Skin types
Which face oil suits your skin?
How to tell sensitive, dry and combination skin apart, which oils suit each and why, and how to press a face oil into damp skin so it sinks in.
Rituals
Why cleanse with oil?
Why oil lifts sunscreen, make-up and the oil your skin makes, how to cleanse twice with the same oil, and the small mistakes that leave a greasy film behind.
Poom
Founder and maker
· 5 min read
Cleansing with oil can sound backwards. If the aim is a clean face, why add more oil to it? The answer is simple chemistry, and once you have felt the difference, a squeaky foam can start to feel harsh by comparison.
The short answer
- Oil dissolves oil, so sunscreen, make-up and sebum lift away without leaving your skin tight.
- Massage it over dry skin, add a little water until it turns milky, then sweep it away with a warm, damp cloth.
- At night, cleanse twice with the same oil, then press in a face oil while your skin is still damp.
Why oil lifts what water leaves behind
Most of what builds up on your face by evening is oily. Sunscreen is made to resist water and sweat, long-wear make-up is made to stay put, and your own skin adds sebum through the day. DermNet describes sebum as a mix of lipids, among them glycerides, wax esters and squalene, that helps limit moisture loss from the surface of the skin. You do not want to strip it all away, but you do want to lift the build-up.
Oil dissolves oil. Waterproof mascara holds no water at all, so, as the dermatologist Zoe Draelos explains, only oil can break it down, and the same goes for the water-resistant sunscreen swimmers wear. Massaged over dry skin, a cleansing oil loosens sunscreen, make-up and sebum. Add a little water and it turns milky, and the whole lot rinses away without hard scrubbing. Draelos recommends this kind of cleanser for people with sensitive or dry skin.
Compare that with ordinary soap. DermNet notes that soaps are alkaline and can damage the barrier function of the skin, and that washing too often loosens its outer layer of cells. A good cleansing oil leaves your face clean and feeling soft rather than tight.
CLEAR CALM Cleansing Oil is built on sunflower and apricot kernel oils, which feel light and dissolve make-up and daily grime. Jojoba keeps the feel silky, and a little castor oil helps lift stubborn make-up. Lavender, rose geranium, mandarin and frankincense give it a soft, calming scent. There are no harsh surfactants, silicones or synthetic fragrance in the bottle.
How to cleanse with oil
- Start with dry hands and a dry face, so the oil meets your make-up and sunscreen first.
- Massage enough oil for your fingers to glide over your face, eyes and neck. Take a full minute, with light, slow circles.
- Wet your fingertips with lukewarm water and keep massaging. The oil turns milky as it meets the water.
- Soak a soft cloth in warm water, wring it out and rest it over your face for a breath or two. Then sweep the oil away gently, pressing and lifting rather than rubbing.
- Rinse with lukewarm water, finish with a splash of cool water and pat dry with a soft towel.
The second cleanse
At night, or whenever you have worn sunscreen or make-up, repeat with a second, smaller amount of the same oil. The first cleanse lifts the day away. The second refreshes the skin underneath and completes the ritual. There is no need for a separate foaming cleanser, just the same bottle twice.
About the cloth
The American Academy of Dermatology warns that washcloths and sponges can irritate skin when they are rubbed over it. The cloth in this ritual is not for rubbing. It is warm, damp and soft, and it is there to carry away oil that has already done its work. Use a clean one each time and let the warmth do the rest.
Common mistakes
- Too little oil. If your fingers drag, there is not enough oil to dissolve what is there, and you end up pulling at your skin. Use enough to glide.
- Skipping the water step. Without water the oil cannot turn milky, so it stays on your face instead of rinsing away. That greasy film is what puts many people off oil cleansing, and it is easy to avoid.
- Scrubbing. Rubbing harder does not clean better. The AAD advises against scrubbing because it irritates the skin, and the oil does the dissolving for you.
- Hot water. The AAD recommends lukewarm water for washing your face. Save the warmth for the cloth, and keep it comfortable rather than hot.
- Rushing. Long-wear make-up and water-resistant sunscreen need a little time to loosen, so give the first cleanse its full minute.
Once your skin is clean and still a little damp, it is ready for step two: three or four drops of face oil pressed gently into your skin. You will find both steps together in our Simple 2-Step Ritual.
Oils in this entry
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