Oil Cleansing—Everything You Need to Know
Overly dry skin? Having breakouts? Feeling the effects of premature aging? Here's a solution: oil cleansing.
Trying to figure out why on earth anyone would put oil on their skin to clean it? Well, as opposed to soaps and face washes that remove all of your skin's natural oils, cleansing oil is gentler and more hydrating.
An ancient Korean beauty ritual, oil cleansing face gives you clear, glowing skin. With its hydrating and nourishing properties, it helps balance oil production, heal acne, and remove dirt and makeup right away, leaving your skin smooth and silky. Find out what oil cleansing is, its benefits, the oil cleansing method steps, and how to add it to your skincare routine below.
What Is Oil Cleansing?
By gently rubbing oil over the skin, the oil cleansing method gently dissolves hardened plugs of sebum without damaging the uppermost layer of your skin. You can use oil to soothe irritated skin, remove makeup, and tame breakouts.
Additionally, cleansing oils contain gentle and nourishing ingredients that do not irritate the skin.
What Are the Best Oils for Cleansing?
Castor oil and olive oil are the two most commonly used oils in oil cleansing DIY recipes. Depending on your skin type, you can also use the following oils for cleansing:
- Use moisturizing olive oil when oil cleansing for dry skin, as it is rich in vitamins and antioxidants, and can promote hydration. Coconut or avocado oil can also be added for additional moisture.
- If you have sensitive skin, stay away from castor oil. An astringent cleaner with antibacterial properties, this oil can dry out the skin. Instead, use jojoba or rosehip oil.
- When oil cleansing for oily skin or acne-prone skin, jojoba oil may help reduce acne and balance oil production, which is a necessity for these skin types. Using argan oil may also reduce sebum production and improve skin clarity.
What Are the Benefits of Oil Cleansing?
Among the many oil cleansing benefits are:
#1 Gently Cleans Your Skin: Cleansing oils remove dirt, make-up, and excess sebum from your pores gently. Additionally, since these oils contain no sulfates, parabens, or other harmful chemicals, there is a lesser risk of skin damage due to abrasion and chemical exposure.
#2 Prevents Dryness: Skin experts recommend avoiding conventional cleansing products containing sulfates due to their drying properties. By removing dirt from the surface, these surfactants remove the natural oils that keep your skin hydrated. With oil cleansing, the moisturizing properties of the oils prevent your skin from drying out.
#3 Improves Blood Circulation: While cleansing your skin with oil, massaging oil on your skin has helped improve blood circulation. This improves the inflow of oxygen and nutrients to the skin cells. As a result, your skin stays healthy and young.
#4 Balances Sebum Secretions: By using harsh cleansers, you strip your skin of its natural lipids, which causes your skin to become overly dry. To counter the cleansing effect, your sebaceous glands produce excess sebum. Consequently, your skin becomes oilier. Oil cleansing lifts excess sebum from the skin, and helps maintain oil-free skin.
#5 Prevents Infections: Several oils that are used in oil cleansing, such as tea tree oil, lavender oil, castor oil, etc., are antimicrobial. Infections such as folliculitis, ringworm, and yeast infections can be prevented with these.
#6 Can Control Acne Conditions: One of the best benefits of oil cleansing is that it prevents acne's two primary causes—P. Acnes bacteria and clogged pores. Dead skin, excess sebum, and dirt block skin pores. Bacteria that naturally occur on your skin can cause infection and inflammation when trapped in these pores.
Using oil to clean the plug softens the impurities and makes it easier to remove them. Further, antibacterial oils prevent bacteria from proliferating. By doing so, the acne condition will heal quickly and will not recur.
#7 Anti-Ageing Properties: Using cleansing oils can prevent wrinkles, lines, and other signs of aging because they are packed with antioxidants that fight oxidative stress. Furthermore, some of these oils aid in the creation of collagen in your skin and promote the growth of new cells, keeping your skin young and firm.
How to Oil Cleanse Your Face?
The basic oil cleansing steps involve applying the oil and rinsing it off with warm water.
1. Take one or two teaspoons of oil and place it on your palm.
You can start by mixing half a teaspoon of olive oil with half a teaspoon of castor oil for dry skin. Try mixing half a teaspoon of jojoba oil with half a teaspoon of castor oil for acne-prone or oily skin.
2. Wet your face before applying the oil. To allow the oil to penetrate your skin, gently massage the oil into it with your fingertips for several seconds to a minute.
3. Gently wipe the oil away with a damp, warm washcloth. Avoid rubbing or pressing too hard on your skin, which can lead to breakouts and irritation. If you want to keep some oil on your skin, you can rinse with warm water instead of cloth. Afterward, your face should feel hydrated but not too greasy or irritated.
4. Lastly, pat your face dry with a towel and apply moisturizer if necessary.
Should You Oil Cleanse Regularly?
Because it is a deep cleansing method, it is strongly recommended that you follow it only once every two or three days. The best time to use it is in the evening when you need to thoroughly remove dirt, oil, and other debris. If you've worn makeup, sunscreen, or silicone-based products, the simple oil cleansing method is especially useful.
Takeaway
You will feel your skin becoming extremely soft, supple, and hydrated once you have cleansed your skin using oil. Aside from feeling extremely clean, all the dirt, oil, makeup, and other impurities on your skin will have been washed away, resulting in a healthy, clean appearance.
Try the magic of oil cleansing now, and don’t forget to share your experience with us in the comment section below!
