a woman holding a bottle of cleansing oil

What is the oil cleansing process?

Oil washing may seem to be a significant thing when it comes to good skincare. After all, you've undoubtedly heard a lot of advice about avoiding oil on your face, and it seems sensible that only oil-free products like acne gel will result in clean, beautiful skin.

Many well-known brands now offer oil cleansers, and many individuals have discovered that cleansing milk is a gentle method to remove makeup, soothe sensitive skin, and reduce breakouts.

What are the benefits of cleansing oil?

For many individuals, the word "cleansing" conjures up images of foaming soap. Oil cleaning may include lathering agents, but it's more typically just pure oils washed away with a moist towel. To eliminate any oil residue, some individuals, especially those who follow a K-beauty skincare regimen, may follow the oil cleanse phase with a light, water-based face wash.

Oil cleansing's advantages

The rationale behind slathering oils on your face in the name of washing comes from the principle of "like dissolves like." Putting clean, nourishing oils on your skin, in other terms, attempts to:

Clean up blocked pores, such as blackheads and whiteheads, by removing excess sebum, an oily material generated by glands on your face.
Dead skin, contaminants, and makeup should all be removed.
As a result, many makeup removers include oil. Oil has the ability to pull oil-free, oil-based, and waterproof makeup off your skin and lashes.

Traditional cleansers may irritate your skin, create excessive dryness, aggravate acne, and eventually cause your skin to generate more oil when you wash it. Oil cleaning, on the other hand, may aid to hydrate and balance the skin. Certain bacteria that grow on your skin may help protect you against acne and infections.

When it comes to choosing a cleansing oil, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Choose non-comedogenic products if you have acne-prone skin. They're less prone to clog your pores as a result of this.

Ingredients for oil cleaning

The most often used oils in Homemade remedies are olive oil and castor oil.
Most recipes call for a one-to-one ratio of these two oils at first, then gradually increasing the quantity of olive oil for dry skin or castor oil for oily or acne-prone skin.
For use on dry skin. Use hydrating olive oil, which is high in vitamins and antioxidants and may help your skin stay hydrated. You may also add additional moisture by using coconut or avocado oil.
For those with delicate skin. Castor oil should be avoided. This oil has antibacterial effects, but it also serves as an astringent cleanser and may dry up the skin. Instead, use jojoba or rosehip oil.
For acne-prone or oily skin. Because it may help decrease acne and regulate oil production, jojoba oil for the face may be an excellent choice for oily or acne-prone skin. Argan oil may also aid in the regulation of sebum production and the improvement of skin clarity. The non-greasy marula oil is another nice alternative.
It's critical to choose high-quality oils and cleansers without additional fragrances or colours, regardless of which oils you use.

How to use facial cleansing oil?

Oil cleansing may be done in these ways:

Cleanse with a basic oil

Apply the oil and then remove it with warm water or a damp towel is a simple oil cleaning.

In the palm of your hand, pour 1 to 2 tablespoons of oil. For dry skin, start with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon castor oil. For acne-prone or oily skin, start with 1 tablespoon jojoba and 1 tablespoon castor oil.
Before you wet your face, apply the oil. To eliminate impurities like makeup and dead skin cells and enable the oil to permeate, gently massage the oil into your skin with your fingers for several seconds to a minute.
To remove the oil, gently wipe it away with a moist, warm towel.
Avoid scrubbing or pressing too hard on your skin, since this may cause irritation and breakouts. If you want some oil to linger on your skin, you may rinse with warm water instead of a towel. When you're done, your face should feel moisturised but not oily or irritated from washing it down.
Apply moisturiser as necessary after patting dry with a towel.

When it comes to oil cleansing, how frequently should you do it?

Oil cleansing should be done just once a day, rather than every time you wash your face. You may also use it as a one-time special treatment. Oil cleansing should be done at night to assist clean and moisturising your skin before going to bed.

What to Expect Following an Oil Cleanse?

Your skin will likely feel silky and free of makeup and other items after oil cleansing. You may not need to moisturise afterwards, depending on your skin type and the oil you choose.
Oil washing may cause allergic reactions, inflammation, and blocked pores in some individuals, which is why you should always conduct a patch test before using an oil cleanser on your face.
Just keep in mind that a patch test won't usually indicate how your pores react to oil washing, and it may take some time to figure out how your skin tolerates different kinds of oil.
Before attempting an oil cleanse, see a doctor if you have cystic acne. They can provide you with further advice on how to attempt oil washing without aggravating your skin. For this purpose, you can use anti-acne gel containing salicylic acid, and niacinamide by Saturn.

What is purging?

Breakouts induced by new products that bring microorganisms to the surface of your skin are referred to as purging. In the areas where you tend to break out, you'll see a combination of various types of pimples.

However, you may encounter itchy, rough, or inflammatory patches of skin, particularly in new regions where you don't often have outbreaks. This usually indicates a bad response to the oil or washing product rather than a purging, so you should see a dermatologist before using it again.

Take Away

Do you want to switch up how you wash your face? It's possible that the oil washing procedure is worth a go. Just keep in mind that this procedure may or may not work for you, so pay attention to how your skin reacts. If you observe an increase in breakouts after oil washing for a few weeks or side effects of using cleansing oil, you may need to cleanse lightly afterwards, switch oils, or discontinue oil cleansing entirely.