Double Cleansing to get rid of Makeup

As you all would already be aware, makeup is terribly drying for skin. But, not to worry since there are lot of cleansers and other products available to wash off the makeup from your face. But, with make up, it is always better to cleanse your face twice. This is called Double Cleansing. First round of cleansing would be to get rid of the makeup and all the dirt in your face and second round would be to clean your face properly to free it of all traces of the product.

Why should everyone do double cleansing?
Double cleansing can be done even if you do not wear make up. It is especially useful for people who spend a lot of time in sun or dusty areas. Everyone uses sunscreen now a days. Sunscreen has the same chemical structure as does the other makeup products because of which a simple cleanser will not be able to get rid of the sunscreen completely from your skin. This applies even if you prefer either chemical or physical sunscreens. Thus, a need for double cleansing.

Ways to remove make up from face:

• Double Cleansing (which I am going to explain shortly)
• Oil Cleansing Method (OCM) 

How to Double Cleanse your face?

• Use a makeup removing cleanser to wash your face first. You can instead use any makeup removing gels or cleansing milk or cleansing oil which ever suits you best. Generally, oil + water is the best way to go for double cleansing. You can also start with removing makeup with wiping tissues first.
• Cleansing should be done in circular motions with upward strokes just like a facial massage. Do not forget the delicate eye area, the area around the lips and the ears, your neck and the upper part of your chest. Cleansing should be done wherever you have applied sunscreen or any body part that has remain exposed even if it is feet. And, an area which tends to go ignored most is along the hairline.
• Wash off the cleanser thoroughly with cold water splashes. Let your skin relax a bit and let it dry. Now, check for the dirt and grime in your skin. If your skin is completely clean, you can proceed with a minimal amount of cleanser for the next wash. If not, a little more with a little of massage would be necessary. So, it is always advised to devote time and clean your face first time diligently removing all the makeup from everywhere otherwise you might need to wash your face 3-4 times which is never advisable. 
• Follow with washing your face next time and you are done. 

Some precautions to take care of:

• Never try to scrub off your makeup. This will instead cause your makeup to get into the pores. So, if you are planning to scrub, remove the makeup first and then follow with the cleansing and then use the scrub. 
• Do not be too harsh on your skin. Use gentle products which are not drying. Cleansing oils are very much available these days. Making use of them would be much more sensible for any skin type even oily and sensitive.
• Do not over wash your skin and body. And, moisturize well after removing the makeup. And, no double cleansing would not be too drying for your skin unless you are over doing it.

Homemade Cleanser
In a bowl, pour adequate amount of milk and add 5-6 drops of almond oil. Almond oil is best at removing make-up and lactic acid in milk aids cleaning of the skin moisturizing it simultaneously. Mix them. Refrain from adding anything else because you want to clean your face. At max, I would suggest you to add only lemon juice in case of oily skin as it controls the oil production. Take a wash cloth or sponge, dip it in the mixture and apply it to your face in circular motions as advised above. Follow with your favorite cleanser or with milk again and you would get a glowing skin.

READ MORE - Double Cleansing to get rid of Makeup

Olive Oil for Hair Growth

Olive Oil is an extremely useful product not only in culinary purposes but also in skin care and hair care. We have already talked about the role of Olive Oil in Oil Cleansing Method (OCM). We will talk today about the benefits of olive oil in hair care. Olive oil is extremely light and does not easily grease the hair. It makes hair smooth and shiny and is easily absorbed. 

Method of application: Warm a little of olive oil and massage it into your scalp. Keep massaging your scalp for 20-30 minutes. This will ensure better absorption. You may steam your hair after that or put hotel towels on your hair just like in hot oil treatments. You can do this at night and wash off on the next day. A regular application of olive oil would kill all the bacteria and get rid of all scalp infections. And, it would promote healthy hair growth. 

You can use 2-3 drops of olive oil to moisturize your hair instead of using a leave-in conditioner. This would not weigh down your hair and keep it healthy and free from split ends.

READ MORE - Olive Oil for Hair Growth

Oil Cleansing Method {DIY}

Hey All!!!

Good to post again. A few days ago I had talked about OIL CLEANSING. Well, let me introduce to you something which I stumbled across a few days ago. I tried it and trust me, its amazing. I do not know how well it removes make up but it makes your skin squeaky clean without drying it. Rather, it leaves your skin smooth and supple. And, your skin glows the next day. You would love yourself.

Procedure:

• Start by keeping everything close to you. You would need a dry wash cloth (not too harsh for your skin), a bottle containing castor oil and olive oil mixed in a proportion suitable to your skin* and running hot water.
• Apply oil generously to your skin and massage the oil into your skin well using firm hands for around 5-10 minutes. It feels relaxing and is soothing for your face muscles. Exercise your cheek bone, jaw bone, nose, chin, forehead and eyes (use ring finger for eyes). The finger movements should be outwards and upwards towards the ear from the chin, cheeks, nose and upper lip area.
• After massaging to your heart's content, soak the wash cloth in hot running water and apply it on to your face. Keep the warmth of wash cloth to the point you can bear. Keep it on until it cools down and then wipe your face nicely with the same wash cloth. 
• Wash and soak the same wash cloth under hot running water for sometime to clean it and saturate it. Again apply it your face, keep till it cools and then, wipe away your face. Repeat this cycle till you feel your skin is clean. 3-4 times should be enough. 
• You can apply moisturizer according to the need of your skin. In place of moisturizer, you can apply a drop of the same oil used to cleanse your face. If it does not feel dry and tight, do not apply anything on to your face. Your face needs to breathe. Go and have a nice sleep.

Next morning, you need not cleanse your face. A wipe with a wash cloth is enough to clean it. Your skin would be glowing. Oil cleansing not only removes grime, dirt and make up from your face, but also, the blackheads and blemishes. This procedure should not be done too frequently. I think 2-3 times is fine in a week. Care should be taken not to scratch the skin.

Go and check it out for yourself. Have a happy cleansing.

* Remember, castor oil is quite thick and can be drying for the skin if used in large quantities. It has cleansing properties but is too strong on skin if used alone. That is why you need another light oil to dilute it. You can also use jojoba oil. For the mixture of oil, you can use 75-25 castor-olive oil combination for normal skin. You can experiment with different proportions till you find the one suiting your face.  The proportion of mixture should be such that for dry skin people, castor oil should be less in proportion like 50-50 or 60-50 and people with oily skin can have 80-20 as the proportion. But, since every skin is different in its needs, you should find out the right one for yourself. It would take trial and error but remember one rule, do not use too much of castor oil. It will dry your skin irrespective of its type.

READ MORE - Oil Cleansing Method {DIY}