Hello! I was just wondering what % of each oil (castor/jojoba) I should use if I have. Very oily skin. Also does it work for back breakouts? Plz get back to me anyone with personal experience or knowledge. Thank you!

Sincerely-super oily

Wow, this is AMAZING! I have been doing the OCM for only a week and my skin has improved sooo much! I have one pimple ATM, I usually have around 15-20 at a time... My pores seem to be smaller, the skin less greasy (probably cause now it doesn't have to produce that much oil anymore to compensate for the oil I have been washing off several times a day with my previous cleansers)! Thank you so much for sharing this, this was really the solution for me!

I am currently using EVOO and castor oil 50:50. What are the properties of jojoba compared to the EVOO?

I use this after each cleansing session, makes my skin feel fresh and healthy, love it!

[Edited link out]

A point to note:

1) Most satisfied users of OCM are likely NOT to return to update on their good progress

2) Most users that experienced breakout are highly likely to update on their breakouts

Therefore a disproportional group that voiced in this thread are more geared to the negative side.

If you've explored some popular threads here, you'll be surprised on how some posters "exaggerate" their breakouts. Please do not be put-off by extremities. But it's up to your judgement ultimately. Moderation is key. Therefore it's important to take each comments with a pinch of salt.

My Views on OCM

1) Quality of the oils you're using

2) Your diet

3) How aggressive you take care of your skin (e.g Topicals, Sun Exposure, Hygiene..)

What OCM does it to treat the surface. Not the roots of Acne.

It might be menstrual, diet or stress-related.

I took me 5 years to realize gluten and weak intestinal walls cause my severe acne.

This regime might be too risky for people with tendency for inflammation or sensitive skins.

My take:

Cleanse your skin and your body.

Endnote:

Acne is not just external factors. If we take in all the factors, we'll be surprised on how just relying on treating "what comes out" is counterproductive and often leads to disappointments.

A point to note:

1) Most satisfied users of OCM are likely NOT to return to update on their good progress

2) Most users that experienced breakout are highly likely to update on their breakouts

Therefore a disproportional group that voiced in this thread are more geared to the negative side.

If you've explored some popular threads here, you'll be surprised on how some posters "exaggerate" their breakouts. Please do not be put-off by extremities. But it's up to your judgement ultimately. Moderation is key. Therefore it's important to take each comments with a pinch of salt.

My Views on OCM

1) Quality of the oils you're using

2) Your diet

3) How aggressive you take care of your skin (e.g Topicals, Sun Exposure, Hygiene..)

What OCM does it to treat the surface. Not the roots of Acne.

It might be menstrual, diet or stress-related.

I took me 5 years to realize gluten and weak intestinal walls cause my severe acne.

This regime might be too risky for people with tendency for inflammation or sensitive skins.

My take:

Cleanse your skin and your body.

Endnote:

Acne is not just external factors. If we take in all the factors, we'll be surprised on how just relying on treating "what comes out" is counterproductive and often leads to disappointments.

 

Well, I was totally clear when I tried it. I did it for moisture since my skin was dry. I was on an antiandrogen for acne, so the hormonal part was covered. Of course I practice good hygiene -- except for when I washed my face with oils because that isn't good hygiene, since it doesn't remove bacteria. I have a good diet. Acne went away right when I stopped the OCM.

is there any point doing this purely with jojoba oil?

I tried just using Jojoba oil as I only had that bottle!

For me, it made me breakout.

First, it's too drying on skin. Turns out skin gets "oilier" to compensate for both

1) Dryness from Jojoba Oil

2) Irritation from antiseptic aspect of Jojoba Oil

But it is my opinion and guess.

It's better to balance "Attack" & "Heal" for OCM Method.

Too much of a medicine will become poison. So does Jojoba Oil.

As the many users' opinion, having a good mix is crucial. But note, this doesn't complete clears acne.

It's only an alternative way to wash our faces.

Diet Exercise and stress can't be contained with just OCM. Good luck!

[Edited link out]

In my opinion, Paula Begoun is right. The OCM may get rid off all the excess oil on the surface but doesn't treat the underlying problem (improving pore shape etc.)

I won't try it, because it probably is really bad for acne/blackhead prone skin.

Also, you're recommending essential oils - one of the most potentially irritating ingredients!!!

Success story here!

Skin: I have oily skin, sensitive-ish, mild-to-moderate hereditary (hormonal?) acne (my mother had problems with acne until menopause). I had blackheads, milia, cysts, and the occasional surface infected spot.

I was prescribed retin-a to clear things up, and it did wonders for the milia and cysts, and helped with the blackheads everywhere but my nose. Unfortunately, it also gave me giant dry flakey and paradoxically oily patches on my cheeks where the acne was worst. Nothing was working to clear up the dry spots, and I didn't want to quit the retin-a entirely because it was working so nicely on the actual acne. I had had good luck with (gradually, over ~2 years) washing my hair less to make it less like an oil slick (I used to have to wash every day, now I wash 3-4x a week, depending on what I'm doing and what I want my hair to look like) so I wanted to try a less harsh approach to my face.

That said, I did end up making a lot of changes to my regimen, so YMMV. But OCM+Steam has been really helpful in keeping me clear and non-flakey. I've been doing this since late November, so I'm willing to say this is long-term successful for me.

Mixture: I started out using straight jojoba oil (ordered from this site), and then when that seemed to work ok, I picked up some cold-press castor oil from the cosmetics section of my local healthfood store. I use ~80-90% jojoba oil + 10-20% castor oil. I mix it up in a little glass bottle and just eyeballed it. I started out with Jojoba oil mostly because I already had it on hand. I'd been using it in the evenings to augment my moisturizer, and had not had any noticable breakout as a result, so I wasn't concerned about using more of it.

I pour out slightly more than a quarter-size amount, and massage it GENTLY into dry skin, preferably before I hop in the shower. I've never had the patience to massage it all that long, but I find it very relaxing to hang out in the warm shower and massage my face for a few minutes. Then, I wash up as per usual.

The last thing I do is steam my face. I turn the water a tiny bit hotter, soak the wash cloth, and just hold it against my face for a few minutes until I feel it cool. I aim for pleasnatly warm, not hot-hot. I repeat the process, doing my face in parts because I find it uncomfortable to have a warmwet washcloth over my nose and mouth at the same time. I do each part of my face at least twice, and as much as I have the patience for. The last thing I do is get the washcloth nice and hot and then GENTLY SO SO GENTLY wipe my face. I switch out the towel somewhere between every 2 weeks and once a month, depending on how much laundry I feel like doing.

The thing that took the longest for me to get used to was the clean sensation that isn't that squeaky-clean freshly-washed-with-soap feel. Now I try and judge if it feels clean, or still feels like there is oil. I will often wipe around my hairline a second time, to keep it out of my hair, but I try to avoid too much wiping.

After I pop out of the shower and dry off, I usually use a treatment and moisturizer. ~1-2x a week, I use my retin-a/retin-a+BP (I can't remember the brand name). 2-3x a week, I use the AHA+ from this site. The rest of the time, I just slap on moisturizer (also from this site) and call it a day.

In the morning, I most often rinse with warmish water and moisturize. If I'm feeling oily and impatient, I bust out my Cetaphil extra-ultra-gentle cleanser, but I find myself noticing the tightness even more.

I've tried moisturizing with the jojoba oil on it's own, but I find it leave me feeling super-oily and shiny instantly. I only do that at night, in the winter, if I'm feeling particularly dry.

My skin is currently much better than it has ever been since I hit puberty. I still have the tiny blackheads, but the milia/assorted bumps have basically disapeared. I just got my first cyst in a long time, and it is super-tiny and not nearly as giant and painful as they usually were. Providing I keep my hands away from my face, the red infect-y spots are mostly a thing of the past (and if not, a topical prescription antibiotic, BP, or the retin-a+BP clears it up almost instantly). And really, the overall texture/tone of my skin feels a bit magical. That said, if I slack on any part of the routine, my skin does start deteriorating after about a week.

For those thinking about trying OCM+Steam, I want to encourage people to read as much as they can. The google search reaults for oil cleansing are abundant and varied. It certainly isn't a method for everyone. I would also encourage people to take it slow. I started out using it once a week. I increased my usage after I liked how my skin didn't feel tight and dry afterwards like it did with my usual cleansers, and noticed a speedy decrease in the dry flakeyness in my trouble spots. Of course, that could also be down to my derease in retin-a usage, though I had decreased my retin-a usage prior to starting OCM+Steam and my skin was getting worse (more blackheads, bumps, milia) with no major improvement in the dry spots. I wasn't patient enough to really test it out, but since I'm happy with my current skin status, I'm going to run with it.

[Edited link out]. This might help people pick oils that might be helpful. I'm obviously partial to jojoba, but there are a lot of options, and it sounds like there are a lot of mixed results. Healthfood stores are a good option for purchasing the oils. I saw nearly all of these oils at my healthfood store in the cosmetics/moisturizer section. That's also where I purchased a tiny glass bottle that I mix my oils in, so I don't have to be mixing every time I want to clean my face (also, so I can take it with me when I travel, which is way too often).

Quote

Good Oil Cleansing Varieties

• Jojoba (all skin types, but very desirable for acne-prone skin)
• Sweet almond (all skin types, especially oily)
• Grapeseed (all skin types, especially oily)
• Avocado (dry and aging skin)
• Sunflower Seed (all skin types)
• Olive (all skin types)
• Apricot Kernel (dry, aging, and normal skin)
• Argan (all skin types, especially aging skin ¦ very pricey)
• Tamanu (all skin types ¦ very pricey)

Sorry for the super-long post, but I wanted to give as many details and background as I could for people thinking about using this method!

I tried OCM last year with Castor oil, grapeseed oil, and jojoba with a drop of tea tree oil. I cracked open the oils brand new, and put it into a new, sterilized 1oz pump bottle to prevent contamination. For the first week I thought it would work. I did feel some graininess being rubbed out of my nose. My skin DID glow even after thorough, gentle removal of the oils and it felt nice and supple. After the first week, I started to develop very small flesh coloured bumps near my mouth and chin. Over the next couple weeks these migrated to my whole face. EVERYWHERE. Here's the thing, I was 90% clear at the time I started OCM. It was not really to treat any severe acne, as it was to help with the blackheads and gunky pores around my T-zone. My cheeks were absolutely baby-bottom perfect at this time. The texture of my skin got weirder and weirder until it seemed like my skin was just naturally grainy and rough. No makeup would apply nicely and sunlight really emphasized the weird texture my face had taken on. I STOPPED using the oils because I was freaked out, and these bumps. very slowly over the next 4-5 months surfaced as really painful cysts. Never all at once, some were so deep in there that it took months before they finally came to head.

I don't know about an initial breakout or purging period, but I will never try this again (even if it was somehow my fault) simply because I had not so much as a blemish on my cheeks and it caused what seemed like every single pore to fill up. Even going as far as my "laugh line" area, where my jaw meets my chin, and on my upper cheeks, all of which are areas I've never seen a pimple on in my life. This happened in May-June, and I was dealing with the bumps turning into cysts all the way until November. Even now, I see pores which have stretched out and sometimes fill up with gunk or look dark in areas where my skin used to be perfect and pore/acne free. (My breakouts were always limited to certain areas of my face). About 2 weeks of OCM unfortunately gave me 6 months of horrible skin.

It's disappointing as I see that it has worked well for a few people and I had high hopes for the first week, but that's just my experience with it.

A point to note:

 

1) Most satisfied users of OCM are likely NOT to return to update on their good progress

2) Most users that experienced breakout are highly likely to update on their breakouts

 

Therefore a disproportional group that voiced in this thread are more geared to the negative side.

 

 

I agree with what you say mystril, but from these testimonials, it does seem like the general consensus is that the OCM is detrimental to the skin.

I've just read through 21 pages and it seems like in the beggining, everything was glowing, but the last 4 pages is quite scary to read.

I've been doing alot of reading and was intending to purchase some products to start the OCM this weekend, but I guess I'll hold it off.

My skin is dull and looks horrible and I was really looking forward to it. Perhaps the people who experienced side effects

left too much oil on and used too much castor oil? Perhaps double cleansing would be more benificial?

I just find it curious that the OP has not posted since. It would be nice to see how he's doing and to provide some advice.

Anyhoo, if you've got some success stories, or some not-so-good stories please share. Dang it, I was really looking forward to doing this.

Just found this thread on google, but I have been cleansing with jojoba oil for a while now and it has my skin looking amazing and beautiful. Might add castor oil to my regiment because I also heard its good for your hair as well as acne scars. I don't oil cleanse with the wash cloth though... I just rub the jojoba on my face, chest, shoulders, and hair then shower it off with warm water. I don't put on any OTC topicals or sunscreen... Instead I use acv/green tea toner and maybe some witch hazel and rosewater spray if I'm going out. I think this method is great for your acid mantle which is different for chicks so maybe oil cleansing works better for dudes...

Wow, where to begin... I did the OCM for about 2 months and it really messed up my face. Please BEWARE of this method if you have combo, acne-prone skin like myself.

I used a blend of olive oil, castor oil, and tea tree oil and did the cleansing diligently every morning and night. I followed up with a light application of the same oil blend as a moisturizer. The first week, my face was glowing, radiant and I was so excited that I might have found my holy grail cleansing regimen. Boy was I so wrong! Every morning after that, I noticed new whiteheads cropping up in random places, but I still stuck to the OCM. I thought that this was an initial purge but the breakouts just kept going. I also noticed some tender red spots and breakouts in places that have been clear for years. I even had breakouts in my moustache and eyebrows. Still I kept with it, hoping that it would all pass. It didn't, and it just got worse and worse. I also noticed that some of the acne would be very red and painful.

I woke up one morning, looked at my face in the mirror and was horrified. This was the last straw for me. The OCM was ruining my complexion and I had to stop.

I read a bit more about OCM and found this link:

http://www.cosmeticscop.com/the-oil-cleansing-method-for-oily-skin.aspx

Please read that link before even considering this method. I realized that for me personally, OCM just wasn't cleansing my skin deeply enough, and my pores were clogging up. I needed to get back into the rhythm of a daily BHA cleansing to clean out my pores.

I came into this with an open mind and gave it many weeks, but sadly the OCM didn't work for me. I'm not trying to sound like a jerk here but this just goes to show how much it ruined my complexion. I seriously have never had such a persistent and thorough breakout slowly covering my entire face. My forehead, cheeks, chin, and neck were breaking out all at once and this has never happened to me in my entire life. I really think it was the worse breakout I've ever had, and the only thing I was using were these oils. My jawline was pristine when I started this, and when I finally stopped OCM, it was just a bumpy red mess. It's never been like that EVER. Overall, I counted over 20 breakouts all over my face at once, and I started OCM with a fairly clear face. It was time to let it go.

Since then, I've returned to normal cleansing. Using a BHA face wash, and an AHA moisturizer spiked with Tea Tree Oil for antibacterial effect (that's the only useful way to incorporate oil into my regimen). This is working well for me and thankfully clearing up my face again.

So to everyone here, BEWARE and listen to your face when considering OCM. Sure, it would be nice to go all natural, but I really think I'm better off with the traditional means of BHA/AHA cleansing.

I feel you should only use this method if you have OILY SKIN. Those people with normal skin should not use this because we produce enough oils to the point we dont need to add more to them. I read somewhere that this method works for some and not others because the oils from this method sit on the skin and prevent our own oils from reaching the surface creating havoc for the skin. Your skin needs to breath and this method can prevent that for some.

I've read mixed results on this helping people with dry skin though i think i would work. Those with oily skin though i could see this working and actually (when the right oils are used) tell the skin to produce less oil leading to less break outs. This isnt always the case but can work.

Although interesting to note, I used Jojoba oil (used in Dr Bronners soap) to dissolve the non inflammatory clogged pores on my forehead. I was surpised this worked but it does. So I would suggest it to whoever has this or blackheads that need to be gone. Other than that I think this method like the previous poster said can seriously F up your skin so beware.

For people like me who's skin is relatively normal this is the worse thing i could ever do.

I have oily /combination skin and although I dont have a huge problem with acne, I do have it sometimes. I have been using the OCM for a couple months and it has worked great. I started with 50/50 castor oil and EVOO but have had to alter that a it as it was actually DRYING my face out but once I got the right combination it has been great! I also use 50/50 Vitamin E and jojoba oil for a moisturizer. I was afraid at first to try it but basic chemistry tells you it should work. Commercial products are so harmful to your skin! This method is great! I do it at night before bed.

Hi, I'm on this OCM for a month now and I seldom use EVOO just plain CO.

 

1. I noticed that my skin became less oily (which means I don't have to blot everytime), and

2. my pores are less visible or in most cases I notice right after my OCM, my pores particularly in my nose and cheeks are closed.

3. it's a very nice make-up removal especially for the waterproof mascaras.

4. skin is smooth and not greasy/oily despite of the fact that I have been cleansing my face with "oil".

5. my forehead used to be darker than my cheeks especially 4-6 hours after my bath (that's because of the oil sunbathing on my forehead), but after a week of the OCM, I noticed that my skin color has started to balance out.

6. my skin on my face became lighter, or clearer.

7. I have one breakout at a time (I'm not sure if EVOO got stuck in my pores that triggered it), but I think CO helps it lighten the scar; it also helps it dry faster.

8. my lashes became thicker and longer.

 

I hope this helps you decide.

 

I signed up for an account JUST to make a post here (lol)--I've found my experience with OCM to be very similar to what rOxyfOxy posted.

Castor Oil (CO) was much better for my skin than EVOO (I have oily/combination/sensitive skin). I don't use the facial towel--just cleanse morning and night with CO + a bit of avocado oil. It gets all the gunk out.

OCM has worked well for me (I've been eating quite healthily and exercise regularly, etc etc). OCM cleans the face well but to keep the acne down I've found that the #1 "solution" is to reduce/eliminate stress.

I never forgot this thread because the tips by the original poster were very detailed and very, very helpful in my experience.

P.S. The face towel definitely needs to be changed every time you wash your face--all the bacteria will be left there otherwise (which will lead to the terrible breakouts)...

I just wanted to update on my horrible experience with OCM and hopefully save some people from going overboard with this. If you do try it it's important to know when to stop if you're experiencing breakouts. Absolutely do not continue if your face seems to be getting worse. I stopped the OCM about 3 weeks ago and I'm still dealing with the consequences. While my face is now smoothing out and less red than before, I still have several splotches here and there and some lingering bumps. Thankfully the huge cystic acne have dried out but I can tell it'll be about 1 month more before my face returns to normal.

The warning sign I should've noticed while on OCM was when I saw several under the skin bumps on my cheeks. I thought, oh this must be purging. WRONG. It was actually my pores being severely clogged up with oils. I know this because over the upcoming weeks I would get horrible cystic acne in those areas. It was crazy and like nothing I've ever experienced before. At the height of this breakout I would wake up to new acne and whiteheads DAILY. These would be so huge and hurt when I smiled. I would examine my face and my cheeks would look so bumpy like the Rocky Mountains, and that's no exaggeration either. As the days went by these would turn even more red and inflamed. I even remember one morning I touched a sore spot very very lightly and it just oozed out pus. I knew then that I had to stop OCM. I was probably sealing in so much bad bacteria in my face and it just looked like I had a very serious skin infection.

Trying the OCM is no doubt the worst thing I've ever done to my face and I've been dealing with acne for more than 10 years. Once again please be careful with this., especially if you have only mild acne. This could easily turn it moderate.

What do you use to exfoliate??

I have started doing OCM. I am using 50% castor and 50% grapeseed oil. My face has never been this dry. It dries me out, and my face is chapped and painful. The slightest touch on my face caused pain. I will be continuing for a few more days and if it doesn't get any better I am siwtching back to cetaphil

OCM was amazing for my oily skin it poofed the oilies right away. Not only that but I noticed that after a week of using OCM the white stuff underneath blackheads dried up and surfaced on top of my skin, like tiny rice grains. This happened especially on my nose where I tend to get many blackheads. Unfortunately OCM stopped working for me when I introduced and mixed tea tree oil with my regime. Lets just say all hell broke loose.

But now I have clear skin again! Thanks to moisturizing face wash and moisturizer!

Everyone is different, no one is wrong and no one is correct, everything is based on hardcore experience.

I had to stop doing OCM. It dried me out terribly. I am dry and patchy and flaking. I should have stuck with cetaphil, moisturiser, and differn.

So I've decided to try your OCM, and I know it is meant to replace one's normal, every day face wash. However, is it also meant to replace any topical acne products such as benzoyl peroxide, and solely use the OCM on a daily basis?

Just FYI, this is the first night I try OCM-using Castor Oil and Organic Jojoba Oil.

Thanks!

I tried the oil pulling method which I am sure is helpful for some people but it seemed too laborious. Jojoba oil is without a doubt the best oil for acne (check it out for yourself) although obviously it won't suit everyone. I have been using a lotion by mama nature for acne - teenage dream - and my acne has more or less been cleared away. My friends can't believe it never mind me. Because it is expensive I have been toying with the idea of making my own blend. Can anyone recommend a reliable supplier of essential oils?

Hi,

Today I started to use this method with Castor oil (20%) and Extra Vergin Olive Oil (80%).

After the cleansing I feel somenthing like my skin is a little bit dry, or something like my face is a little bit burning (I think I have a sensitive skin).

My question is, can I use a moisture after this OCM (moisture - organic and unrefined butter shea, or coconut oil) or this method is ALL in ONE, the Castor Oil cleans and Olive Oil moisture?

Thank you for your time and answer,

Victor

Hello, reading a bit of this thread I have noticed a bunch of people saying that they need to use a anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory product along with the OCM.

To these people (and really anyone using the OCM) I would suggest adding a few drops of clove essential oil and a few drops of peppermint essential oil to their mixture. Usually I make my mixture approximately 1-2% clove oil and 1-2% peppermint oil.

Clove oil is both anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory and is an amazing addition to your oil mixture! Peppermint oil is anti-bacterial and is extremely soothing to the skin. Both of these oils smell great as well!

The mixture I am using now is approximately 70% grape-seed oil, 27% EVOO, 1% clove oil and 2% peppermint oil. It has worked GREAT for me so far! Also, recently I started putting lemon juice on my face 30 min. before I do the OCM and some of my acne scars and dark marks have started to fade. Also, while lemon juice can be drying, doing it 30 min. before the OCM minimizes how much it dries your skin because when you do the OCM you give it all the moisture it needs.

My acne is not completely gone, but before doing this my acne was moderately severe and I tried pretty much everything except accutane without much success. However it has improved a bit since I started doing this and now I would say it is light to moderate.

Hope this helps people!

I am middle-aged and have had acne most of my life. I do agree with some of the posters that a good diet and exercise are important, but some people have acne just the same. And I do acknowledge that just about everything works for some people - each person has to find what is best for them. The only 2 things that have really helped me were being on birth control pills and Accutane. Unfortunately, I am too old for the pill now. I have found that a low maintenance dosage of Accutane works best for me, although I don't feel like I should take it constantly. I am getting ready to try the OCM, not expecting a miracle, just willing to try anything that might help some. I do have a question though. I have read through this entire thread and noticed that quite a few of the people that say not to even try the OCM because it will make things worse recommend using the products on the Paula's Choice site. Just a coincidence or are those products that different and that much better than anything else out there?