Q: I read that emu oil is effective in cleansing the skin. How does this work and what is the benefit over regular mineral oil?

~Catherine S. – Kokomo, Indiana

A: As the list of emu oil’s benefits and uses continues to grow, manufactures have begun adding it to cleansers. Here’s the scientific reason why:

The atoms in emu oil (the solvent) are held together by covalent bonds. Now, if the solute is greasy makeup or skin oils (aka sebum), it also consists of atoms that are hooked together with covalent bonds. So that means that emu oil is similar enough to dissolve all the gunk on your face. On the other hand, mineral oil or liquid petrolatum is a by-product in the distillation of petroleum to produce gasoline.

There you have it – another authoritative source touting the wonderful benefits of emu oil.

What do you think? Have you ever tried oil cleansing?