those lotions on your skin because some of them do contain alcohol, which is very drying to the skin,” says Reid-Hines. “So seal your skin first, and nourish it at the same time, and then put on your lotion.”
Shop the full Tropical Isle Living DIY Pure Oils Collection
1. Oil of Aloe, $11
Rich with antioxidants and vitamins, oil of aloe is great to grow hair, heal wounds, and stimulate collagen production. It’s also anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial.
Shop now: Oil of Aloe, $11
2. Chill-Pressed Castor Oil, $10
Full of omega fatty acids and ricinoleic, oleic, and linoleic acids, this chill-pressed castor oil helps to replenish the skin, smooth fine lines, and nourish the scalp to encourage healthy hair growth.
Shop now: Chill-Pressed Castor Oil, $10
3. Argan Oil, $14
Packed with fatty acids, this argan oil helps moisturize dry skin, seal in hydration, fight dandruff, mend split ends, promote hair growth, and add shine and gloss to hair.
Shop now:Argan Oil, $14
4. Avocado Oil, $12
Avocado oil is rich in vitamins and minerals that help to hydrate skin, generate new skin cells, protect hair damage, and more.
Shop now: Avocado Oil, $12
5. Black Seed Oil, $10
Derived from Indian black cumin seeds, this black seed oil helps seal moisture into hair and skin while also reducing acne.
Shop now: Black Seed Oil, $10
6. Black Walnut Oil, $11
Rich in B vitamins, omega fatty acids, and more, black walnut oil helps treat acne and infections while soothing inflamed skin and smoothing fine lines.
Shop now: Black Walnut Oil, $11
7. Cerasse Oil, $17
Commonly known as “bitter melon,” cerasse is commonly used in the Caribbean for its cleansing properties. This oil detoxifies, reduces inflammation, and cleanses skin.
Shop now: Cerasse Oil, $17
8. Coconut Oil, $7
Rich in fatty acids and antioxidants, this coconut oil aids in the stimulation of collagen production and maintains hair moisture. It also has anti-aging and skin-healing properties.
Shop now: Coconut Oil, $7
9. Grapeseed Oil, $6
Rich in polyunsaturated fats and vitamin E grapeseed oil helps to protect cells from free-radical damage, soothes tired muscles, and improves skin elasticity.
Shop now: Grapeseed Oil, $6
10. Jojoba Oil, $8
Loaded with vitamins A and E, and omega-6 fatty acids, this oil helps to moisturize and strengthen the skin and hair.
Shop now: Jojoba Oil, $8
11. Olive Oil, $6
Olive oil is much more than cooking oil. Packed with antioxidants and squalene, great for treating under eyes, caring for nails and cuticles, moisturizing hair, and more.
Shop now: Olive Oil, $6
12. Sunflower Seed Oil, $6
High in poly- and monounsaturated fats and well as vitamin E, sunflower oil stimulates hair regrowth while staving off breakage and shedding hair follicles.
Shop now: Sunflower Seed Oil, $6
13. Baobab Oil, $12
With vitamin E and omega-3 fatty acids, baobab is good for moisturizing the skin and supporting a healthy skin moisture barrier.
Shop now: Baobab Oil, $12
14. Wild Charcoal Castor Oil, $17
Boiled longer than the chill-pressed castor oil, fire-roasted this extra-dark oil helps to deep clean your the pores in tyour scalp to help your hair breathe.
15. Sweet Almond Oil, $7
Enriched with vitamins A and E, omega-3 fatty acids, and zinc, sweet almond oil and fights inflammation-causing free radicals, and the skin and hair, and strengthens the skin and hair.
Shop now: Sweet Almond Oil, $7
This is how many steps you’ll find in a dermatologist’s skin-care routine:
Sign Up for Our Daily Newsletter
Get all the latest in wellness, trends, food, fitness, beauty, and more delivered right to your inbox.
Got it, you've been added to our email list.
