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Why You Should Wash Your Face With Oil (Seriously!)

Julien Elizabeth
Author:
June 23, 2015
Julien Elizabeth
Wellness Coach
Photo by Stocksy
June 23, 2015

Using oil as a skin cleanser may sound crazy. How could adding more oil to skin possibly help an already-oily dermal situation?

But when you think about it, like dissolves like. The new oil you'll be using on your face will bind with the existing oil (sebum) to remove and cleanse impurities.

It'll also help balance out the oil production of your body: if your skin is too dry or agitated from harsh products, your body overcompensates by producing more oil. And if your pores are clogged by too many ingredients, they can't breathe and detoxify naturally.

All of those products you're using? They can throw off your body's natural hormones and oil, both of which are working to naturally balance your skin. This imbalance could be the cause of your combination skin.

Switching to a simpler cleansing ritual with products that are healing and natural will allow your body to balance itself out. Remember: your body is incredibly smart and knows what it needs; it will naturally seek balance if given the chance.

Oil cleansing can be incredibly effective. The key is to find the right oil or blend of oils that works for your unique skin.

So how do you do it?

Use one oil that's a natural antibacterial or astringent, like castor, grapeseed or hazelnut oil. You'll want to combine the astringent oil with a more gentle, moisturizing one like jojoba, avocado, sunflower seed or argan.

Keep in mind: The astringent oils can dry out your skin, so when combining the two in your hand, use a mix of 10-30% astringent oil and 70-90% moisturizing oil. Pay attention to the ratios. If your skin is particularly oily, increase the amount of astringent oil you're using that day. If your skin is dry, decrease the castor oil and increase jojoba oil.

Blending oils allows you to reap the benefits of each and decreases your chances of having side effects to one or the other.

  1. Either mix your oils together ahead or time or have the bottles handy near the sink. Grab a clean washcloth.
  2. With a dirty face (no need to remove your makeup before!), put the oils into your palm and then lightly massage into your face for a couple of minutes.
  3. Soak the washcloth in warm-to-hot water from your sink, wring it out and then lay it over your face for 30 seconds, or until the cloth cools to help open pores.
  4. With gentle pressure, wipe the oil off of your face. Rinse the washcloth and repeat until you've wiped all the oil off your skin.
  5. If you'd like, follow up with a witch hazel toner or let the residual oil sink in as a moisturizer.

Also remember to create a more balanced environment for your skin by drinking plenty of water and natural liquids, eliminating harsh chemicals as much as possible and becoming consistent with your cleansing methods.

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