You might be interested in using coconut oil in your skin routine as a double cleanse, or you might just be looking for something other than soap to use in your skincare routine.
Whatever the reason you’ve come to the right place. We know that adding coconut oil to our diets has a variety of great benefits.
But what about adding coconut oil into your skincare routine? This article will be looking at the oil cleansing method using coconut oil.
Oil cleansing might be something that sounds counter-intuitive. Something that only ‘those’ people can do.
You might be thinking “surely I’ll break out?” This isn’t the case, many people are using the oil cleansing method and you can too if you use it correctly.
If you get pimples after use, it might be a breakout or purging, find out the difference here. You just have to pick the right oils.
This method will work in the summer, winter, autumn and spring for year-round good looking skin.
Oil cleansing method using coconut oil?
Table of Contents
How does the oil cleansing method work?
One of the more natural methods of cleansing your skin is the oil cleansing method.
The method works because oil dissolves oil. “like dissolves like”.
All blemishes happen because of the skins natural oil (sebum) combining with dead skin cells and clogging our pores.
Even if you had a tonne of the acne-causing bacteria on your skin you wouldn’t get whiteheads, blackheads or pimples without sebum and dead skin cells in the mix.
All these skin blemishes happen when a pore is clogged with sebum.
When you add an oil cleanser to your face and massage it in the oil cleanser dissolves all the hardened oil that is clogged up in your pores.
To remove all this new and old oil you will need to apply steam in the form of steaming your face or using a warm washcloth to wipe away all the oil.
This will leave your skin with no excess oil, just glowing skin.
Can I use coconut oil as an oil cleanser?
Yes, you can. That’s if your skin is not prone to breakouts, coconut oil is a comedogenic oil, it can cause breakouts on oily or combination skin.
If you don’t have oily or combination skin then you can use coconut oil. I have an article going into more detail about oil-based cleansers for oily skin here.
There are many benefits to using coconut oil:
Cleanses: Coconut oil is a great makeup remover. Makeup products melt away when they come in contact with coconut oil.
It even works on waterproof makeup allowing you to remove the makeup, dirt and other impurities off of your face.
Fights acne: Coconut oil contains fatty acids. These fatty acids have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties that will help heal and calm acne.
Help skin ailments: Coconut oil has a high-fat content, this high-fat content is very helpful to the skin as it can reduce rashes, heal wounds and soothe the skin
Should you oil cleanse morning and night?
You should use the oil cleansing method during the night time just before you go to bed.
When you wake up in the morning you won’t have to cleanse the skin because you have cleansed it very well the night before.
If you want to do something in the morning then you can wipe any sweat from the night before. Wipe with a warm damp washcloth, some rosewater (this is a good one) or you can rinse your face in the shower.
It is not recommended that you do this method more than once a day. This method gives you a deep clean.
Do you moisturize after oil cleansing?
You generally won’t need a moisturiser after doing the oil cleansing method, coconut oil, and oils in general, are great moisturisers already.
Just know that a little goes a long way and you won’t need to apply much oil for it to work
How do you cleanse with coconut oil?
Step 1: Start off by washing your hands, our hands come into contact with dirt, grime and bacteria as well go about our days.
If we don’t wash our hands before we touch our face all that dirt will be transferred to our face
Step 2: Scoop up the coconut oil and warm it up in between your hands. This will turn solid coconut oil liquid
Step 3: Massage the coconut oil into your skin for 30 seconds, this will give it ample time to break up any sebum, dirt and pollution on your skin.
If you’re wearing makeup massage the eye area last, if you massage that area first the eye makeup will begin to bleed all over your face.
Step 4: Use a clean, warm and damp washcloth to gently wipe the coconut oil off of your face
Step 5: As part of the double cleanse you need to use a gel-based cleanser after the oil. This will remove any coconut oil residue and will make sure your face stays really clean. This is a favourite gel cleanser
Tip: Before applying anything new to your face it is necessary to do a patch test first.
This is when you apply the product to a patch of skin and wait 48 hours to see how your skin will react to the product.
If nothing negative happens then you’ll be good to go.
Do you need to double cleanse if you don’t wear makeup?
It depends, if you have oily or combination skin then yes you still need to double cleanse even if you don’t wear makeup.
If you have dry or normal skin then you don’t really need to double cleanse if you aren’t wearing makeup.
Using an oil cleanser to remove makeup is a crucial step that is very necessary for your skincare routine.
It is extremely important to remove your make up at the end of the day.
During the day pollutants, dirt grime and bacteria will attach itself to the sebum on your skin.
If you have oily or combination skin then your skin will become a hotbed for dirt and grime through the day.
If you have dry or normal skin this dirt and grime won’t get attached to your skin so easily,
What is the best cleansing oil for the face?
The best cleansing oil for the face is the DHC cleansing oil, it is a well-loved and widely used cleansing oil and it sells like hotcakes.
The oil contains a rich supply of minerals and vitamins which will boost your skins overall health, it also nourishes and well as hydrates the skin making your skin look younger, fresher and more supple.
It is water-soluble so you can simply rinse it off when you’re done, no washcloth necessary
Does cleansing oil clog pores?
If you’re using the wrong oil for your skin then yes, doing the oil cleansing method can clog your pores. But using the correct oil will do the opposite.
If you have acne-prone skin then I do not recommend using coconut oil to oil cleanse your skin.
Coconut oil is a comedogenic ingredient. It is known to clog pores. If you have dry or normal skin that isn’t acne prone then you can use coconut oil
Products that have been specially formulated to be cleansing oils will not clog your pores.
These products are lightweight and have been designed to cut through sebum, dirt and grime on your face as well as regulate oil production on the skin.
In addition, they do not strip your skin of sebum, they do this while still keeping your skin moisturised.
Note that not all oil cleansers are made equal so you need to read the ingredient list before purchasing an oil cleanser.
Can I use the oil cleansing method everyday?
Yes, you can and you should be doing the oil cleansing method every day.
Cleansing your face with oil daily not only gives you a great clean but it also supplies your skin with various nutrients and minerals.
Over time it will make your skin healthier and stronger.
If you feel that the oil cleansing method is giving you too much of a deep clean you can opt to use it every second day.
Which is better cleansing oil or micellar water?
There is no straightforward answer to the question “which is better cleansing oil or micellar water” it depends on your skin type really.
Micellar water is a good option if you have oily skin, it not only contains the oil particles which break down the excess sebum on your skin but it also contains water which will refresh your skin and add softness.
If you have dry or normal skin then you may want to use a pure oil-based cleanser.
The cleansing oil will help lubricate the skin a little more than the micellar water can.
That being said these two products can be used on all skin types.
There is only a slight difference between them but nothing with noting.
Is coconut oil good for the face at night?
If you have dry chaffed skin then using coconut oil on your skin overnight can be very beneficial.
The oil contains fatty acids that nourish and moisturise the skin. Linoleic acid and lauric acid are the fatty acids that help the skin stay moisturised and retain moisture.
Coconut oil will work overnight and when you wake up your skin will look much more refreshed, moisturised and soft.
In addition, the oil will help to reduce inflammation on the skin, help to prevent your skin from developing infections and protect the skin against dangerous free radicals.
It shouldn’t be used on oily or combination skin but if you’re dead set on using coconut oil you should rather use fractionated coconut oil.
Fractionated coconut oil this does not have the pore-clogging elements that everyday regular unfractionated coconut oil has, unfractionated coconut oil leaves your skin with a greasy residue.
This is a well-loved and well-used fractionated coconut oil option
How do I choose a cleansing oil?
Not everyone will react well to coconut oil on the face.
This is especially true for people who have oily skin or combination skin, this is because coconut oil is comedogenic so it will clog the pores.
Rather check the list of ingredients of the cleansing oil before you buy.
Using an oil-based cleanser will be beneficial to all skin types, you just need to use an oil-based cleanser that will work for your skin
Choosing the right cleansing oil for you is just as important as choosing the right facial treatment.
Our skin differs, the cleansing oil that we choose needs to be tailored for our skin type:
Oily skin: If you have oily skin make sure you avoid cleansing oils that contain comedogenic ingredients like coconut oil, avocado or olive oil.
These oils will make the skin oiler and cause breakouts. Rather use an oil that has natural astringent properties, this will balance your oily skin
Dry skin: Your dry skin needs to be nourished, hydrated and moisturized more aggressively to stay healthy.
You shouldn’t use an oil cleanser that contains drying ingredients like lemon or tea tree oil. Find nourishing oils that contain argan, camellia or shea oil.
Combination skin: because your skin is a combination you need to find an oil that will nourish and moisturise your dry patches and will balance the oilier parts of your skin.
Find an oil that contains vitamin e oil or sunflower oil in the formulation.
Acne-prone skin: your acne-prone skin can react badly to a variety of ingredients so you need to take a closer look at product ingredient lists before you decide to buy.
Avoid pore-clogging ingredients such as mineral oil and coconut oil. You can also use cleansing oils made for oily skin.
Is rubbing alcohol good for blackheads?
No rubbing alcohol is not good for blackheads. Rubbing alcohol will only make your skin dry, tight and flaky, it won’t get rid of the blackheads.
In addition, rubbing alcohol won’t help kill off acne-causing bacteria so it shouldn’t be used for pimples either.
Blackheads are caused when dead skin cells mix with excess sebum on the skin and clog the pores.
When the blemish looks white it’s called a whitehead. When the blemish is exposed to air the exposed area turns black and this is called a blackhead.
If acne-causing bacteria gets into the clog it infects the clog and forms a pimple.
What happens if you don’t remove blackheads?
If you don’t remove your blackheads they can turn into inflammatory acne, those red, puss-filled, angry pimples that no one was.
This can happen if more sebum gets into the blackhead and mixes with acne-causing bacteria.
That being said, you shouldn’t squeeze the blackhead, you don’t know how deep it is and you may apply to much pressure when typing to get the blackhead out.
You should rather exfoliate the skin with a chemical exfoliator (like this one), this will break up the contents of the blackheads. Over time the blacked will disappear.
If you want to exfoliate your pores make sure your chemical exfoliator contains salicylic acid as it will unclog your pores.
Can I double cleanse with micellar water?
Yes, you can double cleanse with micellar water.
Micellar water is made up of water-soluble lipid molecules making it a good alternative product to use if you want soothing other than a pure oil to cleanse your skin.
The oil molecules will break up any dirt, debris and external impurities that may have made their way onto your skin from the day.
You can also use an oil balm (like this one) as the “oil” for your oil cleansing method. A balm is a sold buttery-like substance that is stored in a tub and can be scooped out.
That’s it on my article on the oil cleansing method using coconut oil. If you enjoyed the article please share it.
