Cleaning your skin with oil might seem counterintuitive. After all, isn’t oil what we want to remove? Nope! 

Natural Oils in Our Skin

Natural facial oils (collectively known as “sebum”) are the basis for healthy, moisturized skin. Sebum is a natural skin moisturizer as well as a barrier that traps moisture inside to prevent dryness. Generally speaking, sebum production peaks in adolescence (hence the oily, acne prone skin in that stage of life) and then gradually decreases over time, leading to skin dryness later in life as the oil barrier becomes less robust. Therefore, replenishing your skin with natural oils that closely resemble sebum (such as jojoba oil!) is your best bet to maintain moisturized, great feeling skin. 

 

All cleansers clean your skin by dissolving dirt, makeup, and other impurities within themselves so that as you wash the cleanser away, all those unwanted bits go with it. However, what’s in your cleanser can help determine what it’s best at getting rid of and what it’s leaving behind. It makes sense that as your skin changes, your needs in a cleanser will change as well.

 

Why Switch From Water Based Cleansers

Water and oil don’t mix, but cleansers need to bind to both in order to clean your face, because impurities come in both water-loving and oil-loving varieties. Therefore, water based cleansers are packed with ingredients that allow them to grab onto oils. These oil-dissolving ingredients grab onto oils on your face (good and bad, they don’t know the difference!) and allow them to be dissolved into the water based cleanser and washed away. As your face is rinsed and the water-dissolving impurities and cleanser are removed, some water is left behind. This water then evaporates quickly. Most cleansers are water based, because this is an effective way to clean thoroughly, but it is also extremely drying as it simultaneously strips your face of moisture-protecting oils (sebum) and pulls water out of your skin surface as your face dries. This effective but harsh cleaning can be helpful earlier in life when you’ve got plenty of sebum to go around, but is unhealthy for aging skin that is prone to sensitivity and dryness.

 

How Does Cleansing Oil Work

Oil cleansers work the same but opposite way. An oil cleanser contains ingredients that allow it to grab onto water-loving dirt and impurities so you can dissolve the full spectrum of undesirables into the product. As the cleansing oil is rinsed off with water, it gently removes water-based impurities and excess oils within the mixture, while simultaneously replenishing crucial oils that mimic sebum. As your face dries, these oils that are left behind help maintain a healthy skin barrier and keep your skin from being stripped of moisture. This results in a gentler but still robust broad-spectrum clean, without the drawbacks that lead to dryness and degradation of the skin layer. 

 

How to Use Cleansing Oil

Switching to an oil based cleanser can take some getting used to, especially if you’re used to the dry feeling from water based cleansers. Here are some tips and steps for cleansing with oil:

• Step 1: Apply a small amount (about a dime-sized dollop) of cleansing oil onto your palms. Rub your hands together to warm the oil. Massage the cleansing oil into wet or dry skin using your fingertips. Do this for about a minute, using small circular upward strokes. A good massage allows the oil to work its magic, dissolve build-up and nourish your skin. Take your time to gently clean your face and neck as well. Think of this as a mini spa moment!
• Step 2: Wet a clean washcloth with warm water and gently wipe away excess oil. There’s no need to scrub the skin, just a few gentle swipes works well. If you like the feeling of a water rinse, that can be used instead of the warm washcloth. Now the Cleansing Oil has cleansed and moisturized your skin deeply. 
• Step 3 (Optional): Repeat the process if necessary to fully remove thick mineral sunscreens or waterproof makeup.
• Step 4: Follow up with the Hydrating Toner to add in extra moisture and the Face Serum to seal all the beneficial properties of the cleanser and toner as well as provide a barrier to protect your skin. 

Pro Tip: If you’re new to oil cleansers, start with a smaller amount of product. If the oils feel heavy on your skin, cleanse less often. Cleansing is best at night. Stick with it! Cleansing oil takes some getting used to but once you get accustomed to the feeling, you will appreciate how moisturized and healthy your skin will look and feel!

What’s in YesAge Cleansing Oil?

The two primary ingredients of the YesAge Cleansing Oil are jojoba oil and grapeseed oil. These ingredients were selected based on their beneficial properties and overall safety for aging skin. Let’s take a deeper look at these oils.

 

Jojoba Oil

What it is: Jojoba oil is naturally derived from the Chinensis plant, a drought-resistant shrub native to North America. 

Why it works: Jojoba oil is the closest oil to the skin's natural sebum and it has many benefits for face and body care. Jojoba oil is made up of vitamin E, vitamin B complex, copper and zinc. It is also anti-inflammatory and antibacterial, which makes it a wonderful cleansing oil. 

Hydrates and brightens  - Jojoba oil is a humectant ingredient, which means that it attracts water to the top layer of the skin and keeps the skin hydrated. It is also rich in antioxidants that help your body produce collagen, which can leave the skin looking healthier and brighter. 

Anti-inflammatory - High in antioxidants, jojoba oil helps fight inflammation, free radicals and oxidative stress. 

• Acne treatment - Jojoba oil is non non-comedogenic and won't clog pores. Because jojoba oil is so similar to the skin’s natural oils, it helps balance out natural oil levels, useful for anyone dealing with either too much or too little natural oil. Jojoba oil is anti-inflammatory and antibacterial, which can also help reduce blemishes. 
• Makeup Remover - Jojoba oil is a mixture of short- and long-chain fatty acids, which helps to strip away any oil soluble impurities from your skin. This makes jojoba oil an effective makeup remover. 

Potential Side Effects: Jojoba oil is hypoallergenic, so it’s generally considered safe to apply topically. Additionally, no ingredients are known to have any kind of negative interaction with jojoba oil. In very rare cases, jojoba oil can cause allergic reactions such as itching and hives. Out of an abundance of caution, try applying oil to your hand before applying to your face.

Learn more: Check out this article on the benefits of jojoba oil “Jojoba Oil Is The Holy Grail of Skincare Oils, According to Derms” and “How Jojoba Oil Benefits Your Hair and Skin”

 

Grapeseed Oil

What it is: Grapeseed oil is naturally derived from the seeds of grapes. The seeds are usually a byproduct of winemaking, which makes grapeseed oil a very sustainable ingredient. 

Why it works: Full of polyphenols and vitamins A, C, and E, grapeseed oil has many wonderful benefits. 

• Anti-inflammatory - Grapeseed oil has great antioxidant benefits that can help protect against free-radical damage. It is high in linoleic acid, which is anti-inflammatory and helps diminish redness and puffiness. 
• Hydrates and Firms - The linoleic acid and vitamin E in grapeseed oil can help skin retain moisture, restore elasticity, and protect it from environmental damage. 
• Evens Out Skin Tone - Grapeseed oil contains a powerful antioxidant ingredient called proanthocyanidin that, when used consistently, helps even out skin tone.
• Fights Acne - Grapeseed oil is noncomedogenic, meaning it won’t clog pores, and the antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties in grapeseed oil help the skin fight acne.  

How to use: Unless you’re allergic to grapeseed oil, there’s little risk to trying it out for your skin. Because grapeseed oil has little to no known side effects, it’s a great oil to use on the face and the rest of the body. 

Learn more: Here’s a great oil on the benefits of grapeseed oil “Why Grapeseed Oil Is in So Many Skin-Care Products”