Oils have been used for centuries as a means to cleanse the skin. Dating a far back as 1200-200 BC, olive oil was used by the ancient Greeks to clean dirt and sweat from their bodies. The oil was then removed with a metal instrument called the strigil which fully cleaned the body.
Fast forward centuries later, we’ve gone back to our ancestral roots and now have the desire to create a natural homemade oil cleanser for our skin in the privacy of our kitchens.
With toxic ingredients plaguing most skincare products, it’s become safest to use the ingredients we eat on our skin.
What is oil cleansing?
Oil cleansing is the process of using natural, toxic-free oil to deeply cleanse the skin from dirt and impurities. It’s now mostly used for facial care but it can be used all over the body — if that’s what you desire.
Around the time I started my oil cleansing journey— about five years ago— I was also experiencing chronic allergic reactions. To this day, I still do not have a medical reason for my breakouts. All the dermatologists I went to have no clue as to why I had such a severe allergic reaction when it was evident that I wasn’t allergic to anything. This series of events caused me to rethink everything I was putting in and on my body.
The article I read back then advised me that my skin would go through a detox period which it did. My face purged the impurities that had built up over time from using chemically filled facial products. My trust in facial products was broken.
I started researching the benefits of different oils and I experimented with a lot. I became my own mixologist. Some oils worked better than some and the ones I loved I kept using.
A few months in and my skin started to clear up.
Different oils for different skin types
Making a homemade oil cleanser is an inexpensive and healthy way to cleanse and pamper the skin. A bottle of olive oil and coconut oil mixed with baking soda was my go-to recipe for a daily cleanser and it also doubled as a gentle face scrub.
During my experiment, I discovered that grape seed oil was too lightweight for the winter months that —thanks to the heater— sucked all the moisture out of my skin but was perfect for the summer months.
I also discovered the wonderful skin toning and moisturizing benefits of adding a drop or two of castor oil to my face moisturizer which of course was all oils.
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Best oils to use
For all skin type:
For dry skin:
For oily skin:
For combination skin, try mixing one oil from each category
Facial cleansing oil recipe
Experimentation is a must when making a DIY oil face cleanser. It’s impossible to know what oil your skin loves until you’ve tried it. Some type of oil you’ll know immediately if your skin loves it or hates it.
For example,
My skin fell in love with tamanu oil from the very first time I tried it.
Creating your own recipe will take some time as you learn your skin preferences so be patient. It’s like buying a new face wash except, this time you’re making it yourself.
Here’s what you’ll need
Coconut oil
Almond oil
Jojoba oil
Ingredients:
1/4 cup Coconut oil
1/4 cup Almond oil
3 tbsp Jojoba oil
Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a glass bottle and shake.
Directions for oil cleansing:
- Shake the bottle vigorously to mix all the ingredients.
- Pour a generous amount in your hand and massage it into your face.
- Use a hot face towel and allow it to sit on your face for 30 seconds.
- Reheat the rag and reapply to your face for another 30 seconds.
- Thoroughly rinse the rag and begin to wipe the leftover oils from your skin.
- Repeat step 5 until you feel your skin is clean.
- Spritz with your homemade toner.
- Apply a small amount of jojoba oil immediately to moisturize your skin before your pores begin to close.
There you have it! You now have the recipe to make your homemade oil cleanser to deeply cleanse your skin from dirt and impurities, the natural way.
Happy cleansing!
