Your skin is a beautiful thing. It is the final frontier between our bodies & the rest of the world. To keep skin smooth & blemish free a daily cleansing routine is vital. People everywhere cleanse their faces with soap, gels, surfactants, creams, detergents & foams in the belief that this will bring them closer to the clean flawless skin of their dreams. Most of these products are overly harsh & strip the skin of its moisture & disrupt the acid mantle, having the opposite effect to the one intended. Yuck!

I’m of the belief that skin care should be simple. The products involved & the method used should be simplistic, affordable easy & above all they should work. What could be more simple than natural vegetable oils?

The oil cleansing method uses the moisturising & cleansing properties of natural vegetable (& sometimes nut) oils to treat the skin. That’s right! You can use oils to clean your skin! This isn’t a new idea. Instead of soap the ancient Egyptians used to rub almond oil all over their bodies before scraping it away with course sand. Jojoba has been used by Native Americans & Mexicans for all kinds of skin ailments & Oceanic peoples have used coconut & kuikui nut oils in skin preparations for generations. African women have used shea nut & marula oils to condition the skin; Brazilian women use babassu oil & Italian women have done the same with olive oil.

As well as dissolving dirt & grime easily, vegetable oils also remove excess sebum & by lubricating blackheads, unclog congested pores. That’s right, you can use good oils to remove the bad oils from your skin! Best of all, oil isn’t irritating, it isn’t overly drying & it doesn’t sting when it accidentally gets in your eyes. The basic blend of oils combines a cleansing oil (like castor oil) with a moisturising oil (like oilve oil). An simple & ideal starting ratio is roughly 25% castor oil combined with 75% olive oil. However it’s perfectly acceptable to use other oils at different ratios.

Here’s my favourite recipe for a facial cleansing oil. I’ve found that this is the perfect ratio for my skin, but don’t hesitate to experiment on your own. My skin has been the clearest I have ever seen it after using this blend every day for two weeks!

Daily Offering Cleansing Oil

• 10ml Almond Oil. Almond oil is a wonderful moisturiser. It softens skin & soaks in easily without leaving any greasy film behind.
• 10ml Macadamia Oil. Macadamia oil has a composition very similar to that of human sebum. Gentle & silky, it is also very Australian!
• 15ml Castor Oil. While it can be sticky & thick castor oil is actually an extremely effective cleanser. It also helps to remove the other oils in this blend when you’re done.
• 15ml Rosehip Oil. Rosehip oil works wonders. It is super hydrating & sinks into the skin effortlessly. Full of fatty acids this oil is mild & smooth.
• 20ml Jojoba Oil. Actually a wax, jojoba is another oil that closely resembles human sebum. It makes a wonderful emollient & has a luxurious feel. I buy mine with 3% absolute vanilla essential oil added!
• 30ml Olive Oil. Olive oil has been used in the famous soap from Castile for centuries. Full of antioxidants, olive oil promotes smooth elastic skin.

This makes 100ml & if used everyday will last for two months. Cold-pressed organic oils are preferable. If you are going to be putting oil on your skin, you definitely want it to be of the highest quality! Refining can remove some of the desirable qualities of these oils as well, so keep that mind when you buy them. Simply mix the oils together & store in a dark glass jar away from heat & light. To use, follow these instructions;

The Oil Cleansing Method

You will need your oil blend, a face cloth & hot water!

Pour about half a teaspoon of oil into the palm of your hand. Rub your hands together to warm up the oil & them smooth over your face. Use firm, gliding strokes to massage the oil across your forehead, around your nose, over your cheeks, into you chin & down your neck. Take your time & enjoy the massage! When your finished massaging the oil into your face, take the washcloth & dampen with hot water. Place over your face & let the steam open your pores while the washcloth cools. Gently wipe away the oil. (You don’t need to scrub or use force to wipe away the oil. It can be removed easily with a gentle wiping motion.) Wash the cloth in hot water & repeat two or three times more, holding the cloth against your skin for a few moments when you begin. Splash with cold water, moisturise & you’re done!

To use your oil blend to remove makeup (especially eye makeup) place one to two drops on you index finger & gently rub over your eyelid. Finish by wiping away with a tissue. Easy!

Your skin is a beautiful thing. So look after it!

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