When I first heard of oil cleansers, I was a little skeptical. It seems so strange to “wash” your face with oils. But after lots of research and testing, I now use them in my skin care routine. Cleansing with oil leaves my skin feeling clean and extremely soft. If you’re unfamiliar with oil cleansers, I’ll give you the scoop.
Skin produces sebum from glands called the sebaceous glands. Sebum is an oily, waxy matter that is crucial to healthy skin. It protects the skin from bacteria and helps maintain a balance of water within the skin. Too much sebum can lead to breakouts, and not enough sebum can cause dry skin. Sometimes, when the skin is stripped of sebum from harsh cleansers, the skin can go into sebum-production overdrive. The excess sebum can lead to whiteheads, blackheads and acne. The idea behind oil cleansing is that it dissolves and washes away the sebum produced naturally by your skin, and replaces it with new “clean” oil. This leaves skin balanced, and does not cause skin to overproduce sebum.
Oils have different cleansing properties depending on the oil’s makeup of fatty acids. Because of this, the oils you choose for your oil cleanser will be depend on your skin type. The two important fatty acids to consider are linoleic acid and oleic acid. Skin prone to breakouts produces sebum that has a high oleic acid content. To help balance the skin, oily skin prone to breakouts should use oils with a higher amount of linoleic acid. These oils include castor, hemp seed oil and sunflower oil. On the flip side, dry mature skin may prefer oils high in oleic acid such as argan oil, avocado oil and sweet almond oil.
The formulas below are made specifically for oily and dry skin based on chemical makeup of each oil. If you’d like your formula to be more cleansing, I recommend increasing the castor oil slightly. Finding the right combination of oils for your skin can take some experimenting, and depends a lot on personal preference. Feel free to use any extract that you’d like, depending on your skin concern. Oat extract adds soothing properties that are suitable for both dry and oil skin. Because oil cleansers do not contain water, there is no need to use a preservative.
How often you oil cleanse depends on your preference. Personally, I like to oil cleanse about 2-3 times a week but many users like to cleanse with oil every night. To use an oil cleanser, disperse a quarter size amount into the palm of your hand. Massage the oil onto dry skin for 1-2 minutes. If you wear makeup, there is no need to remove it beforehand. The oil will loosen up any foundation or eye makeup. But, if you prefer, you can certainly use an eye makeup remover before using your cleansing oil.
After the oil has been massaged into your skin, wet a washcloth with hot water. Cover your face in the towel for about 30 seconds, and allow the heat and steam to open your pores. Gently use the towel to wipe away the oil. If needed, continue running the towel under hot water to wash away some of the oils. Continue to gently wipe your face with the towel until all the oil cleanser has been removed. At the end, your skin should feel soft and supple, but not oily. Once the oil cleanser is completely removed, dry your skin and continue your skincare routine as normal. You may not find the need to use a moisturizer after using an oil cleanser; I still use mine but it’s personal preference.
Dry Skin Formula:
1 oz. Castor Oil
1 oz. Argan Oil
3 oz. Avocado Oil
3 oz. Sweet Almond Oil
5 mL Oat Extract
2 mL Vitamin E Oil
8 oz. Bottle with Pump Top
Oily Skin Formula:
4 oz. Sunflower Oil
2 oz. Castor Oil
2 oz. Hazelnut Fixed Oil
1 oz. Hemp Seed Oil (Refined)
5 mL Oat Extract
2 mL Vitamin E Oil
8 oz. Bottle with Pump Top
TWO: Add the 2 mL of vitamin E oil. Place the container in the microwave for about 30 seconds, or until the oils have warmed slightly. Add the oat extract.
THREE: Use a whisk or spoon to blend together the oils and vitamin E oil. Heating the mixture helps blend the lighter and heavier oils more thoroughly.
FOUR: Carefully pour the oils into an 8 oz. bottle and screw on the pump top.
Have you ever used oil cleansers before? I would love to hear what you think of them!
Oil Cleanser Tutorial for Dry & Oily Skin
Ingredients
Dry Skin Formula:
- 1 oz. Castor Oil
- 1 oz. Argan Oil
- 3 oz. Avocado Oil
- 3 oz. Sweet Almond Oil
- 5 mL Oat Extract
- 2 mL Vitamin E Oil
- 8 oz. Bottle with Pump Top
Oily Skin Formula:
- 4 oz. Sunflower Oil
- 2 oz. Castor Oil
- 2 oz. Hazelnut Fixed Oil
- 1 oz. Hemp Seed Oil Refined
- 5 mL Oat Extract
- 2 mL Vitamin E Oil
- 8 oz. Bottle with Pump Top
Instructions
- In a heat safe container, add all the liquid oils corresponding to the dry or oily formula.
- Add the 2 mL of vitamin E oil. Place the container in the microwave for about 30 seconds, or until the oils have warmed slightly. Add the oat extract.
- Use a whisk or spoon to blend together the oils and vitamin E oil. Heating the mixture helps blend the lighter and heavier oils more thoroughly.
