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A simple blog about seeking the Lord, savoring life and joyfully serving.


Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Oil Cleansing: a Vibrant Facial Experience

I read about oil cleansing as a natural alternative to chemically laden facial cleansers several years ago. I couldn't imagine how slathering oil on your face could possibly result in clean, bright, clear skin but, after much research on anti aging products, I decided to delve into the world of oil cleansing.

The idea behind oil cleansing is actually a science, chemistry to be more specific. "Like dissolves like" is a phrase used by chemists to describe solubility.Oil will not dissolve in water because it is a non polar molecule while water is a polar molecule. The Oil Cleansing method is effective because the cleansing oil dissolves the "like" impurities, sebum-oil in the skin. Have you ever wrestled with a sticky substance only to rub a bit of oil on it and have it easily removed? Oil cleansing works the same way. Did I lose you? I hope not. I find if I understand the functionality of a method I will be more prone to adhere to it :)

I'm a nerd. And sometimes a little goofy. We all know this ;)

Now to find the perfect combination of oil. I prefer almond and castor oil. Almond oil is said to remove dark circles under the eyes (never have those, nope, not me). Avacodo oil is a favored option however, I read that it can worsen the appearance of dark circles. Coconut oil is commonly used but I found it to clog my pores although some tout claims that unrefined coconut oil is noncomedogenic. Just like anything, each woman's skin will be different and require different cleansing concoctions.

My favorite oil mixture is 1/2 castor oil and 1/2 almond oil. Castor oil is thicker, stickier and has excellent oil dissolving qualities while almond oil is lighter yet moisturizing.

The Ricinoleic acid in castor oil combats acne while the fatty acids present in castor oil deeply penetrate the skin for an intense moisturizing experience. The fatty acids also reduce the appearance of scars and stretch marks and encourage new skin cell production. 

Almond oil is rich in vitamins A, B and E. As I mentioned before, almond oil is known to reduce dark eye circles and diminish wrinkles. It is also a reduces redness and is anti inflammatory. Almond oil is a natural anti aging product as it contains high levels of vitamin A and E. 

When cleansing your skin, gently rub the oil mixture into your palm and massage the oil into your skin. Don't rush this process, gently take your time and do take care to press the oil into your skin in order to reap the moisturizing, cleansing and anti aging benefits. You want to massage the oil into your skin thoroughly and give it time to deeply penetrate. Put on some beautiful, peaceful music, brush your teeth, wash your hair, whatever you can do to let the oil seep into your skin for a few minutes. Then take a rag moistened with the hot water place it over your face for 15-30 seconds. Gently rinse the oil off using the wet cloth. Pay dry and enjoy a fresh night's sleep with your dewy skin. 

Three times a week I like to make a paste of olive oil and baking soda in my palm and gently rub this into my skin after I have applied the almond/castor oil moisture. This gently exfoliates and removes the oil. I simply rinse with warm water and enjoy the smooth, soft feeling of freshly exfoliated skin.

I enjoy this relaxing part of my evening routing and the luxurious feeling of the oils as they are massaged into my skin. I have noticed my skin is clearer, more even toned and more supple since I began the oil cleansing method. I am a believer!
Are you new to oil cleansing? Don't let it scare you :) Make it a part of your evening routine for a week or two and let me know how you like it!
Grace and Peace,
Adoring Family

1 comment:

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