Cleaning Your Face with Oil (Oil Cleansing Method)

It sounds about as counter-intuitive as feasting on Twinkies in order to lose weight, but the oil cleansing method is an effective way to clean your face.

The reason it sounds off is because we’re assuming that oil is the problem when it comes to pimples, blemishes and other forms of “dirty” skin issues. And so we pull out the scrubs and soaps and start the battle of getting rid of oils that are clogging our pores.

But here’s what your skin is really doing:

• your skin is trying to re-lubricate itself with your natural oils to protect itself.
• the pimples, blackheads and other skin afflictions are the result of hormones, bacteria, and what goes into your body.
• scrubbing with soap that dries out the skin, or exfoliating products that contain fragrances and colorants, only worsens the problem.

And so, because oil disolves oil, you need to apply oil to your face in order to clean it.

How to Clean Your Face using the Oil Cleansing Method:

Rub oil into your face for approximately two minutes. Drape a warm, damp wash cloth over your face until it cools. Wipe off the oil. Add one or two additional drops to moisturize the skin. (source)

Crunchy Betty’s rule of thumb in choosing the correct oil for your skin type:

• Oily skin: Use 2/3 castor oil to 1/3 carrier oil. (Or measure out 2 tsp castor oil and 1 tsp carrier oil.)
• Normal skin: Use equal parts castor oil and carrier oil. (Measuring out 1-1/2 tsp castor oil and 1-1/2 tsp carrier oil.)
• Dry skin: Use 1/3 castor oil and 2/3 carrier oil. (Again, 2 tsp carrier oil and 1 tsp castor oil.)

Check out her oil cleansing blog post for carrier oil options and detailed instructions, should you need them.

My face feels amazingly supple and nourished when I oil cleanse. It takes time to get used to the habbit, but it’s definitely worth it.

What others have said about their oil-cleansing experience:

Sharon M. via Facebook: “It feels counter-intuitive for oily skin, but it works great. It also takes my makeup off ever so easily. It doesn’t irritate my eyes if I accidentally get oil in them.”

Amy Yu, Founder of Poochi & TouTou:

“I have combination skin- oily and dry. I have had terrible acne with lots of whiteheads. People always tell me NOT to use oily products for oily skin, but I can tell you they are wrong!! After I’ve started using oil cleansing, my skin has gotten a lot better! If you rub the oil on the face for about 3 min, you can clearly see the whiteheads and whatever dirt coming out of the pores. And you can even feel it on the your fingers… I’ve used oil cleansing as a first step for more than 6 months (once a day when i clean my face at night), and my skin has gotten 90% better from last year. No kidding!”

Jamie Kiffel-Alcheh, editor-in-chief of VitalJuice:

“I’m personally passionate about oil cleansing. My skin is extraordinarily sensitive, and I had been breaking out from everything–including natural products–for several years. The breakouts left marks for weeks. Desperate, I read about oil cleansing and decided to try it. That was nearly a year ago. My skin is completely transformed. I almost never break out, and if I do, it clears up within a day; I constantly get compliments on my skin… I tell everyone I know about this little-known skin care method!”

Do you oil cleanse? How has it changed your skin?