The Oil Cleansing Method (OCM) has become increasingly popular in recent years. We're going to explore the benefits, and methods used, as well as the downsides and precautions to take.
As with all skincare routines, one size does not fit all skin types. We encourage you to experiement with different methods and oils to find what suits your skin. And as always this is not medical advice, if you have any particular skin conditions, please check with your doctor or dermatologist before making drastic changes to your routine.
What is oil cleansing?
Basically - using a natural oil (usually a vegetable oil) instead of soap to clean your face. This sounds bizarre, but there is method to the madness. Oils are extremely effective at cleaning other oil based products (i.e. make-up), balancing sebum (your skin's own oil) and cleansing blocked pores. The theory being that like cleans like, and using oil to clean oil is a gentler, yet effective alternative to a surfactant or detergent based cleanser (like soaps, cleansing milks and foaming face washes).
It even helps oily and acneic skin types...
Yes, you read that right - even oily and acne prone skin can benefit from the oil cleansing method. Adding oil to your skin does not mean your skin will be left oily, in fact the opposite is often true (*caveat - the correct oils for your skin type should be used, so make sure to check the comedogenic and antibacterial properties of the oil).
Many traditional spot and acne treatments are highly acidic, alcohol based and drying - this actually causes more oils to be produced to compensate for the drying ingredients, which is counterintuitive in the fight against spots. By using a light, astringent natural oil to clean the pores, skin is left with just the right balance of clean oils, and the dirt and bacteria is pulled out of pores and can be cleaned away before causing spots.
Oil Cleansing - How To:
Add around a teaspoon of your cleansing oil to your dry face and massage for a minute or two to help the ingredients penetrate your pores. Using a circular motion (upwards and outwards from the centre of your face) will help stimulate the facial muscles, and encourage any oils and dirt out of your pores.
Run a clean cloth under a warm tap, then use the cloth to remove the oil from your face. Some people like to leave the warm cloth over the face for a few seconds to help open up the pores. You can also follow this up with a splash of warm (but not hot) water to ensure you remove any residual oil.
A final splash of cold water will help close your pores after (but make sure you've thoroughly rinsed before this step).
Alternatively:
Wet your facial cloth with warm (but not hot) water
Put a few drops of oil onto the wet cloth, and apply to your face. Using the same massage technique, gently rub the "oily" cloth on your face. This will give your face a gentle exfoliation, removing dry and flaky skin.
Rinse thoroughly - either with your cloth, or by splashing plenty of water on your face.
The importance of rinsing
We can't stress how important the rinsing step is. Once the oil has cleaned your pores, you need to make sure the dirty oil is removed from the surface of your skin - otherwise the bacteria and dirt it has just removed could end up getting trapped in your pores again, causing spots.
Usually, if people believe oil cleansing is causing spots, its because they aren't rinsing properly, or using the wrong type of oil for their skin.
An organic cotton face cloth is perfect for the OCM:
How to choose the right oil
Just like any other skincare product, you'll see better results by using one that has been formulated for your skin type. Dry skin will benefit from oils with more humectant and occlusive properties to help improve the skin's moisture levels and prevent transepidermal water loss, whereas oily skin will benefit more from lighter, non-comedogenic oils with astringent properties. Acne prone skin will benefit from antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, and normal or combination skin will see better results with middle of the range oils, not too heavy, not too astringent and easily absorbed with good cleansing qualities. Ageing or mature skin react well to collagen stimulating ingredients, oils higher in natural antioxidants and retinoids, and lots of moisture (we're working on launching a cleansing oil specifically for mature skin, so look out for that coming soon).
Different vegetable oils have lots of different properties, and affect skin types differently. Our facial cleansing oils take out the guess work, we've done the research and testing for you to create balanced recipes that will give great results.
If you're unsure which oil will suit you, or have combination skin...
Use an oil designed for all skin types, its a great place to start until you see how your skin reacts to the OCM. They won't clog pores, and will give you just the right amount of hydration without being too drying or over moisturising.
Have you ever tried the Oil Cleansing Method?
Let us know how it went in the comments below.
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