Oil cleansing has been part of skincare in various cultures for centuries and has seen a significant resurgence in interest alongside the broader move toward natural beauty. The principle is chemically sound: oils dissolve other oils, so oil removes makeup, sunscreen, sebum, and lipid-based debris effectively without harsh surfactants. But how it works in practice depends significantly on your skin type, the oil you use, and your technique.
The chemistry behind oil cleansing
Like dissolves like is the principle at work. Your skin’s natural sebum and most cosmetic products (foundations, sunscreens, lipsticks) are oil-based or contain significant oil components. When you apply a plant oil to your face and massage it in, the oil solubilises these substances, lifting them from the skin surface.
Plant oils in this context are acting as solvent cleansers without surfactants. The absence of surfactants means no disruption of the skin’s lipid bilayer structure, no pH disruption, and no stripping of the natural oils that maintain the skin barrier. This is the core theoretical advantage of oil cleansing for barrier-compromised skin.
Most oil cleansers also contain an emulsifier, allowing the oil to be rinsed away with water. Without an emulsifier, oil rinses poorly and leaves a significant residue on skin. Some people prefer a “two cloth” method (apply oil, massage in, wipe off with a damp warm cloth) to avoid the emulsifier entirely, but thorough removal requires either an emulsifier or very thorough wiping, which has its own friction issues.
Who benefits from oil cleansing
Dry and sensitive skin types tend to benefit most. Conventional foaming cleansers with surfactants, even gentle ones, cause some degree of barrier disruption and lipid removal. For skin that already has barrier issues, replacing the morning or evening cleanse with oil cleansing can meaningfully reduce the total daily barrier disruption. Many people with eczema-prone or chronically dry skin find that switching to oil or cream cleansing reduces the persistent tightness they experienced with foam cleansers.
Normal skin types can use oil cleansing successfully as a first step in a double cleanse routine for makeup and SPF removal, followed by a gentle water-based cleanser to remove any oil residue and water-based debris. This is the most common and practical use of oil cleansing.
Mature skin that produces less sebum and has a naturally drier tendency generally responds well. The emollient effect of the cleansing oil provides incidental moisturisation to dry skin during the cleansing step itself.
Who should be cautious or avoid it
Acne-prone skin is where oil cleansing gets complicated. The idea that “oil dissolves oil” makes people assume oil cleansing is good for acne because it removes sebum more effectively. This reasoning oversimplifies the situation.
The type of oil used matters enormously. High-oleic oils (olive, avocado, almond) applied to acne-prone skin that already has oleic acid-dominant sebum can contribute to congestion. High-linoleic oils (hemp seed, rosehip) are theoretically better choices, as they address the sebum imbalance associated with acne-prone skin. But even with the right oil, some people with acne-prone skin find that leaving any oil on the skin surface for the duration of the massage contributes to congestion, particularly with small comedones.
Oily skin without acne: oil cleansing can work, but the second cleanse (water-based) is important to remove excess oil from the skin surface. Many very oily skin types find that leaving even a light oil residue from cleansing increases the feeling of heaviness through the day.
Fungal acne (Malassezia folliculitis): oil cleansing is problematic because Malassezia organisms feed on fatty acids. Most plant oils provide a substrate for Malassezia growth, potentially worsening this condition. If you suspect fungal acne (uniform small papules on the chest, back, or forehead, resistant to typical acne treatments), avoid oil cleansing until you have addressed the underlying condition.
Which oils work best for facial cleansing
For normal and dry skin: jojoba, sweet almond, hemp seed, and rosehip are all well-tolerated and provide good emollient properties alongside the cleansing function.
For sensitive and eczema-prone skin: hemp seed oil, sunflower oil (high-linoleic variety), and jojoba are gentle and have evidence for barrier-supportive properties rather than just cleansing function.
For acne-prone skin (if using oil cleansing): high-linoleic options (hemp seed at 55-60% linoleic, evening primrose at 70-80%) are the better choices compared to coconut or olive oil. Rinse thoroughly and follow with a gentle water cleanser.
Technique matters
Apply to dry skin, not wet. Water and oil do not mix without an emulsifier; applying oil to a wet face reduces its effectiveness as a solvent cleanser. Massage gently for 60 seconds using upward circular motions. This contact time is sufficient for the oil to dissolve makeup and sebum without requiring vigorous rubbing. Add a small amount of water to the fingertips to emulsify the oil (it will turn milky), then rinse thoroughly with warm water, or wipe with a warm damp cloth if not using an emulsifier-containing product.
The temperature of the cloth matters: warm helps open the pores and aids removal; very hot strips the barrier the same way hot water from a shower does. Gentle is the key word throughout oil cleansing. Its advantage over surfactant cleansing disappears if you compensate with aggressive mechanical removal.