Hot oil cleansing method for glowing skin
Using oils to cleanse the skin may sound somewhat strange, but the oil cleansing method (OCM) is a fantastic natural way to get clear skin that looks radiant and is free of impurities. It is especially beneficial to those that have struggled with problem skin.
Oil cleansing can rebalance the skin and restore its natural health, relieving many skin issues such as dry skin, oily skin, acne and blackheads. It is simple, cheap, great for your skin and eco-friendly.
How does it work?
The secret is in the simple principle of like treats like - oil dissolves oil. OCM works by dissolving impurities and dirt that are on your skin, including all makeup (even waterproof mascara) and any pollutants and bacteria that you come into contact with on a day to day basis, which means you can just wipe them all away.
You may think that putting more oil onto your skin will only make the problem worse, but actually oil cleansing does not remove the natural skin oils, but rebalances them. Soaps can strip your skin of oil causing it to over compensate and produce even more oil, leading to spots and clogged pores.
What Oil Should I Use
Castor oil is an essential base of oil cleansing combinations. It is antibacterial, astringent, and very effective at deeply cleansing the skin and pulling dirt out of pores. However, it shouldn’t be used on its own as it is quite thick and can be overly astringent. There are so many oils that can be mixed with castor oil, depending on your skin type, that we cannot possibly cover them all here. But here are a few of our favourites:
- Jojoba - all skin types, but very beneficial for acne-prone skin as it regulates oil production; hypoallergenic
- Sweet almond - all skin types, especially oily; gentle and nourishing oil
- Grapeseed - all skin types, especially oily and acne-prone skin; extremely soothing
- Avocado - dry and aging skin; helps to lock moisture in and repair any damage; high in antioxidants
- Apricot Kernel - dry, aging, and normal skin
- Argan - all skin types, especially aging skin
- Tamanu - all skin types, a great healing oil
- Pomegranate seed - dry, mature, damaged, aging skin
- Borage seed - dry, irritated, aging skin
- Neem - dry skin conditions, acne-prone skin; a powerful cleanser; avoid this if you’re pregnant or attempting to be
- Olive - all skin types
- Essential oils (add a few drops to the oil blend): ylang-ylang, thyme, peppermint, geranium, rose, frankincense, lavender or chamomile
How to cleanse with oils
Finding the right combinations and ratios of oils can take a couple of times to get right, but persistence will pay off. We suggest trying oil blends in small amounts first to see how your skin reacts. Start with these suggestions and then adjustments can be made to suit individual requirements:
•Normal Skin: equal parts of castor oil and other oil of choice
•Oily Skin: 2/3 of castor oil and 1/3 other oil of choice
•Dry Skin: 1/3 of castor oil and 2/3 other oil of choice
Simply massage a small amount of oil over dry face in circular motions. You can put the oil over the eyes as well, as it is brilliant at removing even waterproof mascara. Massaging for a minute or two helps to lift the dirt, dissolves the oil stuck in your pores and improves circulation. You can leave the oil on for 10 minutes for extra deep cleansing.
Run a washcloth under a hot tap and ring it out so it is still warm. Place it over your face and leave it to cool as steam opens the pores and allows the oil to be easily removed.
Then simply use the cloth to wipe away any remaining oil and enjoy your clearer skin. Repeat a few times until all the make-up and dirt is removed.
The Bamboo Luxury Washcloth is dual sided with a textured side for exfoliating and the smooth side for gentle cleansing.
The antibacterial nature of bamboo fibre deep cleanses pores and removes impurities leaving your skin clear, healthy and radiant. Bamboo is naturally anti-bacterial, odour resistant, hypo-allergenic, and super absorbent. If needed, you can apply a drop of rosehip or other oil of choice to moisturize the skin for the night.
Do not worry if you get a breakout or two when you first start using the OCM, it’s only your skin unclogging and detoxifying. Keep persevering and the results will be worth it.
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