Oil Cleansing for your face

As counter intuitive and weird as it sounds, its been over a year since I used any kind of soap on my face instead I have been following the oil cleansing method or using honey. Honestly, I haven't missed soap at all - not even once. 

Ideally, you should do oil cleansing at night especially if you use make-up. Its a great way to remove make-up and give your face a nice massage just before bed-time. I however, do it in the morning in the shower if I have the extra five-seven minutes. If not, then I substitute it by washing my face with raw honey. I have kept a jar in my shower and I put the honey as soon as I enter and wash it out once my shower is over. 

There are a lot of different oils that work for this. The most common oils are probably a combination of extra virgin olive oil and castor oil. Depending on your skin type you’ll use the following ratio:

• Dry skin: 3:1 ratio olive oil to castor oil (Never use castor oil undiluted on your skin)
• Normal skin: 1:1 ratio of olive oil to castor oil
• Oily skin: 1:3 ratio olive oil to castor oil

You can also play with different oils and can even add a few drops of essential oils for added fragrance. 

• Sweet Almond or Grapeseed  - Especially suited for oily skin 
• Jojoba- Great for all skin types, but particularly good for acne
• Avocado - Great for dry skin

Noops Notes:I personally use just plain organic almond oil (and I have relatively dry skin). And the best part is you don't need even feel the need for a moisturizer after this. If I feel the need to scrub my face then all I do is add coarse almond flour (made at home in the spice grinder) to the oil while massaging - it works like a charm

One of the main concerns I have heard regarding putting oil on your face is about the fear of breaking out - I personally have not experienced it but I have read that a few people had a 2-3 week adjustment period where your skin first gets worse and then begins to improve. Apart from a clean face and smoother skin, the best part for me is that I am no longer using any of the harsh chemical laden products on my face.

Since we are talking about soaps, I thought I would mention a few brands that I like and use. I have settled on these brands mostly because of the quality of their ingredients and also because they are small businesses that use artisan production methods:

Camamu Soaps: Its a Portland based company that sells these handmade soaps. You can find them on Amazon also at times. I am a big fan of their soaps. I use their body bars (WeedyGoat soap & Queen Bee soap) as well as shampoo bars (in particular the Henna shampoo and the Neem oil one). They use simple natural ingredients (few are even organic) that are all listed - its a big relief to see no crazy sounding chemicals in the list.

Bubble Farms Soap Company: Another local company based in Alameda. They use pure beeswax and honey from local beehives to make small batches of soap. Again what I love is their short and simple ingredient list. They are not available on Amazon but you can order them on their site.

Griffin Remedy: Another brand that I use at times, its made locally here in San Francisco. I particularly like their hand soaps and Anant likes his hand/body lotion - not too sticky. Although, for all their other products I find the ingredient list to be a too long and complicated for my liking. Find them on Amazon here

Now on to the process - To sum it up in one line

Oil your face, massage it in, and gently wipe it off.

The details

What you’ll need:

• a soft washcloth
• your oil blend
• hot water

The method:

1. Pour a generous puddle of oil into the palm of your hand (a little bit more than the size of a quarter). Rub your hands together to warm the oil up and then smooth it over your face.
2. Massage the oil into your face for a couple of minutes. Not only will this remove makeup and dirt, but it will also help relax the muscles and tone the skin. Take your time, using slow and firm motions, to massage the oil deep into your pores. Take specific care to work any problem areas. Enjoy this time.
3. Once you feel like your pores are fully saturated, pick up your washcloth and soak it in clean, hot (but not scolding) water. The warm washcloth will help open your pores and remove the oil. Place the washcloth over your face. Leave it there for 10 – 20 seconds to open the pores.
4. Gently wipe the oil away and rinse the washcloth out. Wipe and rinse two or three times until you feel like the excess oil is off your face. Don’t scrub.
5. If you skin feels too tight or dry when you are done, take a couple of drops of your oil blend and rub it between your hands. Then simply massage the oil residue onto your face. No need for commercial moisturizers! This is an all-in-one product!

More info on the benefits of the Oil Cleansing Method:

Here is how the Oil Cleansing website describes it:
“The basic concept of this skin care and cleansing method is that the oil used to massage your skin will dissolve the oil that has hardened with impurities and found itself stuck in your pores. The steam will open your pores, allowing the oil to be easily removed. Should you need it, the smallest drop of the same oil formula patted over damp skin will provide the necessary lubrication to keep your skin from over-compensating in oil production.”

And Acne.org explains the benefits as:
“Fact: Oil dissolves oil. One of the most basic principals of chemistry is that “like dissolves like.” The best way to dissolve a non-polar solvent like sebum/oil, is by using another non-polar solvent similar in composition: Other 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, the OCM can clear the skin 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.”
Source: I had this article on my computer, don't remember the site