Now, if you're one of these people and you happen to have oily, sensitive or breakout-prone skin then strap in, cause we're going to break it all down for you and give you the science behind the benefits of oil cleansing.
Why use oil as a facial cleanser?
Isn’t that like using coke as mouthwash to treat gum disease?? Not exactly- oils are highly absorbent in nature and cleansing oils work on the principle that ‘like dissolves like’.
The skin's natural oil combines with sweat to provide a protective layer called the acid mantle. Traditional cleansers strip the skin of the acid mantle, leaving it exposed to environmental pollutants and causing the skin to overproduce oil to recreate the acid mantle.
Cleansing oils are different because they don’t strip the skin of its protective acid mantle. Instead, they absorb environmental impurities and dead skin cells which build up during the day and replenish the skin with clean, nutritious oil resulting in balanced, healthy skin. Cleansing oils are the best way to gently and effectively remove make-up (even waxy waterproof mascara), unclog pores and leave your skin feeling fresh, moisturised and balanced.
The best blend of cleansing oil is a combination of organic virgin coconut oil rich in lauric acid and organic cold pressed sunflower seed oil rich in linoleic and oleic fatty acids, which help to moisturise and nourish the skin. NZ grown cold pressed hazelnut oil is rich in vitamin E for antioxidant protection and organic kanuka essential oil has antimicrobial benefits to help prevent breakouts. By formulating a blend of these oils, we created our Oil Cleanse.
How to use an oil cleanser
- Beginning with a dry face, apply the cleansing oil over your makeup or bare skin
- Massage the cleansing oil in an upward circular motion to assist the pores to unclog. Spending one or two minutes, concentrate on areas with makeup or breakouts. Be gentle around the eye area.
- With a wet or dry Tailor Towel, gentle wipe the face and neck to remove impurities, excess oils and congestions drawn out by the cleanser
- Pat your skin dry, and follow up with your favourite treatments, creams and oils
Can oil cleansing cause breakouts?
When beginning a cleansing oil routine some (but not all) have reported experiencing a “purge stage”. During the purge stage, the skin tends to get worse before it gets better. This means a tendency to break out while the cleansing oil draws residual build up from the skin. The purge stage usually lasts between two to three days but in some cases can last up to two weeks depending on the amount of underlying skin congestion. During the purge stage it is important to understand that this oil flow is normal and a sign that your skin is restoring balance and will start to lose its thick congested appearance.