What is cleansing oil

K-beauty is short for Korean beauty, an umbrella term for Korean skin care products and techniques that have become popular in the United States. Traditional cleansers can irritate the skin, cause excessive dryness, exacerbate acne , and ultimately result in the skin overproducing oil after washing.

Oil cleansing, on the other hand, can help balance the skin and lock in hydration. Oils used for cleansing may also have healing properties, important nutrients, or other skin-boosting benefits. More currently, another small study found that adults and children who used a bath oil every other day for a month had better skin barrier function and fewer symptoms of dry skin than those who used oil-free cleansers.

Now that so many brands have added an oil cleanser to their line, you have the option of buying a premixed version formulated for your skin type or making your own.

Premade oil cleansers are easy to find online and in most drugstores and beauty stores. The oils most commonly used in DIY recipes are olive oil and castor oil. Most recipes recommend starting with a ratio of these two oils. Then increase the amount of olive oil for dry skin or castor oil for oily, acne-prone skin.

Olive oil is rich in vitamins and antioxidants and is important for hydration. Castor oil is antibacterial and acts like an astringent cleaner.

Because of the astringent action, castor oil can cause skin drying. Or you may add avocado oil for extra moisture if you have dry skin. When possible, look for cold-pressed, unrefined, virgin oils that are meant to be used on the skin, rather that food-grade oils.

There are two ways to oil cleanse. One involves removing the applied oil with warm water or a wet washcloth. The other, popularized by K-beauty, follows oil removal with a gentle cleanser to remove any residue. Before you try either, test the cleansing oil on a small patch of your skin for a couple of days to see how your skin reacts.

Many cleansing oils also contain surfactants, but they are not the most important part of the formulation - the oils are. Oils are not only moisturising, they also work as a lipophilic solvent. This means that they are attracted to other oils for example the oil that skin produces and oily ingredients in makeup. This is how a cleansing oil can dissolve makeup and excess oil as well as leaving skin nourished. As well as oil, oil cleansers also contain surfactants and an ingredient called an emulsifier.

These ingredients allow the oils and the substances they have dissolved to combine with water and rinse off the skin easily.

A well formulated cleansing oil that can be rinsed with water and leaves no residue, is suitable for all skin types. Whether or not you should use a cleansing oil depends on two things: personal preference and the amount of long-lasting makeup you use.

Including those that have sensitive skin, redness-prone skin and blemish-prone skin. There is one exception: cleansing oils consisting of a single oil or a blend oils that are not combined with surfactants or emulsifiers are not recommended for combination to oily skin because they will make oiliness worse.

A cleansing oil can be used in the same way as other facial cleansers. Apply a small amount to damp skin, gently massage onto the face and around the eyes. Then rinse thoroughly and gently pat skin dry with a soft, clean towel. I don't have the time or patience in the morning, I don't feel that my face gets that dirty overnight and as I said I love the feel of our creamy soap lather as I massage it into my skin.

I seldom wear makeup other than a bit of blush in the winter. I do use our squalane face cream every morning. By the end of the day, e ven my makeup-free face does not feel clean. In the evening I use the oil cleansing method 3 to 5 times a week depending on my daytime activities. I have noticed that my complexion looks fresher and dare I say--more youthful since I began using the oil cleanser.

It is important to use the oil cleansing method with enough regularity that your skin has ample time to get adjusted. I would suggest developing some sort of routine that you can stick to using natural products for your complexion. Remember your skin is a living organ and switching off between natural and commercial cleansers will only confuse your skin.

Try our Organic Cotton Face Cloth. If you have sensitive skin, always try an allergy patch test before using a new product.

Have you had any experience with the Oil Cleansing Method? If you have, do you have a special routine or method that you like? Skip nav to content. May 22, Why Use a Facial Cleansing Oil? There are no harsh chemicals to strip your skin of its natural oil. The natural oils work great on eye makeup. Not All Cleansing Oils Are Created Equal Stay away from commercial products that contain petroleum-based oils, synthetic fragrance, and other synthetic ingredients.

Astringent Oils While it sounds odd, an oil with astringent properties may actually be drying to the skin. Conditioning Oils Conditioning oils are beneficial for all skin types, even those prone to oily skin and breakouts. Antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties Castor is great for irritated or inflamed skin because its anti-inflammatory properties help calm and soothe sensitive skin.

Incredibly Hydrating and Moisturizing Castor Oil possesses humectant properties , which means that it can draw moisture from the air into the skin, keeping your face hydrated and yielding a bright, glowing appearance. Naturally astringent and cleansing Due to its natural astringent properties, castor is a "purging oil. How To Use A Facial Cleansing Oil While cleansing oils are great for removing makeup, they are also fabulous for those who do not wear makeup.

Always start with dry hands and a dry face. If you wet your hands or face it counteracts "like dissolves like" concept and leaves your skin feeling oily and not clean. Avoid your eye area.

Using your fingers massage firmly, but gently, using small upward circular motions. The gentle massaging action warms the skin, which encourages the pores to open. This allows the cleansing oil to soften, loosen and dissolve makeup, dirt, dead skin and impurities on your face. After a minute or so of massaging allow the oil to remain on your skin to help deep clean pores while you soak a small face towel or washcloth in hot tap water. Squeeze out most of the excess water apply the cloth to your whole face and hold it there as a compress for about seconds.

The heat from the towel will create steam, soften your skin, open your pores, and aid in removal of dirt, grime and excess oils. Using the corners of the warm wet face cloth slowly begin to gently wipe off the cleansing oil be sure to have enough water on the cloth to help emulsify the cleansing oil. Note: At this point, some folks like to use wet hands to massage the face.

As you massage with the water the oil will turn a milky white as the oil and water emulsify. If needed wet your hands again with a little more water and massage again. Rinse the cloth, and repeat until the oil and dirt are wiped off your skin. If you are removing a lot of makeup you may have to rinse the cloth and repeat several times.

Unless you scrubbed too hard a thin layer of oil will remain on the skin to help protect and moisturize throughout the day. Finish with a cool water splash and pat dry with a clean towel.