Master the Oil Cleansing Method For Beautiful Skin

I’ve written about many natural beauty ideas before, but oil cleansing may be one of the simplest. It’s one of the most effective natural beauty tips I’ve found for healthy, clearer skin. Here’s how to add it to your skincare routine and why it can work so well!

I admit, I was skeptical before I first tried this oil-cleansing method. My skin is naturally oily and I wasn’t sure it would work for me. I also had very acne-prone skin when I was younger, and was afraid that a method like this would bring back the acne… I was wrong!

What Is Oil Cleansing?

It may sound crazy, but the idea of using natural oils to gently cleanse the skin makes a lot of sense. The basic idea is to use natural oils in a specific combination to cleanse and naturally balance the skin’s natural oils. This produces more nourished and moisturized skin than detergent-based face wash.

The basic concept of oil cleansers is using oil to massage and cleanse the skin. Like dissolves like and the carrier oils help dissolve the impurities stuck in pores. Warm water then opens the pores allowing the grime and sebum to be easily removed.

Fans of the OCM claim it can help with oily skin, dry skin, sensitive skin, blackheads, and whiteheads. The types of oil you choose depend on your skin type.

Natural Makeup Remover

Many makeup products have oil in them and oil cleansing can help remove these too. Use it to remove foundation powder, mascara, and even eye makeup! Here are more DIY makeup remover ideas.

Does the Oil Cleansing Method Work?

This is the part I’m most excited to share! Even in the third trimester of pregnancy, when my skin usually goes a little hormone-crazy, I had ZERO breakouts! I used oil cleansing for several months to help avoid blemishes and remove makeup.

When I first started using oil cleansing, I had an adjustment period where my skin got worse for about a week. Most resources I’ve seen suggest this is a detox reaction as impurities are pulled from the skin. This is definitely what it seemed to be for me. After that, my skin gradually improved and by 3-4 weeks of using only oil cleansing, I had no excess oil, no dryness, and no blackheads.

I asked several friends and family members who now use the oil cleansing method how it’s worked for them, and they seemed to have the same results. Some even noted that the combination of oil cleansing and taking gelatin daily has been the best anti-aging treatment!

Oil Cleansing Ingredients

Want to try oil cleansing and see the results for yourself? All you need are some natural oils and a clean, damp washcloth!

The most common oils used are castor oil and olive oil, though you can use any natural oil. Castor oil is naturally astringent, so it helps pull impurities from the skin. This makes it ideal for oily or combination skin (and even dry skin in lesser amounts). While I use castor oil packs to help detox, it can be too harsh if it’s used undiluted as an oil cleanser.

You’ll mix the castor oil with another carrier oil (or several) that match your skin type. My other favorite oil to use is olive oil, though sunflower, safflower, or even coconut oil can work.

Which Oils Work Best for Oil Cleansing?

Some oils, like rosehip oil and castor oil, are more astringent (drying) than others. Others like olive oil can be too heavy for naturally oily skin. Here are some oil cleansing options and how they work:

Base Oils

These are oils to use in larger amounts along with the castor oil.

Avocado oil – Good for combination, dry, or mature skin.
Grapeseed oil – Lightweight oil that’s good for oily or acne-prone skin.
Sunflower oil – A lighter oil that’s good for combination or oily skin.
Sweet almond oil – Good for oily, sensitive, or combination skin types.
Coconut oil – This works really well for some and not so well for others. It can be too drying and pore-clogging, especially for acne. Some people love it in skincare products though.
Olive oil – My favorite oil to use. Great for mature or dry skin, but I found it worked well for my slightly oilier skin too. Be sure to get real olive oil though since most of what’s in the store is mixed with other, cheaper oils.

Specialty Carrier Oils

These work great to add a little more customization to your OCM blend. They’re a more concentrated source of skin-loving nutrients. You can add just a little bit of these to your oil blend for big benefits.

Rosehip oil – This astringent oil is great for more oily skin types but in smaller amounts it’s also a good anti-aging oil. Full of vitamins A and C to help with scar tissue, blemishes, and wrinkles.
Argan oil – Packed with vitamins A and E, antioxidants, and linoleic acid. It’s emollient, helps protect against free radical damage, is anti-aging and moisturizing.
Jojoba oil – Similar to skin’s sebum, jojoba has vitamins E and B as well as minerals. It won’t clog pores and it’s great for all skin types.
Essential oils – While these aren’t a carrier oil, they deserve a mention. They offer additional skin benefits to help with anti-aging, inflammation, and blemishes. Some of my favorites are lavender, tea tree, frankincense, sweet orange, and cedarwood. Just add a drop or two to your OCM blend (but be sure to avoid the eyes!).

Want to Buy It?: Don’t want to buy the oils yourself and DIY it? This handmade oil cleansing blend smells divine and works well for oil cleansing.

Oil Cleansing Blends

If you’re new to oil cleansing, it may take a few tries to figure out what oil blend works best for you. I used a mix of 3/4 olive oil and 1/4 castor or hazelnut oil and it’s perfect for my skin. You can also try the following:

Oily Skin: 1/3 castor oil or hazelnut oil and 2/3 sunflower, grapeseed, or sweet almond oil.
Combination Skin: 1/4 castor oil or hazelnut oil and 3/4 olive, sweet almond, sunflower, or other oil
Dry Skin: All nourishing oils like avocado or olive oil, or a very small amount of castor/hazelnut oil added to the nourishing oils.

Start with the suggested amounts above for your skin type and adjust if needed. When I started, I mixed up very small batches until I figured out the right blend for me.

I’ve also found that even pure coconut oil can work well once the skin has adjusted, though it can be drying on some skin types. One friend uses a half and half mix of coconut oil and olive oil that she blends in a blender to create a cream, and this works perfectly for her.

Oil Cleansing Tutorial

Now that you know which oils to use, here’s how to do the OCM!

Pour a quarter-sized amount of the oil blend into your hand and massage onto your dry skin. Use smooth circular strokes to massage it in for 1-2 minutes. If you’re wearing makeup no need to wash it off first!
Optional: Leave the oil on for up to 10 minutes to deeply clean skin cells and pores.
Soak a clean washcloth in very hot water and place the damp cloth over your face for a minute or so. This creates steam to remove any oils and skin impurities. Repeat if needed.
Use the washcloth to gently remove any remaining oil. There will still be a thin layer of oil on the skin and this is beneficial.
Most people don’t need a moisturizer after the adjustment period. However, if you still have dry skin, try reducing the castor oil in your blend and use a little lotion to moisturize.

Oil Cleansing Method FAQs

Oil Cleansing With Acne

It’s normal for it to take a week or so for the skin to adjust. You may even see more oily skin or breakouts during this time as impurities leave the skin. If you can, resist the urge to use harsh soaps or facial cleansers as it will make the adjustment period take longer.

You can also speed up the detox process by using a clay face mask once or twice a week.

The Oils Aren’t Working For me

Even if you don’t have acne-prone skin you may still have an adjustment period. And you’ll likely have to experiment with different oils to find your perfect oil ratio. If your skin is too dry afterward then reduce the castor oil (or rosehip oil if using). If it’s way too greasy, try a lighter-weight oil or increase the castor oil used.

If you find your skin really doesn’t like this after a month (and you’ve already tried different oils) then the OCM may not be a good option for your skin.

Cleaning Up Afterward

If you do this in the shower, make sure to clean your shower floor regularly so it doesn’t get slippery! Some readers have also asked how to clean the washcloth afterward. I do a separate load of laundry for them and wash on hot. You can also follow the wash up with a vinegar rinse before drying.

Have you ever tried oil cleansing? Did it work for you? Share below!

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

996 responses to “Master the Oil Cleansing Method for Beautiful Skin”

Amalia

January 22, 2019

Hi Katie I use the OCM on my face for over a year now and it it the best thing ever! My face has never looked better.
My 10yr old daughter is starting to get pimples on her forehead. Right now she just uses soap and water but maybe we need to wash with a cleanser. I was considering using the OCM in her. Have you ever used it on any of your kids?

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Craig

January 21, 2019

Hi I’ve try the method in the past but freaked out after a couple of days when I began to get acne reading your article made me realize that I did not give my face time to adjust so I will be trying it again I wanted to know how often should I do the cleansing method thank you

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Becky

January 19, 2019

Thank you for this article. I have used the oil cleansing method for about a year now and have mostly used olive oil. I have recently started getting a little bit of acne and have read that castor oil can help with this so have just been doing a bit of research to find the best oil for my skin. I did read an article of someone using pure castor oil however I can imagine this being very sticky so I think I will try your suggestion of mixing it with olive oil or jojoba oil. BTW I love your website and always come back to your site whenever I need to make a natural homemade product!

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Brenna E.

September 23, 2016

In this post you talk about a controversy about castor oil. In another post on this site you mention that castor oil also helped you grow your hair thicker and longer. I am wondering if hazelnut oil can be a replacement for castor oil in that situation? My hair type doesn’t like coconut oil but if castor oil is unsustainable or harmful to anyone I don’t want to use it. Do you have any suggestions? My goal is to grow my hair thicker and longer.

Thank you!

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Tamsin

September 17, 2016

I used to use coconut oil when I first started but found it really drying. I’ve since learned through soap making that coconut oil as a cleanser is really, really drying. Fine to moisturise with (but not on face as it clogs pores badly). I’ve been experimenting with sweet almond oil, argan oil mixed together and it works wonders for me personally. It’s so hard to advise people on OCM and oils to use since everyone is so different. Great post! Tamsin xo

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Samantha McNair

September 9, 2016

Hey! I’m seriously considering doing OCM but not sure where to start. I’ve got red combination skin, big pores on forehead, chin and around my nose and periodically I have breakouts. Ive tried coconut oil, shea butter and rosehip seed oil and dont seem to have issues with any of those. What do you recomend I should start off with and what ratio?

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Andrea

September 2, 2016

Hi, could I do the OCM with almond oil or jojoba instead of the olive oil? I would still include the castor oil of course. Thanks!

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1. Wellness Mama
  
  September 2, 2016
  
  Absolutely.
  
  Reply
Sharon

August 26, 2016

Hi Wellness Mama!

I just wanted to say, “thank you” for posting this info! I had tried oil cleansing before because of an article that Thrive Market sent about it. But I tried combinations of oils that they recommended for my skin type (castor oil and avocado oil or olive oil) and it did not work for me. It was too oily for my combination skin and I thought this method just wasn’t right for me. But after reading your article, I decided to give coconut oil a try as you mentioned that some people use that. And I also tried your technique of leaving it in for 10 minutes once in a while to really dissolve oils, and also steam toweling it off. Finally I found a way to make the oil cleansing method work for me! Thrive did not give the additional info of leaving the oil in longer or steaming it for a while before toweling it off. This extra info you gave made a big difference for me. Thank you!!!

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Robin

August 18, 2016

I am using straight hemp seed oil right now and it is drying, going to follow with Rosehip or Argan after tonight but my question is and not one blog explains is do you do this every time you wash your face, only at night, only in morning or every other night??? So far I like it but may need to try Grapeseed, I know this if you are using coconut oil, stop it clogs pores!! I know some great likes to identifying oils for face time since that is the main reason I got into essential oils!

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Tanya

July 31, 2016

This article should really be titled “OIL CLEANSING – THE BEST METHOD FOR NATURALLY GROSS SKIN”

I started using the method in January, following the instructions and proportions for oily skin. My skin actually tends to be very dry in the winter and more oily in summer, and it’s technically combination skin.

When I first started using this, I did see increased break-outs, and thought it must be my skin detoxing. I did have an occasional breakout before this, and I think without realizing it, I somehow got used to the constant breakouts after I started using this. I ended up with it until 2 weeks ago, so over 6 months of usage every day. I also added a a few drops of frankincense oil to it, as it’s good for the skin.

While I did notice my skin and aging lines were always smoother right after I cleansed (because olive oil is good for the skin in general, unless you have oily skin), I also noticed that over the course of 6 months of using this, my pores became enlarged and extremely clogged. So much so, that I had to book an appointment for microdermabrasion facial to clean it out. Before I was using the oil cleansing, I never felt like I needed a facial beyond my skin care at home.

The lady at the spa also noticed my huge pores and made a comment. She is into Ayurveda and natural methods too, and when I shared with her I was doing the oil cleansing, she immediately said that’s what was causing my pores to be so ugly and all the blackheads and clogged up face. She’s been studying and practicing cosmetology for over 20 years and said even within the 3 main skin types, there are 200 more and you can’t generalize that because someone somewhere wrote a generic post about some “good for you” ingredient, it will work for you.

We really need to take a bio-individual approach to skin care, as is a good idea with nutrition.

So I wish Wellness Mama would not generalize and mislead people just because she read some research, and pretending to know something about everything, including skin care, which is a subject some people dedicate their lives to, not just a generic blog post.

My bottom line is that since I discontinued the oil cleansing 2 weeks ago, and started doing what my cosmetologist recommends (which is also natural and it’s a mix of non-fat yogurt/ lemon / raw honey in the fridge to cleanse morning and evening) my skin hasn’t looked better in months, it’s been detoxing like crazy though from the oil, and I’ve seen all the nasty blackheads and white heads basically leave my pores gradually over the past 2 weeks (without inflammation or turning into acne) .

The proof is in the pudding.

Be very very skeptical if you have oily / combination skin and a tendency for large pores.

Wellness Mama, you seriously need to stop misleading people. I trusted your information, and now I’m hugely disappointed, because it’s straight up false and poorly researched information that clearly doesn’t take into account bio-individuality when it comes to skin types.

You owe your people here an update on this post unless you want to other people to seriously mess up their skin too.

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1. Wellness Mama
  
  August 7, 2016
  
  Tanya- I’m really sorry it didn’t work for you. It has worked well for me for years and I shared my experience because I really love it. Of course there are different skin types and this may not work for everyone, but I love it and know many others who do too. I’m also glad you found a routine that is working well for you now!
  
  Reply
Jen

July 30, 2016

I would NOT recommend using coconut oil on your face. It’s highly comedogenic and can easily clog pores. I used it with castor oil for about 2 months (varying ratios, but usually 1/3 castor and 2/3 coconut) and while I thought my sudden acne breakout was associated with my skin “purging” itself, the acne only got worse and I ended up with the worst skin I’ve experienced in my adult life. I quickly read up and discovered how comedogenic coconut oil is, felt like a dummy, and promptly switched to jojoba oil. My skin and acne has been clearing up and healing since then. I’ve been using the same cleansing method but with only jojoba (it’s the oil that most resembles our skin sebum, and is very low-comedogenic as well) for about a month now and I am so thankful to have found it. I’ve tried a few times to mix it with castor oil to see if it will work for me, but it seems that jojoba alone is the best way to treat my skin. I would totally recommend it to anyone, but I wanted to get my warning about coconut oil out there.

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Brandy

July 27, 2016

I keep my olive oil and castor oil mixture in a corked glass bottle in the shower. It looks like it portions of the oil are turning darker brown and the smell has changed some. Does this mean it has gone rancid?

Thanks!

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Carolyn

July 13, 2016

I had super oily skin (with occasional dry cheeks, I’m assuming this was from the cleansers I used to use) basically since I hit puberty at 10. I had consistent acne (not cystic, but still painful and I had a horrible habit of picking at my face) and covering it up with makeup only hindered any potential healing.

When I first tried this out, I was 22 and in grad school. So, extra stress, less sleep, eating habits weren’t as good as they should have been. I was willing to try anything and somehow stumbled across a blog post about OCM.

I used a combo of grapeseed/castor oil but didn’t really notice much of a difference. I also tried castor/sunflower oil, and just grapeseed or sunflower on it’s own. I pored (haha pun intended) over hundreds of comments across several different blog posts on the topic before deciding to try sweet almond oil and that worked better than anything else. I used this solo for a while before I inherited some oregeno oil from an aunt, which works wonders for acne! I get my almond oil off amazon for ~$12 I think back in 2014 and I’m still using that same bottle.

Now, my morning routine is: splash face with warm water, Breath of Fresh Air (from Lush, a gift from a friend), and finish with Trader Joe’s moisturizer with SPF.
Evening routine: OCM with sweet almond oil + a few drops of oregeno oil (do not use oregeno oil if pregnant!!).
Favorite face mask (great for eczema): 1 Tbsp organic/manuka honey + 1 tsp nutmeg + 1/2 tsp vitamin e oil (I use vitamin e capsules). I usually double or triple the batch and it lasts me a few weeks 🙂

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Rachel

July 1, 2016

I first started using the OCM with 1:3 ratio of castor oil to extra virgin olive oil. After a week my face started to clear, then after a few weeks it went back to how it was originally, then after about a month I got patches of VERY dry skin around my mouth and nose. I’ve never had anything like that before in my life, so I am sure it was the castor oil that was too drying for my my face. I used coconut oil as a moisturizer, then used it for the OCM itself, then ordered argan oil as some seem to have better results with it. It’s been a little over a week and my face is better then usual, but still not all clear. I’m going to keep this up until the bottle runs out which should last me maybe a month or more and see if it totally clears up my face. According to those acne face charts, I have acne that is indicating I have bad lungs or something. I find this very odd as I do not smoke and have never had a lung problems or anything in my family. Does anyone have any ideas? I do have a neighbor that smokes and sometimes that air comes in through my window but could that really be causing my acne? I’m really hoping the argan oil works, if anyone has any suggestions for me please let me know.

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Sadia

June 30, 2016

Am I doing something wrong? I’ve been using OCM for a month now and I haven’t seen any decrease in my pimples and tons of blackheads on my nose and my pores don’t look cleaner at all. I cleanse my face with OCM every night before going to bed and use 1 part castor oil to 2 parts Sweet Almond oil as my skin is super lily in my T-Zone a completely normal (not drying at all) on the rest of the fave, also my skin doesn’t react well to EVOO, which is why I chose the Sweet Almond Oil. Why am I not seeing any significant results the way others are? I thought the ‘purging’ stage would be over by 4 weeks and I would see results but there’s no difference in my skin. Please help me, I want this to work for me. I don’t wanna give up.

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Annmarie

June 29, 2016

I don’t measure how much oil I use, I just use enough oil to cover my face. I then put my face downwards over a sink of hot water. But how long is it supposed to take for the steam to remove the oil, because I always end up wiping the oil off with a hot cloth instead. Is it bad to wipe the oil off? It never said how long you’re supposed to steam your face in the instructions, so it’s really confusing for me.
I (think I) have oily skin and I am using 1 part castor oil and 2 parts almond oil.
Any advice is welcome.

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Kinza

June 27, 2016

Can i use coconut oil with comination of olive oil and castor oil and for this what will the ratio for combination skin , i have some time occasionally breakout on skin but some time under my skin become swell n some time big to become pain full not on all face on just slecific area side of nose n under eye. Plz do guide me may i use coconut oil .olive oil . castor oil combination with eucalyptus essential oil and what will b the ratio.

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Gina

June 16, 2016

After seeing my results with oil cleansing, my husband is now very interested in trying it as well. However, he’s got facial hair & I’m not sure how to go about it with his beard (that he won’t shave) in the way. Any advice, especially if there are any gentlemen in this situation?

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Muna Safirudin

June 16, 2016

Hi, I’m asian and have sensitive/ oily skin. I have occasional hormonal acne on the chin and the sides of my face and I found out about the oil cleansing method and have only started this method for about a month now. From the reviews that I have read, people usually use castor oil and In the beginning I started with just Grapeseed oil cos its supposed to be good for oily and acne skin and I couldn’t find castor oil in my country, I have ordered it online and Im just waiting for it to arrive. All the reviews that I have read has said that in the earlier stages the method will cause your skin to breakout and after a while your skin will get better. I’m starting to get worried cos I have been breaking out a lot more than usual, I have breakouts on the forehead now and more of the sides of my face. These breakouts are not that bad, they’re just little red spots and it makes my skin grainy and rough. I have switched my oil to sunflower oil cos I read its a high linoleic oil and it is not comedogenic. I’ve been reworking with the sunflower oil for about a few days now and my skin still hasn’t gotten better. I dont know what I should do? Should I continue with the method or just stop? Cos people’s reviews have been saying that to just stick it out for a few months. Help! I need advice!

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1. Gina
  
  June 16, 2016
  
  Try using argan oil with a little bit of tea tree essential oil instead. Argan oil has a 0 on the comedogenic scale, meaning that it will absolutely NOT clog your pores. Tea tree oil is antiseptic and antibacterial (among lots of other awesome things), so it’ll heal any pimples you already have. I use 1 drop of tea tree for every 10 of argan.
  
  Reply
2. Rox
  
  June 28, 2016
  
  To Muna-
  It is totally normal to be breaking out, especially even if you are getting break outs in places you don’t tend to breakout in. That is the purging phase, think of it like the saying…”sometimes things have to get worse before they get better”. Most of all before & after pictures that i have personally seen, the amazing results come after any where from 1 month – 4 months….some people are just lucky and do skip the whole initial breakout “purging” stage all together. I suggest you stick with it, especially if you are approaching or just reached the 1 month range. Also, regarding your oils, you can google and/or pinterest other oils that you may want to add to your mixture that will help/work with your specific skin type. For example, using the castor & sunflower oil.. but, also adding a drop or two of neem, tamanu, or turmeric oil, all of which are amazing for breakouts prone skin. I would also if i was you add another drop or two of a nice nourishing/moisturizing oil because changing to sunflower oil, and also using castor oil… you are then using two oils that are suppose to be used as your base oil… so you may experience a dry phase. Also… if you have just been using one oil for the O.C.M like the grapeseed oil that you mentioned, and not combining it with a base oil like castor or sunflower, this may also be why you are not seeing the results you want. If you do start using both oils (your base oil and remaining oil) just make sure to adjust the oils accordingly, everyone is different, so this is where a lot of the trial and error comes into place. but, the base oil tends to always be half to less used amount to your 2nd oil, using too much of the base oil may dry your face out, but using not enough may not have the right affect (hence making sure you are trying the ocm at first with both types of oil) And, most of all…… make sure all of the oils you are buying for your oil cleansing method are ORGANIC/Cold or Expeller pressed.
  Hope some of this helps you out, and if you are still confused and want help with the ocm check out the website i pasted below, and just spend a night googling all the information you can find on it.
  Good luck to you/all on your journey to clearer skin!!
  
  https://crunchybetty.com/trying-and-troubleshooting-the-oil-cleansing-method-tips-for-flawless-oil-cleansed-skin/
  
  Reply
  1. victoria
    
    July 12, 2016
    
    Good morning. Do you think it would be good to add a couple of drops of carrot seed oil? (organic)
    
    Reply
Alicia Tan

June 5, 2016

Hello, wellness mama.

I have been reading the different pages of oil cleansing over and over again. And have been wanting to try oil cleansing.

Is it okay to use castor oil by itself for oil cleansing?

What carrier oil should i use if i am told that my face is oily (forehead, nose) but sometime my face is dry (chin, jaw line)

My chin also have hard lump, they stay for a long time and do not go away or heal by itself. They are mostly not painful. What are those?

What is the sunflower oil used in oil cleansing? Is it the cooking type?

Hope you can reply to me, thank you.

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