Reviewed by Liz
When I first found out that I would be reviewing the KYI Sweet Almond Softening Oil ($20) in Litsea Cubeba, I was interested in learning more about the brand. KYI stands for “Know Your Ingredients” and it is a company that creates “minimally processed” and “whole food” skin products, an ethos I liked the sound of very much. The softening oil is a testament to this as it contains only two ingredients – sweet almond oil and an essential oil (in this case, Litsea Cubeba). As far as I can tell, the ingredients aren’t organic, so if this is something that concerns you, it might be worth checking into.
In addition to the brand, I was also interested in learning more about Litsea Cubeba as I had no idea what to expect in terms of fragrance. A quick search led me to find out that this essential oil had lemony characteristics, and I was a little worried that a refreshing citrus might not be suited to the depths of winter. However, as I found out, it’s a sweet lemon – quite candy-like – but still very natural, and almost warm. KYI does have other scent options, along with an unscented version. Though I liked the scent, I will probably opt for the unscented version, simply so that nothing is competing with my perfume.
KYI suggests using the oil on damp skin whilst in the shower, and this is how I first used it. It’s not something that I’ve ever tried before and I’ve really come to like this method of application. In fact, it wouldn’t be an overstatement to say that KYI has actually changed the way I moisturize my body. I’ve previously found that, despite good intentions, I never really had the time to use a body moisturizer in the morning. As a result, I might moisturize once or twice a week at most. Using KYI’s oil in the shower has combined this step seamlessly into my morning routine. I apply either whilst I’m waiting for my conditioner to work, or just a quick application before I get out.
Because skin is already warm and damp the oil applies incredibly easily, and after drying, skin remains moisturized – but not sticky – and there’s no waiting around for a cream to sink in before getting dressed. It’s quick and effective, resulting in very soft skin. An unexpected point is that I have been using it in lieu of a cellulite treatment. I’m of the belief that most cellulite products work (if they work at all) because of the massaging and drainage action that happens during application; and so even though I don’t think it’s specifically down to the formulation of the KYI oil, the product itself encourages me to do this every single day, and I’ve definitely noticed a difference.
It also work nicely on dry skin – I’ve used it on hands and drier patches (like elbows), but the scent is stronger and more concentrated and I do prefer a cream for this purpose. I’ve personally found that for me, this product really stands out when used on damp skin as described above. I really like that I’ve effectively only used sweet almond oil on my body for the last month; it’s such a large area to cover and I can’t think of anything nicer than using such a simple and natural ingredient (unless perhaps if it was organic).
Ingredients: Sweet Almond Oil (Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil), Essential Oils Of Orange, Mandarin And Ginger Grass