Oil Cleansing Method (OCM)

I use 2 parts castor oil and 1 part jojoba oil each night and I've been very pleased with the results. I do have more tiny clogged pores than when I was on the heavier medications, but almost no big red pimples anymore - a trade off that I'll gladly take! The challenge has been to refrain from picking, because it does bring impurities to the surface. But my skin is now a more even tone and texture and looks better than it has in months. I've been told that the types and quality of oils used makes a huge difference. The castor oil should be cold pressed and organic oils are recommended. I've read on other blogs that using olive or grapeseed oils led to breakouts for some people (though I had success with grapeseed as well). It won't give you perfect, flawless skin (which, in my mind, is unrealistic for me given my history with acne and my minor scarring), but it has made my skin clear enough to be comfortable with minimal makeup and I don't feel nearly as self-conscious about it anymore. The all-natural aspect has eased my mind about long-term use as well. Sounds like it isn't for everyone, but I have only good things to say about it so far.

I wish I could give this negative 1 million stars! This gave me the worst acne of my life at 27 years old. I tried this horrible cleansing method for a couple months and it literally clogged up what seems like every pore on my face. 1 month after stopping and I'm still dealing with the consequences. Cystic acne all over my cheeks and neck, and just a very bumpy, splotchy overall appearance. My face never looked like this in my entire life. I started the OCM with mild acne. I don't even know if it was mild, it was pretty much non-existent compared to what is now sitting on my face. THIS is acne. I could star in one of those Proactiv commercials as a "before" picture. I probably have moderate-severe acne at the moment, and it is really depressing. Anyway, the OCM started pretty well. I would feel little grains come out, my face would glow, etc. After a few weeks however, I would notice my face had a very bumpy texture. It looked like there were hundreds of bumps just underneath the surface. I was worried but continued on thinking that it was just a phase to get past. WRONG. The bumps emerged over the upcoming weeks as very cystic, pus-filled lesions. I had some of the biggest zits of my life all over my cheeks and jawline, even on my neck. I immediately stopped the OCM, but even 1 month later I'm having trouble clearing up the damage. I wouldn't be surprised if I clogged up every single pore on my face with oil. It now hurts to move my face and I wouldn't dare be in the sunlight. It's just horrible. Please do NOT try this cleansing method unless you want a face full of acne. I truly wish I could turn back time and NOT try this. UGH!

Please do not try this if you have acne-prone skin. I understand what it is like to feel desperate and hopeful about a new treatment, but this is probably the worst thing I have ever done for my skin. I have had hormonal/cystic acne for about 8 years (since age 20) and have tried multiple prescriptions and OTC options to no avail. I was very hopeful about the OCM. Used olive oil and castor oil, about 75/25 at first because my skin tends to dry out. It leaves you with a very nice, dewy moisturized feeling that seems healthier than the tight, dry feeling conventional products leave. After about two weeks, I noticed clogged pore forming, so I started doing 50/50 (more castor oil). Yes, with every wash I could feel gritty clogs coming out, but over time it seemed more were forming than were coming out. About two months into the method, I had the worst break out I've ever had, and it has lasted about six months (including during my wedding (what a bummer)! I have been desperate to clear this and it's only now starting to subside with Lerosett (but that's only been a couple of weeks, so we'll see longer term before I write any review on that). The breakout I've been fighting after OCM has caused substantial scarring on my temples and cheeks, both pigmentation and atrophic (icepicks). This is of course very upsetting. So please, be careful with this. I think I clogged so many pores and now I just have to wait until they all erupt and clear themselves out, leaving behind scars...

At first I liked my results, then I noticed I had a new cystic pimple. I continued this for about 5 days and I broke out horribly, I used a ratio of 50/50 CO and EVOO. NEVER AGAIN WILL I USE THE OCM. Since then I just wash my face with water and use a cotton ball with diluted tea tree oil to remove any residue of make up and use a honey mask every day until it's time for bed then use a diluted ACV toner and my skin looks way better.... I'm glad for anyone who has had good results with this OCM method, but I will never do this again...

Beware! If you see first sign of increased acne "JUST STOP" .2 years ago winter time I decided to try the OCM method mostly to soften my skin .I was 33 years old and only would get one or two pimples around that time of the month, every few month.The first time I did the OCM ,my skin looked great and felt soft but few days after I saw pimples coming! I had read that my skin is just adjusting to the method and that it's detoxing and...so I continued. I have had severe acne for 2 years now! at times I've had 15 actice acne on my face!! + previous pimple's red marks .I can't get rid of it! even though I stopped the OCM after 2 month. I used organic oils, clean towels( I even boiled the towels to make sure they're clean,I'd let it cool down of course!). If you see first signs of increase acne,don't continue hoping a miracle is on the way...

The first time I tried the oil cleansing method I followed the advice of 60% EVOO and 30% castor oil, I had a major breakout!!! I came back to this method about two weeks ago. This time though, I did intense research. If you have oily/acne prone skin you should really use jojoba oil and/or grapeseed oil with castor oil, olive oil is way too thick for oily skin, not to mention jojoba has an acid in it that's tough on acne. Also I would start out 60% castor oil and 40% jojoba. My skin is so oily I went up to 75% castor oil and 25% jojoba oil. The results from this mixture are amazing on my oily skin. At first my skin purged and I did freakout, but I didn't quit the method, I stuck with it. I am not kidding when I say your whiteheads and blackheads will come out your skin as you do this method! There was a period where they just kept coming out for like 3 days in a row! I use this method everyday and overtime my skin is becoming less oily! Usually I have to wipe my face with a blot cloth by noon and now my skin isn't getting oily until like 3 and best of all my face doesn't itch from acne! I don't even look for acne anymore because everytime I leave out the door in the morning I can see my face is clear more and more. Stubborn acne scars I had are gone. I would just like to also say yes this method does work because castor oil has amazing antibacterial properities and oil does loosen the harden oils in your pores, but if you start from the inside you won't have to spend so much time on the outside. I have really cut out foods that raise insulin levels(the master hormone!!!) like sugar, greasy, processed, white bread,etc. I have incorporated anti-inflammatory foods into my diet as well (acne is an inflammatory skin disease). A major thing that has helped is I have really stuck to drinking 64 oz of water a day. The amount of acne I get has gone down SO much and the oil cleansing method makes the acne I get come out in like 3 days of getting it, it's amazing!

Have had moderate acne my entire adult life...not severe but constant level of blemishes. Tried antibitoics, topical solutions, different contraceptive pills, expensive creams, you name it I tried it. Had oily nose that needed powder touch ups throughout the day and wore quite a lot of foundation to make me feel moreconfident. Have been using OCM for about 2 months and my skin went a little crazy in the first month even thought it was much less oily but I stuck with it and now my skin is clearer, softer and my scars seem less obvious. I rarely need to moisturise and am wearing much less make-up. Fingers crossed my acne days are behind me. My oil mix is 70% castor, 20% grapeseed, 10% jojoba with a few drops of tea tree oil. Currently using OCM daily (in the evening) and just washing with plain hot water in the morning. Good luck and stick with it until you find the right ratio of oils. It is still early but I am hopeful this will be the last thing I try!

I tried the ocm for 2 weeks. I used castor with some jojoba oil. First it was no problem, and my skin did not feel greasy. But after about a week I started to see a breakout of whiteheads on my forehead. I thought my skin was purging so I continued. After another week my skin is horrible! Those whiteheads turned into huge zits all over my face. My skin has never been this bad EVER! I always used clean cloths and hot water. I guess this method does not work for me.

I started using the OCM method after 37 years of battling moderately severe acne (both hormonal and topical). I was able to find a great system on a natural hair website for African-Americans. Since I started using the system 2 months ago, my skin has made a remarkable improvement. All of my friends and family constantly comment on how great me skin is currently looking. Cleanser: 50/50 Castor Oil / Grapeseed oil with some johoba oil and tea tree Toner: ACV spritzer (ACV/tea tree oil/johoba oil / asprin/ green tea / chamomile tea) Moisterizer: Grapeseed oil Mask: weekly honey-lemon mask I will recommend young black girls to try this out before using a more abrasive cleansing system that would strip the natural oils from your skin.

I've been using this OCM method for over a year with great results. Using other cleansers left my face dry & itchy...causing me to touch my face more, etc. After a few months of using OCM, it cleared most of my cosemtic acne and all I had left was the cystic acne that was occuring because of unbalanced hormone levels. I was able to see that I was getting new acne the week before my period. So I got back on birth control (Ortho-cyclen ... generic: mononessa or sprintec). The birth control helped clear the cystic acne. Nothing you put on top of your skin will ever cure acne that is hormonal. I've been on epiduo...antibiotics...aczone etc. It wasn't until I was back on the pill that I started to see the cystic acne go away. Now back to OCM, it's a great simple way to cleanse your skin at night. I use 50/50 castor oil and jojoba oil. I also made my own scent by adding in Geranium oil, Jojoba oil, Juniper berry oil, Lavender oil, Lemon oil, Lime oil. I rub that mixture in for a few minutes then I put a warm wash cloth over my face and then I wipe it off. I follow it with a homemade mosturizer that consists of jojoba oil, vegetable glycerin, aloe vera gel, and a little bit of water in a spitzer bottle. I have not had dry skin since I've been using OCM. And in combination w/ the birth control I've been acne free for the past 2 months!