Why Certain Oils Are Used in Body Care (And Why Context Matters)

If you’ve ever tried a body oil that felt heavy, greasy, or slow to absorb, the issue usually isn’t your skin. It’s formulation.

Many oils commonly used in body care are chosen because they sound familiar, feel rich on application, or create an immediate sensory payoff. That doesn’t automatically make them the right choice for leave-on body oils meant to be worn throughout the day.

Understanding why certain oils are used  and where they perform best - explains why so many people say they “don’t like body oils.”

Sweet Almond Oil: Familiar and Easy to Market

Sweet almond oil is one of the most common oils used in body care.

It’s gentle, approachable, and often associated with softness. On contact, it can feel rich and comforting. But sweet almond oil is high in oleic acid, which means it absorbs more slowly and tends to sit on the skin longer.

For people looking for a non-greasy body oil that absorbs quickly, this can be where discomfort starts.

That doesn’t make sweet almond oil a poor ingredient. It makes it a format-specific ingredient.

We use sweet almond oil intentionally in our Brazilian Blue Shower Oil, where slip, glide, and rinse-off performance matter. In a cleansing product, that richness works with the formula rather than against it.

In a daily leave-on body oil, that same heaviness often feels unnecessary.

Avocado Oil: Nourishing, but Heavy

Avocado oil is deeply nourishing and oleic-heavy.

It performs well in balms, salves, and products designed for very dry or compromised skin. When the goal is protection and occlusion, avocado oil makes sense.

In a lightweight body oil for daily use, however, avocado oil can slow absorption and leave a lingering weight on the skin. For many people, that translates to a greasy or coated feeling.

Again, not a bad oil just one that needs the right role.

Olive Oil: Excellent in Soap, Selective in Leave-On Products

Olive oil is foundational in soap making for a reason. It’s stable, conditioning, and performs beautifully in rinse-off products. We use olive oil. We respect it.

As a leave-on oil, though, olive oil is highly occlusive and slow to absorb. For some skin types, it can feel heavy rather than hydrating, especially in products meant to disappear into the skin.

This is why olive oil often performs better in cleansers and wash-off formats than in body oils designed for everyday wear.

Castor Oil: Texture Over Wearability

Castor oil is extremely thick and sticky.

In many body oils, it’s added to increase viscosity, add shine, and create a richer feel on application. That immediate sensory payoff can be convincing.

But castor oil does not absorb quickly. It clings to the skin and lingers, which is often the reason people describe a body oil as greasy.

We use castor oil where its properties make sense, not as a shortcut to make a body oil feel luxurious. Texture should serve function, not perform for it.

The Common Thread: Ingredients Aren’t the Problem

None of these oils are inherently wrong.

The issue is how often they’re used without enough consideration for:

• absorption rate

• wearability

• daily use vs rinse-off use

When texture and storytelling are prioritized over performance, the result is a body oil that looks hydrating but feels inconvenient.

That’s usually what people are reacting to when they say they “don’t like body oils.”

Why Context Matters in Body Oil Formulation

A body oil that doesn’t feel greasy isn’t accidental.

It’s the result of choosing ingredients based on how they behave on the skin over time, not just how they feel in the first few seconds.

Different oils belong in different formats. We use them where they work best; cleansing oils, soaps, or wash-off products,  and we formulate leave-on body oils with absorption and comfort as the priority.

That distinction is the difference between marketing and formulation.