What is oil cleansing?

If the idea of smearing oil all over your face makes you cringe — please read on! Researchers are re-discovering huge benefits from oils for our skin. More and more of us are shifting away from soapy, foamy, harsh, oil-free cleansers.

Oil cleansing is the process of deep cleaning your face with oil instead of soap and water.

Oil does a much better job of dissolving and removing dirt, blackheads, makeup, and even oil clogged pores than anything else. It’s like the old adage: fight fire with fire, here we fight oil with oil, basically melting away dirt.

Oil cleansing for acne

As counter-intuitive as it may seem, even acne is best fought with proper oil cleansing.

People with oily or acne-prone skin tend to over clean and dry out their skin, which sends the signal to overcompensate and make more sebum. Proper oil cleansing can reduce chronic blackheads and diminish breakouts.

Since oil has mild properties, it won’t cause irritation or an extreme reaction the same way harsher products can and most importantly it keeps your skin’s eco-system intact. Just like our gut contains bacteria, so should our skin and scalp. Oil cleansing helps protect the natural lipid layer which is where the “good bacteria” lives.

Help restore your skin’s natural balance with oil cleansing — your skin knows what to do to make you glow.

Important is how you oil cleanse.

There are 2 popular methods of oil cleansing, the first one is a more elegant version that uses a Cleansing Balm. The second method can be a mixture of liquid oils catered to your skin’s needs. 

Cleansing Balm

Cleansing Balm is convenient because it doesn’t drip and you can apply it exactly where you want it. Important for both cleansing methods is that you apply it to DRY skin and take the time to massage the oil into the face. Remember oil and water don’t mix. Take a moment to apply and work it all over your dry face and neck. Work with your palms and fingertips for a minimum of 2 minutes.

Now for the magic part!

With balm, wet your fingertips and add it to the balm. The balm contains an emulsifier in addition to the oil which accomplishes two things; It turns the balm into a cream and the cream then grabs all the junk you just dissolved which can now easily be rinsed away.

You will NOT feel oily, but your skin will feel healthy, clean and pampered like you just had a facial. Some balms contain natural exfoliating ingredients such as rose petals and lemon oil. 

Oil Cleansing

Take a generous portion of liquid cleansing oil, about the size of a coin and rub to warm the oil in your hands. Apply to your face, massaging the oil which will help dissolve old oil, blackheads and loosen dirt. It takes time, so allow a moment and enjoy the process.

Take a steamy, hot, wrung out, washcloth and apply it to your face by pressing and holding the heat. This will steam open your pores and dissolve dirt and blackheads. Then, in a circular motion start washing your face with the cloth and slowly remove dirt with the oil.

An added benefit is you will find dead skin cells slough off as well, giving you that beautiful healthy spa glow. It may sound simple and it is but the results are incredible. You may find your skin feels hydrated enough and you may not need a moisturizer after this.

Find an oil that works for your skin type

If you do have acne and break-out prone skin, then you will want to choose a lighter oil such as argan, hemp or sunflower oil, that contains additional essential oils such as peppermint or tea tree oil. If you have dry mature skin you can choose a richer oil such as avocado oil, almond and apricot oil.

List of oils and the comedogenic values

Not Likely to Clog Pores

1. Low
2. Moderately Low
3. Moderate
4. Fairly High
5. High Oils

• Almond Oil – 2
• Apricot Kernel Oil – 2
• Argan oil — 0
• Avocado Oil – 2
• Camphor – 2
• Castor Oil – 1
• Cocoa Butter – 4
• Coconut Butter – 4
• Coconut Oil – 4
• Corn Oil – 3
• Cotton Seed Oil – 3
• Evening Primrose Oil – 2
• Grape Seed Oil – 2 Hemp Seed Oil – 0
• Mineral Oil – 0
• Mink Oil – 3
• Olive Oil – 2
• Peanut Oil – 2
• Petrolatum – 0
• Safflower Oil (Carthamus tinctorius) – 0
• Sandalwood Seed Oil – 2
• Sesame Oil – 2
• Shea Butter – 0
• Soybean Oil – 3
• Sunflower Oil – 0
• Wheat Germ Oil – 5

Waxes

• Beeswax – 2
• Candelilla Wax – 1
• Carnauba Wax – 1
• Ceresin Wax – 0
• Emulsifying Wax NF – 2
• Jojoba Oil – 2
• Lanolin Wax – 1
• Sulfated Jojoba Oil – 3

Botanicals

• Algae Extract – 5
• Aloe Vera Gel – 0
• Calendula – 1
• Carrageenans – 5
• Chamomile – 2
• Chamomile Extract – 0
• Cold Pressed Aloe – 0
• Red Algae – 5