Is cleansing oil good for dry skin?

What makes a cleanser good for dry skin?

Washing removes makeup, sunscreen, dirt and excess oil. But washing too much can remove the skin's protective oil film, allowing more water to escape and leaving skin excessively dry. A suitable cleanser removes what needs removing without adding irritation. Cleansers contain surfactants, cleaning ingredients that loosen oil and dirt and let water wash them away. Their formula affects how they feel and how easily they rinse off.3

Look for a hydrating facial cleanser made for dry skin and labelled fragrance free. Pick a cleanser for its suitability for dry skin, because oil on the bottle is not a skincare qualification. Unscented is not the same as fragrance free: a product can contain fragrance to cover other smells even when you cannot smell it.14

If skincare often burns when you apply it, a creamy facial cleanser labelled soap free and fragrance free is a sensible alternative. A creamy cleanser is a valid choice for sensitive skin, so the bathroom does not need to hold an election between textures. Ordinary soap is alkaline and can irritate sensitive skin; synthetic detergent cleansers generally cause less dryness than soap.13

How should you wash dry skin?

These are general dry skin washing steps, rather than directions for a particular cleansing oil.

1. 1Follow your cleansing oil's directions for the amount and application method. Use clean hands.
2. 2Massage gently. Avoid rubbing hard, scrubbing or trying to polish away flakes.
3. 3Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water rather than hot water.
4. 4Pat your face dry with a clean towel, leaving skin slightly damp. Apply moisturizer within five minutes of washing.

Daily gentle cleansing removes the buildup on your face, including at bedtime. Avoid repeatedly washing to chase a tighter or more thoroughly stripped feeling. Tightness and flaking are signs of dry skin, while stinging during or just after cleansing is a sign of sensitivity. Treat those sensations as reasons to reconsider the cleanser or washing routine, not as evidence of a better clean.3

Does cleansing oil replace moisturizer?

Keep a separate moisturizer in your routine. Emollients, another name for moisturizers, coat the skin's outer layer and reduce water loss. Many can also serve as soap substitutes, but that does not make every cosmetic cleansing oil interchangeable with an emollient. A cleanser and a moisturizer have separate jobs, even if the cleanser's name sounds keen on a promotion.26

Moisturize dry skin throughout the day as needed, not just after the evening wash. Greasier emollients generally give the strongest emollient effect, although a less oily preparation can be more practical on the face or during the day. For diagnosed nummular eczema, which causes patches of eczema, choose a fragrance free cream or ointment and mild cleansing products made for dry skin.47

When should you change course?

Oil based double cleansing can trigger breakouts in some people, especially those with oily skin. Cleansers can also cause irritation or allergy. Stop using a cleanser that causes redness, itching or swelling. If you use acne treatments, be cautious about adding an acne cleanser: combining treatments can cause excessive dryness and irritation.35

See a healthcare professional if dryness is not improving, looks wet and red, remains pink, or causes itching that interferes with daily life. Persistent dryness can need treatment beyond a different cleanser.6