Over the years, I have used many different cleansers to remove my make-up at night and freshen my skin in the morning to begin a new day. A common theme surrounding so many varieties that I tried was that they did a good, but not great job. They removed most of what was on my face, but I would often find make-up streaks on my towel and with so many not safe to be used on the eyes, eye-make-up remover was also required.
Everything changed when I finally tried cleansing oil.
When I first started hearing about cleansing oils, I put them firmly in the “not suitable for my face” camp. With combination skin, I can have an oily t-zone (forehead, nose, chin and a bit of cheeks) meaning my skin often looks shiny at some point during the day, thanks to my natural sebum production.
So, at first, using cleansing oil did not make sense to me as I thought that it would add oil to my face. They seemed like an option for those with dry skin. However, once I started using it and regularly recommending it to clients, I realised that this can be a great option for many, no matter what type of skin you have.
If it seems counterintuitive to apply oil to your skin, think of this: cleansing oil doesn’t get absorbed into your skin, rather it pulls make-up, dirt and impurities out of your skin. It is great at destroying make-up and leaving the skin clean, without feeling stripped, tight or dry. For me, it puts other cleansers and soap to shame for a first-stage cleansing.
Now, I do love a good cream cleanser loaded with fab ingredients to nourish my skin and clean more deeply, once I’ve removed my make-up, but I find when I use one of these to start, it doesn’t remove enough of what I need gone from my face at the end of the day.
To use cleansing oil, I pour a bit into dry hands, coat my hands with the oil and then massage onto my dry face. I take my time with this step as my face loves the stimulation and it helps me to wash away the day. I find it particularly satisfying when I feel my mascara and brow gel begin to loosen. I know it’s erasing the rest of my make-up as well, but these two items, in particular, have a very satisfying textural change as they are being removed. Depending on how I’m feeling, I spend anywhere from about 20 seconds to 2 minutes on this step.
Then, I wet my hands and start massaging my face again, allowing the oil to emulsify, turning milky as it continues to remove what needs to come off my face. Once I’ve completed this second massage, I wet my facial sponges (you might use a flannel, wash cloth or just a splash of water) and run them over my face to lift what needs to be removed until they reveal a clean face. If I’m wearing foundation, rather than just tinted moisturiser, the sponges may need to be rinsed and reused. I repeat this step until they swipe clean before moving to the next step of my skincare routine.
Intrigued? Ready to try a new cleanser? Because they are so popular now, there’s a good chance your favourite brand makes a cleansing oil. Or if you want a suggestion, here are a few of my favourites:
Superfacialist Vitamin C+ Skin Renew Cleansing Oil
Body Shop Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil
Tatcha One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil – this link shows the product as well as a video of the product being used – watch mascara and lipstick melt away!
Bobbi Brown Soothing Cleansing Oil – I have a recent rekindled love of this brand and am loving the skincare options that boost the range beyond just make-up
Have you tried a cleansing oil?
What’s your favourite cleansing product?