The market is saturated with facial cleansers. The foams, the creams, the soaps, the wipes… it can get overwhelming when you are just trying to find something that works for you. But I have always believed that down the beauty aisle at my local drugstore is where I would find the best cleanser for me.
So imagine my surprise when I made my own, chemical-free cleanser at home. For cheap. And my skin looked GREAT!
It’s called oil cleansing. And it is amazing.
I will be completely honest and say that I was very hesitant about trying this. The first time I read about it was in Tsh Oxenreider’s book One Bite at a Time: 52 Projects for Making Life Simpler. I loved so many of her ideas, but this one gave me pause. Putting oil on my face seemed crazy when I was trying to get the stuff off.
But, as it turns out, there is a reason that this crazy method works. As described here, oil dissolves oil because like dissolves like. The oil combination that is massaged into your face loosens the oil that has been hardened with impurities, clogging your pores. It cleanses away the dirt and oil that has gathered there and leaves it moisturized, clean, and dewy. Yes, I said dewy. My skin looks so much younger after doing this routine each night.
Curious? See for yourself!
[Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. Please see below for more details]
Here’s what you will need:
- Castor oil
- Extra virgin olive oil
- A washcloth
- An empty bottle for you combination to be stored in
- Ponytail, headband, or bobby pins to hold your hair back
- Hot water
The first thing to do is create your oil cleansing combination. These can vary. The basic starting place is a 50/50 mix of EVOO and Castor oil. I, actually, have never varied from this. My skin can get a little oily, but the dry desert climate that I live in seems to give me “normal” skin. So I stick with this.
But if you have oily skin, you should mix 75% castor oil with 25% EVOO. And for dry skin, mix 75% EVOO with 25% Castor oil. You can change these percentages any way you like. Your skin is unique to you so what works for one person may not for you. Don’t be afraid to tweak it to what gives you the best results. Use the empty bottle (I had an old sample bottle from a facial scrub that worked perfectly) to fill with your preferred oil combination. Now you are ready to get cleansing!
Here’s how:
- With clean hands, pour a dime-sized amount of oil onto your fingertips.
- Gently massage it into the skin of your face, similar to how you would with any other cleanser.
- Soak your washcloth in hot water, as hot as you can stand. Wring out the excess water.
- Drape the cloth over your face. Hold it there until it begins to cool, about 1-2 minutes. This opens the pores so that they can be cleansed.
- Take the cloth and rinse it. Then, use it to wipe off any excess oil on your skin.
That’s it! No need to break out the expensive moisturizer or abrasive chemical cleansers. When you are done, your skin will feel both clean and moisturized already. No more tight skin because of foams or scrubs that dry it out! And it’s so relaxing. I love doing this routine right before bed.
Well, I hope you give oil cleansing a try. I guarantee that once you start, you won’t want to go back to the expensive over-the-counter ones that you’ve been using for years. I know I don’t. (If you are curious about other natural beauty products, check out this post on my shampoo and conditioner!)
Good luck!
Have you tried the oil cleansing method? What do you think? Let me know in the comments!
[Disclaimer: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a commission, at no additional cost to you. All opinions are my own and I never recommend anything I haven’t used myself and loved.]
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