The oil cleansing method can seem a little intimidating if you're not familiar with using oils in your skincare routine. Some people's initial thought is "why would I use oil on my face? Wouldn't that make my skin more oily?" That's actually not the case. Recent research is uncovering the benefits of using oils for their healing, moisturizing benefits and have, unsurprisingly, been used for thousands of years as a go-to method for cleansing. It can gently remove makeup, impurities, dirt, dead skin cells, soothe irritated skin, and even combat oily skin.
If you're not properly hydrating your skin (inside and out), it can overproduce oil in order to compensate, thus resulting in oily skin. When you begin to use oil topically, it will help balance the skin's oil production and simultaneously help draw out impurities, dirt and pollution, and help exfoliate as well.
If you have oil-prone skin, oil-free products are likely to be counterproductive. Oil-free products are heavily marketed as a solution for oily skin, but in reality, some harsher ones can actually strip the skin of it's natural oils and create an imbalance. Oil cleansing can help balance our skin barrier and protect our microbiome, which in turn, has been linked to helping prevent acne. (1)
Where to start, you might ask?
It’s important to pick an oil cleanser that uses noncomedogenic oils, to ensure that they won't clog your pores, and preferably cold-pressed oils. This is because oils that are extracted using heat or chemicals can alter their makeup and remove antioxidants and fatty acids that are beneficial for the skin and provide protection from free radical damage. (2) Cold-pressed oils use no heat or chemical extraction methods.
Our newly launched cleansing oil contains only cold-pressed and organic oils such as sunflower, apricot kernel, jojoba, and rosehip, and all stand at a comedogenic rating of 0-2, meaning that they have a moderately low likelihood of clogging your pores.
Cleansing oil ingredient benefits:
Sunflower oil - Incredibly gentle and absorbs quickly into the skin. Sunflower oil contains linoleic acid, which helps protect the skin’s natural barrier and retain moisture. It is also high in antioxidants like vitamin E and has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory properties. Suitable for all skin types and rates a 0 on the comedogenic scale.
Apricot kernel oil - Offers skin barrier support, locks in moisture, and improves the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, apricot oil is high in antioxidants that can bring glow and radiance to the skin. It is also anti-inflammatory and antibacterial, and it rates a 2 on the comedogenic scale.
Jojoba oil - Suitable for acne prone skin, jojoba is so similar to our sebum that it can help control sebum production, preventing oily skin. (4) It is also a humectant (5), meaning that it attracts water to the surface of the skin, keeping it hydrated. Very gentle, and antibacterial, antioxidant, hypoallergenic, and can soothe skin irritations such as eczema, psoriasis, and sunburns. It rates a 2 on the comedogenic scale.
Rosehip oil - Rosehip oil is packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and essential fatty acids that all help the skin in different ways. It can soothe the skin, fight acne, moisturize, and even help fade scars (just to name a few). The anti-inflammatory fatty acids and vitamins A and C help prevent oxidative damage and help with the production of collagen, helping fade hyperpigmentation. It rates a 2 on the comedogenic scale.
There are a few different methods to oil cleansing. One involves removing the oil with a cotton round or cloth, and the second follows with a gentle soap cleanser to remove excess oil. You can pick whichever method based on your skin type and sensitivity. If you have acne prone skin, you may want to follow with a gentle face wash when starting out (this is known as double cleansing).
Cotton is a very pesticide heavy crop, so it's important to choose organic cotton rounds (whether it's reusable or not) to avoid skin irritation from the potential pesticides remaining on the cotton. When washing them, use a non-toxic, gentle detergent.
It’s also a good idea to do a patch test on your wrist before using an oil you haven't used before, and repeat for a few days to see if your skin reacts to it.
How to use our cleansing oil:
- Use a full dropper of oil and massage directly onto your dry face and neck in circular motions for about one minute, letting the oil penetrate the skin. You can add more oil if you need a smoother glide. The longer you massage, the more dirt the oil removes.
- Dampen an organic cotton round with warm water, wring out, and gently dab against your skin, allowing the steam to activate the oils, and then wipe away all the oil to cleanse. Be very gentle as you don't want to aggravate the skin, especially if you have sensitive skin or are prone to acne.
- Follow with a gentle soap cleanser for a double-cleanse, and/or apply an oil-based moisturizer if you want more hydration.
The oil cleansing method is best practiced only at night to remove dirt accumulated on the skin from the day, so it is not necessary in the morning (just make sure you sleep on a clean pillowcase).
In the morning we recommend rinsing your face with cold water and apply a bit of an oil-based moisturizer, gently dabbing it against the skin to allow the oils to fully penetrate and moisturize, instead of slathering/dragging it on. Warm water in the morning can disrupt our skin’s sebum production built up overnight and can dry out the skin, so make sure to stick to cold water and gently pat dry with a clean towel.
It may take a few days to a few weeks for you skin to adjust to plant oils, especially if you’re not used to using them in your skincare regimen. So be patient and allow for your skin to get used to introducing oils on a daily basis.
Happy cleansing!
x Sustain Yourself
Citations
2
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5796020/
3
https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/338076
4
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19134124/
5
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