Who remembers the Micellar water craze a few years ago? When everybody was raving about how amazing micellar water was. Or was that just me? I’ll admit, I was part of that craze. I loved sprinkling the holy water on a cotton pad and watching all my makeup disappear from my face. But what if there’s a better, more effective, way of removing makeup? Like, oil cleansing?
In the last month or so, I have been obsessed with Nay (@LABeautyologist). Her Twitter is filled with skincare advice, tips and tricks. As a licensed esthetician, she also provides scientific explanations so you can understand more about what each ingredient or step in your skincare routine does and make your own informed decision. One night, I ended up in a YouTube black hole and watched all her YouTube videos. I learnt about double cleansing, toning and all about oil cleansing.
The Oil Cleansing Method...
I have oily acne-prone skin and so the thought of adding oil to oil and spots can be a little daunting. However, it has been tried, tested & shouted from the rooftops that using an oil cleanser can help the skin’s oil balance and won’t make it more oily. The oil cleanser itself doesn't leave any residue behind and is not drying.
The way oil cleansing works is by gently massaging a few drops of oil onto your face for at least 60 seconds. Remember to keep your palms and face dry when you apply it so it can work properly. The oil lifts the dirt from clogged pores, excess sebum and removes dead skin cells from your face. You can read more about the science here or watch Nay's video here. Once you've massaged the oil around your face, you gently wipe the oil off with a wet face cloth. It's a really good method of clearing out build up from your pores and has really helped with my acne.
What I found...
In this experiment, I used Simple’s Hydrating Oil cleanser (recommended by HeyitsMorgan). It's made with 100% grapeseed oil and is incredibly soft and gentle on my skin. I use a 1p coin-sized amount of oil and massage it around my face for at least a minute. I follow the #60secondrule so whenever I cleanse my face I rub the cleanser in for at least 60 seconds.
The fun part of oil cleansing is the longer you massage the oil in, the more dirt it picks up from your skin. I think the longest I've oil cleansed is 4 minutes. You can often feel gritty bits coming away from your skin and see little beige dots on your palms; these are the oil plugs that have been lifted from your skin. It’s the most satisfying part of oil cleansing.
The Results are in...
Out of the two cleansing methods, I prefer oil cleansing. I feel like it's more suited to my skin. It’s a much gentler and cleanses more than just the surface. This is evident by the grit you can see on your palms. It's not as drying as Micellar Water and my skin looks a lot less red. I’ve noticed a big difference in the past month on the appearance of my pores and the regular facial massage has helped improve my blood circulation, so I am practically glowing.
I love that you can spend more time cleansing and massaging your face than with a face wipe or micellar water. The massage really helps me to unwind in the evening and is perfect for when I need to escape the chaos of my flatmates.
I love that you can spend more time cleansing and massaging your face than with a face wipe or micellar water. The massage really helps me to unwind in the evening and is perfect for when I need to escape the chaos of my flatmates.
What are your thoughts of oil cleansing? Do you think you'll try it?
Love, Aoife xo
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