If you haven't used an oil cleanser before, you don't know what you're missing! Oil cleansing works on the basis of "like dissolves like" which means oil can get in and dissolve make up (including waterproof eye make up), sunscreen and general dirt and impurities that build up over the course of the day. It does all this gently without requiring harsh scrubbing or the use of surfactants which can strip the skin of its natural oils, which can throw off the skin's natural balance.
It can also save you money! Because cleansers are a wash-off product, there's no need to add lots of fancy (sometimes expensive) additives. You can oil cleanse with literally just one oil. I like to use something inexpensive so I can really slather it on and get the job done.
In this recipe I have chosen inexpensive oils with a few different options for additives, which you can take or leave, as I said, you could chose one oil and that would do the job, so use this formula as is or as a base to build your own.
I've also added 10% castor oil for added richness in texture and its ability to boost cleansing. It is a natural astringent with anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties which can help to clear the skin of acne causing bacteria.
Extras
Polysorbate 80
I've added 10% polysorbate 80 to help with the "wash off". This helps to solubilise the oil when water is added which means that the oil washes off more easily and turns the cleanser into a "milk" on your skin. This mean that you can wash off the oil cleanser with your hands rather than requiring a warm face cloth.
Vitamin E
I've included vitamin E for an antioxidant boost which gives your formula a longer shelf life. Again, this is a wash-off product which means that it's not physically on your skin long enough to reap the benefits of added vitamin E so the addition of this is for the product itself rather than added skin benefits.
Essential oils
I've chosen not to include any essential oils in this formula, one because I've used passionfruit seed oil which already smells amazing, but mainly because I want to use it to take off eye make up and I don't want essential oils around the sensitive eye area. This is a personal choice and you will see plenty of oil cleansing products on the market which include essential oils so if you want to add them you absolutely can, I just recommend using them at a low percentage of around 0.5%.
Ingredients
Makes 100g - use our Batch Size Calculator and the percentages provided here to easily adjust the volume of your batch.
*Lotion pump is optional but it's really handy for ease of use and helps lower the risk of water droplets getting into your oil during use.
To use - Watch our how-to video below!
Massage into skin until all make up (if wearing) is removed. Rinse with warm water or wipe off with a warm face cloth.
Check out our YouTube channel for more recipes and How-to Videos!
Now let's talk about DOUBLE cleansing!
You can cleanse your skin with your oil cleanser and be done with it, or you can follow with another water based cleanser, such as cream, gel or micellar water, to ensure all the oil from the cleanser has been cleaned off. Sometimes I like to do this maybe even every second evening or just a couple of times a week. Just to really refresh my skin.
See below to read our blog about double cleansing and for recipes for water based cleansing options.
