Oil Cleansing Method

[Dana]

There is a thread on this on the LHC, but I thought I'd start one here :whoohoo:

I am new to the OCM, and am looking for pointers, tips, etc, on how to do this successfully!

I have combination skin, and I've heard that one oil is good for moisturizing and another is good for cleansing, but I forget what they are! With combination skin, would it be recommended to mix 2 versions, one for my dry cheeks, and the other for my more oily T-zone?

[Wind]

I believe that castor oil is more cleansing, and EVOO is more moisturizing. Hopefully someone with more knowledge will verify that. I've been doing OCM off and on for a few months. I use a mix of castor oil and EVOO, about 75/25, since I have oilier, teenage skin. It's a little too rich to use every day, but I try to get one in once a week.

[getoffmyskittle]

Original Article - The Oil Cleansing Method (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=5612)

[Stephanie]

Since originally posting the article a few years ago, I've begun using high oleic sunflower oil in place of the EVOO. EVOO is still a great oil to use for this, but I wanted the fragrance of my essential oils to come through without interference. I also prefer the texture of sunflower.

My ratio is 75% Sunflower to 25% Castor and I find that using it every other day is perfect to keep my combo/T-zone balanced. However, I always moisturize with my serum afterwards, too. On off days, I wash lightly with my own hand-processed goatsmilk "castille." If I do more with the OCM, I get horrible dry patches.

FWIW, my suggestion is to make a mix of cleansing oils that best suit your driest parts and the chances that your oiliest parts will balance out is high. Castor oil is highly cleansing, so that will be your lesser oil. My suggestion is to start out with a 25/75 ratio and go from there. Your skin shouldn't be screaming for moisture afterwards, so if it is, definitely go for a different ratio. If it's just a little bit dry in some areas, just apply a drop of your moisturizing oil (you can even apply a bit of the cleansing mixture) to the patches.

I'm happy to get this topic going again! YAY! :happy:

[Stephanie]

Original Article - The Oil Cleansing Method (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/showthread.php?t=5612)
Actually, the original is from this site, but that's the best discussion on it so far.

Here is the article here at The Beauty Bottle. (http://www.thebeautybottle.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=6&Itemid=2)

[LadyofShalott]

Hey! (I just found this site from LHC) Anyways. . .

I have combination skin too and I have found that this works:

Taking coconut oil and rubbing it in. Wait for 2 minutes or so and then rub my normal mix of castor/grapeseed/olive in. It has helped my oily skin a lot! And the flaking is starting to go away! I love OCM!!!

[Stephanie]

I love that it's working for you! :happy: And welcome to TBB!

I'm curious - are you using refined coconut oil or virgin?

[LadyofShalott]

I'm using refined coconut oil. (the jar said it could be used for skin- which made me pick it up) Is virgin better? Also Stephanie- what essential oils do you mix in?

[Stephanie]

Either would probably be fine, but my preference is virgin because it's more moisturizing (and it smells awesome LOL). RBD coconut oil is fine to use, but I like the virgin because it's more luxurious to me. :p Well, that and RBD makes my skin itch something fierce, but that's in leave-on products, not products that will be rinsed off.

My favorite is rose and I'm a huge believer that rose oil will fix all. It's quite an obsession I have. :lol: I also like to mix in some lavender. :)

[Dana]

Wow, I don't visit for a couple of days, and this thread is rocking! :D

Thanks for the original article links! I'll troll through those before trying anything else.

The coconut oil sounds interesting!! Would similar results be noticed from coconut milk?? YUM. I'd eat my facial treatment :P

[Stephanie]

RAWR! I love coconut milk. And VCO. I just love that natural coconut fragrance. Mmmmm... :drool:

[LadyofShalott]

The virgin coconut oil really smells like coconut? Mmmm. I am going to put it on my shopping list. Also the rose oil- does it actually smell like roses? Is it a strong smell? When you add EOs to your mix, how much do you put in?

Is anyone else using any EOs? Which ones and why (what do they do)?

I've recently started getting some pimples (could be because my period is coming up) and am thinking about perhaps trying tea tree oil. Anyone have advice on it? I am fairly new to using EOs on my skin.

[Wind]

Has anyone tried Shea Butter in their OCM? It's just a solidified oil, like coconut, so it should work, right? I got a little tub of it from Moonchaser, and I'm trying to think of more ways to use it, other than just my hair. :grinhappy:

[curls2grow]

Has anyone had success doing OCM using DHC Deep Cleansing Oil?

[wonderlywroughte]

Wind, I've never tried shea butter to OCM...I bet it would work! I might have to give it a try too.

[getoffmyskittle]

I thought that here would be a good place to mention that I've been OCM-ing on and off for about the last year or so. I've found that it doesn't do much for my skin when I'm all clear (except make it oily-looking), but after a breakout, it really helps fade those hyperpigmentation scars that some (darker-skinned?) people seem to get. :) Yay Steph!

It also diminishes the appearance of but does not get rid of comedonal acne... :grim: Still trying to figure out what works on those buggers, besides squeezing them out when they're ready.

ETA: I use almond oil and castor oil in my OCM, but I've tried EVOO + almond and EVOO + castor with pretty much the same effects.

[CurlyBrunette]

I use OCM once a week sometimes once every two weeks just because I am lazy. When I do use it I mix castor oil with some olive oil. My skin is combination with a very oily t-zone and it works great when I have pimples. I have to remember or try to use it more and not be so lazy because it is better for my skin.

[kimberlily]

Steph, what is the benefit in the sunflower oil instead of olive or coconut?

I tried OCM for about 6 weeks over the winter, and wasn't thrilled, but I was very stressed at the time and not eating or sleeping well. I'm going to give it another try. I am not nuts about the olive oil on my skin since I found it really hard to get it all off, so I'm going to try it with my jojoba/coconut blend that I use for a leave-in on my hair, and just add some castor to that.

I have combination skin that is very prone to blackheads, and I'm hoping that with OCM I can banish the blackheads. I battled cystic acne until about 18 months ago, but the blackheads just don't want to go away.

[SpiralingWaves]

Has anyone had success doing OCM using DHC Deep Cleansing Oil?

Curls2grow, do you mean using just the DHC Deep Cleansing Oil, skip the soap? I've done that a few times, however not consistantly, just when I was too lazy to follow up the soap. It seemed to work well. Their Cleansing Oil is great. It just washes right off.:happy:

[Sian100]

I've been using the OCM for six months now. I found that castor oil was too heavy. Olive oil was okay. I'm actually just using normal cooking oil at the minute, and that works fine too.

[curls2grow]

Curls2grow, do you mean using just the DHC Deep Cleansing Oil, skip the soap? I've done that a few times, however not consistantly, just when I was too lazy to follow up the soap. It seemed to work well. Their Cleansing Oil is great. It just washes right off.:happy: Yup, that's what I meant -- just the oil not followed by soap. I don't want to add any more steps at night than I have to -- I'm too lazy when I'm not tired! :lafhard: I got a sample of the Cleansing Oil and I will give it a try soon. I'm thinking if I do buy it I will go for the smaller size to make sure. Thanks for the reply, SpiralingWaves. :flower:

[Ally]

Has anyone else tried OCM-ing after using a clay mask? I actually find that I get waaay more dirt out that way.

[kimberlily]

Hmm, I'll have to try that, Ally!

[unaspenser]

I liked the OCM with EVOO, though it was almost too drying for my skin. What can I use to get just a wee bit more moisture?

Ally, I was thinking about doing OCM then clay mask! I wonder which order works better. I'd think in concert they'd be wonderful (and thinking about it, OCM after clay does make more sense...)

[Ally]

I've always done it after, since the mask is supposed to clean, but it's also really drying, and OCM-ing tends to moisturize.

[Rosepetal]

I like to use the La Vitton (http://lavitton.com/) cleansing oils, when I don't make my own. They are quick, water-soluable, and easy to use.

When I make my own, I use EVOO/Castor Oil in 75%/25%.

[curls2grow]

RosePetal -- thanks for mentioning La Vitton and linking to the website. I am now going to consider the La Vitton vs. DHC cleansing oils when I take the plunge.

[SunCat]

I use a mixture of jojoba oil and grapeseed oil 75% jojoba and 25% grapeseed. I like the cleansing properties of jojoba and the moisturizing properties of grapessed oil. I do a modified version of OCM I wash my face first with Chagrin Valley Soap and rinse well with warm water. While my face is still damp apply my oil, work that in well, then wipe of with a warm damp facial cloth.

I use the soap to remove my mineral makeup and mascara as I don't like applying oil to my eyelids. Anything you apply to your eyes, especially the lids is absorbed by them and can get into your eyes. I do use the oil around and under my eyes.

[KeenKitty]

I have been trying Castor oil and Jojoba oil 50/50 AND I have to say I really love it so far. I found hardened sebum coming out of my nose and my cheeks! Which i think is good!

My face looks clearer is softer and is less red, it doesn't itch and it is really relaxing to do while I am sitting on my couch with my kitties.

~Keen

[Elerxia]

I love to hear about all the different OCM's everyone uses, and as someone who hasn't been using it all that long, I'm still experimenting.

How often does everyone do their OCMs? Daily? Twice daily? I was doing mine twice, like my old cleansing routine, but then I though maybe it was too much! Thoughts?

[curls2grow]

I just do OCM at the end of the day -- it's been great for removing all of my makeup thoroughly. I ended up buying the La Vitton cleansing oil, and I'm very pleased with it.

[VickieVixie]

Has anyone had success doing OCM using DHC Deep Cleansing Oil?

I used to be a devoted fan of DHC's Deep Cleansing Oil, and had great results from it. But I got scared and stopped using it when the taiwanese beauty scene started boycotting the use of oil as makeup remover for oily skin :depressed:

EVOO works JUST LIKE DHC!! And it's much cheaper. It is harder to remove than DHC's, but it's more natural and works so much better. I also found that it is much less drying than DHC, without the emulsifiers.

I've discovered that if you really take the time to massage it over areas with clogged pores, it actually cleans out blackheads!! You can actually feel the little suckers on your fingertips! And everytime after I use the OCM my face just glows and feels soooooo smooth.

[Elyce]

I was introduced to olive oil cleansing in college, back in the late 70's. So glad Stephanie has brought the OCM to the next generation!

For me, EVOO, castor, and coconut oil are too heavy. My favorite is Walnut oil. It has a nice light natural scent and pale golden color, smoothes on easily, not sticky, cleanses really well, moisturizes without leaving me oily, and my skin positively GLOWS afterward.

Walnut oil has tannins, linoleic acid, cinnamic acid, lecithin, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, and Omega 3 fatty acid. (At least according to a few Internet sources I have checked--I'm no expert.)

Not sure why, but it works the best for me. I wear mineral make up, which blends into your skin so well it can be difficult to remove. After Walnut oil cleansing, I have tried going over my skin with a cotton pad soaked in toner or witch-hazel; not even a trace of minerals remains.

I learned long ago that if I pour out a handful, it is always too much, somehow I never could get the amount just right (pouring challenged??), and had a few stained tops to show for it :( Now I keep it in a pump bottle by the sink, which works much better :)

[SunCat]

Olive oil cleansing was popular in the 70's. My mother used it and she had great skin but I never tried it. I will have to try some walnut oil, I have used hazelnut oil which is lighter and great for oiler skin and liked it really well and used it all and decided to try something else. I found the grapeseed oil was causing me to break out in a red itchy rash so I stopped using that. Been using straight jojoba oil. I will probably go back to the hazelnut oil and give the walnut oil a try as well.

[KeenKitty]

I have been using 30% Castor oil, 35%EVOO, 20% Jojoba Oil and EO of Lavendar. I massage my face really well, jump in the steamy shower, massage it with water, add a spot of Liquid Castile Soap (with almond essential oil) and rinse it all off. Then I use Netrogena 2% Bezoyl with a squirt of rosewater on my face. For the first time my face is clear, less blotchy and looks younger...which the fact that I am 29 and look 15 BEFORE means now I look like 13...

My husband said i have a glow but that its eery how young I look now with longer shiney hair and glowing skin with no pores!

LOL

[Elyce]

Way to go, KeenKitty! Sounds like you have found the right recipe. Now when they turn you away from an R rated movie, then you may have to worry :)

[Carolyn]

I'm reading this with great interest. I've tried OCM twice before with less than stellar results. Both times I ended up with hard un-popable cystic zits on my chin and jaw line that took months to go away. I'm wondering now if my choice of oils was the culprit. I used castor oil, olive oil and grapeseed oils. I mixed them but never kept track of the proportions. I have a VERY OIL T-zone and lots of chin and nose blackheads. I am prone to waking up in the morning to huge pus filled goodies around and on my nose. I'd really like to find something that would lessen these problems. I was under the impression that OCM was about oils fighting oils. Can someone suggest a combo of oils that would deeply clean my pores but not cause the cystic zits? I have a couple of the CV face bars so I can cleanse with them first. I've been using Serious Skin Care's Glycolic Cleanser with good results for several years. I've paid off my HSN charge account and am hoping to avoid using it. Yeah right. But I am now halfway done with my last pump bottle of the Glycolic Cleanser and would like to find something else. I've tried Clinique, Estee Lauder and Prescriptives department store cleansers. I hated the Clinique and Estee Lauder ones and the Prescriptives was only so-so. Has anyone tried keeping the oil on just certain parts of their face? I could try to keep it off my chin and jaw line. Any suggestions would be very welcome.

[eiyela]

Carolyn, I've had problems with grapeseed oil too. The smell is awful, and it gave me a huge breakout after just a couple of days.

I would suggest using lighter oils, such as apricot seed, jojoba, hazelnut, hemp seed (maybe mixed with something else), peach kernel, wheat germ (maybe mixed with something else) or walnut oil. I've listed all the ones I can think of right now, so there's plenty to choose from.

Make sure you're OK with the smell too, becuase lavender EO can't fix everything.:lafhard: That or tea tree oil is very good to put in a mix for acne prone skin, by the way.

Some people have great success with coconut oil too, though that's a bit heavier. I like it because it glides onto my skin very well, but I get a pimple or two if I'm not careful enough removing it.

[Carolyn]

Carolyn, I've had problems with grapeseed oil too. The smell is awful, and it gave me a huge breakout after just a couple of days.

I would suggest using lighter oils, such as apricot seed, jojoba, hazelnut, hemp seed (maybe mixed with something else), peach kernel, wheat germ (maybe mixed with something else) or walnut oil. I've listed all the ones I can think of right now, so there's plenty to choose from.

Make sure you're OK with the smell too, becuase lavender EO can't fix everything.:lafhard: That or tea tree oil is very good to put in a mix for acne prone skin, by the way.

Some people have great success with coconut oil too, though that's a bit heavier. I like it because it glides onto my skin very well, but I get a pimple or two if I'm not careful enough removing it. Thanks Eiyela! I have jojoba, monoi and sweet almond oil right now. I also have olive oils and coconut oil. I think coconut would be too heavy for my face. If I have time I'll see if I can get to the health food store today. They might have something. Tea Tree is a great idea. Thanks!

[SunCat]

I am glad to know that I am not the only one that has had problems using grapeseed oil. I know it has wonderful properties to it which is one of the reasons I chose it.

The last few days I have been using a mixture of virgin coconut oil and jojoba oil and that has worked very well. I am getting ready for another Mountain Rose Herbs order so I will be getting some other oils to try.

[Aninha]

I know this thread has probably been inactive for awhile but I didn't want to start a whole new thread just for one simple question.

How often are you supposed to do the OCM? I know every day is probably excessive but once a week seems like it may not be enough.

Also, at what point during your day do you do it? Is it okay to do it right before bed? What about right when you wake up?

[Carolyn]

How often are you supposed to do the OCM? I know every day is probably excessive but once a week seems like it may not be enough.

Also, at what point during your day do you do it? Is it okay to do it right before bed? What about right when you wake up?I do OCM daily. I use it to remove my make up in the evening. I like to get ready for bed right after dinner so that's when I do it. In the morning I do either OCM or WO with a hot rough washcloth for exfoliation. I rarely use my commercail cosmetic cleansers anymore.

[Miss Murphy]

I do it like Carolyn - I OCM in the evening, to take my make-up off. Then I moisturise with oil, and go to bed.
In the morning I do WO, as that's enough. But it's probably a learning curve, as each skin is different.

[Regina]

Hi! I found this forum through LHC.
I've really been enjoying learning and experimenting to find the best ways to care for my waistlength (and growing) hair, and I'm on the same venture with my skincare routine. I'm mainly looking to anihilate th blackheads on my nose, reduce the occasional breakouts and keep my skin moisturized...it dries out easily and is sensitive.

My interest has really skyrocketed over this method, and I just tried a mix of 1 teaspoon evoo, 1/2 teaspoon of jojoba oil, and 2 drops of tea tree oil.

The negative reports about grapeseed oil were interesting...I was thinking of trying it but now I'm more hesitant.

My skin feels fine, not at all tight, but some spots feel like they need a little more help. I think next time I'll forego the steaming and see if there's a difference. I plan on trying sweet almond oil as well, and perhaps hemp seed oil.

I've been wanting to try rosehip oil as a moisturizer by itself, and look forward to picking some up soon.

Before trying this I was using a no-rinse cleanser for "intolerant skin" by Avene. It's fine as far as gentleness but it doesn't cleanse well and I'm commited to switching to all natural things products.

I also use chagrin valley soaps on my face occasionally (if I use them regularly, my skin gets very dry, and I've tried tons of those soaps), and I used to use fuller's earth on my face twice a day to cleanse, which I liked but I never tried to take note of whether or not it really took everything off. I was using the version by Fresh too, and now I have the one from mountain rose herbs, and that one seems more potent and I can't use it twice a day like I could with the Fresh...so either Fresh refined their clay somehow and it lost some of it's properties, or I've had it too long (a couple of years, but doesn't clay last longer than that?)

[justgreen]

I'm like Carolyn, in that I don't use commercial products any longer. I don't OCM enough, but when I do, WOW.

I use a mixture of 1/4 caster, 1/4 jojoba and 1/2 grapeseed. I like the grapeseed. I try not to use much caster because it is quite cleansing.

I use cold water and a washcloth almost every day, that's it. Sometimes in the shower I might use Dove, but rarely.

When I was in the ER last week, nobody believed I was old enough to have a 30 year old daughter. I have good skin for a 51 year old, but I still have small acne flares, with the blackhead problem on my nose and chin.

[Smokie]

Hrm... I have a question also...

I am often complimented on my skin as I'm one of those lucky ones with no acne. I had combination skin through puberty and would break out occasionally through high school. The break outs were primarily caused by the very heavy oil based make up we use in theatre and the heavy detergents I had to use to remove them. I also hadn't yet learned that I break out if I don't moisturize my face (like a protective barrier or something, not sure what the deal is there).

Now, my skin is very dry. I wash with this Neutrogena stuff designed for people with very bad acne because it makes my skin all tingly and it's excellent for exfoliating. Seems if I don't exfoliate almost daily (generally with my facewash) I wind up with awful flaky skin and the occasional breakout on my chin.

So here's the question. I'd like to try OCM, but it seems everyone who loves it has such oily skin and I haven't the faintest idea of what to do. Should I perhaps try brown sugar scrubs on my face and then do the OCM? Would it be moisturizing enough for me? Which oils should I use? I'm so confused...

[Regina]

Smokie, my skin leans dries out really easily and is also prone to acne every so often. I'd like the oils I use to deeply moisturize and also help fight any breakouts and blackheads. The fact that you exfoliate your skin everyday could be irritating it more, and I bet the Neutrogena cleanser you are using is too harsh, making your dryness come back over and over. I think OCM could really benefit you because it's like a cleanser and moisturizer in one. Less is more for your skin. A brown sugar scrub may be too rough for regular use. Perhaps before the first time you try OCM, exfoliate with a light hand and then after starting OCM, see if you can cut down on exfoliation to twice a week...as you find a combination of oils that work for you, you may feel that the need to exfoliate isn't as great. When you find the right routine your dryness and breakouts will be lessened.

Based on what I've read here it can take a good deal of experimentation to find the right combination of oils for you...a lot of people use castor oil since it cleanses well, but in my experience I have found that other oils do a fine job on their own. Tonight I'm gonna try a combo of evoo, sweet almond and a couple drops of tea tree oil. Tea tree is good for breakouts if that is indeed a concern for you, but you only need a couple drops, it's very strong.

For dry skin, extra virgin olive oil is very nice (remember that the richer and darker the color, the more of its natural beneficial properties it still has. This goes for other oils too, so choose carefully.). Jojoba oil, hemp seed oil and others have a lot of benefits. Rosehip oil is said to be a miracle worker for dry skin, and it doesn't take a lot of it at all. I just ordered some and I look forward to trying it. I'm under the impression though that it shouldn't be used in OCM, but as a leave on moisturizer.

Mountainroseherbs.com provides comprehensive information about some of the carrier oils they have, that might be a good place to start besides poking around on the forum. It's a nice place to shop too...they have a big selection of high quality, organic items, a flexible return policy, and their pricing is really good for many things...

For example, Wholefoods (a healthfood store in my area) charges around $13.00 for 0.3 oz of rosehip oil, while mountainrose charges around $9.00 for 4.0 oz.! Incredible difference.

Good luck at report back on how things progress if you decide to try it! I like the idea of having a personal magic combo of oils bottled to meet all of my skin's needs.

[Smokie]

Regina,
Thanks so much for the response. I did decide to make an attempt just before my shower and my skin feels pretty decent at the moment. I'm not sure what my proportions wound up being as my measuring spoons were covered in fenugreek powder and I didn't feel like washing them yet as they'd be going right back in the fenugreek soon after my shower.

I used a smallish puddle of castor oil, then added about ten squirty-drops each of jojoba, wheatgerm, and sweet almond oil. Then I added a dribble of evoo (we keep it in a big bottle with a liquor pouring spout thing on it) and three or four drops of lavender EO and stuck the bowl in the microwave for about 20 seconds (10, checked temp, then 10 again to make it warm but not boiling). I also got a hand towel soaking wet, dropped it in a big bowl, and microwaved that until steaming.

Next, I rubbed the oils all over my face. Thickly. Using my fingers to scrub for a few minutes and paying special attention to the areas that normally wind up flaky. Then I sat around with the hot damp towel on my face for a few more minutes and made with the wiping. My face actually still felt a bit oily when I hopped in the shower, so I used the hand towel in there as well to scrub a bit more.

By the time I was finished with my shower (there were hair experiments involved in the shower too) I'd forgotten what I'd done to my face and used my normal neutrogena moisturizer. All in all, my face feels alright at the moment. Very smooth and I don't feel like I need to exfoliate.

Any time I've tried going without serious exfoliation for any length of time I've wound up with awful flaky skin. Also, the breakouts are really under control lately. I might get a blemish or two if I'm horrendously stressed or haven't been taking care of myself, but it seems I only break out if I let myself run out of moisturizer and just do without for more than a day.

And yeah, I've been thinking for awhile that my face wash is too harsh. I'm just in love with the tingly feeling and the little scrubby things in it. Hehe. I'll keep playing with different mixes and remember to use one of my oils as the moisturizer for a while and see how it goes. Maybe I'll get some peppermint oil so I can have my tingly feeling back too.

[Regina]

Yes, I was about to suggest some peppermint oil, mmm! I love tingly feelings like that so I think I'm gonna try it too, especially when hotter months roll around.

Sorry about unloading all this information about oils that you already knew about and had :) If you ever want to make a scrub with the oils, add some dead sea salt, or sugar even.

[justgreen]

Be very careful with the Peppermint EO. One drop in your handful of oils is more than enough to leave you with that tingly feeling.

Next time you do OCM, try doing it before bedtime and not wiping that extra oil off, just go to bed. You can put a towel on your pillow if afraid of getting oil on it. You might just be surprised at how much will soak in while you sleep and it might help heal those flakies.

[Smokie]

Thanks for the heads up, Justy. My skin can be a bit sensitive, so I've taken to being very cautious with the amount of EOs I use in anything that may touch my skin.

I'll definitely give the "before bed" method a try. Perhaps tomorrow. My skin feels quite nice right now. :)

[atlantaz3]

I try to OCM every night - it really does keep my face soft and moisturized. I skipped last night and woke up with flakies this morning - note to self stop being lazy! I'm using a 50/50 oo and co but I don't really like the smell of olive oil. I bought grapeseed oil for hair oiling, but after reading this thread wondering about the person that broke out putting in the ocm. I haven't been able to find coconut oil and frankly I like the smell of coconut less than oo. I'm still searching for the perfect mix - my face does like the current combo though - if it ain't broke then why fix?

[Smokie]

I try to OCM every night - it really does keep my face soft and moisturized. I skipped last night and woke up with flakies this morning - note to self stop being lazy! I'm using a 50/50 oo and co but I don't really like the smell of olive oil. I bought grapeseed oil for hair oiling, but after reading this thread wondering about the person that broke out putting in the ocm. I haven't been able to find coconut oil and frankly I like the smell of coconut less than oo. I'm still searching for the perfect mix - my face does like the current combo though - if it ain't broke then why fix?

Refined coconut oil is still an option for you. It smells like... well nothing. It doesn't have much of a scent and certainly doesn't smell like coconut. Virgin coconut oil does though. Both can easily be found on amazon.com or other online shops. Could also try adding a drop of an EO you like in your mix. HTH. :)

[justgreen]

True refined coconut oil has no odor, but has been known to aggravate acne in some.

[frannyg]

I've been doing OCM with EVOO and jojoba oil and a drop of TTO for about 2 weeks now, and I will say that I'm impressed. I know that I should likely be using castor oil for cleansing, but I'm happy with the results with the oils I'm using.

I've been an acne sufferer (often cystic acne) since I was 20, and I would never have thought of this method for me, but it's been great. I do have oily skin, but this hasn't caused any excess oiliness. It just happens that I haven't had any pimples since I started the OCM, except for one tiny one that was gone the next day. I'm looking forward to what the results are down the line.

[Aninha]

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but I tried moisturizing with coconut oil a few days ago. (It's got a coconut smell so I'm guessing it's unrefined?)

Anyway I'm in the midst of a breakout right now. I massaged a bit of coconut oil on my face and my zits started to HURT. I washed it off and swabbed my face with a cotton ball saturated in rosewater with a drop of tea tree oil and it felt better. Was it the coconut oil that was causing the pain, or was it perhaps irritation from my fingers massaging the trouble spots?

[Emichiee]

Maybe it wasnt pure coconut oil? I dont really have muc advice on that..sounds painful :ooh:

I started breaking out horribly from OCM just recently. I used a OliveOil /Castor Oil 50/50 blend once a day. I got some really bad zits from it even on my forehead that has never seen a pimple in its whole life.:boggle:

I dont belive its just the oils fault.. I think I might have done something wrong. I really love how smooth and flake free OCM makes my skin I would like to continue.
I have gone back to washing with water and my skin cleared up. I will try to OCM less frequently to see what happens.

Does anyone have an idea what might have gone wrong? My skin used to be much clearer back in germany. Now I dont have acne but its definetly blemished..little red dots and uneven skin..:depressed:

[ShadowSwallow]

It could have to do with things like diet/hormones/environment.

You could also try changing up the oils and their ratios in the OCM. I have extremely oily skin (or had, thank you OCM) but use a ratio of 20/10/70 of castor/olive/sunflower or the castor oil gets too irritating/drying.

You could also be going through a "purging" stage... and massaging your skin longer than 5min could help with that.

[hokiejewel]

I just started using the OCM and I like the results, but I think using it every evening is too much for me. What should I do on the days I don't use the OCM??

Also, I was reading through the posts and saw that some said they WO in the morning. What does WO stand for?

Thanks so much for any advice you can offer me. Obviously, I'm new here!!! I've been trying to switch everything in my life to an "all-natural" approach and just discovered OCM recently. :)

Thanks again!
Beth

[allegro]

WO stands for Water Only. :)

[ilovemycop]

ok,I finally found castor oil but it says Castor Oil M.S.R on it.Whatever that means.I also found Sweet Oil.Is that the castor oil recommended in the original article about OCM and does anyone use Sweet Oil?

[Nightshade]

I just started using OCM :D Love it so far, here's my mix and what I used, but I have all the gory details on my ongoing progress in my LHC journal (http://forums.longhaircommunity.com/blog.php?u=5944).

The Oil Cleansing Method Day 1

So last night I took my first crack at the Oil Cleansing Method (OCM). I’d read about it on the boards a long time ago, but had never decided to try it until now. First, perhaps a bit of background on my face would be helpful.

I suffer from cystic acne, which I have deduced is partially triggered by dairy, so I have reduced, but not eliminated that from my diet (I was born in Wisconsin, I am not giving up cheese entirely :P). Milk, for whatever reason, seems to be my main trigger, and I drink that sparingly, usually reserved for the rare meal in which I feel that milk best compliments it, and at that I usually have half a glass.

Another thing that causes my face to break out is moisturizer. While I don’t have very oily skin, I can’t apply moisturizers other than aloe with some EOs in it without my skin freaking out.

Product wise I had some success with using Aubrey Organics #5 for a cleansing system, the cleanser and the astringent running me about $10 each (for the 4oz bottle of cleanser, and the larger bottle of astringent. For a moisturizer I used aloe with an EO blend called Acne Aid by Simplers. I washed once in the morning and once at night, my skin feeling dry after washing, but ending up a bit oily by bedtime, and again, a bit oily in the morning. I think my mineral makeup does a pretty good job of keeping any oil in check during the day, and I never need to apply more to absorb oil.

So after some research (I’m a loser, I love research and information gathering) I settled on this for my first test batch (which I kept to 2oz to make sure I wasn’t wasting a lot of supplies if this didn’t work out).
1TB Home Health Castor Oil (http://www.amazon.com/Home-Health-Castor-Oil-Cold/dp/B00014IZ2U)- Cold-pressed, unrefined, no parabens or other additives.
3TB Rapunzel Sunflower Oil (http://www.wellnessgrocer.com/rapunzel-oil-sunflower-unrefind-p-2099.html) (I got such a kick out of that being the brand name)- Cold pressed, unrefined.
30 Drops Simplers Acne Aid EO Blend (http://www.simplers.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=SBCL&Product_Code=FAAcne5)- Contains therapeutic grade essential oils of organic Lavender angustifolia, organic Tea Tree, organic Niaouli, organic Thyme linalol & organic Rosemary verbenon.http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31H1AC7FDRL._AA280_.jpg http://www.wellnessgrocer.com/images/3503756011_d.jpg http://www.simplers.com/images/bottles/firstaid/acne-10k.jpg

I blended all those together in a 4 oz cobalt bottle that some of my Sweet Success Oil had come in, and was lucky enough to find that a top for the Max Green Scalp Rescue bottle we’d just emptied worked on top when it was cut down. So I ended up with something that looks like this:


http://www.pvsoap.com/images/cobalt_pump.jpg


That made, I gave it a good shake to blend the oils and then followed the method described in the aforelinked article (except that I did my neck as well).

Wow.

I have never had my face feel so nice. The skin is soft and plump, but not oily. Even just after the one treatment I could tell a reduction in the visibility of enlarged pores and blackheads. One issue I’d like to address is that I have some slightly swollen skin on either side of my nose with large pores that’s more prone to blackheads. It isn’t red or discolored, just a bit puffy. I’ll be interested to see if that is reduced with further treatments. I also have “Constellation Blackheads” as I call them because they’re constant, just like the stars. They’ve been there for what seems like forever, and I’d like to see if this helps eliminate those little bastards.

My mission is that for 7 days I will do nothing but OCM. No micro-abrasive cloth, none of my old products. After 7 days I will reevaluate and resume using my exfoliating cloth on occasion or something.

[ilovemycop]

the castor oil and the glyercin I saw that day had the same thing,so I wonder what it meant.I've been wanting to go google it but keep forgetting.

[Copperhead]

I always end up going back to my oils. My face looks better when I use them and my skin seems plumper. I am always perfecting my formula, but I think I have finally come to the perfect one for me.

I like to just put some Argan oil on my face in the morning and let it sit for around 30 minutes. Then I wash it off with CV soap, spray some floral hydrosol on my face and follow with my oil mixture. In the evening I will use my serum from GOW under the oil. My mineral makeup seems to work better with my oils. I put a layer of FOTE aloe gel on last, before my makeup.

I do lots of research too. I browse through hundreds of EO descriptions to find the exact right ones for me. Natures Gift is an amazing site for this. I find it very rewarding.

[Emichiee]

I have a question: Can the OCM cause breakouts if done wrong? I really like the softness it gives my skin but I broke out horribly..:whyme:

[Copperhead]

What kind of oil are you using? I try to keep to the lighter ones like Grapeseed. So far I haven't had any real problems with break outs. I know sometimes when people change their skincare routines, their skin can go through a detox phase and problems will get worse at first. Maybe this is what happened to you. Give it another try with a light oil and see what happens. I hope it will work out this time. :grinhappy:

[Emichiee]

I tried for two months..at first it was okay but then it just got worse and worse..:whyme:

I use Olive Oil and Castor Oil. I am doing OCM less frequent now, I used to do it every evening.

Where can I find Grapeseed oil?

[Copperhead]

I bought my Grapeseed oil in the oil aisle of the supermarket. It came in a nice round tin. Our skin is all so different that not everyone will respond to the same thing. Maybe OCM just isn't right for you. I have lots of Philosophy skincare and the first time I used it, it made me break out terribly. Now, I am not having any problems with it, so it might just be a stage our skin goes through from time to time that causes the breakouts. I am going to keep using it to see if things will stay good. I have so much of it!

[jools]

I started OCM about a month ago after reading Stephanie's article. I'd had a really bad bout of hormonal acne and was at my wit's end. I'd always had temperamental skin - sometimes it would be great for a while but I'd usually get hormonal breakouts, and sometimes those breakouts would be just horrible and last right round until the following month.

So right now I'm using CO and unrefined Sunflower Oil (which smells just like sunflower seeds - yummy) in about 20/80 mix, occasionally with a drop of Tea Tree, and followed by Liz Earle's superskin concentrate - it's a mix of moisturising oils and smells gorgeous, I wish I could find the ingredients list right now to share but it isn't on their site. I've been getting the occasional tiny white zit but those disappear much quicker than before and are nothing like as painful or unsightly as what I used to get.

The first couple of weeks the difference was amazing - as long as I can remember I've had visible open pores over the whole of my nose and about an inch either side. For the first time ever these have diminished to the point where I can consider wearing MM without having to do some serious cover-up work to hide the pores. My skintone was more even, and my whole face looked healthier than I can remember for a long time.

The last couple of weeks though the skin either side of my nose is bumpy, dry and flaky. I made the mistake of thinking it just needed exfoliation and went for it with a fairly rough exfoliator with 10% glycolic acid. I think that's just irritated it because if anything it's got worse instead of better. I'm thinking of doing a Decleor Phytopeel later as a one-off to get rid of the flakes (it's fairly gentle and in the past it hasn't freaked my skin out) and I'm thinking of taking the CO in my OCM mix down to maybe 10% for a while. I have a choice of clay masks I could try this weekend (I have cupboards full of products that didn't quite solve all my problems in the past), but for once in my life I'm trying to keep things simple.

Has anyone else had a similar experience with OCM and did you find a solution that worked for you?

Also, does anyone have a good recommendation for a daytime moisturiser with SPF, ideally that works well under full makeup, but that part isn't a must-have. (I can switch to a foundation with SPFs during the week but at the weekends I usually wear less makeup if any.) I have very fair skin and burn in about a nano-second so I need to find one before the weather gets warmer!

[Copperhead]

Mineral makeup has its own sun protection, but if you need more you could always add a little Red Raspberry oil to your current moisturizer. I have read it is an excellent oil for that. I need to buy some for my own. I have bad reactions to PABA and most other sun protection, but I can use the Neutrogena one for sensitive skin. That might work for you to wear under your makeup.

I'm not loving this Philosophy stuff, so it is back to my lovely oils. :grinhappy:

[Raederle]

Has anyone tried the Trader Joe's lavender oil for OCM? It's actually a mix of safflower, sweet almond, sesame, lavender, avocado, wheat germ oil, St. John's wort exctract, PEG-8, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Palmitate, Ascorbic acid, and Citric acid.

I guess I'm directing this question mostly at Carolyn, because I know she has the oil I'm asking about. I was thinking that if I used this in the evening, the lingering lavender scent would help me sleep.

[justgreen]

Ohhh that oil sounds luverly! I wished I'd known about it before Holly came home for the summer, she brought me back the stuff on my list from Trader Joe's.

[Raederle]

It is nice, but what about the extra ingredients at the end? I'm used to an OCM with just oils.

It's a much lighter mix than the olive/castor I've been using. Not sure if that's a good thing, or not, just making an observation.

[justgreen]

I think those last ingredients are mostly for preservation, ascorbic and citric acid are ok.

[LemonsAndLimes]

I've been using the OCM for the past 5 days now. My skin does feel better but today I began breaking out along my forehead so it's throwing me into a bit of a panic.

Did some research, apparently grapeseed oil does have some comedonic properties so I'll be switching that out for Jojoba oil. Jojoba is a wax but it's still a non-polar lipid which means that it should mix fine with castor oil. We'll see how it works out - there's a lot of hype about jojoba and its strength vs acne so I'll see if that works out for me:)

[justgreen]

That break-out could possibly be toxins working their way out. As for using jojoba oil, it's hard to get an accurate measurement because less is more, you know what I mean?

[Raederle]

Well, I discovered that, for me, the lavender oil is a no go. It felt great going on, and smelled wonderful afterward, but it left my face red. This was not the rosy color from the warm cloths, but the more irritated look. A good night's sleep and it is toned down, though, so no harm done, I guess. And I had such high hopes for it, too.

The oils in it are certainly good ones, and ones I've used individually or in other combinations before. And it's been fine used on my legs and arms. Of course, face skin is much more sensitive. So, back to the trusty olive oil for me.

[rosemarie]

I use pure olive oil (the one my mom cooks with!), which seems so simple compared to everyone else's mixtures of castor and EVOO. But it really works.
I use the OCM method of steaming once a day (evening), and then rub some olive oil onto dry spots or random acne spots. And by morning, my skin glows.

[levelek]

Aw, sorry the oil didn't work out Raederle. It sounded heavenly. I'm a sucker for scents.

I just wanted to report in about my OCM experience. I started experimenting with it a little after LHC went back up, but this is where I first came across it (thank you for this thread!). I have dry sensitive skin, an oily T-zone and mild to medium comedonic acne.

I have been using a 20% castor oil and 80% EVOO mixture. The good part is that it definitely doesn't irritate my skin, and it's not worse than other cleansing methods I've tried. The not so good part is that my skin dries out afterwards (it feels taut) so I need to moisturise afterwards - yet I haven't experienced any of the wonderful cleansing effects that I've been reading about. I could drop the castor oil for the dryness, but that sounds counterproductive for cleansing... :confused:

[Raederle]

The olive oil alone is cleansing, too. Are you massaging well? Sometimes the blackhead plugs take a while to come out; they can be such stubborn little jerks.

[levelek]

Thanks for this, Raederle! I didn't think the olive alone would be cleansing, so I'll have to try that! I do massage it in, but maybe Igor's idea with the electric toothbrush is something to try here :)

[Raederle]

Yeah, I saw that one too. I have to admit, I was intrigued. It made me think about the microdermabrasion tool I have, and I was considering trying that rather than the toothbrush, if for no other reason than it has a larger surface area.

[cantebury]

Sorry if this question was already asked, but is there really a difference between using pure olive oil and extra virgin olive oil? I would think that as far as carriers go, it wouldn't make much of a difference?

Has anyone used pure OO instead of EVOO and would like to comment?

[justgreen]

I can't answer that, as I only have EVOO in the house. Didn't feel the need to go spend money on pure olive oil.

I don't use olive oil any longer, I use a 25/75 ratio of castor oil and grapeseed oil.

[medvssa]

Pure olive oil? I have never herd the term, and I'm Spanish. That I know of, there is just virgin and refined. Is that just a fancy term for refined?

[cantebury]

I believe that pure olive oil is the term used for virgin olive oil mixed with refined olive oil.

[kimberlily]

I'm back on OCM again. I was using Skinvac cloths, but I found that I was getting dry flaky spots on my chin and nose. OCM has made them go away again, and my skin is nice and soft. I'm just hoping that my blackheads will go away.

I'm using a 1/4 castor/EVOO mix, but would like to try sunflower oil instead. My grocery store doesn't carry it though, so I will have to make a trip to Trader Joe's or Whole Foods to get it.

[Raederle]

I'm still having good results with the skinvac cloths. Sometimes, though, I just feel like taking the extra time that OCM entails, though I think that once the weather really heats up, it's unlikely I'll OCM very often.

[hairfitness101]

Hi all. If anyone's interested, here's a link (http://www.italylink.com/foodarticles/olive_oil.html) to the differences between EVOO and Pure.

I also had a quick question or two. (I did do a search within this thread but didn't really get the answer I was looking for)

1- Do you exfoliate, if so, how often and what do you use? I did read something about dry flakey patches, but my need to exfoliate is due to roughness. I had tried St. Ives Apricot scrub, and while it works, it is chemi laden. I was thinking of trying the OCM method with brown sugar, but not sure how often would be too often?

2- I actually own a small facial steamer which I prefer to use over the washcloth because my face hates any kind of friction. (It makes it so irritated) . My question is, how often do you steam, how often is too often? I had read somewhere that frequent heat on the face can cause capillary issues (like rosacia) . I don't know if that's true or not but my face always looks great after I steam. Thanks for any tips.

[Raederle]

I exfoliate about twice a week. I just do my OCM, as usual, but for the last bit, I add a little baking soda to the oil on my fingers and gently scrub with the baking soda. It's real easy to overdo it, but it is very effective.

As for steaming -- I don't do that because my skin is too sensitive and prone to rosacea. Instead, I just soak my cloth in very warm, nearly hot water. Sometimes, if the dishwasher is finishing up at the right time, I open it up and take advantage of the steam; but I step a bit away so it's not so hot.

[InvinciChicken]

Hi, I'm new to OCM and I'd like some advice.

I'm a little scared of tugging at my eye area with a washcloth to get off all the oil. Also, sometimes I don't really have the time to sit there and wipe carefully with a washcloth until every trace of oil is gone. Would using a very mild cleanser like Cetaphil right afterwards be bad? After all, your face is still being cleaned from the oils and theyre being whisked away more efficiently. Then I can just apply moisturizer afterwards.

Or is my thinking all wrong? Please help :)

[justgreen]

If you are going to use castor oil, which is the whole idea, it is very cleansing all by itself, so you'd actually be doing your face a dis-service by cleansing it twice. Plus the whole idea of OCM is to use a more natural way of cleansing your face while at the same time softening those nasty blackheads and getting them to rise to the surface. I find it takes no more time to remove oils from my face than it would a cleanser. I don't tug at my eye area either. It doesn't do any harm if a bit of oil stays on your face, it will soak into your skin anyway without harming it. It also allows your skin to rest a bit and not go into hyper-drive to replace any stripped off natural oils. I find that after wiping gently with a damp warm cloth, rinsing with cool water basically removes the tiny oil residue.

[hairfitness101]

Thanks Readerle. I love the steam from the dishwasher too! I always step back at the initial poof of steam and then I stand over it and whalla, my sinuses are opened again.

Do you OCM daily and if so, do you do it morning and night? I love doing it, I just wonder if its too much for my skin? Doesn't seem to be, and I wouldn't know what to use in its place that worked as well or is as gentle. As a matter of fact, I stepped up the amount of castor last night to get rid of some stubborn deep down stuff. But I know some people only do it a couple times a week or even once a week.

One more question and this is for anyone to give their opinion. Do you find that this method helps at all with either halting wrinkles or diminishing existing ones? I noticed one forming, it's very faint but I'm not real happy about it. I just started OCM again this week and was thinking that this might really help halt it for awhile because of the EVOO and all. And I used FOTE last night to moisturize over top of the remaining OCM (after rinsing) . My skin looked very nice this morning. Maybe that line has been there for awhile and I didn't notice it. Who knows....

[Raederle]

I use skinvac cloths most of the time now, but back when I did OCM regularly, I did it just in the evening. I still do it sometimes now, when I just feel like taking the extra time it entails.

As for the wrinkle issue, in my case, I don't think it made a great deal of difference, but you've certainly given me something to ponder.

I really felt that OCM was great for my skin, when I remembered not to use really steamy water. It certainly pulled out some embedded blackheads, and left my skin very soft. I'm trying to do it more often, but when it got so hot a week or so ago, there was no way I wanted to go through the routine. But I still keep it as an option.

[eclark6]

Another oil that people sleep on :sleep: is Rosehip Oil. It's VERY good for all skin types, especially dry skin. It's good for wrinkles, acne scars (old and new), dermatitis of any kind (eczema, psoriasis, acne, etc.), and it feels great.

I have oily skin and I thought it would be too much for me, but it's not. It's helped clear up all the discoloration I had from an over 25 acne breakout (eczema too). Whew! :p

[eclark6]

Another oil that people sleep on :sleep: is Rosehip Oil. It's VERY good for all skin types, especially dry skin. It's good for wrinkles, acne scars (old and new), dermatitis of any kind (eczema, psoriasis, acne, etc.), and it feels great.

I have oily skin and I thought it would be too much for me, but it's not. It's helped clear up all the discoloration I had from an over 25 acne breakout (eczema too). Whew! :p

You don't have to turn out someone else's light for yours to shine.

Author Unknown

[serabelle]

So this is the first day that I attempted using the OCM - I used only EVOO for the first time, figured that it was at least worth a shot to see how my skin reacted. I didn't notice much of a difference skin-wise, although it was refreshing after giving myself a facial!

I decided to go ahead and buy some castor oil and grapeseed oil. I'm going to give that a shot tomorrow. I have pretty regular skin, not too oily or dry, but I have lots of blackheads around my nose, and little white heads on my forehead sometimes. I have a few questions for you all:

1) How often should I use the OCM to start?

2) Is there a way to prevent my skin from going through the break out stage? It seems most people get some kind of backlash at the beginning of using OCM - is this just expected? Or is there something I can do to make sure I don't break out?

3) I plan on using the following mixture: 50% EVOO, 25% Castor Oil, 25% grapeseed oil - does this sound ok for someone who has my skin type?

[justgreen]

I'd go less on the castor oil. And the break-outs are generally a toxin cleansing thing. Sometimes it takes more than a couple of weeks to see long range results.

I wouldn't do OCM every day, but 2-3 times a week would probably be ok.

[serabelle]

Less than 25%? What mixture would you suggest?

[serabelle]

Huh.. sorry - but editing my reply as a way to answer my question was kind of odd. Thanks for the help, but the fact that you edited *my* reply is just something that I am not comfortable with.

[justgreen]

Sorry about that serabelle, I'm a mod and I'm so used to hitting the quote button and now the edit button is there (for mods). I truly didn't even notice, this has happened to me before, ask the others. LOL

Where you will see a 'quote' button, mine shows and edit button.

[Raederle]

And thus we get a little glimpse into the power that is mod-dom.

[serabelle]

justgreen - Sorry about that - I was in a super bitchy mood yesterday, I should have realized that it was just a mistake! I appreciate your advice, and apologize for being so snippy!

[justgreen]

Thank you Serabelle, for the apology. Please also remember if I happen to do it again in the future, to not remove what I post? Thanks again!:lafhard:

Raederle, watch out or will make you a mod!:geek:

[angelthadiva]

My skin is looking horrid--I'm attributing it to being close to that time of the month and the stress in my life...I did a wash this AM with a drop of jojoba, grape seed oil, EVOO and 1 drop of TTO, my skin feels great, and one of my problem areas (breakout) is looking much better than it did pre-wash...

My question is: I noticed that most of the gals do their OCM at night to remove the makeup, and only do a WO in the AM...What do you use as a moisturizer in the AM?

I, me, personally am a little apprehensive about using oil in the AM as a moisturizer, I think it would be too heavy--But then again I've never tried it...I am a full face make up wearer, so this is a major concern for me.

Any thoughts would be appreciated! :)

[curls2grow]

My question is: I noticed that most of the gals do their OCM at night to remove the makeup, and only do a WO in the AM...What do you use as a moisturizer in the AM?
I do OCM at night only, and wash my face with bar soap in the shower in the AM. It's taken a while with experimenting, but for morning moisturizer, I use DDF Organic sunscreen SPF30 (I can't vouch for if it's "truly organic" -- that's just what the product is called). I find that this is the best for me -- face moisturizer, sunscreen, doesn't give me extra acne, works well with my MMU.

[angelthadiva]

I do OCM at night only, and wash my face with bar soap in the shower in the AM. It's taken a while with experimenting, but for morning moisturizer, I use DDF Organic sunscreen SPF30 (I can't vouch for if it's "truly organic" -- that's just what the product is called). I find that this is the best for me -- face moisturizer, sunscreen, doesn't give me extra acne, works well with my MMU.

Thanks for letting me know! :) I'm an SPF daily wearer myself and MMU, so the oils in the AM made me skeered :purplex: I did my normal AM wash and used my normal AM products.

[wintersun99]

I tried OCM last night using a bit of castor oil and EVOO. Not quite sure of the ratio, I kinda eyeballed it. I liked it, a lot! My skin felt great, not tight or dry, I wasn't wearing make-up so not sure how it does on that yet (I use Bare Essentual) but I plan to continue using this method (maybe not everyday) but at least every other day...

[Madeleine]

I recently started the OCM. But I use only coconut oil, since that's my oil of choice for my hair I figured I can give it a try for my face. I've heard some bad stories of people breaking out with coconut oil on the face. Is anyone else using just this or with other oils? If so how effective is it?

I have some acne and stubborn blackheads that I really want to get rid of but not so sure if I'm going with the right kind of oil.

[Raederle]

When I used anything other than the olive oil as a base, I had trouble. The coconut oil just didn't seem to cleanse well, for some reason. But you might have better luck with it.

[Madeleine]

Hmm, I guess. I just remembered. I used to use baby oil as a moisturizer for my face and it made my skin incredibly soft!

I was wondering would it be good for OCM as well? has anyone tried it before?

[London Nick]

Hi All,

I've been lurking for a couple of days. I found this place though Badger & Blade - the men's shaving site, and thought I would see what OCM is all about. I hope you don't mind me coming here as it seems to be full of ladies....

I think I have the basics sorted, but I have a few questions. I'm 37 now and have struggled since my teens with blackheads and acne etc. My acne has cleared but I still suffer dreadful congestion, along with very oily t-zone. I also commute into London every day so I get all the grime and smog from the city in my pores.

1. I think I'm going to try 25/75 every day for a week (before bed) and then cut down to every other day, assuming I don't get any bad reaction. Does this sound ok?
2. For times when I don't use this method, what can I use as a face cleanser?
3. What about shampooing my hair? I wash my hair every day. Should I be trying to avoid getting shampoo on my face during my shower, i.e. tilt my head back and wash from behind?
4. What about after I shave in the morning? I don't shave every day. At the moment I shave after a shower. I know shaving leaves my face dry, so what should I do?

Hope you guys can help.

Nick

[justgreen]

Baby oil's MAIN ingredient is Mineral OIl. No way would I put that on my face, but to each his/her own.

My rule of thumb is, if I won't put it on my hair, I won't put it on my face or body.

[justgreen]

1. I think I'm going to try 25/75 every day for a week (before bed) and then cut down to every other day, assuming I don't get any bad reaction. Does this sound ok?

I would only use the OCM every other day, even though men have tougher faces, they still have the same basic structure according to acne, etc.


2. For times when I don't use this method, what can I use as a face cleanser?

I use water only inbetween OCM, with sometimes a bit of Dove in the shower. I'm 51 years old and have been using Dove my whole life, but after finding OCM, I noticed that too much Dove was a bit drying.


3. What about shampooing my hair? I wash my hair every day. Should I be trying to avoid getting shampoo on my face during my shower, i.e. tilt my head back and wash from behind?

I don't think the way you shampoo your hair will affect your face.


4. What about after I shave in the morning? I don't shave every day. At the moment I shave after a shower. I know shaving leaves my face dry, so what should I do?

Try a couple drops of jojoba oil on the dryest places on your face. Just a couple would suffice, it is the closest to our own natural sebum and soaks right in, doesn't sit on the skin.

[musicmomma]

http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/search/search_results.jsp?oss=1&removeAllFacets=true&addFacet=SRCH:castor%20oil

are any of these the right type to use on my face? TIA.

[musicmomma]

http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/search/search_results.jsp?oss=1&removeAllFacets=true&addFacet=SRCH:castor%20oil

are any of these the right type to use on my face? TIA. ack! nothing comes up on the screen, lol. http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/catalog/shop_product_detail.jsp?filterBy=&skuId=134319&productId=134319&navAction=jump&navCount=3
or http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/catalog/shop_product_detail.jsp?filterBy=&skuId=209437&productId=209437&navAction=jump&navCount=3

[musicmomma]

ok, no worries, i got the right stuff. now to ask: what do you do for eye cream or do you find the oil to be enough? TIA.

[Raederle]

I use specific eye cream, because I need all the help I can get, having inherited some totally craptastic skin genes.

[musicmomma]

I do OCM at night only, and wash my face with bar soap in the shower in the AM. It's taken a while with experimenting, but for morning moisturizer, I use DDF Organic sunscreen SPF30 (I can't vouch for if it's "truly organic" -- that's just what the product is called). I find that this is the best for me -- face moisturizer, sunscreen, doesn't give me extra acne, works well with my MMU.
what kind of bar soap?

[curls2grow]

Whatever was on sale when we last needed to buy soap. ;)

[cinammonkisses]

A few of you ladies have mentioned using Walnut Oil in your OCM. I found some made by Flora 8.5 unrefined for about $12. Is that a deal, steal, or can I get it cheaper?

[musicmomma]

have any of you ever tried nubian heritage olive butter soap? http://www.nubianheritage.com/products/typeid/1/bar-soap

[Charles]

You do need Castor oil because it has healing properties and is anti inflammatory too. This is the base of your oil combination. Other oils to mix with this could be olive oil, sesame seed oil or sunflower oil.

[ezequielh]

I am new here and I wanted to know what WO stands for.

[ezequielh]

what does WO stand for?

[Teacherbear]

Hi, ezequielh, WO stands for Water Only cleansing method. I don't know the details on it, but I'm sure if you search for "Water Only" you'll get a good explanation.

[oilface]

Hi

I've been using the OCM with castor oil and sunflower seed oil with about 25-75 ratio on most days and sometimes I've tried with more castor oil just to see if it cleanses any better. My problem is mainly my nose area where I get this white stuff clogging my pores and on that area I also get this invisible sebum surface that constantly clogs the pores. I literally get tons of that hardened sebum out if I keep doing the OCM, it feels like it will never stop! Is the idea behind OCM to get all of that stuff out? Even if I seem to get most of the sebum out, there's same kinda layer waiting for me the next day. It just feels so pointless.

How old are you? If still a teen, then puberty could be the culprit. I still get white stuff oozing out on my nose sometimes, but I can sure tell my pores are MUCH MUCH smaller now.

[oilface]

I'm almost 26 yrs old, and male. So can't really blame puberty.

[cinammonkisses]

You do need Castor oil because it has healing properties and is anti inflammatory too. This is the base of your oil combination. Other oils to mix with this could be olive oil, sesame seed oil or sunflower oil.Yes, I know that but it seems that I'm allergic to the castor oil. I break out horribly on my cheeks and temples.

I still haven't gotten the walnut oil. I've been doing more research and some have mentioned hazelnut oil. What oil is as deep cleansing as Castor Oil??

[Sapphire'sWings]

Ok, so I just tried OCM with castor oil. Before I only used olive, and the results were cleansing and moisturizing, but I needed something more. So I tried the 1/4 castor oil mixed with olive oil recipe in a 2 ounce bottle. I added 5 drops of TTO. Wow, this stuff really cleansed the gunk out of my pores! My face felt fresh and soft and clean. I actually saw the gunk coming out. Ew. This stuff does feel like it has the potential to dry, but it wasn't so bad actually, and my face does need to get cleansed because I have acne and like, every pore on my face is clogged. I have tons of blackheads and whiteheads.

After the OCM, to make sure no gunk is left over, I wiped a cottonball soaked in my witch hazel, aspirin, and TTO (3 drops in 2 oz bottle).

My face feels amazing and most of the pimples are dried. I think I have finally found the right combination of oils to clean, moisturize, and take care of acne.

For those who cannot use castor oil, try just the olive oil and see how it goes. I would have kept using just the EVOO if my face wasn't so gunky.

[hipmama1970]

Someone asked a few pages back if they could use OO instead of EVOO. I have tried that and it's been just fine. It smells less olive-y, if that makes a difference to anyone.

[KittyThePooka]

Hello ladies, I am seeking some friendly advice. I have been using the OCM on my extremely oily, extremely sensative, acne prone skin for a few weeks now. The original results were very impressive, and I have seen a dramatic reduction in cystic acne. However, in the last week or two my face has broken out with very small white heads. They are not very inflamed and they pop without pressure when I wipe my face with a warm washcloth. Still, they're rather ugly, and they're tempting me back to wearing makeup during the day. (I'm trying to avoid this as I still haven't found a foundation that doesn't make me break out besides very expensive minerals, and I simply cannot afford them right now)

I am currently using a mixture of 30% castor oil and 70% evoo. I use the process once every other day, and I wash my face with warm water on days off. I will admit that I reverted to using the OCM in the shower or bath instead of properly steaming my face. Do you think this could be my main problem?

I haven't seen much dryness or flaking, and what little I do have is easily combatted with a small pat of evoo on the damp skin. Is this too much? I have also suddenly been experiencing a bit more redness and sensativity.

Should I be doing the plan less or more often? Should I switch my base oil? I feel a bit clueless. I don't want to give up on the plan completely, the initial results were so delightful. Any suggestions at all are welcome.

[kimberlily]

Try sunflower oil instead of EVOO. It made a huge difference for me. My skin did well initially with EVOO then I started breaking out. No problems at all with the sunflower oil though. I rarely have time to properly steam.

[CaraLynn]

I used EVOO on my very oily t-zone last night and woke up allll broken out. :P

[alaira]

My skin is a bit dry and prone to breakouts. It is my second day on the OCL. I am using Castor oil and Jojoba oil. www.nowfoods.com (http://www.nowfoods.com) is the brand im using.
I love jojoba oil because it is amazing for sensitive or acne prone skin. It is the oil that is the CLOSEST to our own natural body oil! Basically that means that our body can absorb it easier.
My skin is already looking much better, I was truely surprised at how effective it was.
Did you know that castor oil dates back to bibical times? It worked then, and it still works now!!

[funnybunny668]

I don't do the OCM very often since I'm primarily WO, but I have tried it a few times. I use jojoba oil.

[gypsy]

Hi, I just tried OCM last night. I am confused about the whole hot washcloth thing. I don't know how to leave it on my face until it cools. Don't you have trouble breathing that way? Also, do you have to do this while standing in the shower, because it drips down? I was standing at my sink, but it was awkward. Over my nose, the washcloth doesn't exactly cover my chin, unless I hold it there with my palms. I worry that the oil is not drawing out with steam unless I hold it there, but then it's hard to breathe. Any suggestions? I do really want to get rid of the sebum plugs and any excess oil. I do wear a lot of makeup as well.

[curls2grow]

gypsy, I'm no expert on OCM (I buy DHC Cleansing Oil and previously used a couple of the Laventine formulas) but I just wanted to mention that I have never used a hot/warm washcloth as part of my process and I have still gotten great results from doing OCM. I'm sure it's more effective when using the washcloth in the process, but I don't bother with it.

[justgreen]

I don't use the hot cloth anymore in the process. My skin is too sensitive and prone to redness. I just massage the oils in, wait a few minutes , then gently wipe away with a warm cloth, rinsing with a cool/cold final rinse.

[Lucifiel]

Hmmm... been reading about this OCM and it's one of my last resorts as I have incredibly sensitive combination skin and nothing works. The issue is slightly complicated by the fact that there're tons of essential oils sold here in Singapore but quite a few are cut with other chemicals or they aren't as pure as they are. So this means I'll have to try importing them but that's another issue altogether regarding customs. Or if not, looking for a good source.

I've been reading up about OCM and it seems EVOO wouldn't work on me since I've got eczema and combination skin(oily/dry/normal) that is mainly oily and normal but gets a bit dry during the weather. I've got red patches on my face, flaking skin if things get really bad and acne.

Also, how do you use OCM? Do you use it to replace your normal regime? I'm tired of plastering stuff like Clinique on my face and yet, getting organic is very pricey or if I disregard the pricing, then they're not true organic: contain toxic substances which have neurological/cellular/etc. damage.

So, how good would this formula be? 60% castor oil , 20% grapeseed oil and 20% jojoba oil?

[kimberlily]

Lucifiel, I think 60% castor would be too much. It is a very sticky oil, and it is supposed to be used in a smaller amount. My mix was 30% castor, 70% sunflower.

[thirst]

Hi all! Thank god i found this thread! Ive read through every page and hv learnt heaps!!

I too have only just started the OCM. I use 25/75 castor/grapeseed oil and am delightfully suprised with the results. I know lots of people here have got good results but i didn't expect it to happen to me. Now im converted!

Anyways I have a few questions and any feedback/comments would be much appreciated :grinhappy:

Its been strongly recommended that the OCM be used 2-3 times/wk and people here have said that they use water only or soap during the in between days. But what if you wear make up? Will soap/water be enough to clean it off?

Also I have really oily skin and i heard somewhere that ppl with oily skin dont really need to moisturise. But if i use OCM itll clean away the skins natural oil so....ill need to moisturise?? (:boggle:does that make sense)

and ive noticed a few people saying that they used to use OCM a lot but not so much these days.....does that mean its effectiveness diminishes when you use it for a long time?

[mebs786]

Hi everyone! Im new to OCM. I tried it for first time today with 25% castor oil and 75% olive oil. I then followed with my usual cleanser. I used the castor/olive mixture as moisturiser. I have dabbed some tea tree oil on my spots. (Not sure if I should have done that!)

Hope OCM works for me.. Any advice/tips from you all would be great.http://chatter.thebeautybottle.com/images/icons/purple/cheesy.gif

[strwbrry dakri]

I've been using OCM for approximately one month. LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT!

Initially, I used evoo/co, then switched to sunflower/co 75/25% mix, and I LOVE IT! My skin has never been softer without being oily, and blackheads seem to be disappearing.

Does anyone use this on their whole body? I've been trying that, and it seems to be working very nicely. Great for shaving too!

[Wawaxak]

I decided to try the oil cleansing method. I've been at it for about 5 days, but so far it's only made things worse. Everywhere I applied the oil is now covered in more acne than before, particularly whiteheads. Is it possible that this is only initial, and it will start getting better soon?

I've been using a mix of 20% castor oil with 80% olive oil, applied before I go to bed. I do the washcloth steaming thing, but I can still feel the oil after that so I rub water on my face using my hands.

I keep the oil in a glass bottle that once contained soy sauce, though I washed it pretty thoroughly. Is this a problem?

[mebs786]

You can try using more castor oil if your skin feels oily after cleansing.

[Wawaxak]

Is a higher concentration of castor oil going to make the difference between my face getting worse and getting better? Because the 20%/80% I was using made it much worse. Has that happened to anybody else?

[justgreen]

Wawaxak, try using a mild soap after OCM, and using a warm cloth to wipe it away.

[Tavymama]

Hello everyone I am new hear and I need some advice. I have been reading that when people clean their faces witht this method they get stuff coming out of their faces. You know like the black heads. Well I have been doing this method for two weeks now and I get nothing out of my pores. I have just got more black heads and more acne. I tend to have skin that is very sensitive but oily. I react to everything. Like I am deathly allergic to Benzoyl Peroxide. I have been using castor oil and evoo. I tried grapeseed but it just seemed to worsen the problem. So I went back to evoo. Now I have bumps where it was clear before.

AHHHHHHH!!!!!
Please help!

[strwbrry dakri]

Are you massaging for minimum of five minutes? You have to give the blackheads time to "dissolve" and the manipulation will help pull them out.

Also, make sure you are wiping the oil off thoroughly. I use the hottest water I can, and wipe, wipe, wipe, wipe, wipe... You get the picture.

[Raederle]

What ratio of the oils are you using? If your skin is very sensitive, you might want to go easy with just how hot the water is. I usually steam my face, so I can control the temperature, then use very warm, but not hot, cloths to remove the oil. It's also important to use a fresh cloth each time, and launder them in very hot water. I don't use fabric softener on the cloths, just air dry them.

[mebs786]

Hi,

hoping someone can give me some advice. I have been using the oil cleansing method for about a month now.

The first two weeks my skin was looking so clear and my acne marks nearly gone. Felt great getting so many compliments from friends and family asking what I am doing different.

However the last couple weeks my skin has broke out so bad.. I really thought the OCM was working for me but now I have so many spots on one side of my face.

I have tried adjusting my ratio by using more Castor Oil to help cleanse out any impurities but it has not made a difference. My skin seems to be getting worse. Even using tea tree oil on the blemishes is not really helping to control them.

Has anyone else had this problem? I would appreciate your advice..

Thanks

[strwbrry dakri]

I haven't had that particular problem, but am facing another. Seems that I have an allergy to castor oil. Crap.:irked:

My eyes get all goopy, and I have a rash on my upper chest that is finally beginning to clear after not using oils for a week. Strange how this worked great on my face, and other areas aren't happy with it.

:pissed: I love the results on my face, and am TICKED that I have to stop using it.

(Pout)

[LaurenS11]

I have an allergic reaction to it as well, and I get pretty angry while not being able to use it anymore :(

[joanne]

I now regularly cleanse with 50/50 olive and castor oil, I like it because it doesn't irritate skin and it removes dirt; And instead of steaming just run a cotton pad under hot water and remove.

[strwbrry dakri]

Now what? I quit using OCM for two weeks, and the rash on my upper chest hasn't changed a bit, and my eyes are still goopy in the mornings. So, I'm going back to OCM, because I love what it does to my face, and apparently isn't the cause of the rash.

It's beginning to look like a trip to the dermatologist is in my future.

[evasoodie]

I tried the oil cleansing method for the first time last night and I absolutly love it....well only if it doesn't make me break out. I used 1 tablespoon of castor oil and 1 of olive oil just to see if it was the right combo for my skin. It's perfect for me. My T- zone is oily but dry around my eyebrows,tip of my nose, and around my lips. I rubbed the oils in for about 10-15 minutes focusing on my nose and cheeks. I squeezed my nose gently to push out all my blackheads and I couldn't believe how many came out! I laid a warm washcloth over my face for a few seconds, took it off and started massaging again then wiped off the oil. I was worried some was still left around my hairline and eyebrows so I washed off with my mom's clean and clear that was by the sink. The blackheads that were on my nose are gone and my pores look clear and small. But the pores on my cheeks are still kinda clogged. A few more oil cleansing treatments should fix that though. I think I'm gonna do it every other day or 2 times a week. Love it!! I also posted this over at LHC just to let everyone know how great the OCM is!

[gilbertsagmit]

http://gilbertsagmitI have a clear complexion but I have combination skin too with big visible pores; and after trying the OCM, I was amazed at the results. Now I have solft and supple healthy skin. My friends said I look 10 years younger now. I also use it on my hair but without the castor oil because it might dry my locks. My friends also noticed that now I have thicker and softer strands. I will definitely recommend this OCM to all of my friends.

[gilbertsagmit]

I did a modified version of the popular OCM using a mixture of different oils that you can easily find in the groceries. I combined 20% of grapeseed oil , 30% of extra virgin coconut oill , 40% of extra virgin olive oil and 10% of castor oil - 10%. Try to opt for the extra virgin version because "PURE" means it had undergone a lot of chemical processing. I also mixed in 4 capsules of 1000iu of Vitamin E so it has a longer shelf life.

I specifically like the anti bacterial properties of grapeseed oil and the tremendous moisturizing properties of the extra virgin olive oil and VCO combination. Warm a handful of the mixture on both palms and massage on your face and whole body for about 20 minutes.

Tho, I had to rinse well my face afterwards with luke warm water because I might have breakouts. Then I re-apply my beautiful concoction on my damp face including my hair. I'm not afraid to use the oil mixture around the eye area because it does not sting my eyes anyway.

Do this at least 3 times a week before bedtime and awaken everytime to a renewed younger you. In my experience, I;d say it's much better than any of the expensive brands like Olay Regenerist and Ponds Age Miracle (I have tried both, but the effect is not as good as this one I'm sharing with you)

[cammi]

This is only my second post first being on the main skin care bit but hence thought perhaps should of posted here.

At 35 im really fed up with having fairly bad acne, ive ordered sunflower oil and castor oil, oh also skinvac cloth thingy, i was thinking of using 70/30 SF/CO mix what would you recommend? How often should i do it, most of you seem to do every day, what about the skinvac, every third day??

Noone seems to use E-oil although the last poster uses vit e caps, does E-oil not show any benefits??

Sorry again for waffling, cant wait to get started on OCM!!

[Raederle]

For me it's a matter of cost and consistency. Since I'm just going to wipe off whatever I use, I use just (relatively) cheap olive oil and a bit of castor oil. The vitamin e oil I have is a very thick consistency, about like the castor oil. I prefer the main oil to be thinner.

[evasoodie]

I posted awhile back about my experience with the OCM. I think I really like it...lol. Well a week after my face started getting red and rough. I didn't do the ocm during that week after, water only and Clearasil pads at night. I decided the ocm was just drawing out the impurities. So gave it another shot. The day after I broke out terribly everywhere! Mostly around my jawline.My face used to be really clear. Good news though....It was that time of the month...or maybe not so good news...lol So I dont think it was the ocm. I haven't had my period for about 2 years due to pregnancy and breastfeeding but I dont think I used to break out that bad. Maybe its just hitting me hard since I haven't menstruated in so long. So I am continuing to do the OCM because it makes my face sooooooo soft and healthy looking and I think its helping my horrible break out! I also add sugar to it sometimes...makes my face glow even more.

[Raederle]

I haven't tried adding sugar, though I have added a wee bit of baking soda when I want to exfoliate. Go gently with the massaging if you use baking soda -- though gentle, it's more abrasive than you might think.

[cammi]

Yes e-oil is expensive, i have a couple of part bottles left over from being pregnant (rubbed it on my tummy), mines also a thin oil.

BIO OIL does anyone add a splash of that?? Personnaly sdont like the smell but again have some in my cupboard.

[cynel]

I started OCM a few weeks ago after reading this thread and doing research online. (Thanks for all the info, btw!) Before, I didn't get much acne except a few on my forehead, but had blackheads and enlarged pores on/near my nose and chin. I used roughly 30/70 (after a few days, 50/50) castor/apricot kernel oil mix, massaging for at least 10 mins and steaming with a towel every night. If I had time, I'd do another quick cleanse w/the mixture in the morning, using the shower to steam before wiping off. I toned with witch hazel and didn't use anything else. For the first week - 10 days, things were ok. A few blackheads came out, nothing drastic, but my skin felt healthy.

Then, I started breaking out. Not huge zits, but small red bumps all over/around my nose and chin, some of which turned into small whiteheads, and pimples all over my forehead and temples. This is the worst my skin has ever been. I stopped OCM and went back to my previous Dr. Bronner's, regular toner/lotion w/Neutrogena spot treatment routine for the past week or so, but the breakout hasn't improved at all. Do you think this is just the purge, and I should go back to OCM, maybe just nightly? Should I change my oil(s)? Any other advice?

[jolly]

thanks all the members for sharing this helpful and informatice thread.

[lillebamse]

Hi, i just read your post and we got the same problem.. how was it is going now???

[ohwhataday03]

I only use it once a day. There been days were I don't have the time to use it. I use olive oil and castor oil. I have tried safflower and castor, not liking how it made my skin feel after it was removed. Try different oils, just because it is what someone else uses don't mean it the best for everyone.:eureka:

[scho403]

Can you all share your experiences with the initial purge? How long did it last? I'm in my third week of OCM. My skin used to be 90% clear but extremely oily. With OCM, I'm no longer oily at all.... but my chin is a disaster area. I hoped that my skin was just purging all the deep stuff, but now I'm starting to panic.

Should I back off the OCM and do it every other day, or would that just prolong the purge? It seems like the OCM is helping the zits that are there, but new ones keep cropping up! How do I know when (or if) to throw in the towel?

Please share your experience, it would help me so much to decide what to do next.

[JStallonee]

I have an oily skin, so this thread helps, thank you!

[ohwhataday03]

I just had a couple of zits myself but they cleared up pretty fast for me. But I have been eating more chocolate:drool: and other reasons for women, So I don't think it has much to do with the OCM. I think it took about two weeks for my skin to finally look health. But not everyone the same, some sooner, some longer. Try different oils see how they do....

[ColoradoDreamer]

I've used OCM off and on for a couple of years now.

The first time I did it, I used castor oil and EVOO. It did work for me, getting tons of gunk out of my pores, and my skin seemed to balance out a bit. However, I felt that the oil combination was rather heavy for my tastes and therefore hard to remove. I did steam my face with a hot wash cloth (hot as I can stand) and wiped/rinsed/wiped several times. I eventually gave it up and went back to using soaps and/or face wash.

I've also used the skinvac cloths, but I have mixed results with them. I think I tend to over-manipulate my skin when I use them and I have a rebound breakthrough of oil after using them.

I most recently started using a 25/75 mixture of castor oil and jojoba. I'm most pleased with this mixture. It removes the gunk, moisturizes, and is easy to remove.

But I get lazy and find myself making excuses not to go to the trouble to do OCM. :gurn: And I go back to the drugstore stuff and find myself very displeased with the results.

This week, I happened to find a thread over at the Everyday Minerals forum about OCM and felt inspired to try again. I don't have my oils mixed into a bottle yet, so I just pored some into my hand. Sunday I used OCM and got lots of gunk out. After I rinsed my face thoroughly, I splashed cool water on my face and massaged in ONE drop of Jason Vitamin E oil to moisturize. Even upon waking Monday morning, I had no oily breakthrough. And I'm usually an oil slick in my T-zone even within a couple of hours of cleansing! Monday morning, I used the skinvac cleansing cloth. Didn't much like how my skin felt afterwards. Again, splashed with water and used one drop of Jason Vitamin E oil. Had no oiliness in the T-zone, even with being out in 100-degree north Texas humidity.

I used OCM again Monday night and followed up with the cool water splash and Jason's oil. Yesterday morning, I cleansed my face with WO in the shower. Just let the water run over my face and gently massaged. Afterwards, cool splash and Jason's oil. I really think this is going to help balance my combination skin. I don't feel any oiliness, even hours after cleansing, and there is no tight or dry feeling at all.

[Raederle]

I found myself pretty much nodding in agreement to most everything you posted. My skin is oily just around my nose now, though.

OCM has great results, but it just takes so darn much time. And, once the hot weather sets in, the thought of steaming my face is about as appealing as sliding down a razor wire banister. My skin is pretty sensitive, diagnosed rosacea, so I don't steam as agressively anyway.

I know just what you mean about the skinvac clothes. For some reason, if I'm not careful, I act as if I'm scrubbing some stubborn stain. To combat that overly aggressive technique, I now hold the cloth with middleman through pinky fingers, leaving peter pointer out of it altogether. This seems to ensure that I'm not tugging on my face too much.

I still think OCM is a great technique to use periodically, and I have to admit, when it's cold outside and the weather is dry, it feels great, and helps ward off the excessive dryness.

[~shinpai_cherushii~]

so...is the ocm too harsh on the skin to use every day?

[Raederle]

Harsh??? No, I'd have to say, in all honesty, that I don't see how it could be considered harsh. I suppose if you steamed too long, or with a cloth that's too hot ....

My daughter is just a bit older than you, and I know that some people with young skin seem to have troubles. She would be the first to admit that she loves the results when she does OCM. But, it's a bit more time consuming, and she's not always willing to put in the time.

[~shinpai_cherushii~]

oh ok ty. I always thought that the oil would be too much on the skin and might irritate it if you use it everyday.

[WalkinOnSunshing]

Hi all...I'm new and this is my first post...:happy:

I'm wondering if ya'all could help me with a question.

I started using the OCM about a month ago. I'm 48 and have fought skin issues for as long as I can remember. By now I have discolorations - both dark and white - some small acne scars, pores you could park a truck in and acne with whiteheads, blackheads and pimples. Thank God for makeup I guess, but I am sick to death of it all.

I have done a bit of reading and I kind of suspect that what I am calling acne might actually be keratosis piloris or a mix of the two. The only thing is the keratosis sounds like it's limited to dry skin, and by no stretch of the imagine is my skin dry. OPEC should have this much oil. lol But the reason I suspect the KP is because my skin is thick and very insensitive. I have used so many products that warned of burning, dryness, etc., and I never feel a thing plus now that I am using the OCM, I see my skin starting to react in a more normal way like getting pink when I use the hot cloths.

I have tried lots of different things - RX, OTC, and of course, Proactive..very disappointing product imho.

Once a day I am using olive oil to remove my makeup, then castor oil which I massage in and cover with a hot wash cloth then wipe off and then a light coat of olive oil which I leave on.

I really like the OCM and believe I'm seeing more progress than I've had with anything else. But what is concerning me is that my skin seems to be drying up in large patches (another thing I relate to the KP) which I can't resist peeling off with a pair of tweezers and kind of scraping off the loose, flakey areas. This is not usually a big deal, but sometimes these areas of dryness are thicker than I expect and when peeled expose new skin that is very red. It's not painful at all to peel it off, but sometimes when I overdo it my face is tender, but seems to be clearing up.

I am being hygenic with the tweezers and the little scraper thing by dipping them in hydrogen peroxide and I'm putting a bit of Neosporin on the red, raw areas.

I know I really shouldn't be peeling skin off, but I am so impatient because I feel for the first time that I'm on the edge of real improvement. Plus the dry areas are so ugly and cracked looking that it looks awful even with makeup; it gives the makeup a weird kind of grayish sheen that really sticks out. I really can't walk around like this.

So, I would like to know is it normal to see peeling with the OCM and could I create problems when I peel skin away or is there a safer method of getting rid of this nasty skin? I have read where other people say when they massage the oil into their skin the feel little bumps or grainy areas which is junk coming out of their skin but I've had none of that...

I just reread this post and realize it is kind of gross...sorry about that but I really do need help.

Thanks!

[claygin]

Hi! I NEED Help! I found this site little over a week ago and was convinced to try the OCM. I am at my wits end with adult acne! I tend to get intermittent, larger, cystic acne. I've tried every product imaginable, (RX & OTC). I seem to keep the acne but acquire dry or dull skin as an added bonus! I never would have thought of using oil to help with acne but I had nothing to lose.

So 10 days ago, after reading all the helpful posts, I tried it as my evening wash with a 25/75 ratio of castor oil/EVOO (organic) with a few drops of Lavender EO for fragrance. The very next day my skin was clearer and appeared to glow compared to the dull complexion I was always desperately trying rid myself of, plus my old acne marks were fading! (bonus!!) My mineral makeup seemed to apply better and last longer! I finally felt like I found the answer to all my problems! :whoohoo:

BUT- after 7 days of this acne free bliss I woke up to my forehead sprouting hard red blemishes right beneath the surface and all along my temple and jawline! My forehead was the 1 place I never broke out! Some are in clusters (not my typical breakout style) and others look like large mosquito bites!! I wanted to cry! :whyme:

So I adjusted my OCM to just a tad bit more castor oil and have continued, praying that this is just a purging of toxins, but for 3 days straight the blemishes have continued to surface. The only thing that gives me hope is that the rest of my skin overall does not looked clogged. My blackheads are still gone and my cheeks and chin are clear with smaller pores. So today after reviewing the posts again, I purchased, Sunflower Oil, Grapeseed Oil (and Apricot Kernel oil for good measure) in hopes of just needing lighter oils. But I have no idea what would be my best bet for a new combination or what the ratios should be? Will the grapeseed help or hurt? I read its good for acne and inflammation. Can anyone give some advice? I'd appreciate it since I don't want to give up on this cleansing method just yet! Thanks!!

[biancawhitman]

Hi. I read about this cleansing method and am going to try it with castor oil and EVOO, but while I was doing a bit of research, I read that castor oil promotes hair growth. Some people use it to stimulate growth of eyelashes and eyebrows. I just want to double check that using it as a face cleanser won't promote hair growth on my face. Does anybody have any thoughts?

Also, did you ever determine if "pure olive oil" works just as well as EVOO? That's all I have in the house. It says no preservatives, no additives.

[Raederle]

Hi, biancawhitman, and welcome. Since you're wiping the oil off anyway, I doubt it promotes hair growth. I never did get good results trying castor oil on my lashes anyway, but I'm sure someone will jump in with proof that it works.

As far as the olive oil, the pure olive oil just be just fine. Just be sure to take the time to massage the oil gently, and remove with a clean cloth.

[biancawhitman]

Thanks. I didn't think it would have such a negative side effect or else nobody would be raving about it like they are, but I figured it didn't hurt to ask.

I've tried the oil cleansing 3 nights in a row now and I can already see the clogged pores on my nose and chin shrinking. It's incredible.

[Raederle]

Yeah, it's amazing when the plugs start coming out, and you can actually feel them as you massage in the oil. Glad it's working out so well for you.

The interesting side to it is that it seems to work with younger skin, like yours, or my 19 year old daughter, and even those of us with .... hmmmm mature skin, too.

[rebecca.corinne.]

I am new to OCM!

I have tried it twice and my ratio is 10% CO/90% SAO. I have rough patches on my cheeks and am unsure what to do. I need some advice. I have usually combination skin, slightly oily T-zone and sometimes dry cheeks. The patches feel like small flat bumps and it looks like goosebumps almost. Any suggestions?

[Raederle]

Hmm, it could be just the sort of purging a lot of us went through. Or, is it possible that the cloths aren't completely clean? Does your skin react to that oil combination anywhere else? What I mean is, if you apply a bit to, say, your inner arm, does your skin react?

[nuggsta]

Hi i'm new to this forum i'm 18 and male. I've tried the OCM for about 2 months and it has been working ok but i just had an average breakout on parts of my forehead chin and cheek and have had a couple of minor breakouts lately so i've cut down alot on oily and sugary foods. Most nights i use 50/50 Castor oil and Jajoba oil but have stopped using EVOO for i don't know what reason. i have also been using cucumber and lemon juice on my scars and leave it on at night to help them fade. I don't use the washcloth but just jump in the shower and massage instead. I was wondering if i am using the right oils for my age and the right ratio? i was also wondering if maybe the lemon juice and cucumber somehow caused a bad reaction with the oils to make me breakout. I am also tempted to go to a dermatologist to see what they can do because i've had enough with these pimples. thanks

i've just added tea tree oil to my regimen and it seems to be working really well so far. Just have to remember to only add a few drops or it will dry your skin real bad. i also cut down on castor oil a bit.

[biancawhitman]

Hello again. I've been doing the oil cleansing almost every night for 2 months now and I haven't seen much improvement since the initial noticeable shrinking/unclogging of pores. I still get breakouts. I can't be sure, but I think I might be getting more breakouts than before, in more places like my cheeks which were always pretty clear. I've still got clogged pores on my nose and chin that don't seem to have any intention of going away no matter how long I massage the area with the oil. I'm using about 20% castor oil to 80% EVOO. The small bottle that I made is running low, so I thought it was time to reevaluate the ratio or maybe even the ingredients. I was really hoping to dissolve all the clogged pores and have clear skin for once. Any suggestions on what I can do to make this method work for me?

[zombi]

I tried OCM using 30% castor to 70% jojoba -- for about one month. At first the whole goodness happened, with the plugs coming out of the pores and whatnot, and it was awesome :whoohoo:

But then I suddenly started to get cystic-like spots on my cheeks, where I have never had trouble before. It did not and has not gone away since. I discontinued use of OCM and went back to the wash I was using before, but my skin is still REALLY clogged and unhappy.

Did I do something wrong?

[kellygreen49]

Hello everybody, this thread has me joining this forum today ^^.
I'm also on the naturally curly boards if anyone recognizes my username.

I was using OCM for about a month, a couple months back. I stopped because I wanted to see better results for my acne. I recently began birth control, and my skin's clearing up. I'm going to guess nothing topical is going to magically clear my skin up since my acne is hormonal, so I may as well keep it healthy. I used the OCM last night since I was sick of the cleanser I had never removing all of my makeup. I just used straight Desert Essence jojoba oil. I then used my Mario Badescu toner. I love the way my skin feels today. So smooth and "plump".

My oil: http://www.desertessence.com/special-oils/100-pure-jojoba-oil

Something I picked up from reading through the posts is using a soft cloth instead of the standard washcloth. I notice my face gets rather red, and I think it's just from me wiping my face off with a rough washcloth.

Some questions-
I want to try Tea Tree in my oil. Around how much should I add? I just squirt about 3 quarter sized amounts of oil into my palm every time. Should I add it with a dropper straight to my palm? Or mix it into my Desert Essence jojoba oil bottle directly? I have 3 quarters left of of my 4 fl. oz. bottle.

Does anyone regularly use a toner afterward? I was thinking a toner afterward would keep my acne prone skin in check. I really love my Mario Badescu Special Cucumber Toner- it's alcohol free, and it contains sulfur to help dry up/heal blemishes.

Toner: http://www.mariobadescu.com/special-cucumber-lotion

[Dana]

Hello again, everyone!

I'm wanting to pick up OCM again. I just purchased some MMU and want to take better care of my skin.

What do people do in the mornings after their nightly OCM ritual? Do you apply moisturizer? Sun screen? How long do you wait before you apply makeup (if you do)?

[rocksmart8020]

Hi, Thanks for sharing. I am also having problem of oily skin. I will use your treatments and suggestions now, hopefully for the positive result as I have tried many face washes.
Thanks!!

[cinammonkisses]

I tried OCM using 30% castor to 70% jojoba -- for about one month. At first the whole goodness happened, with the plugs coming out of the pores and whatnot, and it was awesome :whoohoo:

But then I suddenly started to get cystic-like spots on my cheeks, where I have never had trouble before. It did not and has not gone away since. I discontinued use of OCM and went back to the wash I was using before, but my skin is still REALLY clogged and unhappy.

Did I do something wrong?
Sounds like your skin was purging. Dont' worry, mine did that in the first month of me doing OCM too. It freaked me out and I stopped for a month. I got back into it, but the next time I changed the oils. I found the EVOO was to heavy for my already combo/oily skintype. Now, I use 80/20 castor and evco and my skin loves it!

[olivertwist]

Hi,I am also new to the ocm and have had 6 years of misery with my skin as i have break outs and also get sebherric eczema at times on my face. Nothing to date yet has helped only made my spots worse or irritated my skin leaving it a mess! I have used the ocm once befor usng castor oil and almond oil which was a faliure and irritated my skin to hell, but after some reaserch for a little over a week now have just been using evoo and well i dont want to speak to soon but am starting to see an improvment slowly.What i want to know is how long should this method take to start seeing the results as at the moment i am still getting odd breakouts here and there?? Is this normal after using the just over a week??Hope someone can advise me

[ooo]

I love thistle oil for this. Thought I have to moisturise well afterwards.

[justgreen]

I'm thinking about trying this again. Big change will be NO castor oil. I think I'll try grapeseed and jojoba, and after cleansing with a tepid cloth, applying some rose hip spray to a pad and giving face a final wipe with that. I've been fighting those small blackheads again and I'd really like for them to go away. Also a trip to the new Organics Grocery store is making me antsy.

[LisaJaney]

Big pores have made me think maybe I ought to try t his, too. I'll probably just use EVOO, maybe with some VitE in there? (then again, I read somewhere that it was probably the Vit E I've been putting on my cheeks that CAUSED the big pores in the first place, so scratch that!) EVOO it is!

I'm glad you're having success so far with it, Olivertwist! I have no answers, but wanted to say that I'm glad it seems to be working for you! :)

[justgreen]

Ok, I picked up some small (4 oz) bottles of Grapeseed and Sweet Almond Oils, along with a fresh bottle of Rosewater Glycerin Spray. Used the oils in a small roll on bottle, with just a drop of Vit E. Warmed up the bottle a little, then rolled it all over my face, lightly, then massaged it in for a couple of minutes before washing it off with a mildly warm cloth. Then I used a make-up remover pad sprayed with Rosewater Glycerin and once I got through gently wiping that all over my face, I have to say my face felt pretty darn good. Was nice and soft and smooth and slightly moisturized, so I didn't apply anything else. I'll use it again in a day or so. Between OCM days, I'll wash with water only.

[harpreetmann]

I am new and this is my first post.I am doing ocm from last three weeks .I am using 30% castor oil and 35% evoo and 35% evco.I saw reduction in my scars from dark they turning pink.saw difference in my skin color tanning is fading too.the first day I used I had smooth skin.bit from last few days I am having tight skin.it helped my acne.but now I have three cystic acne on right cheek and two on left.before ocm I use to have less cystic acne.even I am having all acne all over ma face where I never use to have.but I still feel plug coming out I am gonna keep trying of for another one month and see.I saw many people talking about tonning.. should I do that??what toner should I use???I am 23 with mixed skin oily on t zone and dry on cheeks

[Kaelee]

I use this! roughly 25% castor and 75% grapeseed/vit E (I don't measure).

I do it a little differently, I rub the oil into my face, leave it on while I shower, massaging occasionally. Then I remove it by gently(!) massaging with a wash cloth. I moisturize after with a light coating of coconut oil.

I do water only in the morning followed by a light SPF 15 moisturizer.

My skin has never looked better!

[justgreen]

I am new and this is my first post.I am doing ocm from last three weeks .I am using 30% castor oil and 35% evoo and 35% evco.I saw reduction in my scars from dark they turning pink.saw difference in my skin color tanning is fading too.the first day I used I had smooth skin.bit from last few days I am having tight skin.it helped my acne.but now I have three cystic acne on right cheek and two on left.before ocm I use to have less cystic acne.even I am having all acne all over ma face where I never use to have.but I still feel plug coming out I am gonna keep trying of for another one month and see.I saw many people talking about tonning.. should I do that??what toner should I use???I am 23 with mixed skin oily on t zone and dry on cheeks

I think your skin is purging all the toxins. Mine did that about a month after I started OCM. It scared me and I stopped the OCM, but then started it up again with less castor oil. Much better. Now I'm not using castor oil at all and my skin is much happier.

[marina_v]

*cry*
Tried a bunch of different oils and combinations for about a week, settled on 1:2 cold pressed castor oil and organic cold presses EVOO. Today i broke out terribly! Ive never had such a bad break out on my face, ever. The only pimples I ever get are on forehead or near jaw line, but never ever before i got a pimple on my nose... now its all covered with little pimples. I was hoping its the the 'purging', but I also got pimples to the side of my nose where the skin was absolutely clear, nothing to purge out there. And the blackheads on the nose didn't even budge :ooh: