How to Clean Your Face Using Oil

Unrefined oils like olive, coconut, castor, and hazelnut are great for cleaning your face naturally. Using oils in the right combination helps to remove oil and dirt from your pores, cleaning your skin and eliminating breakouts. Oils are an affordable, all-natural method for obtaining clear skin and maintaining a healthy glow all year round.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Choosing Your Oils

1
Learn the difference between carrier oils and active or essential oils:
- Carrier oils are used to dilute the essential oils, lessening their strength. These are milder oils—olive oil, coconut oil, and sunflower oil—which make a great base for the skin cleansing process.
- Active oils like castor oil, hazelnut oil, and tea tree oil should not be used at full strength. Instead, they are the active astringents needed to get clear, healthy skin.
Try an olive oil base with a hazelnut boost, or a coconut base with a castor oil boost. Choose a combination based on which oils are locally available in a natural, unrefined state. You should take care to use only the highest quality oils on your skin.
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Finding Your Mixture

Understand your skin type. Skin type is usually defined as normal, combination, or oily. You should have a basic understanding of how much oil your skin produces.
2
Mix oils according to your skin type. Try these recommendations:
- Oily skin - 1 part castor or hazelnut oil and 2 parts olive, sunflower, or other carrier oil.
- Combination skin - 1 part castor or hazelnut oil and 3 parts olive, sunflower, or other carrier oil.
- Dry skin - A few drops of castor or hazelnut oil in olive, sunflower, or other carrier oil.
Transitioning from your old product(s) to using oil may take a couple of weeks. Use that time to experiment with ratios, using the guideline that your skin should feel clean and fresh after each treatment. Up the strength of your mixture to control breakouts by adding more active ingredients, but do so judiciously as the essential oils can be very strong.
4
Try adding tea tree oil. If your skin is usually pimple prone, try dabbing a bit of tea tree oil directly on the problem area. Note: Tea tree oil is very strong; just a small amount is all you need.
- Some essential oils are good for the skin. For example, tea tree and rosemary oil are anti-inflammatory.
- Cedarwood reduces irritation and ylang-ylang is an effective cleanser.
- Pomegranate seed oil has anti-aging properties.
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Cleaning Your Face

Make sure your hands are clean, then add the carrier oil and boost it according to your skin type. Once you get the hang of your mixture you can eyeball the ratio quite easily.
2
Rub the oil gently all over a dry face, then let the oil sit for about 60 seconds.
- It is best to start with a dry face, as oil and water repel each other.
3
Wet a clean towel with hot water. Ring out the steaming towel and place it over your face. The steam will open your pores and release the clogged dirt and old oils. It will prepare your face to be moisturized by cleaning oils you have applied.
- Alternatively, hover your face over a pot of steaming water with a bath towel draped over your head and the steam source. This is a good way to deep clean your face if you have extra time.
4
Repeat the oil treatment once or twice a daily for best results.
- Be aware that, during the transition process, your face might get worse before it gets better. This is the detoxification phase when your skin is releasing built up toxins. The detox phase usually takes a week or two, but once you’ve gotten pass that your skin should stabilize and attain a healthier, clean appearance.
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Community Q&A

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Question
What are essential oils?
Community Answer
Essential oils are concentrated hydrophobic liquids containing volatile aroma compounds from plants. In simpler words, they are scented oils that can be used in baths or massages as they create sweet smelling aromas.
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Question
Can I use my cleansing soap and then use this oil method straight after it?
Community Answer
I would actually recommend using the oil first and then using a normal face soap after.
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Question
Is it still necessary to moisturize after I am done washing my face with the combination of oils that work best for my skin?
Cecilia Flores
Top Answerer
Not necessarily. I use coconut oil instead of a moisturizer. If you're going to be wearing a heavy foundation, then it's a good idea to also use moisturizer.
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Tips

Make sure to use only raw or unrefined oils that are expeller or cold pressed. These are the best quality to use on your skin.
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For steaming, boil a pot of water on the stove and remove it from the burner, then hover your face over the steam. It helps to put a bath towel over your head to keep in the steam.
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Warnings

Your skin might need time to rid itself of toxins in the beginning. This is normal. *Your skin may look worse at first, but it should clear up.
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