If you’ve ever heard of the oil cleansing method (OCM) and wondered what it is or how it works you’ve come to the right place.Oil cleansing is based on the concept “like dissolves like.” In this case we’re using oils that can nourish and purge the skin of impurities to dissolve the “unclean” oils on your skin which can include makeup, grease, sebum, sunscreen and so forth, leaving behind a cleansed and clear face.
If you have oily skin, am sure you have shuddered at the thought of using oil to cleanse your skin.But oil is not necessarily bad.There is a reason your skin naturally secretes sebum(oil) and it’s because it needs it to keep itself properly moisturized and elastic. This reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines making you look younger. So when you use cleansers that contain harsh chemicals like sodium laureth sulfate and other ingredients within the sulfate family, which strip your skin of natural oils, your skin overcompensates by producing even more oil than before. This is what really contributes to breakouts.
Oils are great at getting rid of leftover products from your face and are more gentle than foam-based cleansers. Of course, not every oil will work for every person’s skin type -we’re going to address that in the next post, but for the most part they are less irritating making them the ideal solution for sensitive skin.
How to Oil Cleanse.
You will need:
- An oil cleanser (suitable for your skin type)
- A clean washcloth (soft) or you can use cotton balls
- Warm water
Its preferable to use the OCM in the evening as your skin has collected plenty of grime and dirt throughout the day. so you will wake up with a clean and refreshed face from the night before. So oil cleansing once a day is really all you need.Also note that it may take a week or two for your skin to adjust where it’ll feel super oily right after cleansing. This is normal and it happens because pores will become unclogged and release everything all at once. This means that it’s working and so don’t get discouraged if it happens to you.
The first step is to simply pour a small amount of the oil on your clean hands and massage it on your face. You don't need to clean your face beforehand although some people do it for “double-cleansing” -where they’ll cleanse with oil and then again with a water based cleanser. However, it’s better to even avoid washing your face because oil and water don’t mix and getting your face damp may interfere with the cleansing process. After all, the whole point is for the oils to do that job for you.Massage the oil on your face gently focusing on key areas for about 30 seconds. Then wait for 2 minutes for the oils to sink in.Dip your washcloth in the warm water,then gently wipe off the oil.You can repeat this until your face feels clean but not dry.
You can then go ahead with your usual skincare routine.