The Basics…

The Oil Cleansing Method is a skin care system for cleansing the face using a natural “carrier” oil, such as extra virgin olive oil or jojoba oil, and castor oil; castor oil being the most important in OCM because of its cleansing properties. Beginners often start out with a mixture of half extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) and half castor oil. However, because castor oil can be very drying it’s often suggested that a ratio of 3 parts carrier oil to 1 part castor oil be used in the beginning. Once some experience is gained with the cleansing method, the oil mixture can be tweaked based on skin type and personal preference.

Examples of other carrier oils that can be used with the castor oil are: almond, sunflower seed, and avocado.

The “Cleansing Method” itself is typically done once a day in the evening:

• Pour a small puddle of oil mixture (the size of a quarter; more if preferred) into the palm of your hand. Rub your hands together to warm the oil then smooth over your face.

• Massage the oil into your face using slow, firm circular motions across your skin. This removes makeup, dirt, and other impurities, so it’s not necessary to wash your face beforehand or use a make-up remover. Do this for 4 to 5 minutes focusing on areas prone to excess oil, blackheads, acne, etc.

• Once you’ve completed massaging the oil into your skin, take a warm steamy washcloth and hold it to your face; leave it there until it cools. Wipe your face gently, rinse the washcloth, and repeat this step until the oil residue is removed.

• You can then use a toner (if preferred) and moisturize with your favorite moisturizer.

For those who want a complete explanation of the Oil Cleansing Method please check out this website.

A little bit about my skin…

I’ve been frustrated for years with excessive oil and large pores across the bridge of my nose and forehead. To combat the slick I tried just about every over the counter oil reducing, pore minimizing and refining, skin stripping acid in a bottle treatment I could get my hands on. All of which would work for a short and often uncomfortable period then it was back to blotting oil and repairing the damage that the commercial treatments left behind. After so many trials with disappointing results I eventually gave up altogether and stayed with a routine of gentle cleansing, moisturizing with a good noncomedogenic moisturizer, and keeping the make-up as light as possible with just a little liquid foundation and talc free powder. This worked OK, but not as well as I would have liked. There had to be something better, and if possible, something more natural and less stressful for my skin.

Discovering OCM…

The 1st of July I was online searching for natural moisturizers when I came across the Oil Cleansing Method website. I googled OCM and found an amazing amount of blogs, message board threads, videos on YouTube, and health articles all dedicated to this “natural and simple cleansing method.” The idea that OCM could actually be beneficial to my skin’s overall health and reduce the amount of oil it produces sounded promising, and after taking some time and reading everything I could on the method, I decided to give it a try.

The beginning of my nightly ritual…

Thursday July 10, 2008

The oil mixture I began with was 3 parts extra virgin olive oil to 1 part castor oil (The castor oil I found in a local health food store). I followed all the steps I listed above massaging my face 5 minutes, then steaming it with a washcloth 4 to 5 times, and following that with a toner I blended of half witch hazel half green tea.

When I started I was skeptical of the claims that I read about “plugs” becoming dislodged from the pores during the massage step, but that’s exactly what happened. As I worked on my nose and cheeks I felt these tiny hard particles slowly appear under my fingers. After steaming and toning my skin looked and felt smooth and soft. I had fewer blackheads and my pores, though still big, looked a lot better. It was a surprisingly good result for a first try, but the big test was seeing what would happen after doing OCM consistently for an entire week.

Thursday July 17, 2008

I expected the usual irritation and/or breakouts after I try something new for a while, but my face still looked and felt smooth and healthy. The pores were a lot less noticeable, especially on my nose, but the best result was my skin seemed to be producing less oil. Usually by the afternoon my make-up would be gone and I’d look like a glazed donut, but this time all I had was a little shine across my nose and forehead everyday by late afternoon.

So far so good, but one part of my OCM routine had to change - the olive oil. It was a little too thick for my liking and because I’d heard so many people with oily skin praising the benefits of using jojoba in OCM I thought it was a good time to switch.

The benefits of jojoba:

• It has antimicrobial properties, which means it discourages the growth of some bacterial and fungal microbes that attack the skin.
  
• The chemical composition of jojoba closely resembles that of the skin’s natural sebum, so it is easily absorbed and rarely causes allergic reactions, even in the most sensitive individuals.
  
• Because the structure of jojoba oil so closely resembles natural sebum jojoba oil can prevent the skin from becoming too oily.
  

My OCM mixture went from a heavy blend of olive oil to something a little more light and workable. I also reduced the amount I made since the shelf life for jojoba (3 to 4 months stored in a cool dark place) is shorter than olive oil and a little more expensive. I now blend 4 Tbsp of jojoba and 2 Tbsp of castor oil in an amber apothecary bottle with a dropper top. The dropper works great for controlling the amount I dispense each time so nothing goes to waste.

The difference the change in oils has made on my face is not significant, but it is a lot easier to remove the jojoba during the steam process. And even though olive oil worked just as well, I don’t get that weird feeling that I’m rubbing salad dressing on my face anymore.

Why blog about it?

Tuesday July 29, 2008

Almost two weeks later and I’ve decided to write my weekly experiences down to keep track of my progress and setbacks (if any *fingers crossed*) with OCM. This is the first time I’ve used a skin care regime that might actually have better than expected long term results.

That said…

This is by no means an endorsement of OCM or a conclusive How To. OCM might not fit the needs of everyone because clearly every one of us has different skin types and health requirements, different lifestyles, and different demands on our time.

I’m no authority on the subject and would caution anyone to look into OCM more carefully before they try it themselves.