This morning, when you washed your face, how did your skin FEEL after you cleansed it? I bet this is something you don't really think all that much about. I mean, we normally wake up, brush our teeth, drink some coffee, wash our face, and go about our day. So when was the last time you really took a moment to STOP, and PAUSE. and think about HOW your skin FELT?
If you're washing your face with a soap-based cleanser, it's likely that your skin felt dry and tight after you washed it. I've got some bad news: THAT AIN'T GOOD. That means that whichever product you used is stripping any/all oils from your face.
Having "squeeky clean" skin is Not Good.
ENTER: The OIL CLEANSING Method!
Here's the long and short of it: Washing your face with harsh abrasives and chemical-filled, soap based cleansers may be wreaking havoc on your skin.
Here's my story:
I suffered from oily skin for a VERY long time. My earliest teenage memories consist of me having to carry around blotting papers whenever I would go out with my friends. I would go into the bathroom no less than 10 times during the night to make sure I didn't look like a greasy mess. I was self conscious & I hated my appearance.
I bought every product on store shelves that was made for "oily" skin. This often meant an "oil controlling" cleanser of some sort, paired with a pad or astringent that was full of alcohol. I remember I used to go through a bottle of SeaBreeze astringent every month. The main ingredient is SeaBreeze is alcohol. WTF? I was essentially wiping my entire face down with pure alcohol?
I did this for many years. I battled oily skin and acne through college, into my mid twenties. I was a complete "product whore", buying new products all the time, hoping that the next cleanser would be the holy grail, and it would "fix" my skin.
*full disclaimer: this is NOT a photo of me.
As I grew older, and I learned more about health and wellness, I began to learn alot about my skin, as well. I learned that my skin is incredible organ, and that it is always trying to balance its own oil production. I learned that by using harsh products (like I had been using for years) on my skin, I had been interrupting the natural functioning of my skin. I was actually CAUSING my skin harm. So, in an effort to fix my face, I was making the problem worse.
See, when we interrupt our skin's natural ability to balance its own oil production, we throw it all out of whack. When we remove all of the oil that our skin was creating (for a reason), our skin is sent the message that it needs to produce MORE oil. Therefore, by removing the oil on your skin, you're actually causing your skin to create more of its own natural oils, thus making your oily skin condition ten times worse.
What I first learned this I was so angry. I was angry because I felt like I had been doing all the right things. I was angry at the brands that were creating these products, trying to sell them to me using tricky marketing tactics. I felt like a fool, and I felt taken advantage of. So, I said fuck you Neutrogena...fuck you Clean & Clear...And I started making my own products.
That year I was on Pinterest a lot! I started reading about this thing called the oil cleansing method, which was essentially washing your face with oil. As someone who had suffered from oily skin for a very long time, this was terrifying. I mean, there's no way that this can make my skin less oily? But at that point I had nothing to lose, right? so I figured I'd try it because what's the worst thing that could happen? I could have oily skin? Again?
My skin was not very happy that first week. I did experience some acne breakouts. But everything I read online told me to stick it out at least two weeks, and I would have amazing results. so I decided to stick with it and I am so glad that I did! After that initial two week detox period, my skin cleared up. It was balanced, and I even leaned towards describing it as "combination" (ie oily in some spots and dry and others). I even started using a moisturizer again (which I hadn't done in years)! It truly was a transformative experience for me, considering the pain and agony I had experienced through my younger years. I finally saw light at the end of the tunnel!
When I first launched FATCO in 2014, our Cleansing Oil was one of the first products that I formulated. When I did so, I knew that this product was going to change people's lives. To this day (7 years later) it is still my favorite FATCO product, because I know how life-changing clear skin can be for some people.
If you've read this article and you're thinking to yourself "I'm ready to give oil cleansing a try!", then hop on over to our "Are You a First Time Oil Cleanser?" page for more info!
Our Cleansing Oil is available in 3 formulations: one for Dry Skin, one for Normal/Combination Skin, and one for Oily Skin. I always recommend that someone first starting out in their oil cleansing journey begin with our "normal" formula, unless you suffer from extremely dry or extremely oily skin. I say this because while you may think that you suffer from "oily skin", often just the simple act of switching to an oil-based cleanser will help your skin to re-balance it's own oil production, and provide the nourishment that you need!
I do personally believe that our FATCO Cleansing Oil formulations are top-notch, but if you'd like instead to go the DIY route (like I did, many years ago), then you can find more links on our "Oil Cleansing Method" Pinterest Board!
Remember, Your skin is your largest organ. Treat. It. Well!
