Remove Grime And Pollution By Deep Cleansing Your Skin: Oil Cleansing (Day 16)

#30dayglowup - Day 16

Remove dead skin cells and product build up on your face using oil? Let's see if it works...

I first came across oil cleansing in probably a similar way to most people: watching The Golden Rx’s YouTube video entitled ‘Esthetician Approved: Oil Cleansing Guide for All Skin Types | Acne, Oily, Dry, Combo’. The concept of removing oil plugs in your skin by massaging an oil into your face was so interesting to me that I knew I was going to have to give it a go – I’d seen so many videos of people with black dots all over their hands which had, rather grossly, been removed from their skin via the oil cleansing method. I also wanted to try it as a way to fully dissolve and remove leftover makeup on my face, as I’ve always find using oils an effective way to remove eye-makeup and don’t like the feeling of product building up on my face.

 

So, if you’re interested in learning more about oil cleansing and my experience of it, then just keep reading.

 

What is oil cleansing

Oil cleansing is pretty self-explanatory – it’s taking an oil or oil cleanser and massaging it into your face. It’s commonly used in the two-step cleansing method of using an oil cleanser followed by a foaming cleanser to fully clean the skin and remove makeup. It tends to work better to massage it in for longer (Around 10 – 15 minutes).

 

How to

The basic structure of an oil-cleansing method is to:

1. Remove your makeup
2. Apply your cleansing oil to your face
3. Massage in for around 10 minutes for a thorough clean
4. Wipe of the ‘grit’ into a cotton pad or towel as you feel them
5. Take a damp, warm washcloth and remove the oil

For a full how to guide I’d highly recommend checking out The Golden Rx’s original YouTubevideo; she’s a qualified esthetician and knows far more about the subject than I could ever hope to.

 

Additionally, if you want an in depth guide to gritting using a clay mask and exfoliation (A lot of people find it more effective this way), check out fiftyshadesofsnail's 'How to Shrink Pores' guide.

 

How does it work

The basic idea of using oil cleansing or ‘gritting’ is the concept that ‘oil dissolves oil’ i.e. the only way you can remove the excess sebum (Oily-like substance in your skin) in your skin is by using oils. Since oils are hydrophobic, using an aqueous-based cleanser won’t be as effective in this regard. By massaging the oil into your skin it gently you help to dissolve the dirt and grime on your face, as well as ease out that excess sebum.

 

These ‘oil plugs’ are what you see from oil cleansing and are commonly mistaken for blackheads due to their similar appearance, however they’re just all of the dead skin and excess sebum that’s build up in your skin cells over time. The idea is that by using oil cleansing before your regular cleansing, you’re really breaking down all of the dirt, pollution, SPF and any remaining makeup which can then all be rinsed off. It’s a way to very thoroughly cleanse your skin and can be very beneficial even on top of a thorough skincare routine.

 

First impressions

Now, I thought my skincare was pretty good at using active ingredients to regularly exfoliate my skin and remove the dead skin cells, so I wasn’t expecting to see many oil plugs. But my God was I wrong about that one. The first time I used the oil cleansing method I was both fascinated and disgusted about the amount of oil plugs that came out of my skin. After massaging for only a few minutes it felt a grit-like feeling in my hands and when I looked, I saw a small black dot which I then wiped onto a cotton wool pad. After massaging for a few minutes, I ended up with so many of these little black dots, especially from the areas of my face that I don’t target as much with my skincare like around my jawline.

 

I use The Ordinary rosehip oil to do my cleansing as I knew that it wouldn’t break me out, but if anyone has any proper oil cleanser recommendations definitely comment them below. The first time I tried it in my skincare I did it everyday after makeup removal, however I think for my skin it was too frequent. Although it was satisfying to do everyday and was very effective at breaking down makeup, it did cause me some initial breakouts which with my post-accutane skin isn’t that common nowadays. I don’t think it was purging because I’ve experienced that before and the type of breakouts I was getting were very different, and I was still getting some acne even after trying it out for a few weeks.

 

How I use oil cleansing now

I now do oil cleansing only once per week to fully break down any grime and dirt that has built up on my skin which I have been unable to remove with my skincare. I find by doing it this way my skin doesn’t react badly, and also that by doing it for a long duration less frequently I’m more gentle with my skin and careful to massage it thoroughly and correctly.

 

I have also within the last month been looking at using Gua Sha to reduce puffiness and inflammation which also uses a facial oil so I’ve found that by combining the two methods I’ve found it more of a relaxing, once a week treat. I’ve found by doing this my skin is brighter, feels less clogged up and I get fewer blackheads on my nose from the build up of debris.

 

Pros

• Breaks down all the dirt and grime on your face
• Very gentle
• Relaxing
• Satisfying
• Left my skin feeling smooth and clean

 

Cons

• Caused breakouts from doing it too often
• Time-consuming

 

In conclusion

I have found using oil cleansing to be a benefit to my skincare when I use it in a way that suits me – if it works for you to use it everyday then 100% you do that. I may also try a proper oil cleanser not just a type of oil to see if that helps my skin not break out as much, but for now I’m very happy with the results of less frequent oil cleansing to really deep clean my skin.

 

My skincare is a huge part of my glow up journey so anything that I’ve found that benefits my skin makes me feel a lot more confident. We’re now more than halfway through my #30dayglowup and I hope you’re enjoying it so far. As usual feel free to message me if you have questions or recommendations, and be sure to add your email down below to get regular updates about my journey, thank you”