Summer Body Oils: #ED4OLO & Kahina

Is it ever too hot for body oils? If you get in the shower sweating and get out still sweating, maybe. But even though it’s been consistently hitting over 100 degrees over here in California, my legs are thirsty year round. Two body oils that have me feeling my skin all day long and smelling really, really delicious: Elizabeth Dehn for One Love Organics Vitamin C Body Oil and Kahina Giving Beauty Fez Body Serum.

The #ED4OLO body oil has the same delicious tropical scent as the cleansing oil that makes my sister say, “This smells soooooo good” every time she uses it (once by mistake, she grabbed the body oil instead of the cleansing oil to remove makeup–oops! Don’t do that). I’m not a pineapple person (cannot eat food that I have consciously put pineapple in) but I absolutely love the smell of the oil cleanser, so I was so glad to hear they made a body oil with the same scent.

The ingredients read brightening meets moisturizing: the green tea seed oil and vitamin C ester that I love from the Vitamin C serum, the papaya seed oil from the Vitamin B Oil Cleanser, plus moisturizing shea oil, shea butter, sunflower seed oil, and olive oil. While I can’t say my legs look brighter, when I use this and Chocolate Sun’s Cocoa Lite, I kind of feel like a glowing golden goddess the next day (and then I pull on my jeans/long skirt/appropriate clothing for work. At least I know I’m glowing).

The moisture part is serious though. It doesn’t beat my occasionally scaly calves (though this + regular exfoliation does the trick), but when I do get to bare my legs, I can’t stop touching them. Or smelling them, when I go in for a forward bend midday.

I’m guessing the thickish texture comes from the combination of shea oil + shea butter and green tea seed oil + vitamin C ester. Shea oil has 16 different fatty acids, and typically around 50% of some like oleic acid and stearic acid (hooray, anti-inflammation!). Green tea seed oil holds in moisture, boosts the effectiveness of vitamin C, and is also rich in fatty acids. What probably is also helping to keep my skin so soft is papaya’s exfoliating effects.

Despite the thicker texture, when massaged into the skin (preferably damp from the shower), it sinks in so well–seriously moisturizing my skin and not leaving an oily feel.

While #ED4OLO has a sweet pineapple-y scent, Fez is so beautifully spicy (bonus: scent is “I love the way you smell”-deeeeep-sniff-boy-approved). Fez’s ingredients also include sunflower seed oil and olive fruit oil plus a couple extras: their classic argan oil of course, coconut nut oil, watermelon seed oil, and a beautiful concoction of essential oils like rose, bergamot, cumin, sandalwood, pink grapefruit, neroli.

Watermelon seed oil and sunflower seed oil are both high (~40%-70%) in linoleic fatty acid–fun fact: low linoleic acid => decreased epidermal barrier function, aka the skin can’t properly protect itself from inflammation when it is low in linoleic acid. Adding these oils to the body then, I’m thinking, has the potential to help the skin’s anti-inflammatory reaction.

This combination results in a slightly thinner texture than the ED4OLO oil (fits the “serum” name), but it is still equally as moisturizing. The grounding, comforting scent lasts from one night to practically the next night. When I’m feeling a bit heavy digestive-wise, worn out, or sweetened-out, I reach for Fez. It’s something about those warm spices and warm-things-make-you-digest-and-feel-better.

I typically apply both of these Osmia-style–I hop out from the shower, barely towel off just so I’m not super dripping water on the floor, massage 1-2 pumps of either oil over my damp body, and brush my teeth in the nude while the moisture sinks in. It means I can use less oil for more surface area and get more moisture for my buck. If my calves are a still bit parched in the morning, applying the oils dry is okay–oil : surface area will be more, but greasiness, never. Just massage well.

tl;dr Both body oils leave the skin super soft and moisturized (however, regular body exfoliation is still recommended). What separates the two? Scent. Got a sweet tooth? Try ED4OLO (available from One Love Organics). Feeling spicy? Go for Kahina (available from Spirit Beauty Lounge).

Have you tried either of these body oils? Have a favorite? If not, what are you using to moisturize your body?

Disclaimer: Elizabeth Dehn x One Love Organics kindly sent me the Vitamin C body oil before its launch. I purchased the Kahina Body Serum myself from Spirit Beauty Lounge at the end of March. I am not being compensated in any way for my words. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Ingredients for ED4OLO: organic butyrospermum parkii (shea) oil, butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, organic helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, hydrogenated olive oil (and) olive oil (olea europeaea) (and) olive oil unsaponifiables, carica papaya (papaya) seed oil, organic camellia sinensis (green tea) seed oil, ascorbyl palmitate (vitamin c-ester), tocopherol (vitamin e), proprietary natural & organic fragrance

Ingredients for Kahina: argania spinosa (argan) oil (36%)*, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil*, olea europaea (olive) fruit oil*, caprylic/capric triglyceride, cocos nucifera (coconut) nut oil*, citrullus lanatus (watermelon) seed oil*, rosa damascena (rose) flower oil*, citrus aurantium amara (neroli) flower oil*, citrus bergamia (bergamot) peel oil*, citrus paradisi (pink grapefruit) peel oil*, cananga odorata (ylang ylang) flower oil*, pelargonium graveolens (geranium) leaf/flower oil*, backhousia citriodora (lemon myrtle) leaf oil*, santalum spicatum (sandalwood) wood oil*, eugenia caryophyllus (clove) bud oil*, cuminum cyminum (cumin) seed oil*, pogostemon cablin (patchouli) leaf oil*, vetiveria zizanioides (vetiver) root oil*, bisabolol, rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract*, phenethyl alcohol.

*Certified Organic
100% from natural origin, 83.27% Organic

This product is gluten-free and vegan.

Additional Sources:

Honfo, Fernande G., et al. “Characteristics Of Traditionally Processed Shea Kernels And Butter.” International Journal Of Food Science & Technology 48.8 (2013): 1714-1721. Academic Search Complete. Web. 3 Aug. 2014.

Moaddabdoost Baboli, Zahra, and Ali Safe Kordi. “Characteristics And Composition Of Watermelon Seed Oil And Solvent Extraction Parameters Effects.” Journal Of The American Oil Chemists’ Society (JAOCS) 87.6 (2010): 667-671. Business Source Complete. Web. 4 Aug. 2014.

Okullo, J. B. L., et al. “PHYSICO-CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF SHEA BUTTER (Vitellaria Paradoxa C.F. Gaertn.) OIL FROM THE SHEA DISTRICTS OF UGANDA.” African Journal Of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition & Development 10.1 (2010): 1-15. Academic Search Complete. Web. 3 Aug. 2014.

Pappas, Apostolos. “The Relationship of Diet and Acne.” Dermato-Endocrinology 1.5 (2009): 262-67. Web.

Picardo, Mauro, Monica Ottaviani, Emanuela Camera, and Arianna Mastrofrancesco. “Sebaceous Gland Lipids.” Dermato-Endocrinology 1.2 (2009): 68-71. Web.

Raziq, S., et al. “Characterization Of Seed Oils From Different Varieties Of Watermelon [Citrullus Lanatus (Thunb.)] From Pakistan.” Grasas Y Aceites 63.4 (2012): 365-372. Academic Search Complete. Web. 4 Aug. 2014.
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24 Comments

  1. Aileen
    August 17, 2014 / 12:44 am

    I love that you love these two body oils! (Does that sound weird? Oh, well!) Kahina's is my favorite – I'm in love with the smell, and my husband told me I smelled good the first day I wore it, so it's my new staple. I really want to try the ED4OLO body oil, too, though – I'm curious about the "glowing" part. I usually use more than 2 pumps, though…I should try losing less and see if it still does the job. Thank you for the review!!

  2. August 17, 2014 / 4:38 pm

    I have been in love with these two brands since I first tried out green beauty. The One Love Organics body oil has become my summer essential!

  3. August 17, 2014 / 5:56 pm

    OMG Kahina Fez has a spicy scent!? Now which one do I choose!? I had a sample of the OLO one and of course I had to use it all up in a single use. Smells beyond amazing and yes, my skin was soooooooft. Okay, back to the question, which. one. do. I. choose. ;D

  4. Laurie
    August 18, 2014 / 1:41 am

    I have not tried either of these, but I have used other products from these brands that I love. I have been using My Skin & Bones this summer, which I was lucky to get as part of a Goodebox for ANFGB. The smell is intoxicating. It is heaven on earth & leaves my skin soooo SOFT!!! This has been my awesome summer discovery 🙂

  5. Ju lie
    August 17, 2014 / 8:06 pm

    Me i have a question about he OLO cleansing Oil ? Do you recommande this oil or skin saviour for use for remove makeup ? I'm looking for a cleansing balm or oil.. I'm sure you have a suggestion 😉

  6. Fern & Moss
    August 18, 2014 / 7:01 am

    I haven't tried either of these but am on the lookout for a good body oil, think the Kahina one sounds just perfect! 🙂 x

  7. August 18, 2014 / 6:18 pm

    Oh my, I still haven't tried either of these body oils but they are on my list! I love how the ED4OLO Cleansing Oil smells and the body oil sounds just as lovely. The Kahina Fez sounds very unique too, spicy?! Mmm. Now do I really get both? 😉 Great, detailed post! 🙂

  8. August 19, 2014 / 5:45 am

    Totally not weird–I'm the same! I love that you love Kahina too and I love that guys love the smell too 🙂 I hope you give ED4OLO a try–it's really lovely. Thanks for reading Aileen!

  9. August 19, 2014 / 5:45 am

    These two brands are top notch! Love to hear you love the OLO body oil!

  10. August 19, 2014 / 5:46 am

    It's suchh a beautiful spicy scent–of course I simplify it by saying spicy since there's also rose and geranium and grapefruit and all the beautiful things–it's intoxicatingly good. How about both? ;D Hehe. Both will make your skin sooo soft–guess it depends which scent you're feeling!

  11. August 19, 2014 / 5:54 am

    Hey Julie! Personally, my skin didn't have a good experience with Skin Savior, though to be fair, I wasn't double cleansing at the time which may have been the reason why. I love the cleansing oil and have repurchased it so many times–I've used it as a single cleanse as well as the first step in a double cleanse and my skin just loves it.

  12. mangomadness
    August 19, 2014 / 1:46 pm

    These body oils sound lovely. I like that you posted links to journal articles backing up the info in your post.

  13. August 20, 2014 / 6:09 am

    Ooooh I tried a bit of Skin & Bones a while back, and that smell truly is intoxicating! Also male-approved 🙂 Have you tried the cleanser as well?

  14. August 20, 2014 / 6:10 am

    It is lovely–and bonus: Kahina just launched at Content Beauty, yay! The price may be alarming, but the bottle is enormous and I think the oil is worth it. Beautiful blend and the aromatherapeutic properties don't hurt. x

  15. August 20, 2014 / 6:11 am

    They are both lovely! Get both? ;D Kahina Fez's scent is indeed unique–of course I simplify by saying spicy, but it's such a comforting, warming, and lovely spicy…Thank you Kasey!

  16. August 20, 2014 / 6:17 am

    Thank you! I know many people are skeptical of the efficacy of green ingredients. I believe a big part of green beauty is being informed, aware, and conscious. I want to see evidence and I'm sure they do too–this way, I hope to show people why I believe in green beauty and why I think this kind of stuff is good for them too 🙂

  17. Ju lie
    August 20, 2014 / 12:50 pm

    Merci Jade! Very helpful! Thanks for your honesty 🙂
    Xx

  18. August 20, 2014 / 8:39 pm

    I love the scent of the ED4OLO cleansing oil, so the body oil has been on my wishlist. But now I'm also curious about the Kahina Fez Body Serum! I was wondering do any of the scents last long once they're applied?

  19. August 23, 2014 / 5:51 am

    For me, the ED4OLO body oil's scent does not last very long–I can smell it as I'm applying it, and by the next morning, the scent is fairly faint. Fez lasts longer on me–almost from one night to another night maybe minus a couple of hours depending on what I've done that day. They both feel very lovely, and it is not a terrible thing to reapply–soft skin and scent refreshed 😀

  20. Marcella
    August 24, 2014 / 6:35 pm

    I spent the entire time at Shen Beauty rubbing in Fez onto my hands and arms like a weirdo. By the time my friend was done shopping some Kjaer Weis makeup goodies, I was glowing and smelling SO SPICY GOOD. It's on my list if I want to splurge on a luxury body oil! By the way, I have the ED4OLO body oil hidden away but reading your review makes me want to break it out!

  21. September 8, 2014 / 3:53 am

    While I love both of those body oils, I have to say that the Lima Hanson Global Body Serum and Osmia Organics Body Oil in Sunset and Water Lilly get the most love of my collection. You should definitely give them a try!

  22. September 8, 2014 / 3:54 am

    The sacrifices we make (or our wallets at least) for green beauty. But the results are wells worth it!

  23. September 11, 2014 / 10:22 pm

    Oooh–those are two definite loves of mine! Haven't tried Water Lily–but have heard it's a total sniff-yourself-in-a-meeting kind of scent. Don't recall the scents lasting too long with those, but the LH gave me such, such, such soft skin.

  24. September 11, 2014 / 10:23 pm

    Pahahaha I love it!! Break out the ED4OLO when it starts snowing! (Saw some pics from Naturally Paula's insta, and apparently it has already begun D:)