Whole Living

September 2011

Who'd have thought that the deepest cleansing for your skin could come from adding ... oil? Here's how to make peace with swapping out the suds.

Your skin-care mission, as you know it, is to maintain a clean, clear, and radiant complexion. Sabotaging you at every turn is Public Enemy No. 1: oil. Or so you thought. Could it be that you have seriously misjudged your opposition?

Many experts are now saying yes, claiming that oil itself -- that greasy, pore-clogging nuisance you're accustomed to battling -- may actually be the missing link to balanced skin. "Oil gently yet effectively removes makeup, dirt, sweat, and excess sebum, the skin's natural oil that keeps it protected and supple," says Jeanette Jacknin, M.D., a San Diego-based holistic dermatologist and author of "Smart Medicine for Your Skin."

"And it does that without irritating sensitive skin. It also maintains the skin's natural level of moisture." Many types of oil -- especially those rich in linoleic acid, such as safflower, grapeseed, and sunflower -- have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties when used topically, say dermatologists who advocate oil's use in cleansing.

The visible result: "Better hydration, quicker healing of acne spots, and plumper skin with fewer fine lines," says New York City aesthetician Andrea DeSimone. If the benefits are this compelling, why has it taken us so long to make peace with oil?