WHAT IS OIL CLEANSING AND DO YOU NEED TO DO IT?

Hey guys!!

I hope everyone has had a greattt week! I’ve been feeling super tired and run down this week so I’m definitely looking forward to getting some rest this weekend!

So in my skin care routine post, I mentioned how I now oil cleanse my face! Now what is oil cleansing? Oil cleansing is essentially using an oil or oily balm to melt away all the excess oil, dirt, sweat, sunscreen and make up. You can use pure oils or actual formulated products. You usually use this on dry skin before your foam cleanser. I only use this at night.

I am a huge fan of oil cleansing. It literally melts all the make up and dirt right off my skin without the harsh tugging or potential drying effect of using wipes. It is a gentle, quick way of getting that first layer of stuff off your face – and I’ve found it to be really good when it comes to removing long-wearing products or products that are just tricky to remove like lipstick.

The other reason why I love it is that I feel it really helps to get your face super clean if you live in a city with a lot of pollution. I live in Lagos and, if you live here or you’ve ever been here, you know pollution and dirt are very real problems here. Oil cleansing has definitely helped to get that extra layer of dirt off. How do I know? For those of us that use toners, have you ever washed your face (pretty well in your opinion!) and used a toner afterwards and noticed quite a bit of dirt or make up on the cotton pad after? Well once I started double cleansing, that dirt pretty much disappeared. So this stuff works.

A chart showing the effects of pollution on the skin. Image: skinbydrdrewkarp.com

If you have oily skin, I understand that anything in involving oil may have you saying “NO THANKS!” but having oily skin doesn’t mean you should run away from all oil! There are many ladies with oily skin who swear by this method of cleansing, including beauty influencers like Jackie Aina.

Like I said, it is a pretty easy process! You just grab your balm/oil cleanser and you massage it into your face. Rub it in firmly but gently, focusing on the areas with the most amount of make up or build up. Don’t forget your jaw, hair line and the corners of your nose! Once you’re satisfied that everything is melted, rinse it off with warm water or you can use a damp cloth to wipe it off. Then go ahead with your foam cleanser!

I personally use the Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm – I swear by this stuff and I’ve been using it for about 3 years. And it’s pretty easy to find. In case that one doesn’t look like your kind of thing, here are some I’ve heard good reviews about and I am eager to try:

• Drunk Elephant Slaai Make Up-Melting Butter Cleanser
• Eve Lom Cleanser
• Nuxe Micellar Cleansing Oil with Rose Petals
• Farmacy Green Clean
• Tata Harper Nourishing Oil Cleanser
• Kiehls Midnight Recovery Botanical Cleansing Oil

My fave oil cleanser, Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm

There we go guys! If you’re looking for a way to step up your routine, I definitely suggest giving oil cleansing ago! Let me know how it goes!

Love,

Tara xXx