DHC Cleansing Oil

At first glance, "Cleansing Oil" sounds like an oxymoron. How can an oil clean your skin? Won't it leave it greasier than when you started?

Not so with DHC Deep Cleansing Oil, which melted my makeup and left my skin baby soft and super fresh.

Deep Cleansing Oil is DHC's most popular product. I did a little research online and found dozens of women raving about this product. Although I've tried cleansing oils before, I'd never tried any DHC products, so I was excited to see what all the fuss was about.

After a long day of running around town in Indian Summer heat, I came home to demo this new face wash and makeup remover. I applied the oil with dry hands to dry skin. It smelled, looked and felt like Olive Oil, but once I rinsed it from my skin with warm water, it foamed a little and the scent became fresher. My mascara melted off, as did my tinted moisturizer, and my skin felt clean and refreshed without feeling tight and "squeaky" the way some cheaper, detergent cleansers can leave my skin right after washing. I put on a new face of makeup for the evening, and I found my skin felt super smooth and fresh.

Four hours later, I came home to see that my skin wasn't oily, and a few areas that had been irritated and threatening to break out that morning had chilled out. In just a few hours, I could see a visible improvement. I used the product again before bed, and woke up this morning with shrunken pores and smooth, blemish-free skin.

Checking out the ingredients, it makes sense that this product worked so well for my sometimes testy and sensitive skin. I removed all harsh detergents from my skin and hair care regimen several years ago. Read the back of your favorite cleanser; chances are you'll find a Sodium Lauryl Sulfate or some derivative of it. SLS is a controversial ingredient used in most cleansers that lather. It's a drying agent not designed for your largest and most delicate organ: your skin. Over-cleansing your skin with harsh detergents can actually worsen acne by irritating the skin and encouraging over production of oil. Switching to a more natural and gentle cleanser like this one could clear up acne or excessive dry skin.

DHC suggests washing with a gentle cleanser after using this product, but I didn't find it necessary. I think I would follow up with a gentle exfoliant 3-4 times a week. Full disclosure: I'm in my 20s with sensitive-dry skin, but here's a review from Elisa of the beauty blog 40 is the New 25 to give you another perspective.

The verdict? Upon testing DHC Deep Cleansing Oil, I found my skin clean and fresh without being stripped of essential moisture. Bonus: we've got plenty of DHC coupons so you can try it yourself!

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