How to Wash Your Face With the Oil Cleansing Method

After chatting about face oils, body oils and Organic Bath Co.’s Enhance Face Oil, it may seem like we’re on oil overload. The truth is that oils are a little magical: They can kind of be used for anything, including washing your face.

Sounds a bit counter-intuitive, right? Since oil and water don’t traditionally mix, how could you actually get your skin clean with an oil cleanser?

Enter the Oil Cleansing Method (OCM), which is taking the beauty world by storm. With the OCM, you’re not only removing bacteria, dirt, debris and makeup from your face, but you’re also creating a calming ritual for yourself and your skincare routine.

The Benefits

The OCM operates on a basic principle of chemistry: Like dissolves like. Oil dissolves oil in a way that cleansing with water can’t. By massaging hydrating, organic oils into your skin, you’re actually loosening the hardened sebum that can collect in your pores throughout the day, and replacing it with nutrient-dense oil that combats signs of aging, prevents blemishes and alleviates dryness by balancing your skin’s natural oil production.

Many traditional cleansers contain toxic chemicals that attempt to strip your skin of its natural oils as a way to reduce the overall amount of oil it naturally produces. The argument is that removing oil from your face completely will eliminate breakouts and reduce surface oiliness that requires blotting papers or mattifying powder come midday. But, your skin is smarter than that. When it feels too dry or tight, it produces more oil to compensate for the lack of natural, protective barrier—and that can cause more clogged pores and dry, flaky skin.

With the OCM, you’re keeping your skin bathed in healthy oils, and convincing it to self-regulate a little, which can promote clear, balanced, glowing skin. Organic Bath Co.’s Rice Bran Cleansing Oil can be a great asset on your way to healthier skin. Its main ingredient, rice bran oil, is a Japanese anti-aging secret. It’s high in vitamin E and fatty acids, both of which penetrate skin deeply, assisting it with holding in hydration and treating flaky, irritable winter skin. Vitamin B improves elasticity, helping to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, while the natural organic compound squalene encourages skin to regenerate, revealing a younger-looking complexion.

OBC’s Rice Bran Cleansing Oil also contains camellia seed oil, another extremely hydrating oil that carries a multitude of skin-boosting benefits. Not only is it high in antioxidants, which protect skin from free radical damage, but it also has natural anti-microbial and cicatrizant properties, which help promote wound healing. Plus, it can help suppress skin allergies and sensitivities.

The two essential oils in OBC’s cleansing oil provide more than soothing, aromatherapeutic side effects. Manuka essential oil carries many of the same properties as camellia seed oil: It’s a powerful topical anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergenic that also helps skin heal from wounds. Its scent promotes relaxation and fights anxiety and stress. Sweet orange essential oil is an anti-depressant that uplifts while also promoting relaxation and stress relief. It’s also anti-inflammatory and antiseptic, meaning it can reduce redness and puffiness while preventing bacterial infections.

The Ritual

But, you may be thinking, if water and oil don’t mix, how do I actually cleanse my skin with oils? The OCM is actually very simple, with only a few steps:

1. Massage a nickel-sized amount of oil into your dry skin (yes, on top of your makeup or remnants of your day). Give yourself a second here to relax and release the stress from your day with slow, rhythmic, circular motions. Spend a little extra time on your jaw, right in front of your ears, as we all hold a lot of tension here.
2. Soak a gentle washcloth or microfiber cloth in hot (not scalding) water; wring it out and place over your oiled face for 30 seconds, breathing in the aromatherapeutic scents of manuka and sweet orange essential oil.
3. Gently, using more circular motions, remove the oil, dirt and makeup from your face with your cloth.
4. Repeat if necessary or desired. Your skin should retain a little bit of the oil, which can eliminate the need for an additional moisturizer if you have oily skin. If your skin is naturally dry, add your usual moisturizer on top of your freshly cleansed face.

Easy, peasy, right? Have you tried the Oil Cleansing Method? Have you noticed a difference in your skin?

Note: Like with any new skincare routine, you may experience a week or two of skin detox, where underlying bacterial or pore-clogging debris will surface. Don’t fret! It doesn’t last forever and if you stick it out for three to four weeks, you’ll see a more glowing complexion revealed. Also, though many topical ingredients can combat excessive oiliness and breakouts, many times the root of those issues comes from internal complications having to do with hormone levels and dietary choices. If you’re not seeing an improvement in your skin from the OCM or another skincare product, think about what other factors could be contributing to your skin’s unhappiness.