Oil cleansing method

I had heard about this oil cleansing method a while back, but I never got into it. I had my favorite cleanser for my face and I was happy with it. The cleanser didn't take off stubborn makeup, but it worked well for days without makeup, which is most days. So not having a need for change, I didn't bother changing my routine.

Lately, I've been using makeup more. I don't know why, but lately, I feel like I would like to not look dowdy all the time. At the very least, I'd like my face to look less splotchy. So these days, I've been using BB cream every morning. BB cream is the latest makeup fad because it moisturizes, primes and evens out skin tone at the same time. Most also contain anti-aging stuff and ingredients that are supposed to be nourishing for your skin. I originally bought an American BB cream, and though I liked it, it was more like a tinted moisturizer and didn't give me the coverage I needed on some days. So I switched to a Korean brand and though still light on my face, does seem to have a bit more coverage. I also only buy BB creams that have SPF using titanium or zinc oxide as its sunblocking ingredient.

So now that I have makeup on my face, I really would rather not have to remove the makeup and then wash my face with a cleanser, which is what I used to do. I want that whole deal to be a one step process. Enter the oil cleansing method. I've already been using extra virgin olive oil on my face to remove makeup. Why not just use it as an every day cleanser? The method is easy. I just rub olive oil into my face, massaging the skin and making sure to get it onto any eye makeup without getting it into my eyes. After a minute or so of that, I wet a soft face cloth with hot water and place it over my face until it cools. Then I gently wipe the stuff off my face. If I didn't get everything the first time, I'll rinse the cloth with hot water, place it over my face again until it cools and wipe. Then I wash my face cloth and hang it dry. All done!

There are a couple of nice things about this method. First, it cleanses and removes makeup in one step. Second, it actually moisturizes the face enough that you don't have to put on extra lotion before bed. You still can if you want to, as I do when I have an eczema patch to take care of, but if my face is feeling healthy, I don't bother with lotion.

If you have oily skin, you can add castor oil. A good blend to start with is 80% olive oil and 20% castor oil. You can also try substituting olive oil for sunflower seed oil, grapeseed oil, jojoba oil or sweet almond oil. Some experimentation might be involved to find the oil combination you like best. You can even add aloe water or aloe juice to your blend. Just shake the bottle well before applying.

For me personally, I don't mind making a cleansing oil blend and getting creative. However, the truth is that I'm lazy and I want to keep things simple. What's easier than simply pouring olive oil into a small bottle? I always have olive oil in the house so there's no need to specially buy something for my face, and there's no measuring or mixing. Just pour the oil into a small bottle and place in the bathroom. Can't get much simpler than that!