Oil cleansing for acne… really?
Oil for acne. Who would have thought?
The idea of rubbing thick greasy oils on my skin to help manage my acne was something I was very skeptical of…..but not for long! A month of using this oil cleansing method and the difference was incredible. My skin was clearer with a beautiful dewy look to it, without too much shine.
This oil cleansing concept goes right back to that high school chemistry class. Like dissolves like, therefore oil dissolves oil. By using the proper oils to cleanse the skin, we dissolve the hardened oil mixed with impurities clogging our pores. Cool, right?
Conventional skin care, especially acne products, strip the skin of all moisture, leaving it with no choice but to overcompensate and produce more oil to repair itself.
Contrary to popular belief, sebum (oil) is not our enemy.
Although it does contribute to acne, there are many other factors contributing to this condition like bacteria, sluggish turnover of cells, inflammation, impaired ability to repair, hormonal imbalances, food sensitivities and of course, OVERPRODUCTION of sebum…. Key word here is ‘overproduction’.
Our skin still needs a healthy amount to function properly, otherwise conditions may start to arise. Sebum is needed to heal, protect, moisturize and keep us looking young.
So what contributes to the overproduction of oil? Food, hormones AND over cleansing with conventional skincare designed to strip away oil.
Crazy, I know…..but once you wrap your head around this and give oil cleansing a whirl, I feel fairly certain you’ll want to dance in the streets with NO makeup on screaming with joy and relief that you’ve finally found something your skin loves.
Here’s how oil cleansing works:
Choose your oils
There’s a ton out there to choose from depending on your skin type and goals. As long as they are organic, natural, cold-pressed vegetable, seed or nut oils, you’ll receive the benefits of nutrients, vitamins and fatty acids.
Most people start with castor oil as a primary oil. It’s extremely cleansing, astringent, healing and carries potent anti-inflammatory properties. It is very thick and can actually be drying to the skin, therefore should always be diluted and paired with another oil. Those with dry sensitive skin might not find this oil very helpful and it is fine to completely omit it.
If castor oil IS in your horizon, here are some ball park ratios to follow:
Oily skin: 1:3 ratio (castor oil to secondary oil)
Combination skin: 1:4 ratio (castor oil to secondary oil)
Dry skin: 1:10 ratio (castor oil to secondary oil)
Secondary oils to use (or primary if you omit castor oil):
Driest feeling oils for oily or acne prone skin:
Rosehip Oil
Hemp Seed Oil
Guava Seed Oil
Moisturizing oils for dry skin:
Macadamia Oil
Olive Oil
Similar to skin sebum oils (versatile):
Jojoba Oil
Macadamia Oil
Sensitive skin oils:
Black Cumin Seed Oil
Grapeseed Oil
Camellia Oil
Most healing oils for scaring, aging, sun damage, etc.:
Tamanu Oil
Neem Oil
Once you have created your oil mixture:
Blend your oil choices according to the ratios above and heat up a tablespoon in your hands.
Massage the oil into your face and neck. ***Bonus: it works as a makeup remover too!
Wet a clean facecloth with warm water, wring it, then place it over your face to steam for a minimum of 20 seconds. This opens up your pores and allows the oils that are stuck and clogging to be removed.
Gently wipe away the oil with the cloth.
You can use the same secondary oils to moisturize by dabbing the oil of choice on your skin, leaving it for 2 minutes while you do something else, and then dabbing off any excess oil residue.
Ta da! Easy peasy and easier on the wallet!
An important note to keep in mind: Your skin MAY go through a bit of a rebellious stage in the first two weeks as it learns to regulate itself again, so give it a good shot before giving up.
