Oil on face, in detail

[Jerry]

How do you guys apply oil on your face?

1. Slightly spread over face without any pressure.
2. Gently apply over face but with some pressure to actually make the oil absorded by skin.
3. Gently rub in (like you did for hands or others part of body)
4. Or etc...

I experienced the following:

A fingertip oil seem too few for entire face, a few drops is ok but then, after an hour or two, the pores seem to 'holding` lot of the oil (tiny drops?), do I need to wipe off the oil, or just let it there? Will it clog my pores in such case?

Its kind of embarassing having 'too shiny' on my face or is it wiser to not wipe them at all to stop the vicious cycle?

How much oil is actually enough to protect it against dehydration, and thin enough not to clog the pores?

[Jason]

My problems with dry skin have been corrected by very gently using a washcloth to remove the dead/dry skin cells from the previous day, rather than applying oil to hydrate those dead/dry cells. An hour or so after my skin dries it is naturally oily enough on it's own. I just have to deal with that dry skin feeling for that hour or so. If I don’t use a washcloth, my skin feels dry all day because the dead skin cells are still there. I don’t know if this is true or not, but I would suspect that not gently removing those dead cells will also clog your pores.

I would not suggest using any cleansing scrubs. Tiny pieces of walnut or other abrasive ingredients create tiny lacerations all over your skin.

It is extremely important to be gentle when using a washcloth. One or two light circular passes should be enough to remove the dead outer skin cells. Any more and you would probably be causing abrasions which could cause additional bacteria/infections. I would also suggest using a separate set of washcloths dedicated to washing only your face.

Don't know if this is good advice for everyone, but it works for me. Sorry I don't have an opinion on how much oil to use.

[sula58]

Yeah, I also have a couple questions about oil!

I use a lot, not only on my face, but all over my body (after shower)...is that bad, because then doesn't it completely discourage ANY sebum from coming up? Or does it not matter what is hydrating the outer layer--concerning skin aging, for example--sebum or walnut/sesame oil, it's all the same?

And concerning acne (although thankfully this isn't a big problem thanks to the diet ), doesn't sebum actually help heal it? So, if you're putting too much oil on your face, is it bad concerning that?

Thanks!

[RRM]

Originally posted by Jerry:
How do you guys apply oil on your face?

1. Slightly spread over face without any pressure.

A fingertip oil seem too few for entire face, a few drops is ok but then, after an hour or two, the pores seem to 'holding` lot of the oil (tiny drops?), do I need to wipe off the oil, or just let it there? Will it clog my pores in such case?

How the skin reacts is individually very different, but putting oil on your face wont cause acne; its not a lit; oil can easily be 'pushed up' by the surfacing sebum.

If you apply the oil to your skin when the skin is still a bit moist, its easier to spread the oil all over your face with just one fingertip.
Of course, if you experience excess oil on your face after a couple of hours, you may wipe it off.
But as Jason said: be gentle!

How much oil is actually enough to protect it against dehydration, and thin enough not to clog the pores?

It wont clog your pores, but if your skin is too oliy; simply use a bit less. A fingertip spread all over your 'bit-moist face' is enough.

[RRM]

Originally posted by sula58:
I use a lot, not only on my face, but all over my body (after shower)...is that bad, because then doesn't it completely discourage ANY sebum from coming up?

It wont discourage your skin from producing sebum. It may maximally discourage your skin from producing EXCESS sebum/oil.
What your skin needs for protection, is fat.
For moisturizing, you can use glycerin.

And concerning acne (although thankfully this isn't a big problem thanks to the diet ), doesn't sebum actually help heal it?

Sebum helps to keep the skin flexible, yes, and is also required for perfect healing of scars, but I cant see how it would help heal acne... (maybe you mean the scars / wounds, right?)

So, if you're putting too much oil on your face, is it bad concerning that?

Well, your skin locally does need to 'breathe' more when wounded, and applying oil to a wound will hinder healing. But applying oil does not aggravate acne.

[Jerry]

RRM, please comment.

First, I use tissue paper to gently blot over the grime/greasy thing on my face.

Second, I use facial cotton pad (damped 100% wet, to reduce irritating the skin) and wipe over face.

Third, I rise again with filtered water.
Then, I found the oily-feel on the skin is not completely cleaned, the greasy feeling still there (esp, the area where inflammation/acne healing occurs, since I won't touch them!!), just a bit less compared to before cleanse. Is it ok, or I need to make complete sure that the trace of oil is completely cleaned before I apply new oil on my face again?

Finally, pat dry, and followed by oil.

Is there any problem with my regimen?

[Jerry]

I forgot to add..

While I know sweat is good since it `sweating out` salt/dirty protein. But if the skin is covered with pretty much of oil & sebum, will that clog our pores, and how bad is the dead skin cells regarding this.

The area where pimple get dried out/healing seriously covered with dead skin, of course I applied oil on it, but the dead skin still there. How to counterpart this?

[RRM]

Originally posted by Jerry:
Is it ok, or I need to make complete sure that the trace of oil is completely cleaned before I apply new oil on my face again?

No, its ok; traces of remaining oil is no problem.

Is there any problem with my regimen?

As far as I can see, its perfect.

[Jerry]

Will sebum/oil dried up?

From the Wai's book:

007 ; "sebum and skin oil are the same thing"
No, no. They are both produced by the same glands, but they ARE different. Sebum is more solid, white-grey in color, while oil is colourless, and more fluid. The skin can produce much sebum and little oil, or the other way around. Your own eyes can see that these substances are different.

I notice my some of the pores is always contains some 'facial hair alike(yellow color)', not sure what is it called, but I guess it is the sebum that dried up...am I correct?

[RRM]

yes!

[Jerry]

Originally posted by RRM:
yes!

How to remove it? It can't be removed, with the cleansing routine mentioned above post.

Hmmm....RRM, how good is your skin regarding dead skin cells? I mean I rub whole body while shower except face, so it might be not shedding well.

Because of this, I suspect the dead skin cells caused the fingertips of oil spread easily, when I try to spread the oil (while still a bit moist), the facial skin felt a bit rough(not very), and the oil remain pretty noticeable.

Do you apply peel off mask or something similiar, RRM? I know Wai won't recommended that, but I am stuck here...

[RRM]

How to remove it? It can't be removed, with the cleansing routine mentioned above post.

You mean the dehydrated sebum that still sticks in your pores?
For this you need to use pressure with your fingers. you probably have already noticed that there are days that this dehydrated sebum easily comes out, while on other days it doesn't. Well, that is something you need to keep in mind, because if you try to remove those 'clogs' on the wrong day, you may actually cause inflammations.
So, first of all, make very sure its the right day to remove them. (if you try to remove one with applying little pressure, and it doesnt come out, dont proceed)
On the right day there is enough oil in those pores to let those 'clogs' 'slip out' and there is very little water-pressure in the skin that may keep your pores too tight.
You best wrap some toiletpaper around the tops of your indexfingers to push the 'clogs' out.
And, to create the best circumstances, you best first take a steam-bath (boil water in a pan, take it from the fire, put a towel over your head, keep your head above the pan and let the steam come on your face; it should never hurt)

RRM, how good is your skin regarding dead skin cells? I mean I rub whole body while shower except face, so it might be not shedding well.

Rubs dont help, because the sebum is trapped inside your skin; in the pores. Not until they surface they naturally get rubbed off.
Sometimes these 'clogs' can be seen to be trapped in my pores, and then I just wait for the right day to remove them.
They never cause acne, unless I eat the wrong foods.

Do you apply peel off mask or something similiar, RRM?

No, nothing.

[sabie]

I have searched all over but I can't find a specific reference as to whether it is okay to use organic unrefined virgin coconut oil on your face. It says this on their site, I guess I have to contact them for the exact temp.

"Omega’s Virgin Coconut Oil is made within a maximum of three hours and is processed at temperatures so low that it is suitable for a raw food diet."

[Oscar]

The less vitamin E the oil contains, the better. Coconut oil would therefore be a better choice than olive oil. There is either an article or a thread on the old board about this, I think.

[RRM]

http://www.acneboard.com/AcneQandA/Forum2/000012.html