The Perfect Oils For Removing Makeup

With the Oil Cleansing Method (OCM) becoming bigger by the day, with an assortment of solid oil balms and regular liquid oils all over the market, it can make you wonder which oils are actually the best for removing makeup without leaving a greasy residue or dryness—an interesting property that you may not realize that oil can possess.

What is the Oil Cleansing Method?

The Oil Cleansing Method is a process of washing your face that can come in one or two parts. When working with the method in one step, you would obtain an oil—or an oil blend—and gently work the mixture into your skin. Once your makeup has been removed, or you feel as though your skin has been refreshed, you would finish off your skin with a warm water rinse and softly wipe or pat your skin with a microfiber cloth to remove any leftover oils or debris.

When doing the OCM in two steps, you would follow the same procedure as above, choosing to omit the microfiber cloth step if desired, while continuing on to wash your face with a foamy, or gel-like cleanser. Those who swear by making the process two steps note that the second cleanser helps to further wash away excess sebum, grime, and build-up.

Why Does it Work?

If you have ever tried to remove stubborn waterproof makeup with traditional soap and water, then you may have later realized or learned that an oil-based makeup remover is the antidote that can effortlessly pull this form of makeup off of the skin without drying the skin or depleting it of nutrients.

The OCM works in the same kind of way.

By understanding that chemically "like attracts like", 

The Best Oils To Get The Job Done

When using oil to cleanse your skin, especially to remove stubborn makeup, you will most likely want an oil that can cleanse the skin without overly drying or overly hydrating it. For this, we recommend three oils:

• Hemp Seed Oil

Boasting a composition with vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, B6, C, D and E, hemp seed oil is a powerhouse when it comes to nourishing the skin. Most importantly, it is able to nourish the skin without clogging it due to its comedogenic rating of 0. With such a nourishing fatty profile, it can be of use to all skin types, especially oily and acne prone skin. Plus, the fatty compounds in the oil allow it to glide across the skin and break down the sebum of the day, and makeup that you may be wearing without drying out the skin.

• Camellia Seed Oil

Camellia seed oil, also known as tea seed oil, is high in oleic acid--making it great for drier skin types--yet comes in at a comedogenic rating of 1, meaning that it is nourishing without being clogging. Its astringent qualities make it perfect for cleansing the skin, as it has the ability to help tone the skin and pores while keeping the skin nourished and healthy. It is also an incredibly silky and lush oil, meaning that it can glide debris off of the skin while leaving the skin dewy and soft.

• Hazelnut Oil

Another astringent oil with a comedogenic rating of 1, hazelnut oil is also a great option for removing makeup and debris from the skin. Hazelnut oil is filled to the brim with antioxidants that assist with inflammation and sensitivity, and the ability to provide buttery, smooth skin without greasiness. This makes it perfect for acne prone skin, and its high oleic acid profile makes it perfect for nourishing drier skin types.

By using oils that have low comedogenic ratings will also containing nourishing, fat-rich, and astringent compounds, you can assure that your oil-cleansing routine will result in more supple, toned, and buttery skin, rather than parched, overly-oily, and inflamed skin.