Yeah, I bought it for my face. But now I use it on my cuticles, my hair ends, and once—out of desperation—as a makeup remover. It worked. This single African-sourced oil is trying to replace half your beauty shelf. And honestly? It might.
💆🏾♀️ **Wait, What Actually *Is* This?**
It’s Ustawi Facial Oil. $48 for 30ml. The brand claims it “transforms skin in 7 days” which I rolled my eyes at—but then day 4 hit and I was texting my group chat. Three things you need to know:
1. **Absorbs in 10 seconds flat** — no greasy pillowcase situation
2. **Smells like a warm hug** — think earthy, not grandma’s perfume
3. **Layers under makeup like a primer** — I stopped using my $42 primer. Oops.
Photo: Maria Lupan / Unsplash
💅 **The Ingredient Nerd Stuff (Keep Up)**
Baobab oil is the MVP here—it’s lighter than argan and sinks in like water. Marula adds that glow without looking like you deep-fried your face. Ximenia oil? Never heard of it before this, but it’s apparently the reason my dry patches gave up. And rose geranium makes it smell expensive without being synthetic.
- Baobab Oil: absorbs in seconds, not minutes
- Marula Oil: glow without grease
- Ximenia Oil: bye bye dry patches
- Rose Geranium: smells like $100, costs $48
Photo: Amanda Wolbert / Unsplash
🌿 **First Touch, First Week**
It’s thin. Like, suspiciously thin for an oil. I put three drops on and my skin just… drank it. No residue, no shine that screams “I’m oily.” By week two, my forehead stopped flaking (yes, that winter situation) and my cheeks looked bouncier. One surprise: I used it on my cuticles once and they actually stopped splitting. Did not see that coming.
💡 **One Thing**
Warm 2 drops between your palms, then pat—don’t rub. Rubbing wastes product. Patting makes it disappear.
Photo: Fleur Kaan / Unsplash
🌟 **The Verdict (No Fluff)**
After 3 weeks: skin feels bouncier, dry patches are gone, makeup sits better. But my pores didn’t vanish (it’s oil, not Photoshop).
✅ **Buy if** you have combo/dry skin and hate heavy oils
⏭️ **Skip if** you’re super acne-prone—it’s non-comedogenic but I’d still test patch
💰 **Worth it?** Yes. One bottle did 5 jobs. That’s $9.60 per use case.
Photo: Jocelyn Morales / Unsplash
🔥 **Final Word**
It’s not magic. It’s just a really good oil that refuses to stay in its lane. Buy it for your face, keep it for your cuticles.
**8.4/10** — Multi-tasker that actually works
🛍️ **Where to Buy**
Ustawi’s website. Get the travel size first if you’re nervous—it’s $22 and lasts a month.