If you have oily skin, the idea of putting more oil on your face may seem counterintuitive—believe me, the first time I heard of oil cleansing, I thought people had gone crazy.
But, it turns out, they were onto something. Using an oil cleanser can actually help balance your skin and provide a deeper clean that you simply can’t get from traditional cleansers. Even better, oil cleansers nourish the skin without stripping it of its natural oils, leaving your skin feeling clean and hydrated, and with continued use, clear, glowy and oh-so healthy!
In this post, I’m going to show you how to make a DIY oil cleanser specifically designed for oily skin, using ingredients that will help control excess oil production and leave your skin feeling refreshed. This is one I’ve been using for the past month with really great results (so much better than a foaming facial cleanser IMO) and I’m so happy to share it with you.
Best of all, this DIY oil cleanser for oily skin is affordable to make than buying a brand name and can be tweaked to your exact needs!
How Oil Cleansing Works
Benefits of the Oil Cleansing Method:
The reason I switched to the oil cleansing method is because my skin was left feeling stripped, dry and flaky after using regular cleansers. As I’ve gotten older, my skin still is oily (less than my teenage years though), but gets dry fast too.
Oil cleansing is beneficial for the skin because it helps to remove dirt, impurities, excess sebum, makeup, and pollutants without stripping the skin of its natural oils.
It can help to rebalance the skin’s pH levels and strengthen its natural skin barrier, leading to healthier and more radiant skin. And, making your own oil cleanser allows you to customize the blend of oils to address specific skin issues, making it suitable for all skin types.
Oil Cleansing Ingredients
Oil cleansing ingredients, such as carrier oils like jojoba, grape seed, hemp seed oil and castor oil, are essential for effectively removing impurities from the skin without clogging pores. Essential oils, like lavender, frankincense, tea tree oil, orange oil and others can be added for fragrance and extra skin benefits but should be diluted properly at a 1% concentration to avoid irritating sensitive skin.
Best Carrier Oils for Oily Skin
For oily skin, the best carrier oils for oil cleansing would be jojoba oil, grapeseed oil, hemp seed oil and sweet almond oil. Jojoba oil is great for oily skin as it helps regulate sebum production, while grapeseed oil is lightweight and non-comedogenic, making it suitable for oily skin types. Hemp seed oil has astringent properties and can help balance oil production, making it a good choice for oily skin as well.
Jojoba Oil
Jojoba oil is great for oily skin because it helps regulate sebum production by tricking the skin into thinking it has enough oil, ultimately reducing excess oiliness and balancing the skin’s natural oils. This oil is close to our natural sebum, which makes it a great carrier oil for any skin type. It has a comedogenic rating of 2.
Castor Oil
Castor oil is great for oily and acne-prone skin because of its deep cleansing and anti-inflammatory properties. Its thick consistency helps to effectively cleanse and moisturize the skin without clogging pores (rating of 1), making it a beneficial choice for those with oily and acne-prone skin. Since it’s thicker, I wouldn’t recommend using only castor oil, but instead using some of it in your mixture.
Grapeseed Oil
Grapeseed oil is lightweight and non-comedogenic (rating of 1), making it an ideal choice for oily skin as it won’t clog pores or feel heavy on the skin. It’s rich in antioxidants, including vitamin E, which can help to protect the skin from free radicals and reduce signs of aging. It is also lightweight and non-comedogenic, making it suitable for all skin types, including oily and acne-prone skin.
Hemp Seed Oil
Hemp seed oil is great for oily skin because it is non-comedogenic (rating of 0), high in Linoleic Acid, moisturizing, and anti-aging, making it suitable for all skin types.
Sweet Almond Oil
Sweet almond oil is beneficial for oily skin as it is a lightweight oil that is non-comedogenic and helps to balance the skin’s natural oils.
A Note on the Comedogenic Scale
If you’re unfamiliar with the comedogenic scale, it is a rating system from 0 to 5 that measures the likelihood that an oil will clog your pores. Oils with a rating of 0-1 are considered non-comedogenic and are less likely to clog pores, while oils with a rating of 4-5 are more likely to clog pores and may not be suitable for all skin types, or better for your body instead of your face. Oils like olive oil are between 2-3, and while they may not clog your pores, I’d recommend sticking with carrier oils at a lower rating.
If you have oily skin, it’s especially important to consider the comedogenic rating of oils when choosing ingredients for your cleansing oil to ensure it won’t clog your pores.
A comedogenic scale of 0 indicates that the oil has a very low likelihood of clogging pores, making it a safe and non-comedogenic option for skincare products.
Essential Oils for Oily Skin
Adding essential oils to your oil cleanser can provide additional benefits for oily skin. Here are some essential oils that are particularly beneficial for oily skin:
- Tea Tree Oil: Tea tree oil has antibacterial properties that can help prevent acne and control excess oil production.
- Lavender Oil: Lavender oil is calming and soothing for the skin. It can help reduce inflammation and promote a clear complexion.
- Sweet Orange Oil: Sweet orange oil is beneficial for oily skin as it helps to balance sebum production and has astringent properties that can help reduce excess oil and unclog pores.
- Geranium Oil: Geranium essential oil is beneficial for oily skin as it helps to regulate sebum production and reduce inflammation, resulting in clearer and balanced skin.
- Rosemary Oil: Rosemary essential oil is beneficial for oily skin as it helps to balance oil production and reduce inflammation.
Other essential oils to try: frankincense, peppermint, lemon oil, and clary sage.
DIY Cleansing Oil Recipe for Oily Skin
Okay, onto. good stuff—let’s make your own oil cleanser for oily skin! This facial cleansing oil recipe is simple to make and affordable and only requires a few ingredients that you can get at health food stores or on Amazon.
By mixing these ingredients together in the right proportions, you can create a customized oil cleanser that suits your skin type and preferences. Plus, DIY oil cleansers are natural, free of harmful ingredients, and gentle on the skin, making them a great option for a natural skincare routine.
How to Make the Oil Cleanser
Now that we’ve discussed the best carrier oils and essential oils for oily skin, let’s talk about how to make this homemade oil cleanser. Here’s my go-to combination right now. Remember, you can tweak the essential oils to your specific needs or what you have on hand.
Oil Cleanser Recipe:
Ingredients:
- 6 Tbsp Jojoba oil
- 2 Tbsp Castor oil
- 6 drops sweet orange essential oil
- 4 drops tea tree essential oil
- 4 drops lavender essential oil
- 4 drops geranium essential oil
- 2 drops rosemary essential oil
- 5 drops Vitamin E oil
Instructions:
- In a small glass bottle like an amber dropper bottle or a small pump bottle, combine the jojoba oil and castor seed oil. You can also choose to use different oil mixture. Adding hemp seed oil or grape seed oil can also be a great option. Just make sure you stick to a total of 8 Tbsp (1/2 cup) of carrier oil.
- Add the essential oils to the carrier oil blend. You can adjust the number of drops based on your preference and sensitivity to essential oils. 1% dilution means 5-6 drops essential oil per ounce of carrier oil and this is what I recommend.
- Close the bottle tightly and shake well to mix the oils together.
- Your DIY oil cleanser for oily skin is now ready to use!
How to Use the Oil Cleanser
Now the most important part, how exactly do you use your oil cleanser? It’s an easy and really enjoyable process that I look forward to each night.
Personally, I do a double cleansing method and first use a cleansing balm to remove makeup, eye makeup and sunscreen from the day. Massage it into your skin and remove with a warm, damp washcloth.
I find it best to do the oil cleansing on my mostly cleaned skin rather than just spreading all that stuff around my face. Once you remove your makeup, you can actually clean your skin. Make sure to pat your face dry before oil cleansing.
Next, you’ll put about a nickel to quarter-sized amount of oil into your clean hands. Massage the oil into your dry skin, focusing on areas where you get oilier or have more breakouts. Take your time to really work the oil into your skin to break down any buildup.
Once you feel like you’ve thoroughly cleansed your skin, usually a couple of minutes, wet a clean washcloth with warm water, not hot water, and then wring it the excess water. Don’t forget to start with a clean washcloth so you’re not transferring bacteria back to your face.
Place the warm towel over your face, allowing the steam to help open your pores and further cleanse your skin. Leave the towel on until it cools down, then gently wipe away the oil and impurities from your skin. You can splash some cold water on your face if you want when done.
Remember to follow up with a toner and moisturizer to lock in hydration and prevent dry skin and keep your skin balanced.
If you’re brand new to the oil cleansing method, it can take 2-3 weeks for your skin to adjust to this deep cleansing and it may end up in some purging those first few weeks. It’s all part of the detox process, but stick with it, the other side is worth it!
There you have it, an easy DIY oil cleanser for oily skin that you can make at home to give you clear pores and glowing skin!
BTW, DIY serum for glowing skin, and how to make a hair oil for growth.
You must be logged in to post a comment.