Oils: not just for cooking, massages, political leverage, or Shakira videos anymore. In fact, one might venture as far as to say that oils are the beauty trend of the moment...or at least I would say that, considering my medicine cabinet. Why? They're lightweight, hydrating, long-lasting, and the bottles are typically kind of pretty. What’s not to like? There really is an oil for every beautification situation, head- to-toe—no really, see below (sorry for all the rhymes…):

Hair : I’ve been hooked on Bumble and bumble’s Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil since it debuted last summer. Somewhat thick and dense, it’s the perfect ingredient for slightly weighing down your hair, smoothing the fly aways, and solidifying your curls/waves. Though advertised for both wet and dry hair, I’ve found it works the best on my tresses après shower—after wringing out the excess water, with four pumps rubbed between my palms. While the rest of my shower products continue to rotate, H.I.O. has held a highly coveted (I’d like to think so…) spot on my tub ledge for twelve months and counting.

Face : The oil that launched a thousand oils, Rodin Olio Lusso has been mentioned on the site close to thirty times for a reason: it really is the ultimate. Certainly richer than most versions out there (both in thickness and price), it’s best used sparingly. For my very dry facial skin, it’s ideal right before bed, allowing all the hydrating nutrients to soak on up without leaving me looking oily because, I mean, that’s not ideal. We’re going for fresh and moisturized, not greasy.

Body : I’ve been around the body-oil block in my day, though I tend to keep the all random testing of products limited to my legs. The biggest complaint I have in this category is when a product leaves your stems nice and slippery, making it nearly impossible to cross your legs. My solution has been Fresh’s Rice Dry Oil applied while I'm still in the shower (particularly after freshly shaven legs). The hydration still is there but you're not slip-sliding around in your desk chair.

Cuticles : While Essie recommends you use a cuticle oil twice daily, I have to admit I’m not that good. I’m definitely a fan of the at-home (or work) manicure, but my everyday nail care is somewhat lacking in consistency. However, an application of Essie’s Apricot Cuticle Oil (perfect for your fingers and toes) a few times a week keeps me safe from torn, frayed, and/or wounded cuticles.

My late-summer resolution (that's a thing, right?) is to start taking a daily dose of fish oil (it’s supposed to do wonders for your body—mental health, plus fight cancer, help your skin, hair, and much, much more!) but something tells me that the four-month-old unopened bottle I have in my kitchen cabinet means that I'm facing a bit of a challenge, but that’s beside the point… I say: embrace oils in all forms.

—Elizabeth Brockway

Photos by Elizabeth Brockway.