I’m excited to share my oil cleansing method for acne prone skin.
In last week’s blog post I did a review of Living Libations Best Skin Ever (which is one of my favourite oil cleansers), and I talked about how scared I used to be of skincare products containing oil (I was terrified oil would give me more breakouts, and make my skin oiler than it was).
And, as I said in the review, it turned out the opposite is true.
I have to say, I’m so happy I put that fear aside, and gave it a try because I absolutely love the results I’m getting from oil cleansing.
What I love most about the oil cleansing method is how well it cleanses your skin without drying it out. Cleansing with oil, gently removes everything including waterproof and full coverage makeup, dirt, debris, dead skin cells, and pore clogging sebum.
Oil cleansing will never irritate sensitive skin, never dry your skin out, can help acne breakouts heal faster, and prevents scarring and hyperpigmentation from blemishes and pimples.
It’s also great at diminishing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, keeping your skin soft, smooth, elastic and young.
I attribute my healthy glowing skin to oil cleansing, and it’s not because it makes your skin look oily or shiny, but because it keeps it moist, supple, and nourished.
Can you really wash acne prone skin with oil?
Yes, absolutely!
Acne prone skin needs the gentlest of cleansers because breakouts and blemishes are making your skin red, irritated and inflamed. The last thing you need is a cleanser that’s going to be drying out your skin, causing your skin to flake, crack, and become more irritated. You need a cleanser that is so gentle, yet effective at the same time.
Two cleansers I recommend for most acne prone skin are honey or oil.
Honey is good for those of you who don’t want to use oils. Honey is also especially good for younger skin, for those of you in your 20s or early 30s (good for teenagers too).
If you’re over 30 years old, or your skin gets irritated, blotchy, and uneven with dry patches – I strongly recommend oil cleansing. If you feel your skin is lacking in softness, suppleness, and need nourishment – definitely go with oil cleansing.
Oil cleansing is extremely healing, and really helps to balance uneven complexions. It’s good for any skin type, and especially good for irritated, dry, and maturing skin. I find oil cleansing is also extremely effective at balancing out combination skin too.
I have oily skin, and I have found over the years that oil cleansing has actually decreased the appearance of oil on my skin. I no longer get a mid-day heavy oil build up on my skin like I used to. I believe this is because the oil cleansing isn’t stripping or irritating my skin, and therefore my body isn’t over producing oil like it use it.
And let’s be straight here, we’re taking about using oil to wash your face. I’m not telling you to coat your face with heavy oil 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (for some of you this too works well too, but for the sake of today’s post, we’re just talking about using oil to wash your face!).
Oil cleansing method – what you need
All you need is an oil that works well with your skin, and a VERY soft washcloth or flannel.
Oils I recommend for oil cleansing acne prone skin:
- Jojoba Oil
- Hemp Seed Oil (only suitable for oily skin types)
- Grape Seed Oil
- Safflower Oil
- Sunflower Oil
Oil blends for oil cleansing:
- Living Libations Seabuckthorn Best Skin Ever
- Living Libations Sandalwood Best Skin Ever
- Leahlani Pamplemousse Tropical Enzyme Cleansing Oil
- Annmarie Skin Care Restorative Cleansing Oil
You pretty much want to use an oil that you already know works well with your skin.
If it’s your first time ever putting an oil on your face, I strongly recommend using one of the oils I listed above because they’re all non-comedogenic, and higher in linoleic acid, which is known to help balance oily, combination, and acne prone skin.
If you’ve been oil cleansing for a while, and your skin tends to be dry, or you’re looking for a richer oil, you can also use:
- Sweet Almond Oil
- Avocado Oil
(These oils are also non-comedogenic, but are a bit heavier, so they’re more suitable for dry or mature skin).
Oils I DON’T recommend for oil cleansing acne prone skin:
- Mineral Oil (or baby oil)
- Coconut Oil (pure, undiluted)
- Olive Oil
If you’re using a commercial oil blend, check the ingredients to make sure there’s no mineral oil. Like mineral oil, I’ve listed coconut oil to stay away from because it can be comedogenic (can cause breakouts). If you’ve already been using coconut oil on your skin and you’re getting great results, by all means continue. Some people’s skin responds great to coconut oil, and for other people it causes awful breakouts and clogged pores – everyone’s different. Coconut oil has become quite popular in recent times, but it is one oil that can give many people breakouts, especially if you’re using a pure coconut oil on acne prone skin. So beware!
Choosing the right washcloth or flannel
Choosing the right washcloth or flannel is just as important as choosing the right oil to wash your face, if not more important!
If you’re using the wrong washcloth, it doesn’t matter how great the oil or skincare product you are using to wash your face, you won’t be getting the results you should and you could even be making your skin worse.
For acne prone skin, it’s so important to use a soft and smooth washcloth. I can’t emphasize this enough. If your washcloth is too coarse or textured, it could be too rough on your skin which could lead to redness, irritation, and even broken skin.
My recommendation is to try many washcloths made of different fibres and weaves to see what best suites you. Personally I like to use baby washcloths (otherwise known as baby wipes), which are washcloths made for babies. These washcloths are made for sensitive baby skin, so they’re usually super soft and gentle.
I’ve got very sensitive skin and have tried MANY washcloths. Personally I prefer a terry weave which I find to be the softest, and I actually do better using a blend over a pure fiber washcloth. The washcloths I use are Grovia Cloth Wipes.
Once you find a washcloth you really like, I recommend getting a bunch of them (at least 8-12, depending how often you do laundry). It’s important to use a fresh washcloth every time you wash your face. You don’t want to be washing your face with a dirty washcloth, or a wet washcloth that has been hanging in your bathroom all day. Buying a bunch of washcloths allows you to always have a clean washcloth on hand, and enough washcloths to use in between laundry days.
How to oil cleanse acne prone skin
1- If you’re wearing eye makeup or lipstick, remove that first (with eye makeup remover or oil).
2- Take a dime size amount of oil and apply it to your dry face and neck.
3- Massage your face and neck with outward stocks for a minute or two.
4- Immerse your washcloth under warm-hot running water. The temperature of the water should be slightly hot, but not too hot (you should be able to put your hand under the running water and wring out excess water from the washcloth – if you can’t, that means the water is too hot).
5- Wring out excess water from your washcloth.
6- For an occasional extra steaming treatment, you can once in a while lay the warm washcloth over your face for 30-60 seconds (I don’t recommend this step for rosacea or dry irritated skin). Then rinse the washcloth with warm-hot water and wring out excess water.
7 – Using the warm washcloth, gently wipe the oil off your face and neck with outward strokes. Rinse the wash cloth frequently to remove the oil and impurities.
8- If you want to do a double cleanse, you would follow all these steps a second time (I recommend skipping step 6 for the second cleanse).
Dos & don’ts for oil cleansing acne prone skin
- Make sure to put the oil directly on your skin and take it off with warm damp washcloth. Some oil cleansing methods put the oil on the washcloth and then wash the face with the cloth. For acne prone skin, you need a deep gentle cleanse and the oil to penetrate your skin. It’s much better to massage the oil directly into your skin (which is a much gentler, and and will thoroughly cleanse your skin).
- Never fill your sink basin with water and use that water to wash your face. That water gets dirty fast. Better to rinse your washcloth under fresh running water.
- Do get into the habit of giving yourself a facial massage when you’ve applied the oil to your face. This can help reduce puffiness, increase circulation, and keeps your skin supple and elastic.
- When removing the oil from your face with the damp wash cloth, do so very gently and lightly. If you apply too much pressure with the washcloth, it can be too rough on your skin and cause redness and irritation.
- Never dry your freshly washed face with a used bathroom towel, always allow your face to air dry.
- You might notice that your skin is already moisturized by the oil and you don’t need a lotion or moisturizer. If so, skip the products (the less you put on your skin, the easier it will be for your breakouts and acne to heal).
Do you wash your face with oil? If so, I would love to hear your results, and what oil and washcloths you like to use?! Please post in the comments below.
73 Responses
Natasha,
I cannot begin to tell you how your natural approach to skin care has helped my acne prone skin. I suffer from hormonal acne impact by PCOS.
I myself have been using Seabuckthorn Best Skin Ever and am so happy with the product! Your recommendations have been so appreciated.
My skin now feels moisturizer, balanced and my breakouts have been reduced significantly! No more cystic acne flare up.
Thanks you again for all your helpful guidance.
You’ve put a huge smile on my face Julie. I’m so happy to hear your results, that’s awesome!!! 🙂 You must be absolutely thrilled! And yes, LOVE the Best Skin Ever 🙂
Hi Natasha! I believe the Best Skin Ever seabuckthorn contains virgin coconut oil. I have oily and acne-prone skin and I am afraid it is going to make things worse for me… What do you think?
Thanks!!
Hi Anouk,
Great question! Yes it does contain coconut oil, and in fact many people have asked me the same question (I’m actually now putting together a blog post about coconut oil and acne prone skin!). Based on first hand experience of having severe reactions to using 100% pure coconut oil (I get tiny bumps all over my face if I use it), I don’t have any skin issues with Best Skin Ever, or any other natural skin care product or makeup that contains small amounts of coconut oil (I regularly use RMS makeup that also has coconut oil in it and it doesn’t give me bumps or breakouts either). I think these products contain such trace amount of coconut oil, that it doesn’t cause adverse reaction like using straight coconut oil. I too have oily, acne prone skin and have found the Best Skin Ever to be really balancing, I believe that’s because the main carrier oils are jojoba and tamanu, both of which are very neutral, and acne-prone friendly 🙂
I just ordered the Living Libations Blemish Bundle. My skin has been hating me. I am 7 months post partum and have tried so many things to help my hormones balance out naturally. The cystic acne is so painful! I am hopeful things will look up when I start this. (I also purchased the washcloths). Thanks for your blog!
Hi Esther,
I can definitely relate to the postpartum hormones. Great you got the Blemish Bundle and washcloths, perfect! I also strongly recommend drinking water infused with fresh mint every day (aim for a litre of it every day – instructions for the mint water is in Lesson 1 of my free Acne Solution Email Course). I have to say the mint water works amazing for painful cystic acne (it especially works well postpartum). Let me know how everything goes 🙂
I got my LL Blemish Bundle yesterday. I am loving it. I have been drinking the mint water a lot (before my previous comment). We are in the process of moving, and it has been very hard to juggle with little kiddos, staging and all that. So I think stress, post partum hormones, exhaustion and the cycle of using makeup to cover up the issue made things quite bad for me. But I have seen definite improvement! I am hopeful the Blemish Bundle works wonderfully for my skin and will keep you informed. I believe I read somewhere that you don’t suggest getting in the sun. But since I am too physically exhausted for exercise, I have been getting some Vitamin D and sweating things out. I think it has been the key for me. We’ll see as the weeks progress, but my skin has improved a lot. So your suggestions, I believe, are quite helpful. After I am sleeping a bit more and not so physically drained, I will get back to running again. Looking forward to cardio! I have shared your blog with those I know who struggle with blemishes. 🙂
Loving your results so far Esther, and thank you for the updates! You’re definitely in the right direction. As for the sun, a little is good (and definitely needed), just not too much 🙂 The sun is very beneficial for your hormones, and for those living in the northern hemisphere, it’s very important for vitamin D – you just don’t want to over do the sun where it can cause sun damage, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation (and everyone situation, skin type, and sun tolerance is different). I’m so happy to hear your results so far, it’s only going to get better and better from here. Enjoy the Blemish Bundle (it’s the best!). And please keep me updated.
Hi Natasha,
Do you know if mint water is safe to drink while breastfeeding?
Hi Danielle,
If you’re exclusively breastfeeding I wouldn’t drink the mint water every day, but once in a while is perfectly fine. After your baby is 6 months and eating solids, then you can drink more mint water.
Hi Natasha,
Great blog! I’m eager to find proper wash clothes. I currently use regular face towels and am sure they are too harsh. I tried ordering the grovia clothes but unfortunately Amazon doesn’t have these on the Canadian sites. Do you have any recommendations for ones that could be delivered to Canada? Thanks!
Hi Aish,
We’re now selling the Grovia Cloth Wipes (shipping Canada, USA, and worldwide), you can get them here.
Hi Natasha,
I guess an exfoliating face cloth is too harsh for the oil cleanse?
Yes the exfoliating wash cloth is way too harsh. For oil cleansing I recommend the softest cloth you can find. I personally love Grovia Cloth Wipes.
Thanks Natasha. I have found a gentle washcloth.
Hi Natasha,
What sizes are the items in the living libations blemish kit?
The Seabuckthorn Best Skin Ever is 50 ml, and the Zippity Dew Dab is 5ml
Hi Natasha. I am interested in trying out the Living Libations seabuckthorn oil blend you mentioned for cleansing, but noticed that it contains virgin coconut oil. Coconut oil definitely makes me breakout and I believe you said that you are sensitive to it as well. How are you able to tolerate it in the Living Libations product? Thank you!
I just read your reply to a similar question above…thank you.
My question would be why wet your washcloth in order to remove the oil?
If we use a dry cloth wouldn’t the oils combine better thus cleaning better?
We could use a steam effect prior to oil cleansing if we wanted to but since our pores don’t open and close i don’t why we wet our cloths. It’s more of a rejuvenating process.
Great question Judy! The warm wet washcloths just help soften the skin and gently remove build-up and debris on the skin’s surface. Recently I’ve been experimenting with dry oil cleansing without wetting the washcloth. It much more moisturizing (which I like better). But, I find the removal of oil with the dry washcloth to be a little more coarse/rough than with a soft wet washcloth. This is fine for clear skin, but if someone has acne or severe breakouts I would still stick with the soft wet washcloth to gently remove the oil. I’m doing the dry oil cleansing method for 30 days and will do a blog post soon about my results and technique.
I have some questions:
1) OCM it’s like double cleansing? if not what is the difrenst?
2) If i want to use a face brush in the night routine, how do i use it with the OCM? i mean, if i wear makeup/ if i don’t, i should do the oil cleansing and then with regular soap (Dr. bronner’s) with cleansing brush (Vanity Planet if it matter) and then toner and moisturizer?
I’ll really appriciate if you’ll answer to my questions! 🙂
Hi Maria,
Here’s the answers to your questions:
1- The difference between OCM (oil cleansing method) and double cleansing is OCM is washing your face with an oil and a wash cloth. Double cleansing is washing your face twice in a row (I only recommend double cleansing with oil-based cleansers like an oil, oil blend, milk cleanser, or a cream cleanser).
2- I don’t recommend ever using soap on your face, including Dr. Bronners (it’s too drying). I also wouldn’t recommend ever using a brush on your face if you have active pimples or breakouts (it’s too irritating). Pretty much with the oil cleansing method, you’re just using an oil and washcloth to wash your face – no other cleansers or tools.
Hope this answers your questions!
Can I switched from benzoyl peroxide products oil cleasing
Yes, definitely! Benzoyl peroxide products can be quite drying and irritating, not always helping breakouts. I recommend avoiding most or all benzoyl peroxide products and going for something more gentler for your skin. You can certainly try oil cleansing. Washing your face with honey can also be really good for acne prone skin. Here’s an article demo on honey cleansing: https://www.inspirebeautyshop.com/honey-cleansing-acne-prone-skin/
Hi Natasha!
I was searching for ways to help with a lot of under the surface texture/bumps and uneven skin tone when I came across your site. I am an 18 year old student and have just started using TactuPump as per my dermatologists recommendation however I am just looking for some options. I was wondering what you would recommend? Also, is Emu Oil safe to use in double cleansing?
Thanks so much for your time.
Cheers
Hi Emma,
Yes definitely try the double cleansing at night for smoother skin. The Emu oil I believe might be too rich (causing more issues). Instead better to use jojoba oil, grape seed oil, safflower oil, or argan oil. Here’s also a link to an article/video I put together on diet recommendations to get rid of bumpy texture of the skin (many times having rough or bumpy skin is both a diet & skincare issue, and improving them both yields the best results!). Here’s the link: https://www.inspirebeautyshop.com/tiny-bumps-forehead-diet-remedy/
Hi Natasha,
I started using living libations and doing the double cleanse method. At first my skin was doing great but now that I am pregnant I have started breaking out more and I’ve got tiny little bumps all over my face. My acne had never been this bad. Do you have any recommendations? I appreciate your help!
Hi Hilda,
Congratulations on your pregnancy! Unfortunately with pregnancy can come skin issues (I’m pregnant too and my skin has been a mess this pregnancy). A lot of the breakouts come from all the changing hormones, but the good new is many times it can get better and clear up as your pregnancy progresses.
Just to make sure it’s not the oil cleanser causing the bumps – how long were you using it before you started getting the breakouts? You could try using a plain jojoba oil or grape seed oil to wash your face to see if your skin improves. When we’re pregnant, our skin is extra sensitive, so what you used before pregnancy might not be compatible while you are pregnant. Also, the less you put on your skin (including makeup), the better – cause again, your skin is sensitive while pregnant and that too can be causing those tiny raised bumps.
Also however you can improve your daily diet, every effort counts! I know it’s not easy when pregnant, but eating vegetables can help decrease inflammation and irritation in your skin, and keeping flour and dairy products to a minimum will help your skin too. If you have a juicer, I recommend drinking 2 cups of freshly pressed green vegetable juice every day (this will help your skin and is also great for your baby). Simple green juice recipes would include: cucumber – celery – green apple or carrots – leafy greens (like spinach, kale, parsley, etc.)
Hope this helps!
Congratulations on your pregnancy, as well!
I started using the Sesbuckthorn Best Skin Ever and Zippity Dew Dab sometime in November. It improved my skin immediately and ZDD would prevent a new pimple from getting super inflamed and painful. By the time I find out I was pregnant in February, I realized I had started to get uneven skin which included white and red bumps on the chin and forehead areas.
I will follow your recommendations with improving my diet(because I know it can be better), drinking a daily green juice, and changing the oil I use to cleanse. I’ll try jojoba oil.
The hardest part for me is going makeup free! I’m a public high school teacher and feel the need to cover up my blemishes. It’s a vicious cycle, I know!
Thank you so much for your help, Natasha. I appreciate all your advice for this difficult stage in my life. My skin went crazy once I turned 30 last year.
Hi Hilda,
Breakouts are VERY common in pregnancy, and it sounds to me your skin is also extra sensitive during the pregnancy. I can reassure you, after the pregnancy your skin will return to normal (either immediately after, or after you stop breastfeeding). It’s unfortunately part of the pregnancy package!
Next week I’ll be reviewing an AMAZING makeup I’ve found which I believe could be a great solution for a lot of people with acne prone skin. Pretty much it’s an all natural mineral pigment/makeup you mix with your own facial oil or moisturizer to make a foundation, concealer, or tinted moisturizer. Basically you’re making your own makeup by mixing mineral pigments with your own skincare products that are compatible with your skin. Here’s the link to the makeup, and keep an eye out for next week’s review! I have to say, if you need to wear makeup, this is a much better option than store bought makeup that has a lot of irritants and comedogenic ingredients.
Hello there,
I see the best skin ever oil cleanser contains coconut oil. Now i”m not sure about trying it out.
Hi Salma,
Yes, Living Libations Best Skin Ever does have some coconut oil in it. But, I think there is so little in it because most people I know don’t get breakouts from it and it actually helps heal their skin. I get raised bumps all over my face when using a 100% pure coconut oil, but I’ve been using Best Skin Ever daily for years and other makeup and skincare products that contain coconut oil and I never have an issue. I believe because even though it’s listed in the ingredients, there’s so little used in the formula, it doesn’t adversely affect the skin (or the coconut oil is so processed down, that whatever causes the breakouts isn’t in it compared to the pure coconut oil you buy at the health food store).
Here’s a link to an article/video I did about my story of how coconut oil caused terrible breakouts for me, and how I can still use some products and makeup containing it: https://www.inspirebeautyshop.com/coconut-oil-causing-breakouts/
Also if you want to completely stay away from any product containing coconut oil, I recommend Tata Harper’s Nourishing Oil Cleanser, or, you can just use a pure oil like to cleanse your skin.
Hi Natasha,
I have been looking for a solution for my skin – it used to be absolutely fine but now I have loads of little under the skin bumps on my forehead and around my mouth and the occasional really sore one on my forehead. Would you recommend double oil cleansing?
Thanks 🙂
Kim
Hi Kim,
Yes, I would definitely recommend double oil cleansing at night to help clear up your skin. Also check out my article/video on some diet suggestion on getting rid of those tiny bumps, many times it a combination of diet and skincare to fix the problem.
Here the link to the article: https://www.inspirebeautyshop.com/tiny-bumps-forehead-diet-remedy/
Actually do u use Grovia cloth wipes for the oil cleansing with water or the ones from bumkins? Thannks for answering me. I’ve very sensetiv oily/dry skin. So really problematic. I don’t wanna wear spf and most of the chemical peels irritate my skin. But i also have acne prone skin. I’ve sawn your video about how to exfoliate very sensetiv skin gently. Witch wipes do u recoment for this kinda exfoliatio? And do u always use serums and oil after dry oil cleansing? If yes how much drops should i try to moisturize my face after dry or regular oil cleansing? I appretiate your help. And your opinion means a lot to me.
Hi Salma,
Washcloths:
Regular Oil Cleansing (with water): Grovia Cloth Wipes
Dry Oil Cleansing (no water): Bumkins Reusable Flannel Wipes
And yes, I use serum and/or oil to moisturize my skin after both dry and regular oil cleansing. You only need maybe 2-3 drops (during the day) 3-4 drops (at night if you have dry skin, less if your skin is oily or normal).
Hello again,
Hope this will be my last question to u. Thank you so much for answering so fast. U are an inspiration to me. I appretiate u. Do u wear your oil on dry skin till everything dryes in (serum toner ect.)?and do u use your mist/toner with hands or with cotton pads? Thank you so much for your attention. Cause of u my skin is becoming better and better love u!♥
Hi Salma,
I probably wait 30-60 seconds before applying an oil over a serum or toner (so it has enough time to absorb into the skin). I find oil and moisturizers to absorb better on damp skin (harder to absorb on dry skin).
If I use a toner, essence, or mist, better to spritz on face or use your hands, I prefer to avoid cotton balls/discs – they can be drying and even irritating for some skin.
I’m curious about your opinion on castor oil for acne prone skin?
Hi Kaila,
Castor oil is known to be non-comedogenic (meaning it’s less likely to clog pores), but, I find it to be a very heavy oil that’s difficult to remove, which isn’t always so good for acne prone skin. If you have oily acne prone skin, better to use grapeseed oil, and if you have dry skin that is acne prone, you can go with the castor oil or try argan oil which is easier to use. The only sure way of knowing, is trying, and I’ve known people who get great results with castor oil, and others who don’t. Everyone’s skin is different.
Hi Natasha,
I just recently received this Blemish Bundle and I have been double cleansing with the BSE at night for about two weeks or so. I then follow up with Zippity Dew Dab and other various Living Libations Serums.
My skin looks really bad right now, and I’m not sure if the BSE has made my skin worse, but I really don’t think it’s gotten any better either. I haven’t seen any reduction in acne. Am I just being impatient and should wait longer for results? I’m also very paranoid about the coconut oil in the BSE and I’m afraid that it’s making my skin worse. What are your thoughts? I also use their Everybody Loves the Sunshine in the morning which has coconut oil in it.
Hi Kirsten,
I would experiment with skipping the Everybody Loves Sunshine you’re using to see if that helps. The BSE you’re washing off your face, but the Everybody Loves Sunshine that has the coconut oil is sitting on your skin all day which can be causing issues. If your skin improves just from that change, than you’ll definitely know it’s the product causing the issues. Let me know how it goes, and do continue improving your diet because that too is what’s going to really help clear up your skin 🙂
Ok thanks! I’ll try that and see how it goes. I also wanted to ask what you think about the Sandalwood BSE. Once I finish up the Seabuckthorn one I was planning on trying that. Would it work well for acne prone skin?
Hi Kirsten,
I haven’t tried the Sandalwood BSE yet, but I’m sure it will be fine. All the BSE have similar base carrier oils, so I’m sure it’ll be fine. I’ve used their Rose, Seabuckthorn, Tropical, and Vanilla BSEs and all have been fine on my face (the Tropical was too strong scent-wise for my face, but the rest fine). Let me know how it works out for you.
Hi Kirsten,
I haven’t tried the Sandalwood BSE yet, but I’m sure it would work fine. All the BSE’s have similar base carrier oils, and so far I’ve used the vanilla, rose, and seabuckthorn and all have worked well on my skin. Let me know when you try it.
There are two oils I don’t see listed here that several, including myself, have claimed to have found much success with on their oily and acne prone skin. Hemp Seed Oil (a personal favorite) and Pumpkin Seed oil. Both are high in Lineolic Acid and have a 0 comedogenic rating. I buy the Nutiva Brand of Hemp Seed Oil which I find at around $8 for about a 12 or 16 oz. bottle. Hope this is helpful to someone!
Hi Rebecca,
Great to hear you’ve had great success with the hemp seed oil and pumpkin seed oil! I’ve never tried pure pumpkin seed before (I’ll have to try it!) With the hemp seed oil, the reason I don’t really mention it is because like flaxseed oil, it’s a very fragile oil and must be refrigerated once it’s opened, and it goes bad within 3-4 months after opening. For a lot of people the whole refrigeration can be off putting, and sometimes easier to use grapeseed oil which is also high in lineolic acid but a lot more heat resistant and stable.
Me too I was wondering why there is no mention of hemp seed oil?? It’s meant to be one of the best oils to use for oil cleansing!
Hi And,
Like I mentioned to Rebecca, hemp seed oil is a great oil, but it’s very fragile and goes bad easily. Like flaxseed oil, it needs to be refrigerated after opening the bottle and will go bad in 3-4 months. For some people having to refrigerate their cleansing oil might not be so practical, so other oils like grapeseed oil could be easier to use, especially when first experimenting with oil cleansing.
I’m glad to hear the hemp seed oil is working for you!
Hello, I just started to use your website and finding it very helpful and interesting, Yet not tried anything but I am a big fan of natural is the way to go. I have combination skin with bad white heads, large pores and wanted to check with you that how can someone use Oil cleaning method when your face is full of dust? I mean cleansing is done to remove the same but oil? I am a little confused or have misunderstood. After coming from office I want to wash my face with water and cleanser to feel clean and refreshed.
Oil actually removes oil, so using an oil to wash you face will clean it of the dirt and debris, and gently lift the build up of sebum and dead skin cells off the surface of your skin. Try it, you might be surprised just how soft and clean it makes your skin (and unlike soap, it won’t dry your skin out).
Hi Natasha,
I have a question for you! I recently bought the seabuckthorn oil from living libations to try out. I just realized i bought the bottle that is more clear and has a wooden top. I was wondering if that would be similar to your spray form? I could not find the spray form and I do not know how to use this kind.
Hi CJ,
My apologies for the late response. Your product is the same as mine, just different packaging for the different size bottle. None of them come with a spray, they come with a pump, or if it’s the smallest size it come with a dropper to dispense the product.
Hi. I’ve never had great skin, and recently it was continuously breaking out so I started using the OCM about a week ago. I’ve read that it’s normal for skin to get worse before it gets better, but how long should I wait before giving up on this method and returning to basic face wash? Because I would say my skin is now worse than it’s ever been
Hi Melissa,
Sometimes your skin can go through a purging phase when starting a new product like oil cleansing, or active ingredients. It shouldn’t last longer than 2 week, maximum one month. Here’s a video on how to tell he difference between a skin purge and bad reaction: https://www.inspirebeautyshop.com/skin-purging-vs-breakout/
Hello Melissa, I’m curious, what happened after 2 weeks with your OCM? Did your acne cleared up? Hope you can give us an update. Thanks!
Can I use grapeseed oil in capsules for my face?
As long as it’s pure grapeseed oil and nothing else mixed with it, it should be fine. Check the ingredient list on the bottle before using.
Hi Natasha. I have started OCM, it’s my third day. I have blemish/ acne prone skin with big pores. It really feels good when I do the OCM, but small pimples and pustules developed mostly on my jawline (a usual area for my acne.) I believe Im experiencing purging. Most areas of my face seems to get healthy and evening out. Should I push through until the 2nd week? I have read your post abt purging vs adverse reaction. Im a bit scared for my skin because this is my first time to start OCM. Should I diligently stick with the morning and night oil cleansing or should I just do it once a day to manage the purging? Did you also have purging when you started? Looking forward to your advice. Thanks in advance and God bless!
It sounds like it could be a purge, especially if parts of your face are looking more balanced and clear, and especially because this is the first time oil cleansing. I would give it 2 weeks, if it only gets worse and worse, stop, but if at the end of the 2 weeks it looks like it’s on the road to recovery and your skin is improving, I would continue. What oil are you using and what is your skin type?
Hello,
What do you think of using MCT for oil cleansing?
I’ve never tried it. But you can. Just make sure to read the ingredients, because my understanding is that most MCT oils aren’t pure, they are mixed with other ingredients. The other concern I have is that MCT oil can be derived from coconut oil, and coconut oil and coconut products can sometimes be comedogenic. So just keep your eye out for any clogged pores or bumpy texture.
Ive been using hemp to cleanse but have dry skin. My skin looks good after cleansing with this but i noticed you said it can make dry skin worse.
Should I give sunflower oil a try or stick with hemp and see how it goes ?
Hi Megan,
If the hemp oil is working for you, continue. For some people it makes their skin a little dry, but not everyone. Best to keep an eye on your skin. If your skin starts to ever feel dry, you can try switching to grapeseed oil which is also high in linoleic acid like the hemp oil, but a little more nourishing. If skin still dry after a few weeks, then try safflower or sunflower oil.
I’m so glad I found this blog post and the one about using clay to remove blackheads. Thank you !! How do you schedule clay masks and oil cleansing to cleanse and detox the skin of acne and blackheads? They are polar opposites it seems and might cause a lot of stress on my skin if not done in some sort of order and schedule. What do you think?
Hi Steph,
I agree, treatment of acne and blackheads are polar opposites – acne you have to be super gentle because your skin is inflamed from the breakouts. Whereas blackheads, you need to regularly exfoliate. For that reason, if you have active acne, better to focus on clearing that up first and then once skin is healed, healthy and resilient, then add in exfoliation 2 times a week to help unclog pores and also fade acne scars. If you have active acne and want to work on the blackheads, you can always apply clay to your nose or areas that don’t have pimples but have blackheads and use as a mask, without the scrubbing motion. This too can help blackheads but a gentler approach while pimples are healing. You can do this twice a week after oil cleansing.
Im all for the oil cleansing method because every store bought cleanser i tried makes my skin worse. I have tried numerous oils you recommended and tried straight oils and mixtures but cant seem to get it right …
Currently my skin looks worse than its ever been and i have been on this method for months
Hi Megan,
Unfortunately oil cleansing method doesn’t work for everyone. Better to try a mild gel cleanser or even honey as a cleanser. If the oil cleansing is causing issues, I don’t recommend using a milk, cream or balm cleanser because these types of cleansers leave a residue on skin like the oil, which in your case could clog pores. Better to find a mild gel cleanser that washes off clean, leaves no residue on skin. Also important to work on diet like eliminating dairy, cutting down on sugar, caffeine, alcohol and increasing vegetables – this too can help.
Hi Natasha,
My best skin ever seabuckthorn oil just came in yesterday and I was so excited to begin using it. Sadly, my face is getting very oily in the late afternoon and it is driving me crazy to not wash it again. Will this go away when my natural skin oils balance out? (I have just been doing the oil cleanse method, not using moisturizer or anything after). Thank you!
Hi Karli,
Yes, it can take 2-3 weeks to adjust to the oil cleansing method. Don’t give up! When we add new products, especially richer or more moisturizing products than we are used to, our skin needs a little time to adjust. In the beginning your skin can feel more oily than normal. Best to give it 2-3 weeks for the oils in your skin to balance out. If after 2-3 weeks your skin is still really oily or worse, than only use the Best Skin Ever at night, and in the morning just rinse with water or use a mild gel cleanser (this will ensure you don’t have oil residues sitting on your skin during the day, only at night while you sleep).
Natasha,
Thank you for the response. Do you have any suggestions for a mild gel cleanser I could use? Or, if I do just rinse my face with water, any recommendation for a very light and natural moisturizer?
I also have noticed I am breaking out on my cheeks when I do oil cleansing 2-3 days in a row. Sadly, I am thinking it is because the living libations seabuckthorn contains coconut oil. If I opt for a pure jojoba oil (the first ingredient in the seabuckthorn blend) do you think this would get rid of that irritation?
Hi Karli,
For a mild gel cleanser, I recommend Indie Lee Brightening Cleanser. This is also a great second-step cleanser with oil cleansing. If you are having issues with the oil cleanser making your skin oily, at night, use the Brightening Cleanser after oil cleansing and it will remove any residue oils left on your skin.
As for the bumps, yes it could be coming from the small amount of coconut oil in the Seabuckthorn Best Skin Ever. You can try using plain Jojoba Oil, or Living Libations has two Best Skin Ever without coconut oil that are formulated for blemish-prone skin – Immortelle Best Skin Ever or Sandalwood Best Skin Ever. They’re both lighter than the Seabuckthorn Best Skin Ever, which might be better suited for your skin. Or, just go with the plain oil and see how that goes. Since you’re getting the bumps now, you’ll need to give the new cleanser some time to work (give it 2-3 weeks for the bumps to heal and go away).