Cleansing Your Face With Natural Oils

Did you know that Japanese geisha used to clean all that white make-up from their faces with an oil cleanser? The ancient Egyptians, Romans and Greeks used natural oils to cleanse their faces and bodies too. Oh and let's not leave out the indigenous people of Polynesia and Southeast Asia. Many cultures used and still use locally grown sources of oil such as tamanu, coconut, sesame and jojoba to keep their skin nourished, healthy and clean.

The skin care industry went through a phase (and thank goodness it was just a phase) where 'oil-free' was the buzzword that consumers were taught to look for on packaging. Consumers were trained to believe that putting oil on their skin would exacerbate breakouts, clog pores, and cause blackheads. So the products of the era (most prevalent in the 1980's and 90's) were formulated to be powerfully astringent and to strip all the oils from the skin and leave it a dry, shine-free and bacteria-free environment.

Cleansing this way (with astringent cleansers) often leads to excessive dryness, further breakouts as the skin produces more oil to compensate, and the removal of the protective barrier that your skin naturally tries to maintain. This natural barrier helps to buffer the skin against wind, cold, and other environmental stressors. This natural barrier also helps to soften and lubricate the skin which in turn helps keep wrinkles and fine lines at bay.

It is gratifying to see that the skin care trend has not remained on the 'oil-free' path and consumers are starting to lose the fear of putting oil on the face and body. Whether your skin is over-producing and oily, or under-producing and dry, your skin needs natural, vitamin-rich fats both in your diet, and applied topically.

So why is putting oil on your face so good for it?

Nature provides a number of plants whose oils closely resemble the sebum of our skin. A few examples of these are jojoba, olive, sunflower, sesame and coconut. These oils absorb quickly and easily into our skin and leave a breathable layer of moisture and protection. Each natural oil comes with built-in vitamins and actives that provide a host of anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, and restorative benefits to the skin. When used as a cleanser plant oils dissolve dirt, makeup residue, and prevent the build-up of oil and bacteria that can reside deep in our pores.

When we formulated our Transformative Cleansing Oil, we combined the most nourishing oils and botanicals that we knew would be balancing for all skin types. We used oils that penetrate quickly and deeply and that work to moisturize, balance and protect the skin, no matter it's natural state.

Not sure where to start? Here is what our retail experts recommend:

If your skin is dry...
We recommending washing your hands, dispensing a few pumps of our oil onto your clean fingertips, and massaging it gently into your face. It will not sting if you happen to get it in your eye. You'll actually see makeup and dirt dissolve and loosen from the surface of your skin. Spray your chosen toner onto a cotton pad and gently wipe away all the dirt and oil. If your skin is very dry, or if it is winter, you can actually reapply the Cleansing Oil and leave it on overnight. Your skin will drink it up as you sleep and you'll wake up with soft skin and a lovely, dewy glow. If you suffer from breakouts, you'll be amazed at how applying this oil can sometimes calm a blemish literally overnight.

If your skin is oily...
Start by using the Cleansing Oil as a makeup remover. If you're nervous about using oil, this is the perfect way to experience the power of cleansing with natural oils without diving in headfirst right away. Once you're comfortable with that, we recommend dispensing 2-3 pumps of the Cleansing Oil onto a cotton pad and applying it that way to the entire face. You'll be able to see it lift off makeup and dirt, and with consistent use it will even dissolve blackheads. To remove the Cleansing Oil and dirt, spray your chosen toner onto a cotton pad and wipe all the mess away. When you're finished cleansing, you can apply a moisturizer to drier areas if you wish (such as cheeks). Using the Cleansing Oil will help your skin find a balance that will keep blemishes and shine at bay.

We challenge you to try cleansing your face with natural oils. It will both look and feel soft, healthy and glowing. Sometimes a new routine can take a period of adjustment so we recommend committing to it for at least two weeks. You may see incredible and visible changes overnight, or it may take a bit of time for your skin to become accustomed to the change.

Do you already use our Cleansing Oil? Please tell us what you think of it!