Skin care & oil cleansing

Let’s talk skin care, shall we? A topic that most people tend towards overdoing. Our skin has natural self-cleansing mechanisms, and when in balance, needs as little care as necessary to achieve the radiance and elasticity we seek. When skin is in a state of imbalance, it expresses this physically via over sebum production and a plethora of other general imperfections.

You’ve heard it before, and I will state it again, beauty comes from within. Not only through the spiritual and emotional expressions, but physically through the foods we eat and what our body digests, assimilates, and expresses. When our skin is not in agreement with what we eat, it will show up on the surface and if we tune in to recognize this and alter our choices accordingly, we begin to see improvements reflected in the skin. There are specific areas that break out on the face that reflect inner imbalances; these inferences are based on face mapping, a concept derived from an ancient Chinese practice of face reading. This practice involves the examination of the skin on the face specifically, and the location where imperfections manifest being an indicator of an internal imbalance of a particular bodily system. Recognizing these external eruptions and what they may be saying about what the body is experiencing in the unseen layers, helps to pinpoint where the underlying issue is, & why pimples and other unwanted skin conditions may be persisting, despite external efforts. Below is an illustration of face mapping & which areas of the face display disruptions that may pertain to other bodily systems.

Our skin is built in with multiple layers of cells; seep down to the lower layers, where more skin cells are being created, based on the nutrients and elements we put in. The upper layers act as a protection from external influence and exposure. This tapestry of cells, some of which are shedding and others regenerating, harbor a complex community of living microbes, which exist to do the duties that keep you & your skin healthy from the inside out, & to protect your insides from factors without. Just like the gut, the surface of the skin has an epidermal ecosystem of bacteria which are in constant contact with our bodily systems; including our immune system & hormones. Disruption to this communicating bacterial community causes imbalance of unfriendly bacterial growth, along with an onset of common physical symptoms such as acne, dry skin, age spots, blackheads and other unwanted conditions.

Many of the modern toiletries & beauty products that are used daily tend to strip the top layer of this cell tapestry, leaving delicate cells exposed & susceptible to damage. Over cleansing, over exfoliating, & toxicity are all too common side effects of using conventional face care products. Constant exposure to these treatments wreck havoc on our skin cells & cause imperfections to arise. But these damages stretch beyond the boundaries of the visible top layers of skin. The effects seep in deep and end up in the blood stream, influencing our entire body, interrupting its routine systems, and established functions. On the surface, the skin is screaming for you to recognize that these treatments are not nourishing, and often more detrimental than if we went without.

So what can we do to prevent the stripping and disrupting of our skin’s homeostasis and the good bacterial oasis that keeps our being in balance? SIMPLIFY! When it comes to skin care, less really is more. Over washing or over exfoliating strips our harmonious oils & causes sebum to overcompensate. So let’s not complicate & simplify our skin care routines.

OIL CLEANSING is an amazing way to cleanse without clearing all of our skins organic moisture created from within. It may sound counter-intuitive to cleanse ones skin with oils, especially if you are prone to over oily skin. But note that the skin doesn’t over produce sebum unless it is irritated and continually stripped to begin with. The effectiveness of oil cleansing depends on the oils used. I recommend using only high quality oils that tend towards less rancidness; such as Jojoba, Sea Buckthorn, Pomegranate seed, or Rose hips. These oils do not clog pores, but rather dissolve black heads and carry dirt and make up away with them, without disrupting the good microbes. Coconut oil is great for removing eye makeup, but not in the context of oil cleansing, as it can be a bit clogging in some peoples’ experience. Some other safe oils to use include; Castor oil, Hemp seed oil, Grapeseed oil, Apricot oil, Sweet almond oil, Avocado oil, & Tamanu oil. With any of these oil options, ensure they are high quality, organic, cold pressed, & not solvent extracted.

Oil cleaning is a bit different than washing your face regularly; but it is just as simple to do. What you will need: a clean wash cloth, & one of the oils mentioned above or a combination of them, I use Myapothekeri “Emerald oil” which includes all of the above oils along with essential oils of yarrow, blue tansy, & lavender, which help add another dimension of cleansing & nourishing.

Pump your oil cleanser into your palms & rub your hands together, apply to face with your hands, and massage in. Take care by rubbing into areas that you may hold tension in your face, like the jaw line or temples. Get your washcloth wet with hot water & wring it out, so it’s damp but still very warm. Place the washcloth over your face & allow it to sit for a moment to warm & open pores. Lastly, wrap the washcloth around your hand to make a mitt with it, and remove the oil using circular motions, starting at the forehead and circulating down each side of the face. Move in circular motions up & out towards the hairline- we follow this direction because it is the same way your lymph drains. Finish off by spritzing with your favorite toner or hydrosol & voila!

It is as simple as that.