Oil Cleansing Method
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Mon Oct 17, 2011 2:46 am

cloe wrote:

Quote:

I do it sometimes a billion hours at a time (as long as I can get some plugs to come off, and until I'm really forced to stop due to being late

This is exactly what I did! I think doing this for so long was counterproductive for me and was starting to do more harm than good. (I know it's so hard to stop when stuff just keeps coming out of your skin.) I would try to limit the time to 3 minutes. Using the right blemish serum helps to prevent those plugs and impurities so you don't have to spend an eternity massaging your skin. Also, for me, all the wiping off of the oils and makeup irritated my skin, even though I tried to do it as gently as possible.

The diluted acv toner is good, the Dr. H products are good also. I haven't used emu oil or Donell so I don't know about these. For me if something is irritating like the Retin A, I would stop using it and find an alternative that helped the problem without irritating.

Quote:

I've been trying to stop bombarding my skin

This is a very good, actually Great idea. As I mentioned to Stars1, simple, basic and gentle with something to kill the bacteria causing the acne (and clear away the dead skin cells) can be the best way to go.

Quote:

Now i'm basically always blotchy, there's always at least one red pimple on my face, and things honestly are awful!

I really feel your pain, but don't stress. Just know that your body knows how to heal itself and sometimes we just need to give it that little extra something or sometimes stop giving it so much. You also have an advantage since you've only had breakouts for a few years, your skin should be easier and quicker to heal than someone like me whose been battling acne for much more than a decade. If my skin can clear up then yours definitely can.

I hope this helps.

Please ask if you have other questions and I will do my best to help. Very Happy

Hi everyone
I'm new on this board and actually found it while researching face shaving. Reading through the posts is very interesting. I've had problems with skin care my whole life, which I thought was acne, but now realise was actually reactions to harsh and heavy skin care products.

One day, at my wit's end, I had a facial with a Lancome consultant. She advised me to stop using foaming cleansers, as they strip the skin of its natural oil. For years, the only cleansers I found that worked for me were in the high-end range (eg Lancome). Recently I discovered that Garnier make a cream cleanser that works well for me. Using cream cleansers eliminated my so-called acne. I think this is true for many people.

They think acne = dirt, so they wash, wash wash, thinking it will help. Not so! If you do suffer from acne, it is systemic and hormonal.

Over-massaging can also be a problem (stimulates sebum production), so in terms of the OCM, I would stick to recommended massage times. More does not necessarily = better. Another piece of good advice from the Lancome consultant. I suspect that, like me, many people with persistent problems actually have fine sensitive skins + oily t zone.

I agree with you that moisturisers should be light i.e. not contain lots of oil. However, I think that most people need to use one, as the with heating and air con, skin dries out, but many people think oily skin does not need moisturiser. I disagree.

I haven't tried OCM, but intend to give it a try, to clear some clogged pores. However, I bless that consultant everyday, because as long as I creme cleanse (I like to remove cleanser gently with a warm washer in the shower), and use a light moisturiser, I rarely get any "pimples".

PS I would be staying away from anything that contains citrus or peroxide. Simply too harsh on the skin. Like I said, I know the temptation is to disinfect the skin, but you are actually destroying the "acid mantle", which is the skin's natural protection from the elements.

Hope this helps someone out there

Chanson ;D

Mon Oct 17, 2011 2:53 am

Very instersting!
How long is took until your skin recovered?
I suffer of extreme sensitive skin!

Mon Oct 17, 2011 3:20 am

nothing wrote:

Very instersting!
How long is took until your skin recovered?
I suffer of extreme sensitive skin!

Ah yes! I realised after I posted that I didn't mention how long. It takes time. I'm not sure. I just realised one day that my skin was clear. I had tried cream cleansers before, but never persevered because I didn't feel that they cleaned my skin properly.

I think a lot of us are looking for that squeaky clean (again, the acne = dirt formula), but I realised that it was so wrong for me.

By the way, a lot of people make a lot of money off that formula. We spend fortunes looking for answers, that never seem to work.

I have tried to tell my friends this, but none of them listen, so I don't know if this would work for everyone.

Would love to know if it does. Like I said, it didn't happen overnight, but now my skin is soft and smooth.

I use very few products: just a cleanser and a moisturiser, sometimes and alcohol-free toner in the morning if I'm going to the gym. I also only wash my face once a day.

Occasionally, I do use an exfoliater, but (again on the consultant's advice), in the shower, lots of water, very gently massage for no more than 30 seconds, no more than twice a week.

This is particularly important if you have any breakouts, are sensitive or even have acne scars, as even the rounded beads can tear the skin, hence exacerbating the problem further.

I don't use any coarse scrubs, such as apricot kernels, only the ones with rounded beads.

Again, hope this helps Very Happy

Sun Nov 06, 2011 12:14 am

Is everybody doing this everyday? If not, what do you use on your off-days?

free skin care · Sun Nov 06, 2011 9:39 am

sinik wrote:

Is everybody doing this everyday? If not, what do you use on your off-days?

I do it every other day strictly with EVOO and on the other day I use CeraVe.

My skin is still very dry from retin a and there a few flakes that appear every few days or so. The OCM just removes them so effortlessly.

Sun Nov 06, 2011 11:38 pm

I read about the OCM here and also LHC and wanted to give it a try. Boy is this thread long or what?! It would take days to read through all the posts here! At least I got the general idea so I went ahead and tried it.
I started with a 25%/75% CO/Jojoba mix.

Day1: I did not both morning and night (about 10 min) and after each massage and cleaning process, boy did I have a nice glow to the skin! My skin was baby soft and shined like never before!
Day2: (today) I massaged about 7 minutes and hoped into the shower. I also did a tanaka face massage(somewhere else on this forum) while I was at it since I had the oils on. Results are still amazing...smooth, shiny , glowing skin.

I have very stubborn blackheads on the nose whic has yet to come out. I noticed smaller pores but not clear pores.. so tempted to squeez them out but holding it in till I try a few more days of OCM to test it out. so far so good!!

free skin care · Mon Nov 07, 2011 11:20 am

terubosu, there was a thread discussing blackheads on the Skin Forum and I shared some vids I found about using egg to remove them. Perhaps that could help?

I haven't had blackheads myself so haven't tried this method to be able to say for sure if it works, but I know someone who swears by it And unless you're allergic to eggs, I reckon you have nothing to lose trying it. I'll see if I can find the link to that discussion.

Here you go: http://www.essentialdayspa.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=43649

free skin care · Sat Nov 19, 2011 9:58 pm

Beach_bum wrote:

sinik wrote:

Is everybody doing this everyday? If not, what do you use on your off-days?

I do it every other day strictly with EVOO and on the other day I use CeraVe.

My skin is still very dry from retin a and there a few flakes that appear every few days or so. The OCM just removes them so effortlessly.

Wow, just olive oil? Does that work as well as oil mixes with castor oil?

Sat Nov 19, 2011 10:19 pm

This is too much work. I've just switched to a cleanser from Lush. Much easier.

Sun Nov 20, 2011 7:44 am

New member. Love this. Wish I had found it years ago. Not sure if it would have saved me money or cost me more Laughing

Anyway. I never knew this had a name or a following. but I have had great experience with a product made by a women in FL. She does not call it oil cleansing but as I read this is what she is recommending. I have used it regularly for years now. she calls her line Tamara's Secret. I only use the the cleanser. some of the other products Im not too sure about but love the cleansing method.....may have contributed to a few extra pounds though cause my skin became so clear that I did not feel I had to watch what I ate as much Surprised

free skin care · Tue Nov 22, 2011 1:00 pm

[quote="cm5597Wow, just olive oil? Does that work as well as oil mixes with castor oil?[/quote]

I believe it does and my skin is glowing so I don't want to stop or change anything. I was using a 25% castor 75% grapeseed oil blend and it was waaaaay too drying. Now I do it with evoo and my face is doing great and slowly getting rehydrated.

It is a lot of work but I only do it every other day and the results are worth it.

free skin care · Tue Nov 22, 2011 1:16 pm

Beach_bum wrote:

cm5597 wrote:

Wow, just olive oil? Does that work as well as oil mixes with castor oil?

I believe it does and my skin is glowing so I don't want to stop or change anything. I was using a 25% castor 75% grapeseed oil blend and it was waaaaay too drying. Now I do it with evoo and my face is doing great and slowly getting rehydrated.

It is a lot of work but I only do it every other day and the results are worth it.

That's awesome. I will have to try this. Thanks for sharing Smile

Thu Nov 24, 2011 8:03 am

also heard some ppl are using extra virgin olive oil as make-up remover

Wed Dec 21, 2011 12:15 pm

zumlya wrote:

OMG!! So many plugs came out. I didn't even know had so many clogged pores. My face is a mess, because I found every little pore the plug came out and extracted. I know if I would have left them my face would have exploded into whiteheads. I used 50-50 castor/grapeseed, and then threw in a little jojoba for good measure. I massaged forever--then I slapped some more on and massaged more. Then I thought, wow, I think I should do my back and arms! (Proved to be a little difficult on the back. I'm sure it worked a little). I did, however, wind up using a detergent cleanser afterwards to wash it all of (with a little glycolic acid in it). My face feels so smooth, although the pores around and on my nose seem the same. I'm going to try again in a few days (such a long process Sad

).

Ok, so I couldn't wait a whole week, because I see these clogged pores coming back on my chin area. Nothing came out. Crying or Very sad

Maybe one or two. I did a drop of rosehip in there. I don't see why this would make a difference. I wasn't exactly measuring anything. I just poured it into a small glass bowl. Which I had some left over so I stored in the fridge, is that ok?

Zumyla: Rosehip oil has a high comedogenic rating, meaning that it is very likely to clog pores and cause white or blackheads. I use hemp, which has a rating of 0, meaning it is not likely to cause any clogging. Try OCM again without the rosehip, olive oil, or coconut. Use only hemp or sunflower, as these are the least comedogenic. Good luck!

free skin care · Wed Dec 21, 2011 4:22 pm

wailanf wrote:

also heard some ppl are using extra virgin olive oil as make-up remover

Not only virgin olive oil, also almond oil, and probably lots of others... oils are great make-up removers,... gently massage for the oil to "grasp" the make-up or dirt and then wash off with hot watered towel...
Oil dissolves oil, I now understand "old" writings about the use of oil for cleansing, reading a lot about Egyptians and their use of oils, ...

free skin care · Thu Dec 22, 2011 2:19 pm

If you don't have finicky skin, I'd encourage people to mix it up once in a while. I find my skin responds well to a new oil mixed with my 20% castor every so often.

Most recently I've tried fractionated Coconut, Hempseed, Almond, JoJoba, & Rice Bran (1 at a time) and I'm fine with all of them, but after 2-3 weeks my skin seems to get bored with it, so I switch to a different one in order to get "my glow" back. Laughing

free skin care · Thu Dec 22, 2011 2:40 pm

So I've been reading this thread for the last few days, and here's my story:

I have normal, slightly oily t-zone skin, and have had constant acne for the last four years. I developed noticeable blackheads on my nose over the last year or so, and my pores are large on my forehead and cheeks (right around my nose). Always had whiteheads (the mild kind and the huge, engorged kind that no amount of make-up covers) and the occasional cyst and blemish. I started OCM on the 12th, had a bunch of whiteheads the first week, now they've calmed down. I do have about three tender cysts at the moment, one I've been nursing for about a month. But my nose has miraculously cleared. Blackheads gone, and pores look clean and small. Best of all, my skin overall looks really healthy. Just toned, and bright. It's kind of amazing.

But I've noticed the appearance of blackheads all over the rest of my face, whereas before I only had blackheads on my nose.

So these blackheads - is it the gunk that would have normally caused me to break out coming to the surface? My next question is how do I get them to come out. One night I was using 50/50 castor/seabuckthorn oil and the blackheads on my nose were squeezed out fairly easily. However, when I tried to squeeze out the ones on my face, it took a lot of pressure and I would end up with some blood in my pore.

I only used seabuckthorn oil the one time, and I won't have access to it for another 2.5 weeks, because I would have loved to see if continual use would make extractions easier. Right now I'm using about 40/40/20 castor/argan/tamanu with a drop of tea tree oil. Also, I dust my face with fuller's earth clay at the end, and then wash it off to make sure none of the oil remains on my face.

free skin care · Thu Dec 22, 2011 3:23 pm

Also wanted to add:

Even though I'm purging right now, I'm so happy that I found out about OCM. I mean, without it, I'd be plagued by acne anyway, and at least this has a light at the end of the dark, ghastly tunnel. And I find that the massage part of it helps me get to know my skin better. Instead of scrubbing and tugging at it and slapping layers of paint on it, I'm actually being gentle with it.

free skin care · Thu Dec 22, 2011 5:19 pm

onmyboat wrote:

But I've noticed the appearance of blackheads all over the rest of my face, whereas before I only had blackheads on my nose.

So these blackheads - is it the gunk that would have normally caused me to break out coming to the surface? My next question is how do I get them to come out. One night I was using 50/50 castor/seabuckthorn oil and the blackheads on my nose were squeezed out fairly easily. However, when I tried to squeeze out the ones on my face, it took a lot of pressure and I would end up with some blood in my pore.

I only used seabuckthorn oil the one time, and I won't have access to it for another 2.5 weeks, because I would have loved to see if continual use would make extractions easier. Right now I'm using about 40/40/20 castor/argan/tamanu with a drop of tea tree oil. Also, I dust my face with fuller's earth clay at the end, and then wash it off to make sure none of the oil remains on my face.

Are you doing the steam with a washcloth step? HOw comedogenic are the oils you are using considered to be? Maybe try an emulsifier instead of the drying fuller's earth? Don't force blackheads out that are not ready to come as you can damage your skin, just steam over a bowl and gently extract with the proper tool or well padded fingers.

free skin care · Thu Dec 22, 2011 5:33 pm

I am glad this thread was brought up again. I want to make a DIY combo oil using poly 80 so I can just rinse off. I asked this on SCT but did not get an answer. I bought Garden of Wisdom's Winter Oil Blend. These are the ingredients: Almond Oil *cold pressed*
Calendula Infused Oil
Rosehip Seed Oil
Avocado Oil *unrefined*
Oat Oil
East Shea Butter
Seabuckthoern Seed Oil Co2
Rosewood PEO
Frankincense PEO

Does anyone think I would be wasting a good product by making this into a cleansing oil? I want something very soothing and non-irritating for sensitive/red skin.

free skin care · Thu Dec 22, 2011 7:17 pm

Rileygirl - that sounds like a great oil mix. Frankly, I think it's a bit upscale to include in OCM. Since your skin is sensitive, maybe a mix of sweet almond, rosehip, maybe 10% castor and a few drops of an EO? Then put the GoW oil on after whatever else you use (Retin A, etc. )

I use a mix of castor, rosehip, jojoba, and apricot kernel with lavender and rosemary EO. I add poly 80 as well. Works great for me, but my skin is not especially sensitive.

free skin care · Thu Dec 22, 2011 9:03 pm

Thank you, ShastaGirl. I appreciate the help. I'll leave that alone and just mix up some other oils!

Fri Dec 23, 2011 11:34 am

Thanks for sharing. I am new to this forum and I would like to share that the most popular blend of oils for this cleansing method is castor oil and extra-virgin olive oil. The oil cleansing method is a natural way to clean your face using oils. OCM is one of the best methods to achieve beautiful, healthy skin.

free skin care · Fri Dec 23, 2011 4:09 pm

Firefox7275 wrote:

Are you doing the steam with a washcloth step? HOw comedogenic are the oils you are using considered to be? Maybe try an emulsifier instead of the drying fuller's earth? Don't force blackheads out that are not ready to come as you can damage your skin, just steam over a bowl and gently extract with the proper tool or well padded fingers.

I do steam and use a washcloth. I just researched the comedogenic properties of oils, and apparently it's influenced by the oil's oleic content? I couldn't find any actual studies that reference this, just websites and forum posts.

There's this post from Beauty Brains:

Quote:

The only downside to using argan oil in cosmetics, besides the potential lack of supply and high cost, is the fact that it contains a lot of oleic acid which is highly comedogenic.

Here's a link which lists the oleic content of some popular carrier oils: http://birchhillhappenings.com/aromatip/SE2011fixedoils.htm

It seems to support the common opinions of oils. Jojoba/grapeseed oil is light, olive oil is heavier, etc.

Anyway, I bought some grapeseed oil so I'll give it a shot tonight and report back.

free skin care · Fri Dec 23, 2011 4:15 pm

http://mdidea.com/products/proper/proper00304.html

This link reports that sea buckthorn oil has up to 19% oleic acid, which may help explain why it worked so well.

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