Meg’s facial cleansing inquiry: Here’s a question for your lovely blog. The Internet is full of recommendations for the “oil cleansing method” which involves washing the face with various oils such castor, olive, jojoba, almond, emu, corncrake, and engine oil. There are all kinds of claims made for this method, one of them being “oil dissolves oil.” I guess that means that castor oil will remove sebum. It undoubtedly works for many people, but is that claim true? It seems an extraordinary one to make.
The Right Brain’s response:
Thank you Meg, it’s lovely to have our blog called lovely! While we’ve never tried corncrake or engine oil, we do know that the oil cleansing is a legitimate way to dissolve dirt and oil and remove it from your skin.
Solving dissolving
For one substance to dissolve another it has to break apart the chemical bonds that hold it together. (We call the chemical that’s being dissolved the “solute” and the chemical that’s doing the dissolving is the “solvent.” Chemists are good at coming up with clever names like that.) Generally speaking, there are two kinds of chemical bonds: ionic and covalent. Not to get too geeky on you, but ionic bonds are formed by the attraction of two oppositely charged atoms and covalent bonds are formed by two atoms sharing a pair of electrons.
Like dissolves like
When you use oil to remove oily dirt you’re employing the chemical principle called “like dissolves like.” In other words, oils will dissolve other materials that have a similar chemical structure. As an example let’s look at emu oil just because the emu is a silly looking bird and it always makes us smile. The atoms in emu oil (the solvent) are held together by covalent bonds. Now, if the solute is greasy makeup or skin oils (aka sebum), it also consists of atoms that are hooked together with covalent bonds. So that means that emu oil is similar enough to dissolve all the gunk on your face. Cool, huh? What? You want to learn more? What are you, some kind of chemical sadist? Ok, far be it for us to deny you chemical knowledge – click here to read more dissolution theory.
Cleansers that dissolve
Cosmetic chemists use the “like dissolves like” principle to formulate oil-based cleansers in liquid and cream form. (Water based cleansers that use detergents to remove oil use an entirely different chemistry so we’ll save that discussion for another day.) The liquid cleansers are pure oil while the creams are oils mixed with water, emulsifiers and thickners. The classic example of a “cold cream” type cleanser is Noxema. Here are some other examples.
Examples of oil based cleansers
1. Max Factor For Long Lasting Makeup
- Type of cleanser: Oil
- Primary cleansing agents: Mineral oil, Isopropyl Palmitate
2. Pond’s Deep Cleanser & Make-up Remover with Cucumber Extract
- Type of cleanser: Cream
- Primary cleansing agents: Mineral Oil, Isopropyl Palmitate
3. Physician’s Formula Makeup Remover For Dry, Normal skin
- Type of cleanser: Cream
- Primary cleansing agents: Mineral Oil, Petrolatum
4. Kiehls Oil Based Cleanser and Makeup Remover
- Type of cleanser: Oil
- Primary cleansing ingredients: Isopropyl isostearate, isopropyl myristate, squalane
What’s your favorite facial cleanser? Oils, creams, or water-based? Share your secrets with the rest of the Beauty Brains community.
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Karen Says:
DHC Cleansing Oil forever!!!
Anne Says:
Here is a link to a review of DHC’s Cleansing Oil by Beauty Anonymous.
http://beautyanonymous.blogspot.com/2007/12/dhc-deep-cleansing-oil.html
Jill Says:
I’m with Annie and Karen. I am a devoted used of DHC cleansing oil as well. It melts away even the stubbornist dirt and make up and rinses cleaner than any of the other products I’ve tried. Any further comments on the olive oil formula? I’m all ears!
The Style Page Says:
What is The Beauty Brains’s opinion about two-phase eye makeup removers?
For travel, I like Almay’s oil free eye makeup remover gel. I know what it’s like for liquid eye remover to leak in my suitcase - I had to do some emergency shopping to replace stained clothing.
Judy Says:
I use Pond’s Deep Cleanser and it requires some effort to get off my mascara. Testing the DHC product a couple of times impressed me!
Lisa Says:
DHC is the BEST!
Cassie Says:
does an oil cleanser clog your pores? I get what the brain said in the blog but it really seems counterintuitive to me.
Pas71 Says:
Very cool! It’s funny that this is here now, because we’ve just been discussing this in the forum. I can’t wait to try this! I think I’ll try the DHC brand. I just have to wait 11.5 weeks until I’m done with my acne med trial. =(
Does Oil Cleansing really work? - Beauty Brains info - MakeupTalk Says:
[...] Oil Cleansing really work? - Beauty Brains info From the Beauty Brains… Makeup Removers: Does Oil Cleansing Really Work? Meg?s facial cleansing inquiry: Here?s a question for your lovely blog. The Internet is full of [...]
EMiriamD Says:
I am a die-hard believer in Albolene as the first step in a two-step cleansing process. I tissue off all makeup, including waterproof mascara, with Albolene, then follow up with La Roche-Posay’s Effaclar cleanser for step two, a light lathering cleanse. I’ve never found any “regular” cleanser–including the Effaclar–that completely removes makeup.
A question for the DHC oil fans: when you tissue it off do you feel completely clean, i.e. NO residue, no oily or greasy feeling? And does it remove waterproof mascara?
Edward Says:
I don’t know much about these makeup Cleansers. I am suggesting you a link tuimagenpersonal.com
. Here you can clarify all your doubts about beauty and makeup.
AMK Says:
Ponds cold cream is one of the best things to ever happen to my skin. It’s toned down the oiliness to an amazing degree — I used to carry blotting papers everywhere I went, and now I don’t even need them. The only downside is that it is nearly impossible to clean out of my shower and sink, and that’s pretty gross.
Judy Says:
In yesterday’s Sunday paper there was a $1 off coupon for St. Ives Elements Olive Cleanser. I saw it at Target for $6.99. Do I sense a TREND here??
Cynthia Says:
MSCEE Skin Care has a creamer cleanser/make-up remover enhanced with emu oil. You can read more about it here: http://msceeskincare.com/creamycleanser.htm.
Disclosure: I work for MSCEE Skin Care.
Does Oil Cleansing Really Work? « MSCEE Skin Care Blog Says:
[...] by Cynthia Barnes on March 17, 2008 The scientists over at The Beauty Brains just tackled the question of whether or not using oil to remove make-up, dirt, and impurities [...]
Clare Says:
I’ve been using Boscia’s Makeup-Breakup Cool Cleansing Oil for over 2 years and I’ll never use anything else. Eye makeup just slides right off - it’s amazing. You can get it at Sephora and some of the flagship Bath & BodyWorks stores. They also have a great website -
http://www.boscia.net/newsite/index.php
athena Says:
i just started using boscia’s makeup-break cool cleansing oil myself. it’s really great! nothing has taken mascara off as well as this has. i love it!
Debra Says:
Maybe I am missing something here, but I have been using olive oil - yes, right from the kitchen - with a few drops of lavender oil for aesthetic reasons as a nightly cleanser. It works well, costs very little, and my skin feels soft and clean. What more can I ask?
Amy Says:
Big fan of Shu Uemura’s cleansing oils
http://www.shuuemura-usa.com/Products/ProductDetails.aspx?CategoryID=1011&ProductID=953
aquadisia Says:
I’ve been using jojoba oil for the past couple of months on my super oily skin. I can’t say I see less of difference in the frequency of breakouts, but I love how smooth and soft it makes my skin feel! No more flakies, possibly less comedones. As long as I don’t break out more than I usually do, I’ll continue this method.
geekgirl397 Says:
I’ve been using a mixture of about 70% mineral oil (aka baby oil, but I get the unscented kind) and 30% jojoba oil with a few drops of essential oils just for the heck of it. I find it does a much better job of getting off my makeup than any other cleanser I’ve tried.
Many of the long-wearing lipsticks on the market now will *only* come off in the presence of mineral oil (most creamy makeup removers contain it). Vegetable oils (e.g. castor oil, olive oil, jojoba oil) won’t move them - that’s how the “gloss” that comes with them goes on top without removing the color.
So I figure I need some mineral oil to get some of my makeup off. It also seems to work well on waterproof mascara.
The jojoba oil is there because I like it, and for its moisturizing properties.
Each night I rub a few drops of the mixed oils all over my face, and use a bit more on my eyelashes. Then I wipe it all off with a soft baby wipe. Sometimes I rinse afterwards,sometimes not. Then I apply my night cream.
In the few months I’ve used this routine I think my skin has improved - few clogged pores.
My skin is combination oily/blemished/dry but in the winter i find the nighttime oil routine helps to soothe any flakies.
Much cheaper than the commercial products, works just as well, and with essential oils you can customize it.
dianna Says:
i like putting virgin coconut oil on my face and then steaming it with a washcloth and massaging it in and then steaming it again and wiping it away. since i started doing this my adult acne and blackheads have gone away and i no longer need to exfoliate as much!!!
i am 48
djh
Shop With a Vengeance! Says:
I used to use the OCM myself with grapeseed, castor, and almond oils. It worked for me for a while but I grew tired of the tedious and messy nature, so I’ve stopped.
I do agree that oil dissolves oil though, and it was good for that.
Plum Blossom Says:
Love the Beauty Brains–great fun to read.
just wanted to weigh in on the “like dissolves like” discussion regarding oil cleansers. I have extremely oily, yet mature (41 year old) facial skin and the last thing I ever want to do is add more oil! But I tried a sample of DHC cleansing oil and am now a loyal user. It rinses off cleanly with just water and leaves my skin de-greased and soft. Cool!