The Oil Cleansing Method + Essential Oils = The Superpower That Changed my Life (or Face)

Have you guys heard of the oil cleansing method?

When I first came across this method, I was looking for a way to cleanse my face more naturally and most of all to help my acne.

Over a year later, I am still cleaning my face with oil. Yes, you’ve heard (read) correctly!! I was able to improve my oily skin, acne, scarring, and huge black heads and pores with OIL!!!

So the idea behind this is basic chemistry. You may have heard the principle that “like dissolves like”. That means if you take a watery substance and you dissolve it in water, that’s great. But if you try to dissolve oil in water you’re not going to have much success. However, dissolving oil with oil is a great solution! The oil that you put on your face will combine with the oils that are already on your skin as well as blackheads, which are simply oxidized and hardened pieces of the oils in your skin.

There are many resources out there that suggest different oils for different skin types based on a comedogenic scale. For example, jojoba oil is said to be less comedogenic (pore clogging) than, say, olive oil. BUT in my personal opinion, coconut oil is the holy grail of oils - ever. I use it as my face wash, moisturizer, body lotion, deep conditioner, for oil pulling, and as the base for my toothpaste and deodorant. (So pretty much everything) ;)

And besides smelling ah-mazing, coconut oil also has antibacterial properties, making it an excellent candidate for acne prone skin.

So how do you go about cleaning your face with oil? I use about half a teaspoon of coconut oil, but your skin may need less or more, depending on how long you massage it in. After about 2-5 minutes of gently massaging the oil into your skin, take a hot wash cloth and simply hold it over your face for about a minute. The hot steam from the washcloth will open up your pores and make it easier for the coconut oil along with the old oils in your skin to be washed away. I repeat this step twice with a dripping washcloth (more hot water to steam my face a little longer than wringing the washcloth out), then I use lukewarm water and wring the washcloth out really well and rub/pat my face with it. As a last step, I splash my face directly with lukewarm water and dry it with a clean towel. After that I use a tiny amount of my frankincense face cream to moisturize.

The steaming part is absolutely customizable to your individual needs! Some people may only need one minute of steaming, and patting the face with that same washcloth. If you don’t use the final step of straight water and a dry towel, you won’t even need a moisturizer because your skin will already be moisturized from the coconut oil!

I just LOVE my face cream because it smells heavenly and it contains lots of great oils that support healthy skin.

You've come this far, great! Thanks for bearing with me. But you still haven't read anything about the essential oils part yet!

Well here it is.

Until I found my love and passion for essential oils, I used just straight coconut oil. Which worked great! But I can tell a huge difference since I've started adding essential oils to the mix.

• Frankincense - is amazing at supporting healthy skin at a cellular level
• Lavender - c'mon, everyone loves lavender! Well, it's also great at soothing and calming, not only for your entire body, but also your face.
• Patchouli - did you expect this one?? It's also great for skin as it promotes a healthy appearance. I also attribute the "healthy glow" to adding Patchouli!

I get my essential oils from Young Living because I can trust their integrity and thus the purity of the oils! If that's something you also find very important you can get them here :)

My DIY recipe

1 cup coconut oil
15-20 drops frankincense
15-20 drops lavender
5-10 drops Patchouli

Add all ingredients to a glass or metal bowl (you don't want the essential oils to break down your plastic bowl and then use that mixture on your face) and whip with your kitchen mixer until well combined.
Fill in a glass jar (I get mine here) and keep in a cool place so that the coconut oil doesn't melt. I just leave it in the bathroom, but you may not want to leave it next to a window where it could get warm from the sun!

Do you use oil cleansing already? What are your tips and tricks that make it work for you?
Brand new to oil cleansing? Let me know how your oil cleansing adventure goes!!

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