What is the Oil Cleansing Method?
Oil cleansing is a method where you use oils instead of soap, water or other products to to clean your skin.
Based on the scientific principle that like dissolves like, therefore oil dissolves oil, oil cleansing utilizes beneficial oils that penetrate deep into pores to dissolve grime and build-up and naturally balance the skin’s natural oils.
By using the right oils, you can cleanse your pores of dirt and bacteria naturally, gently and effectively, while replacing the dirty oil with beneficial ones extracted from natural botanicals, vegetables and fruit that heal, protect and nourish your skin.
When done properly and consistently, cleansing the skin with a natural oil can clear it from issues like oily skin, dry skin, sensitive skin, blackheads, whiteheads and other problems caused by mild to moderate acne–while leaving your skin healthy, balanced and properly moisturized.
The basic concept of the oil cleansing method is that the oil used to massage the skin will dissolve the oil that has hardened with impurities and found itself stuck in the pores.
Oil cleansing works for all skin types when the correct oil ratios/types of oils are being used. However, please see your dermatologist or aesthetician should you suffer from acneic skin. After an initial adjustment period, usually a week, where the skin will purge itself of toxins, released in the form of blemishes, the skin will balanced itself out!
Our skin’s physical barrier can weaken with an increased imbalance in pH caused by stress, diet, conventional cleanser and moisturizers that may contain toxic or harmful ingredients. Oil cleansing on the contrary can help your skin improve strength while rebalancing its pH and its natural oils.
Some people are afraid to use oil on their skin, especially if their skin is oily, but with the right type of oil, you’ll find that it can be a safe and gentle method that detoxes your skin and cleans even better than soap.
There’s no harsh chemicals involved or anything to actually strip your skin of its natural oil. When you strip your skin of its sebum, it goes into overdrive, trying to create more, which by seagull leads to clogged pores, blackheads, whiteheads and skin irritation.
Oil Cleansing — 5 Easy Steps
Step #1: Remove Makeup! We recommend using our purest, cold pressed Baobab Seed Oil (currently available for professional use only but we are soon launching the at home size soonest!). Massage the oil into the skin until face/eye makeup has dissolved and gently wipe away with a warm and wet washcloth. Make sure to dry your skin for the next step!
Step #2: Re-apply a quarter-sized dollop of our Baobab Seed Oil to your hands, and massage it onto DRY skin using your fingertips. We suggest to do so for about 60 seconds. This is when the cleansing oil really works its magic, dissolving build-up and nourishing the skin with powerful plant nutrients. Self-Care at its best! Try to also think of this as a time to relax and massage away the stresses of the day — like a mini at-home spa treatment!
Step #3: Wet a clean washcloth with warm water and place it onto face until the washcloth cools. Be sure to use a different washcloth than the one you used to wipe off your makeup.
Step #4: Gently wipe away impurities + excess oil with washcloth. No need to scrub too aggressively here — a few gentle sweeps of the face will do the trick!
Step #5: Repeat process if necessary (this usually isn’t necessary UNLESS you skip step #1 and need an extra cleanse to remove makeup + grime). Moisturize as normal, massage your face to tone up your facial massage and release any trension and stress, and Gua Sha to de-puff and eliminate excess stagnant lymph. We suggest our BLOOM VITAMIN C SERUM in conjunction with our APHRODITE FACE GUA SHA STONE.
Video Tutorial coming soon via our Instagram account @philosophiabotanica
Love the skin you are in!
