Today, we shall be talking about oils and oil cleansing!
Whenever I tell people I oil cleanse, I get funny looks. “How do you use oil to clean your face?” they ask and I tell them my process. When they finally realize I’m serious, I get questions like what oils I use, how I use them and even where to get said oils.
But before I go into that, let me talk about what oil cleansing is and how it can help your skin
Your skin/face already produces essential oils to keep the skin hydrated and soft. When you use harsh scrubs and washes on your face and strip the oils, your skin panics and goes into overdrive and produces more oil than is needed. This leads to a negative feedback loop as you are trying to remove the oil and your skin is trying to replace them. See what’s wrong here?
Oil cleansing works on the principle of oil diffusion. Simply, oil dissolves oil. Depending on the oils used, the oils will hydrate your skin, treat and prevent acne breakouts. I have been oil cleansing for the past two years and my skin has never been softer. I really want to preach the gospel of oil cleansing because it worked like magic for me.
What oils should you use?
It all depends on your skin and what you want to treat. I did some research and came up with a shortlist of oils to consider when creating your oil cleansing mix:
1. Olive Oil
2. Coconut Oil
3. Argan Oil
4. Avocado Oil
5. Jojoba Oil
6. Tea tree oil
7. Rosemary oil
8. Lemon grass oil
Let’s go into what the oils are and what they treat
1. Olive Oil
Olive oil is sourced from the Olive tree and is rich in Vitamins A, D, E and K. It is a great source of oleic acid (which is good for dry skin) and it is a humectant which means it draws moisture from the environment to you skin.
2. Coconut Oil
This is sourced from the the kernel of a mature coconut harvested from the coconut palm. Coconut oil is rich in Vitamins E and K, as well as iron. It is known to delays wrinkles and sagging and act as as sun protection. Coconut oil is known for clogging pores so be careful with this. Test it before you use it.
3. Argan Oil (My personal favorite)
Argan oil is a plant oil produced from the kernels of the argan tree that is endemic to Morocco. Argan oil is rich in essential fatty acids, or EFAs, which support the health and beauty of skin and hair. It is known to protect against and heal skin infections, clear up acne and heal cracks and burns.
4. Avocado Oil
Avocado oil is sourced from the fleshy pulp of the Avocado fruit. It is non greasy, rich in Vitamins A, B6, D and E, lecithin and potassium, contains proteins and unsaturated fatty acids and suitable for all skin types. It is known for it’s regeneration and rejuvenation properties, reduction of age spots, healing of scars and sun damage, and increasing collagen in the skin.
5. Jojoba Oil
Jojoba oil is the liquid wax produced in the seed of the jojoba plant. It is non-comedogenic (won’t clog you skin), antioxidant and anti-bacterial. It is a great acne treatment, helps to heal scars; treats sunburn, regulates oil production and promotes new cell growth.
6. Tea Tree Oil
This oil is sourced from the leaves of the tea tree. It is antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory.
It is known for treating acne (in fact, I recommend this to everyone with acne issues) and is an effective treatment for insect bites, abscesses, blisters, athletes foot, candidacies, burns, nail infections and cold sores. It is very potent so a little bit goes a long way.
7. Rosemary oil
Rosemary oil is sourced from the flowering tops of the Rosemary plant by steam distillation. It increases cellular metabolism, helps to treat acne and eczema, tones the skin and smooths out wrinkles and eliminates fine lines. It is another potent oil so a little bit goes a long way.
8. Lemongrass Oil
It sourced from lemongrass by steam distillation. It is known to tone skin, relieve cellulite, clears out oily skin, treats acne, unclogs pores, prevents and cures skin infections. DO NOT USE before going out in the sun. It can burn!
What oil should I use?
Depending on what you want and what you are aiming to heal, there is an oil for you. Before you use any oil on your face, test it on the inside of your elbow or back of your knee. If there is any redness or irritation, do not use it. I use a blend of olive oil (moisture), argan oil (overall awesomeness) and avocado oil (skin regeneration). For my next mix, I will be using olive oil, argan oil and rosemary oil for it’s toning properties.
ALL of these oils (except from argan oil) can be bought via Vanity Oils. They have a wide range of oils and deliver all over Lagos. Argan oil can be gotten from Jumia.
Now that you have your oils blend, how to you oil cleanse?
1. Pour your blend of oils in your palm and rub on your face for at least two mins with firm motions. From what I’ve read, some people can feel dirt grits coming out of their pores as you do this.
2. Use a towel and dip into hot water. Squeeze out the water and place the hot towel on your face. The steam from the hot water will allow the oil to enter your pores and clean them out. Do this for 10-20 seconds.
3. Using the same towel, rub the oil off your face. rinse and repeat as many times as necessary.
That’s it! Simple and great for your skin!
Stay fab!
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