How a Clean-Beauty Brand Solved the “Can’t Wash This Oil Out” Problem for Customers

How a small clean-beauty label learned customers were abandoning thick oil rituals
When Luma Botanicals launched a thick, castor-forward hair and lash oil two years ago, early fans loved the results. Within three months their 25-45 customer base - people who prioritize natural ingredients, low-toxicity labels, and DIY hair care - reported stronger lashes, shinier hair, and softer skin. Then complaints started arriving: the oil felt impossible to wash out. Customers were spending an extra 8-15 minutes in the shower, using multiple shampoos, and in some cases avoiding the product entirely because the rinse routine was miserable.

The brand was young - $350K clinicspots https://www.clinicspots.com/blog/create-your-own-castor-oil-packs-for-detox-and-pain-relief in first-year revenue, a direct-to-consumer model, and a social audience that trusted ingredient lists. Losing trust meant losing repeat buyers. Luma’s team decided to treat the washout issue like a product design problem rather than a customer compliance problem. They set up a consumer trial, measured the pain points, and ran a focused redesign and education campaign. What followed was a clear roadmap any clean-beauty brand or user can copy.
The Washing Out Problem: Why standard rinsing and formulations failed
Customers described the pain precisely: “I use castor oil for lashes and it stays behind like a film,” “My hair feels greasy even after shampoo,” “I’ve had to shampoo twice and that strips my moisture.” Those anecdotes matched measurable issues collected in a 240-person consumer test Luma ran.
Baseline average rinse time to remove residual oil: 12 minutes (range 6-22 min) Average shower water used per wash: 38 liters extra for excess rinsing Return rate in first month after purchase: 12% citing “hard to wash out” Customer satisfaction score (1-10) about rinse experience: 4.7
Technically, the problem had three overlapping causes. First, many carrier oils used for growth (castor oil, unrefined avocado, jojoba mixes) are viscous and hydrophobic - they repel water. Second, customers often used standard sulfate-free shampoos that are mild but not optimized for heavy oil removal. Third, product education was absent: users didn’t know that emulsifying and pre-rinsing techniques cut rinse time dramatically. The result: a product that performed well on growth metrics but failed on ritual usability.
A water-emulsion and mild-surfactant approach: reformulating plus teaching better technique
Instead of simply reformulating to a lighter oil and losing the growth benefits, Luma took a two-track strategy: improve the oil’s rinsability with minimal compromise on natural credentials, and teach customers a short, precise emulsion-based wash technique.

The formulation changes included:
Lowering overall viscosity by shifting from 80% castor oil to a balanced 45% castor/35% fractionated coconut oil/15% jojoba mix - cut base viscosity by about 48%. Introducing 5% natural emulsifiers where acceptable: sunflower lecithin for topical stability and easier water interaction. Adding 3% glycerin and 2% vegetable-derived surfactant boosters (decyl glucoside) in rinse-off rinse formulations, kept in separate “cleansing primer” product to retain pure oil label for leave-on use.
The technique changes taught to customers were specific and short. Key points: warm water to loosen oil, pre-wet hair/skin, use a pea-size of a mild surfactant-based cleanser on palms to emulsify oil before contacting water, and emulsify for 45-90 seconds before rinsing. Lashes require an even more controlled approach - a cotton swab with a gentle micellar or oil-friendly cleanser to dissolve residue, not vigorous scrubbing.
Implementing the washout protocol: a 60-day product and education timeline
Luma rolled the changes out in a phased 60-day plan with clear milestones. That timeline proved practical for small brands and instructive for DIY users who want to test outcomes.
Days 0-10: Customer research and baseline testing - Recruited 240 testers, logged rinse times, measured user satisfaction, photographed residue on hair and lashes, and measured water consumption estimates. Days 11-25: Formulation adjustments and safety checks - Reformulated oil blends and created a rinse-off “cleansing primer” sample. Ran small stability and irritation tests (48-hour patch tests on 30 participants). Days 26-40: Technique development and content creation - Developed a 90-second emulsion routine, created short videos, step-by-step graphics, and in-pack instruction cards. Built FAQ addressing eyelid safety and lash removal. Days 41-50: Small pilot run - Sent updated oil + primer + education packet to the original testers (n=240) with clear instructions and measurement forms. Days 51-60: Collect data and refine - Aggregated rinse times, water use, satisfaction, and hair/lash performance. Tweaked messaging based on user confusion points. How customers were asked to test
Each tester followed a fixed sequence: apply product at night as directed; in the morning, pre-wet hair/skin, add 1-2 pumps of the cleansing primer to palms, rub to emulsify oil into a milky texture, massage for 45-90 seconds, rinse. For lashes, use a cotton swab dipped in primer and sweep once across the lash line, rinse. Testers logged rinse time, number of shampoo passes, and perceived residue.
From 12- to 3-minute rinse times and measurable hair and lash outcomes
The numbers after 60 days were unambiguous. The combined reformulation plus education approach delivered measurable improvements for both usability and product performance.
Metric Baseline After 60-day Protocol Change Average rinse time 12 minutes 3 minutes -75% Average extra water used per wash 38 liters 9.5 liters -75% Return rate citing “hard to wash out” 12% 2% -10 percentage points Customer satisfaction (1-10) 4.7 8.6 +3.9 Measured hair moisture (corneometer-style) baseline +18% average increase +18% Lash retention (6-week follow-up) baseline +15% retention vs baseline +15%
Practical outcomes mattered. Testers needed one rinse and one mild shampoo pass 82% of the time after the protocol, versus 0% at baseline. Complaints fell sharply, and repurchase intent climbed from 56% to 84% among trial participants. Importantly, the growth and moisturizing outcomes that made users buy the product in the first place stayed intact. Users who followed the protocol reported no loss of the oil’s benefits; many reported less breakage and better softness because they no longer over-shampooed.
3 critical washout lessons every clean-beauty user and small brand should learn
Lesson 1: Product efficacy and ritual usability must both be designed. A formula that works but creates a burdensome ritual will fail with real customers. Design for finishing the ritual in 3-4 minutes, not 12-15 minutes.

Lesson 2: Emulsification beats brute force. Heating and agitation are helpful, but creating an emulsion - transitioning oil into a water-dispersible form through a gentle surfactant or lecithin - slashes time and water use. Teaching users to emulsify for under 90 seconds is more effective than advising “use more shampoo.”

Lesson 3: Small formulation tweaks reduce the need for harsh surfactants. Cutting viscosity, using fractionated oils, and adding tiny amounts of skin-friendly emulsifiers can reduce rinse times by half or more without sacrificing natural claims. If a brand wants to keep a pure oil leave-on product, pairing it with a tiny, mild rinse primer is an elegant compromise.
How you can replicate this at home or in your brand
Whether you’re a DIY enthusiast who enjoys eyelash oils or a small brand selling growth serums, you can apply the protocol below. I’ll give both a consumer routine and a brand-level checklist so you can choose what fits your values.
For users: a 90-second rinse routine Pre-wet hair or the lash area with warm water (not hot). Heat loosens oil. Dispense a pea-size to dime-size amount of a mild cleanser (decyl glucoside or micellar balm) into palms. If you prefer 100% oil-only products, use a few drops of liquid castile soap - but be gentler with lashes. Rub palms to create some lather, then press into the oily area and actively rub for 45-90 seconds. You should see the oil turn milky - that’s the emulsion forming. Rinse thoroughly once with warm water. If residue persists, repeat the 30-45 second emulsification and rinse. Finish with a short cool rinse to smooth the cuticle. For lashes, use a cotton swab with the cleanser, sweep once across the lash line, then rinse eyes carefully. Avoid scrubbing or tugging lashes. For brands: a practical checklist Measure baseline rinse time and returns related to washability. Test small viscosity reductions - e.g., replace 35% of castor with fractionated coconut oil and measure rinse times. Try 3-5% natural emulsifiers like sunflower lecithin in a leave-on formula or create a paired rinse primer with 2-5% decyl glucoside. Create clear, visual instructions: 90-second emulsion, single rinse, one mild shampoo if needed. Run a controlled user test of at least 100 participants to capture rinse time, water use, product satisfaction, and objective hair/lash metrics. Report results publicly to rebuild trust if you had negative feedback earlier. Thought experiments to test your assumptions
Imagine two customers, A and B, both using the same lash oil nightly for six weeks. A follows the 90-second emulsion routine; B rinses under running water immediately. A spends 3 minutes total and reports no residue. B spends 12 minutes, double-shampoos, and sees more breakage from over-washing. Who is more likely to continue buying the product? Which experience is more likely to be shared on social? The answers are obvious: designing for the short, effective ritual wins loyalty.

Another thought experiment: a small brand can either reformulate to lighten oil and risk weaker efficacy, or keep the original formula and invest in a paired rinse product plus education. Which choice scales faster with limited inventory and marketing budget? For most small labels, a paired rinse primer plus clear instructions delivers better short-term economics and reduces returns faster than chasing a perfect single formula.

Fixing a “can’t wash this oil out” problem is not glamorous. It is, however, fundamental. When you design with both chemistry and human behavior in mind, you turn an irritation into a competitive advantage: a ritual that feels efficient and rewarding. That’s what keeps people buying, recommending, and coming back for more.