Cleansing Oil Is Trendy | Let’s See If It Fits Your Skin Type

In the last few months, using cleansing oil has been a growing trend amongst skincare gurus. These products are believed to gently “push out” blackheads after massaging the face. Have you ever wondered what they are and why they are becoming so famous lately?

Source: Chupinina, 2024

What Is Cleansing Oil?

Cleansing oils are one of multiple ways used to remove makeup, sunscreen, oil residue, and impurities. You must have at least stumbled upon 1 skincare video showing the blackheads getting pushed out after using cleansing oil on your social media. The secret behind this is simple. As the products are oil-based, they work on the “like dissolve like” mechanism. The oil in the cleanser helps to dissolve the makeup while bonding with the skin sebum and impurities. Properly emulsifying the cleanser until it turns to a milky white liquid, and rinsing with water is crucial to leave the skin clean yet nourished, and not dehydrated. While some makeup removers could take away the moisture in your skin barrier after rinsing with water, oil-based makeup removers do not.

The Benefits of Oil Cleansing

The use of these clean and nourishing oil-based products helps to:

• Dissolve and gently wash away the excess sebum.
• Letting the skin breathe by unclogging the pores, removing blackheads and whiteheads.
• Gently yet effectively remove stubborn makeup.

Besides cleansing the face, oil cleansing also retains skin hydration by only taking away the debris and excess oil, leaving the skin hydrated.

How Are Cleansing Oil Different From Traditional Makeup Removers?

1. Composition

• Cleansing oil: These products are made from a combination of botanical oils and extracts (green tea and calendula are the most common) as their primary ingredients. These oils bond, dissolve and break down makeup products along with dirt on your face. Oil-based cleansers are the most recommended to remove makeup products with water-proof formulas.
• Traditional makeup removers: Typically water-based or alcohol-based solutions with other ingredients such as surfactants, emulsifiers, and moisturizers. These products are easier and take less time to use as they do not require to be emulsified before rinsing with water.

2. Effectiveness

• Cleansing oil: Especially effective with waterproofed or stubborn makeup products. This can be mostly used with eye makeup (mascara, eyeliner, or long-lasting lipsticks). The oil-based formula helps to dissolve the makeup and remove them from the skin gently without drying the skin.
• Traditional makeup removers: Effective for the basic need of removing makeup and dirt. With the help of surfactants, traditional makeup remover could help to gently clean the skin. However, this type of makeup remover might not work as effectively with waterproofed products.

3. Gentleness:

• Cleansing oil: These products are usually gentle on the skin. Sensitive skin types would be a great fit for oil-based makeup remover. However, acne-prone skin should be cautious as the nonproper emulsifying process could clog the pores and potentially cause a breakout.
• Traditional makeup removers: Some products that are alcohol or strong surfactant-based could cause dehydration to the skin or irritate those with sensitive skin. Not to mention the use of makeup remover pads with too much pressure could further damage the skin barrier. With acne-prone skin, this could make the acne situation more serious.

How Can It Remove Blackheads?

Blackheads are clogged pores with oxidized pore openings. With the use of cleansing oil, the oil would partially dissolve the skin sebum (oil), which helps the clogged pores to loosen up. With gentle face massage, shallow-rooted blackheads could be “pushed out”. However, pores that are completely clogged would need further steps such as exfoliation to fully clean the debris (mix of dirt and dead skin cells).

Which Skin Type Suits Oil Cleanser?

These products are suitable for all skin types, including dry, normal, and oily skin. They can even help moisturize and nourish the skin due to the presence of oils.

Noted that proper emulsifying is crucial for all skin types, especially acne-prone skin. If the residue is still left on the skin due to improper emulsifying, it would potentially clog the pores and irritate the skin.

Tips for Product Testing

To see if cleansing oil is suitable for your specific skin, test the product on a small part of your face before using it on the whole surface. This not only helps to test the actual result of the product but also prevents potential breaking out on the whole face.

Key Takeaway

In summary, oil-based makeup removers are highly effective at removing stubborn and waterproof makeup, suitable for all skin types, and may leave a slightly oily residue. With proper emulsifying steps before rinsing with water, this type of cleanser promises to help clean your face while keeping it hydrated and nourished. If you notice a breakout after trying cleansing oil, try to emulsify the products more carefully or use the products with less frequency.

Reference

Chupinina, Valeriya. “TikTok Is Hooked on This Cleansing Oil That Removes Blackheads on the Spot-& It’s $14 for 1 More Day.” Yahoo!, Yahoo!, 25 Mar. 2024, www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/tiktok-hooked-18-cleansing-oil-194325648.html?guccounter=1.