Got pesky blackheads? Slather oil on your face!

Sounds counterintuitive doesn't it? It's called the Oil Cleansing Method. I've been doing it for a week now and I notice a big difference in the look and feel of my skin. I've had blackheads on my nose and chin since I was about 12 years old and I could never get rid of them. I'd wash my face and they'd be right back. I could still see them. Even masks didn't really work. With using this oil stuff they are starting to go away! I keep running to the mirror to check and yeah, it's seriously working. My pores are still big, so I have empty holes in my face but I suspect that will change once all the gunk gets out.

I have acne prone skin that's oily, dry, and normal in some spots. Though I haven't had a problem in awhile, I get cystic ance too. It's only been a week but so far so good, no pimples no nothing execpt glowing skin and empty pores.

I use Extra Virgin Olive Oil (yes, the stuff you cook with) mixed in with a little Castor Oil (yes, the stuff that makes you poop). I also mix in a little tea tree oil because that's always helped with my skin.

So who's going to try this?

http://www.theoilcleansingmethod.com/
http://www.thebeautybottle.com/index.php?opti on=com_content&task=view&id=6&Ite mid=2

edited to add the following

Okay, for those of us who are having problems here are some Trouble Shooting tips.  I would add this to the first post but since it's been edited by a mod it won't let me.  Boo.  Maybe I'll add it to my second post. 

Anyway, everyone's skin is different.  You have to find what works for your skin.  Same thing when you use commerical facial cleansers...you have to figure out what works for you.  If you're having breakouts that you believe are related to OCM try these Trouble Shooting Tips:

1.  Your skin doesn't like EVOO (or whatever oil).  Try different oil.

2.  Your skin doesn't like Castor Oil.  Does it work without castor oil?  Some people do a modified version of OCM without castor.  Some people have luck with just EVOO or Jojoba (or whatever). 

3.  Your skin doesn't like the ratio of EVOO (or whatever oil) to Castor.  Change your ratios around.

4.  You're not spending enough time rubbing the oils in.  Give it at least 5 minutes.  Take some you time and enjoy.

5.  You're not getting enough dirty oils off your skin.  Spend more time with the rag on your face and take more care to get the oils off.

6.  Your skin does not like your washing off technique.  Lay a hot rag across your face.  Hold it in place.  Let it sit there until it cools a little.  Gently wipe your face.  Repeat.  Don't scrub.

7.  Your skin doesn't like the hot rag approach.  Try doing OCM in the shower and forgo the hot rag.  Instead, rub your oils in for AT LEAST 5 minutes then wash with water only.

8.  You're not soaking your wash cloths in dish soap and very hot water for a long time before sending them through the washing machine.  Laundry detergent cannot get the dirty oils out of your rags.  Dirty oil rags can cause you to break out.  Only use a rag once. 

9.  Your skin is too dry.  Try using plain EVOO (or whatever oil) as a moisturizer.  Or try bumping down your % of castor oil.

10.  Are you over washing your face?  Are you using your normal harsh cleanser in the morning then doing OCM at night?  Try washing your face with just water in the morning.  It's not gross, trust me.

11.  Are you under washing your face?  Are you washing your face with water only in the morning and doing OCM at night?  If you have time, do OCM in the morning and at night.  If you don’t have time, try using a light cleanser in the morning.  Look for one that's oil based.  You could probably find something good at a health food store.  

12.  Are you doing OCM everyday?  Try doing it only once every other day.  Maybe everyday is too much for your skin.

13.  Are you NOT doing OCM everyday?  Maybe you should try it.

14.  Maybe your skin needs extra pimple busting power.  Try adding a few drops of EO to your mix.  I highly recommend tea tree oil.  Other all around skin helpers include lavender, rosemary, geranium, and rose.  Do some research and see what might help you.

I can not emphasise the importance of the oil quality. I switched from phramacy brand of Castor oil and cooking EVOO to 100% pure and organic and I find it to be much more effective. So try to get better oils if you want to try this.

You can make an exfoliant scrub.  Just add a bit of sugar to your oils and rub it in gently.  That might help with the plugs Jannay.

I continued today with the regime, a whitehead looked more visible and I managed to get rid of it. However, blemishes appeared near it. I've NEVER had that before.

Original Post by jewelsmcblah:

You can make an exfoliant scrub.  Just add a bit of sugar to your oils and rub it in gently.  That might help with the plugs Jannay.

You can use salt for a scrub, as well... Salt will be a bit more drying than sugar, so would be best used for oily/acneic skin (it may sting a bit on open acne, so may want to avoid this... it is good for healing, though). Sugar scrub would be best for normal-dry skin.

I've been doing this for a week now..Some blackheads came out but most are still there =(

Give it time.  Those blackheads took a long time to form.  They aren't going to move out in a few days.

Anyone ever use the "Earth Sciences" Skincare? I bought the A-D-E Cleanser and Aloe Toner this weekend and am using it in the mornings and continuing OCM at night and so far it's really helping. It has all natural plant and fruit oils in the cleanser. I purchased these at "The Vitamin Shoppe" near my house but they also have a website. I also purchased cold pressed castor oil and jojoba oil there as well, and it seems to really be making a big difference versus regular pharmacy brand castor oil and EVOO.

I think it is so funny that I found this today!  I have been using DHC Olive Essentials Set and my skin is better than it EVER was.  The thing is it is an oil cleanser and olive oil moisturizer.  I have gotten kind dry as I have gotten older and it works great.  It is kind of spendy though and I have switched from their toner to witch hazel.  I think I might try getting my olive oil at the health food store and making my own cleansing oil!  I never thought of having the kids use it!  My daughter has t-zone issues and my son get blackheads on his nose and cystic on his shoulders and along his hairline.  I think I will have my son try it.

castor oil completely dries out my skin. i HATE it. it worked well for a couple days and then it started to suck beyond belief! i was completely and utterly dehydrated and devastated.

i'm still working on correcting the problem.

yeah, it's been crazy but i am never trying castor oil anymore.

BEWARE!  :)

How much castor did you use (%)?  What kind was it?

I've started using olive oil as a moisturizer, it really is amazing for that. I haven't been doing it frequent enough to be seeing much results yet but I'm trying to get in the routine of using it every night. Currently I'm using it with another moisturizer with AHA in it (I used it in the past and it helped clogged pores), as well as one of my favourite products, Sudocrem (it's basically zinc oxide, really speeds healing [for zits]).

I can't wait to try this!  My skin has gotten better since I've stopped using a ton of products on my face.  Mostly I just wash with a mild cleanser once a day and then water wash the other half of the day.  I'm using expensive moisterizer and would love to stop using that.  Thanks for the tip!!!

I've been tryingthe OCM for the first time for the last 6 days (skipped one day).

SO FAR... I LOVE IT!

I generally have dry skin that also over produces oil to try to make up for it - which then creates acne. So I guess that would be deemed combination skin.

I've been using about 25% castor oil (since I heard it can be drying) and 75% sunflower oil (it was cheaper than olive oil and I've read it is a lighter texture and nice for sensitive skin (sometimes me!))

Because I'm afraid of ruining washcloths with oil (and I'm too lazy to do the wash every day) I've been doing the oil massage at night before hoping in for my pre-bedtime shower. I figured the steamy shower would be a fine substitute and save me some laundry (lazy me).

I haven't been using any other cleanser or toner or moisturizer. Just a wake up splash of water in the morning!

My skin feels soft - no tight feeling and no dryness (except where I got windburn on my chin Monday... but that is unrelated and I'm currently treating it with some added sunflower oil post shower). I feel more confident looking at my face without makeup on (not that I wore a lot of it before). I am thinking it could be looking smoother and more luminous - but maybe its just a placebo effect?

It is probably still too early to tell how the breakouts are reacting to it - but I haven't noticed any new ones and I am happy with the results so far and plan to keep up this regime!

(WHY HADN'T I HEARD OF THIS BEFORE!?!?!)

Seriously interesting stuff. I might have to give this a try. I've struggled with my skin since I was about 12. I am using Proactiv now and the results are good, but not as good as I'd like. And I like the idea of not using any chemicals. I think I'll give it a whirl. What the hell, right?

Hi i've been using the ocm regime for about 2 weeks now, i have been looking for a good skincare routine for a long time now as i just cannot get rid of my blackheads which are on my chin,nose and cheeks,i want to give the regime a chance,i've been mixing 50% EVOO to 30% castor and i haven't noticed any blackheads clearing, my cheeks were becoming extremely dry that i have patches that are so dry and cracked they are bleeding but the rest of my face is fine i tried putting more EVOO in to my mixture but my cheeks are still as dry, can anyone tell me what is the best oil to use that will be extra moisturising but still get rid of my blackheads (if that is ever possible) thnak you xx

50% Extra Virgin Olive Oil and 30% Castor Oil only adds up to 80%.

What is the other 20%?

Hi sorry i meant to state 70% EVOO 30% Castor but i added more EVOO so its more like 90% to 10% now, should i try jojoba oil? will that still be effective on my blackheads?

Yeah, I hear jojoba is very moisturizing.  It's actuallty a wax and it's pretty similar to sebum.

I haven't personally used it, but I know many people do.

Yes, this is a long post and I apologize but there is a ton of information you may be missing so I felt I should post it here.

Hi Everyone.  I just joined after reading all of these posts and I'm happy you are all attempting a natural solution to your skincare problem...but I'm wondering if anyone here is an Esthetician?  I am. 

I didn't follow the video links so I'm not as informed as I'd like to be about what you are all reading and seeing, but I'm a little concerned you would ever put Castor Oil OR essential oils on your face. 

The reason for acne AT ALL - EVER... is a PH imbalance in your skin.  Period.  EV Olive Oil will rebalance your PH (the only exception is in the very rare instance you are allergic to squalene, the main component of olive oil as well as in shark's liver).  It is a natural anti-bacterial and has been used for centuries to cleanse the skin.  Adding anything else to it is totally unnecessary and is likely the culprit if you are not having success. 

Essential oils should never be used directly on your sensitive skin.  Not ever, especially if you are mixing this yourself.   They are incredibly harsh and can create a very toxic environment if not combined properly.  There is serious chemistry involved in this and if you are not a chemist, do not do it!  Olive Oil does not smell that bad, and if you are doing the proper massage it won't smell at all.

Another very important factor is if you have acne and are still using your medications or any other cleansers with an oil cleansing routine, there will be problems.  While the Olive Oil is trying very hard to rebalance your skin, cleansing and medicating is undoing all of the good and will no doubt exaccerbate the problem.

Olive Oil is HIGH in Vitamin E.  Very High.  Don't add any.  Not necessary and most of the Vitamin E you will find is not refined to the point where it will do you any good on your face....it will clog your pores if you are using it from capsules.

If you are committed to a natural, drug-free program of revitalizing your skin and stopping or at least minimizing breakouts, then you cannot have it both ways.  If you decide to go all natural - you can't do the drugs too, it won't help and your frustration will get the better of you.

If ANYONE had ever told me a few years ago to put Olive Oil on my face, I'd tell them to take a hike - and in fact I did.  But, ya, I experimented with it anyway to prove them wrong.  They weren't wrong!!!

Here is what I do.  First off - I am a 44 year old mother of a 25 year old daughter and I have 2 grandkids...I look very young.   I actually grew up living on a sailboat out in the middle of the pacific ocean and there was no such thing as sun screen then.  I laid out in the sun WITH BABY OIL to fry myself - every single day for many years.  I smoked for decades, and I drank like a fish.  I had NO skin-care routine whatsoever (at least none that was good for me)...just very dry skin one day and so oily the next I could fry an egg.  Blackheads that would never subside no matter how much pinching and pulling on my skin.  Whiteheads so far under my skin I figured they were birth defects. 

Now, I look amazing.  I really do and I owe it completely to trying everything under the sun that did not work, until I found plain old EV Olive Oil.  It works...if you do it right.

Here is my disclaimer though - just because I have to.  Everyone has different skin, yes, but we all require the exact same PH balance to have healthy skin so in a sense, we all need the same thing.  And, there are MANY OTHER FACTORS that can affect your skin's PH aside from how you directly care for your skin.  So to isolate those things you don't want to do too many things at once.

Also, keep in mind that your skin is the largest organ of your body.  It ingests and secretes constantly.  If you would not eat a product or more accurately if it does not already exist or can be created in your own body, do not put it on your skin - you might as well swallow it because it goes directly into your bloodstream. (I'm not saying eat mercury or lead...even though these things already exist in your body - I am saying think before you apply!)  If you can't pronounce it, don't eat it and don't let your skin eat it.

Lastly, do not expect overnight results although there will be some.  Do not overdo it and do not freak out if you get a pimple.  It was already there!  This is a deep, prolonged cleansing routine, not an instant fix.  You may have been unbalancing your skin for years through medications and stringent routines or abuse.  Fortunately, this can be fixed.  It won't take long to see results but give it a few weeks at least and a good measure of your success will come from writing down what you do...and more importantly what you do differently. 

Your skin is an exposed organ!  Any changes in topical applications like new makeup - or OLD makeup, exercise, weather, polution, water quality ...whatever, will have an effect so adjust as you go and do not just keep following the same routine for your skin if you change YOUR routine in other areas.  Pay attention and you will have beautiful skin.  Just be gentle.

IMPORTANT -

1.  Wash your makeup brushes every few weeks or replace them...they are FILLED with carcinogens and bacteria.

2.  Your brushes touch your makeup so that has to be changed to.  Trust me, you can use the cheapest makeup on earth and look like a million bucks.  You can use the most expensive makeup and because you can't part with it, it is  bacteria filled and you will be broken out in an hour and not look so hot.

3.  Keep your hands off your face - I'm sure we all know this but I still have to remind myself.

4.  Be gentle with yourself in all ways.  Really.  The fact you are researching anything like this is because you are actively seeking improvement.  That says a lot so please give yourself credit along the way.

OK, here is my routine.  Without seeing your skin I cannot say DO my routine, but I will say that for every single person I have done it on (that has followed it), it has been amazing.

1.  Obviously, drink lots of water - good for you in every way.

2.  If you are going to do this, you cannot take acne medications (or do peels...just yet - AND, if you have recently done a peel or harsh scrub or microderm or are taking anything like retin-A or retinol or anything like that, you need to wait a few weeks because your PH is seriously out of whack right now)

3.  (If you are moving your skin around, you are being too harsh) In the evening, wash your face (don't forget neck, chest and shoulders)  GENTLY with a mixture of Carnation Instant Milk (teaspoon full) and Extra Virgin Olive Oil (teaspoon full).  It will lather up a little, so you will feel like you're washing your face.  Do not scrub it.  Not necessary....let the Olive Oil do it's job.  Rinse lightly to get the excess instant milk off.

4.  GENTLY (don't move the skin - press instead) pat dry with a very clean towel, but don't dry completely - leave some moisture.

5.  Take a dime size of Olive Oil (make sure your hands have been washed thoroughly before you do this) rub the oil briskly into your hands and gently massage moving upwards near your nose and downwards near your ears.  Very gently ( if your face turns red, it is causing inflamation - ease up!) and for AT LEAST 6 or 7 minutes.  Use your hands to cover your entire face GENTLY  -...massaging (pressing...do not move or stretch your skin) everything up and then near your ears and jaw push down.   During this first massage, you may suddenly start feeling like you have some Carnation Milk particles on your face - it's not that - those are your blackheads jumping out of your skin. 

6.  After your massage, just let it sit there for a few more minutes, then do NOT wash it off.  But, you can take a warm (not hot) towel and remove the excess, but the point is to not remove the oil completely.  Let the anti-bacterial continue to clean your face.  It will.

7.  After a few minutes, if you still do not like the amount of oil on your face, just blot it, do not scrub. 

8.  Get dressed and do whatever you have to do ...put your makeup on last.

9.  Do not use any sort of moisturizer, but DO use a sunscreen.  A good one - if you don't, you will totally UNDO all of this.  spf 15 is perfect (94-96% effective)...no matter where you live unless you work in the sun in which case, wear a hat and glasses!  Using higher spf only subjects your face to more chemicals and in fact has very little increase in effectiveness.  spf 35 and above (even spf65) is only 1% higher effectiveness and the chemicals on your face are increased by 10.

10.  Apply your makeup and expect some compliments today - even from yourself!

(This is my evening routine 3 days a week - for morning - i don't wash, I just rinse then do the same massage with olive oil, etc.)

The only adjustment you will ever have to make is the pressure you are putting on your skin and the number of times you perform this routine.  Start slow and see how you feel for one day.  If you feel moisturized and clean, don't do it that day, just rinse. 

Good luck all.  Less is better.  If you remember one thing out of this entire post - please remember that.

Later!

Lori

Aquagirl2115:

Hello! I was excited to see your post on this because I'm an esthetician too. I've been following this thread for quite some time and like to see people's reactions to the OCM once they start using it. The Japanese have used olive oil cleansing methods for decades if not centuries, so there's clearly something to be said for it! I use an olive oil based line in my spa, and it has made tremendous differences in people's skin... so exciting to see!!!

I agree with most of what you said in your post, except for the bit about castor oil and essential oils. I cringed the first time I heard about this, too (the castor oil anyway), but then did my research. Castor oil is not harmful in any way, except for the fact that if you use waaaay too much, it can be drying (which is surprising, because it's actually designed to hold moisture on the skin). It comes from the seeds of the Ricinus Communis Plant, so is actually natural. Of course, if you can get organic castor oil it's even better. Castor oil has wonderful cleansing properties (obviously b/c it's used to clean out our body's "pipes"... hehe), and is often used as a humectant and an emollient in skincare products - so it's okay to use in proper amounts! Yeah I was shocked about that too. Our local natural grocery store actually keeps the organic castor oil in the skincare aisle.

As far as essential oils, I was taught to work with essential oils a bit in esthetics school, and then learned more when I went on to work at a spa that used Aveda products. Pure essential oils are totally fine to use if you know that they have to be blended and not put directly onto the face or body. Generally when I use them in my facials or on myself, I get a healthy handful of oil (either olive oil or jojoba oil) and then put anywhere from 3 to 8 drops of a pure essential oil in with it, mix it together in my hands, and then apply to the skin. Clients love it. There have been a few times where I got an "excited" bottle that gave me many more than 8 drops, and we had no problems because I just added some extra jojoba. Some essential oils have actually been known to help with certain skin conditions. Rose, for example, is excellent for dry skin. Sage, Lemon, and Lavender are great for oily skin, and Tea Tree is awesome for acne and any type of bacterial infection. I've read that Lemongrass is really good for blackheads, but I've yet to try it. I use Ylang-Ylang alot in my facials and clients loooooove love love the scent of that one, and it's good for just about all skin types. So yeah, as long as it's diluted enough, it's totally fine to use on the skin. People with sensitive skin, though, obviously should use caution. I had a girl the other day with very sensitive skin, and we used just a couple drops of peppermint and a bit of sweet orange oil and it worked out perfectly.

I have a question about your skincare regime... what does the Carnation Milk do? And is this in powder form? I hadn't heard about adding that, so was just curious about what benefit it adds to the cleansing method.

Also, which kind of sunscreen do you use?

Thanks for posting! I always love to see what other estheticians have to say!!

Take care,

Lisa