Oil cleansing has been all over the blogosphere for quite a while now. My mum has actually been doing it since I was in high school, but I was just too put off by the idea (wouldn't oil make my skin more oily?) until recently.
I've been using a natural soap for years now, that I really like, but I thought that now is as good a time as ever for me to try something new like this! I'm already oil moisturizing, so cleansing is a natural step forward.
I know that oil dissolves oil, and I also know that as long as you're careful about which oils you use (both olive oil and coconut oil are comedogenic, so a lot of people break out if they use them, myself included) you should have no issues with this method. Since i'm already oil moisturizing, I know this to be true - the oil you use does make a difference!
From Crunchy Betty:
Jojoba oil: great for all skin types, but especially for acne-prone skin
Sweet almond oil: for all skin types, but especially oily
Grapeseed oil: for all skin types, especially oily
Avocado oil: for dry and aging skin
Sunflower Seed oil: for all skin types
Apricot Kernel oil: for dry, aging, and normal skin
Argan oil: all skin types, especially aging skin. This stuff is very expensive though!
Tamanu oil: for all skin types, but this is also very pricey too.
My oil moisturizer has grape seed oil in it, and my skin has responded really well to that, so I decided that I would try cleansing with it too.
I did a lot of reading, as usual, and found that once again, Crunchy Betty had the best information on this method, in one spot… well two: check out her articles here and here.
I learned that if you can handle it, castor oil is an extremely beneficial addition to your cleansing blend. Castor oil is more dissolving and cleansing, and it apparently has antibacterial properties! Be careful though, because castor oil can be drying, so use less if you have dry skin, and more if you have oily skin!
To start off, I decided to try a 1:1 ratio, which is what's recommended for normal/combination skin. (For dry skin, try 1/3 castor oil, 2/3 other oil and for oily skin try 2/3 castor oil and 1/3 other oil)
I've been using a natural soap for years now, that I really like, but I thought that now is as good a time as ever for me to try something new like this! I'm already oil moisturizing, so cleansing is a natural step forward.
I know that oil dissolves oil, and I also know that as long as you're careful about which oils you use (both olive oil and coconut oil are comedogenic, so a lot of people break out if they use them, myself included) you should have no issues with this method. Since i'm already oil moisturizing, I know this to be true - the oil you use does make a difference!
From Crunchy Betty:
Jojoba oil: great for all skin types, but especially for acne-prone skin
Sweet almond oil: for all skin types, but especially oily
Grapeseed oil: for all skin types, especially oily
Avocado oil: for dry and aging skin
Sunflower Seed oil: for all skin types
Apricot Kernel oil: for dry, aging, and normal skin
Argan oil: all skin types, especially aging skin. This stuff is very expensive though!
Tamanu oil: for all skin types, but this is also very pricey too.
My oil moisturizer has grape seed oil in it, and my skin has responded really well to that, so I decided that I would try cleansing with it too.
I did a lot of reading, as usual, and found that once again, Crunchy Betty had the best information on this method, in one spot… well two: check out her articles here and here.
I learned that if you can handle it, castor oil is an extremely beneficial addition to your cleansing blend. Castor oil is more dissolving and cleansing, and it apparently has antibacterial properties! Be careful though, because castor oil can be drying, so use less if you have dry skin, and more if you have oily skin!
To start off, I decided to try a 1:1 ratio, which is what's recommended for normal/combination skin. (For dry skin, try 1/3 castor oil, 2/3 other oil and for oily skin try 2/3 castor oil and 1/3 other oil)
The Recipe:
2 tsp castor oil
2 tsp grape seed oil
Everything i've read about this cleansing method has said the same thing about the procedure:
1. Put about a quarter size drop of the oil in the palm of your hand. Rub together to warm it up and then massage thoroughly into your face. This method will take off makeup naturally, so don't worry about taking it off beforehand! However, if you're wearing a lot, you may want to put a bit of oil on a cotton ball and gently wipe your eyes to remove the makeup before you cleanse.
2. Soak a wash cloth (microfiber* if you have it, but any clean face cloth will do) in as warm water as you can stand (this will be warmer than you would normally wash your face with, so it can really dissolve the oil) and drape the facecloth over your face for 15-20 seconds. This will help warm up the oils and open up your pores for deep cleaning!
3. Rinse your wash cloth and proceed to gently wipe all the oil off. Repeat until your face is oil free. I have noticed that it never feels like i've got the oil completely off, because my skin feels moisturized immediately. As long as you feel clean and you've washed your face very well, i'm sure you'll be fine.
4. Follow up with your choice of toner (important to close your pores so they won't clog) and moisturizer, if you desire. Some people may not need a moisturizer, but I think that's a personal preference, and really depends on where you live! I definitely need the added moisture here, so I follow up with witch hazel toner and my oil moisturizer (though I have found I don't need as much of it, which is great!)
I've been using this method for just over a week now and for me, that's usually enough time for my skin to either like something or absolutely hate it. Thankfully, my skin and I are loving it! My face feels so soft and smooth and it looks fantastic, blemish-free. It's also very radiant!
Within the first two days, I noticed that any spots I had had cleared up overnight, and within a week, I even noticed that this has reduced the appearance of blackheads!
I have noticed that the castor oil is drying and I think if I wasn't us using my oil moisturizer blend afterwards, it would be too drying, which is good to know! If I do decide to go with a lighter moisturizer, I will definitely need to cut back on the castor oil.
I have read that there may be an adjustment period as your skin detoxes and gets used to the new regimen. I think this is more true when you've been using chemical cleansers. Since i've been using an all natural soap bar, I didn't have any adjustment (which actually surprised me)! (whew)
The Method:
Everything i've read about this cleansing method has said the same thing about the procedure:
1. Put about a quarter size drop of the oil in the palm of your hand. Rub together to warm it up and then massage thoroughly into your face. This method will take off makeup naturally, so don't worry about taking it off beforehand! However, if you're wearing a lot, you may want to put a bit of oil on a cotton ball and gently wipe your eyes to remove the makeup before you cleanse.
2. Soak a wash cloth (microfiber* if you have it, but any clean face cloth will do) in as warm water as you can stand (this will be warmer than you would normally wash your face with, so it can really dissolve the oil) and drape the facecloth over your face for 15-20 seconds. This will help warm up the oils and open up your pores for deep cleaning!
3. Rinse your wash cloth and proceed to gently wipe all the oil off. Repeat until your face is oil free. I have noticed that it never feels like i've got the oil completely off, because my skin feels moisturized immediately. As long as you feel clean and you've washed your face very well, i'm sure you'll be fine.
4. Follow up with your choice of toner (important to close your pores so they won't clog) and moisturizer, if you desire. Some people may not need a moisturizer, but I think that's a personal preference, and really depends on where you live! I definitely need the added moisture here, so I follow up with witch hazel toner and my oil moisturizer (though I have found I don't need as much of it, which is great!)
 |
| Quarter sized drop of the oil, and letting the water run hot to wipe off with my awesome, neon microfiber cloth! |
I've been using this method for just over a week now and for me, that's usually enough time for my skin to either like something or absolutely hate it. Thankfully, my skin and I are loving it! My face feels so soft and smooth and it looks fantastic, blemish-free. It's also very radiant!
Within the first two days, I noticed that any spots I had had cleared up overnight, and within a week, I even noticed that this has reduced the appearance of blackheads!
I have noticed that the castor oil is drying and I think if I wasn't us using my oil moisturizer blend afterwards, it would be too drying, which is good to know! If I do decide to go with a lighter moisturizer, I will definitely need to cut back on the castor oil.
I have read that there may be an adjustment period as your skin detoxes and gets used to the new regimen. I think this is more true when you've been using chemical cleansers. Since i've been using an all natural soap bar, I didn't have any adjustment (which actually surprised me)! (whew)
*I read that microfiber is better for deep cleaning, and I have tried both and have to say I am sold on microfiber! It does clean nicely, gets the oil off better and more gently than regular face cloths, and if feels so nice and soft!
Note: clean your face cloth (very well) regularly… like every 4 days or so so that the oil doesn't start building up on the cloth and clog your pores!
Note: clean your face cloth (very well) regularly… like every 4 days or so so that the oil doesn't start building up on the cloth and clog your pores!
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