Oil Cleansing Method (OCM)

Reviews
2.9
81 Reviews

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5
32.1%
4
14.8%
3
7.4%
2
6.2%
1
39.5%

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July 10, 2013
Oil Cleansing Cleared My Cystic Acne

Pros:

Cheap
Organic
Really works!

Cons:

Could be tricky when you go camping-need hot water

I went off birth control a few months ago and soon had large, painful cystic acne on my chin and jawline. I've struggled with acne on and off since my adolescence- even did two rounds of Accutane, which left my skin glowing for a lovely six, seven years... but the spotted red cat always ultimately came back. I started oil cleansing relatively recently, so I am crossing my fingers that it continues to work so well. I experienced no purging, and actually saw an immediate improvement. Here's what I did: Purchased 1 bottle of ordinary castor oil. $4 1 bottle avocado oil (it's the one from Whole Foods which also has Vitamin E in it) $6 1 bottle Neem oil, which maybe was unnecessary $7 1 glass bottle for mixing with a dropper cap (important) $3 So the whole method could cost you as little as $13. Pour an inch or so of avocado oil (or any carrier oil you like, jojoba oil might also be good, although for me I think that would be too drying with the castor oil) into your clean glass mixing bottle. Then pour in a bit of castor oil. Apparently people experiment with their ratio. I am using about 60 percent avocado, 40 percent castor oil. Cap the bottle and shake it. Have a clean facecloth or even a paper towel handy. Wash your hands well and use the dropper to deposit a quarter size amount of your newly mixed oil into your palm. Now rub the oil onto your dry face- leave your makeup on, and again, DON'T GET YOUR SKIN WET FIRST, that will prevent the oil from doing its job, as water and oil don't mix. Oil dissolves oil. That's the key here. Rub/massage your problem areas for as close to 5 minutes as possible. You will probably get bored, but you will also begin to feel comedomes, black heads and whiteheads rolling free of your pores! When I first started this the heads of my cysts came off, and my skin felt so, soo clean... Once you've done this, wet your clean washcloth with very hot water and hold it over your face, steaming your pores so that they open further. They will have already opened a bit with the warmth from your rubbing. Hold the washcloth over your face for two minutes- if it cools, quickly reheat it. Then wipe off all the oil with the washcloth. You can rewet the washcloth and wipe the oil off two or three times if you like. If you're not comfortable putting oil on your face yet, after cleansing this way you can put on lotion if necessary (and any zit cream you still want to use, I'm trying out the Neem oil with what seems to be good results). However, you can also use a few drops of your same oil mixture to moisturize, too. In the morning you don't need to wash this way- just wipe your face down with clean hands and water. I use the oil cleansing method after the gym and before bed. I'm delighted to have found a simple, healthy, and inexpensive solution. Hope this helps other people! Acne can be so debilitating. For anyone who is reading this right now and feels bad about their skin-here's a little nugget that has gotten me through bad days: when you're all broken out and are feeling uncomfortable being around people because you assume they are thinking, 'wow, what a pizza face-' Remember what you yourself think when you see someone whose skin is upset. You probably don't think awful things. Your heart probably goes out to them, right? Most people you meet will feel the same way. So hold your head high and make the best of your day, no matter what your skin looks like.
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September 24, 2013
OCM saved my skin

Pros:

Glowing skin
No need for moisturizer
Clear, beautiful skin

Cons:

Time consuming
Purging period

I've suffered from acne since age 11. I'm 18 now, and for many years was known as the girl with the pimples. Age 12-14 was the worst, as there was not one inch of clear skin all over my face, and I had painful cysts, black heads, and white heads. I've tried everything from over the counter washes, to acid peels, to honey masks, to even putting 10% benzoyl peroxide on my entire face. All of this, plus time, did calm down my acne. However by age 17 I was still too insecure to go outside without foundation, and still couldn't go a day without a break out. But I think I've found the cure in the OCM. I've been using it for 3 weeks and I haven't seen my skin looking this beautiful since I was honestly about 9 years old. I did have a purging period, but it only lasted 5 days and only gave me about 6 zits (a small price to pay). The reason I think so many people are experiencing even more break outs is because either (A) They're using oils that their skin is not compatible with, (B) They're not rubbing in the oils long enough or (C) They're not removing the oils well enough. Before starting the OCM, I did my research and decided I wouldn't be using castor oil in my mix since it scores a 1/5 on the comedogenic scale, and since I have acne prone skin I decided I'd only be using oils that scored 0/5. I used 50% cold pressed organic hemp oil and 50% cold pressed organic sunflower oil, both of which scored 0s. I also added 3 drops of tea tree oil. I used this in the evening everyday and rubbed it in for 10 minutes, then I used my hands (not the wash cloth) and very hot water to rinse my face for 2-4 minutes, then only used the wash cloth to steam my face for an additional 2-4 minutes. Harsh exfoliating can sometimes make acne worse so I recommend not to use it to rub. You guys should also use the OCM at least once every other day. One reviewer said he/she used it every 2 weeks? Your pores will become clogged again by the time you come around to using it again, what's the point? But the most important rule of the OCM is to never, everrrrr use it and use any over the counter crap washes at the same time! Clearsil, clean & clear, cetaphil, all these washes will do is confuse your skin! Your skin will freak out and it'll just produce more oil, which will equal more break outs! If you absoulutely must use a wash, find one without any kind of sulfate. I recommend Dr. Bronner's tea tree wash, or Dr. Bronner's hemp oil and peppermint wash. I hope the OCM helps other people as it's helped me, after 8 years of suffering, I'm finally confident in my skin. Happy cleansing. :)
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October 25, 2011

Pros:

Softer skin
Clearer skin if you stick with it and let your skin adjust
Brighter complexion
Rarely need to touch up make-up
Wearing less foundation than before
Relaxing
Rarely need to moisturise

Cons:

Takes longer than a quick wash with normal face wash
Will get worse before it gets better so perseverance needed

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!
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November 4, 2011

Pros:

Soft skin
Less oily
My face doesn't itch anymore and my acne is almost gone.
It's very cheap, paying 20 up front doesn't seem cheap, but this will last you six months!

Cons:

It's very time consuming and you must always be stalked up on clean towels! This can result in a BAD breakout if you don't do it right for your skin type and steam your face like your suppose to.

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!
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February 27, 2016
use the right oil for your skin
I started using grapeseed oil as a cleanser about a month a go because of its astringent, healing and moisturising properties. and after a month of use the results are amazing, my pores look unclogged, my blackheads are reduced, I have had no breakouts what so ever and my skin is actually glowing! I have seen that many of you have had a bad reaction to the OCM because you have used coconut oil, personally I would not recommend coconut oil for the OCM if you have oily/acne prone skin or any type of acne prone skin, as coconut oil actually have a very high comedogenic rating compared to other oils suck as grapeseed oil or sweet almond oil (which I also highly recommend). this means that when coconut oil Is applied to oily or acne prone skin it is more likely to clog pores if used as a moisturiser or if it is not washed off thoroughly, and due to the greasiness of the oil it is most likely to leave residue on the skin anyway leading to blackheads, breakouts and possibly cystic acne. I am saying this from experience because I tried coconut oil for the OCM and after a few days of using it my skin FREAKED OUT, I have spots everywhere and I was embarrassed to even leave the house. however sweet almond oil and grapeseed oil are actually know to unclog pores and get rid of acne so I would highly recommend them for the OCM or as a moisturiser. if you would also like to use any other oils I would recommend doing some research on the comedogenic ratings of the oils and the uses of the oils as you may find that some oils are used more for moisturising and dry/flaky skin that for cleansing and getting rid of acne. some people have had very positive outcomes from using coconut oil, but the majority of them had originally dry /combination or dry/flaky skin. if you are relying on just reviews make sure that that person has a similar skin type as you because you might end up wrecking your skin.
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December 6, 2013
Oh

Pros:

OH HERES UR SKIN BACK NO BIGGIE

Cons:

takes AWHILE

I was skeptical, but also desperate after 12 years of acne covering my body. But to be honest at this stage in my life, the pimples I found most troublesome were the stubborn, ever-present ones right on my breasts. (Does not promote intimate feelings turns out) Nothing improved it or really effected it in any way actually, but the thing I settled on longest was oil free cleanser plus oil free moisturizer and the occasional bp mask. Then 6 months ago I lost my mind a little and threw out all of my personal hygiene products and replaced them with things from the kitchen. And I feel like the world's biggest chump. I took accutane, antibiotics, birth control -all as a vulnerable teen and the thing that finally makes me resemble an adult is in covering my face and chest in frickin olive oil. I didnt even have to try different oils or adjust the proportions. 1/3 castor oil. Please use hot water. Everyone says not to exfoliate but I do every day with a washcloth after and this part is key. So what ive learned is be kind to your skin (lame, why yes it is) and don't be afraid of oil be afraid of everything that isnt in your kitchen. Unless there happens to be a dermatologist in there then be afraid of that too. *sigh* (Seriously my BOOBS do you know what that does to a person)
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November 9, 2013
This will give you glowy, moisturised, acne-free skin - IF YOU USE NON-COMEDOGENIC OILS.

Pros:

Effective
Very inexpensive
Non-drying

Cons:

Takes a little longer than conventional washing
Can be disastrous if your skin doesn't like your oil mix

For as long as I can remember, I've had acne in some form or another. I started precocious puberty at the age of 6, which meant that I basically started breaking out at that age, and I was diagnosed with moderate rosacea when I was 14. Fun, yeah? Anyway, while my skin has never been bad enough to need anything prescriptive, the persistent redness coupled with a smattering of blackheads and pimples has been a constant source of embarrassment to me. That is, until I started the oil cleansing method. A few (very, very biased) words on coconut, jojoba, and olive oil: Don't even look at them. I know that they're often touted as magical miracle oils, but I think people with acne-prone skin are playing with fire when they try them. Most of the "oh-my-god-ocm-gave-me-a-cystic-breakout-HELP!" reviews are from people who used any of these 3 oils in their mixes. If they work for you, then great. Personally though, I wouldn't risk a skin temper tantrum by using something so comedogenic. I use a mix of 30% castor oil and 70% sunflower oil with about 6 drops of tea tree oil for anti-bacterial properties. A 30ml quantity ( I sterilised and re-purposed an old serum bottle) lasts me 2-3 weeks. After massaging the mix into my face for 5 minutes, I do the washcloth steaming thing 7 times and wipe it all off, then rinse with cool water and swipe with lemon juice as a toner. The whole process takes around 15-20 minutes in all. I swear OCM has given me mild OCD as well as beautiful skin -. I get very anxious if I massage for less than 5 minutes or steam less than 7 times! In the mornings I just rinse my face with some hot water or go over it with a baby wipe if I'm in a rush. When I first started cleansing like this, it wasn't like my acne just vanished away magically. The spots healed in the same time they normally would. However, here's the great part: NO NEW PIMPLES FORMED. My blackheads were mostly gone after 2 weeks of this routine, and my rosacea improved to the point of my friends and family noticing that I no longer looked like a tomato in a dress. My skin, when makeup-less, still isn't 100% perfect, but now I only get a few pimples on my chin when I'm pre-menstrual and my rosacea just looks like I have rosy cheeks. A tinted sunscreen is all I need to make it look like I have flawless skin, whereas before I'd need a maximum cover foundation and some powder. TL;DR: Don't use oils that are known to be pore-clogging. Don't cut corners when it comes to regularity and method. Use a clean washcloth for every wash.
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October 23, 2016
Works like a dream, but you HAVE TO do it right

I started the oil cleansing method in '13 when I was laid off from my job and could no longer afford my meds for cystic acne. I read the article about OCM by CrunchyBetty and decided that it could never work the way she suggested so I tweaked it and still used benzoyl peroxide. It did not work at all to clear my acne. But one thing I found fascinating is that it did not make it worse either. I stayed on this regimen and just lived with my acne being the way it was for about 6 months. I finally stumbled across the article again and read the whole thing this time. I discovered I was making a lot of mistakes. You have to use high quality Castor oil as a base and another non comedogenic oil. Olive and Coconut oil WILL NOT work. Do not add essential oils either. Especially not tea tree. It strips your face of oils. I know this all sounds counter intuitive, but its true. I use a mixture of cold pressed organic Castor oil and Grape seed oil. I have two small bottles of the oils in my bathroom closet. I mix a small amount together in my hand. I usually do 75% castor oil and 25% grape seed oil. If my skin is dry that day I add more grapeseed oil. I swirl it around on my face in upward circular motions for about 1 minute and then wash it off with a warm wet washcloth. The washcloth part takes the longest. Keep rinsing the towel and wiping your face for about 2 minutes. At this point, I use oxy pads with 2% salicylic acid. Its really important that if you're going to use acne meds that you refrain from using any that strip your skin of oil. The oxy pads I use are alcohol based and have no sulfates. They are usually the cheapest kind with the least amount of ingredients. The makeup you use is really important too. I used to wear the cakiest foundation while on Ocm at the beginning and it still worked but I still got some painful acne every once in awhile. Then I heard about medical grade BB cream. This stuff is used for burn victims and people who have had cosmetic surgery to help heal and restore the skin. My skin was so damaged from decades of acne and after two years its almost completely clear. I use Missha BB cream which is available through Amazon. Not all BB cream is medical grade though. Do your research. Three years later I am completely free of acne and almost clear of scars! If you're wondering if the transition period is worth it, it definitely is. If you are scared to go off meds, you can start by washing your face with oil and still use your topical meds. I just really don't recommend benzoyl peroxide. I know for a fact that clindamycin and differin gel will work with this method as they have no oil stripping agents. When you feel brave enough you can try going without the meds, but always talk to your doctor about these things. I only started this because I had no other option. Some things to consider about ocm: '¢you cannot use soap or surfactants on your face ever or it will not work. Research the products you use. '¢there is a transition period of about 2-3 weeks and it could get worse before it gets better (my skin just felt itchy-but my acne did not get worse-everyone is different '¢Its worth mentioning again- DO NOT use olive or coconut oil. They WILL give you more acne '¢Use castor oil and another non-comedogenic oil (grape seed, sunflower, jojoba, almond) and figure out what works for you. '¢Having a backup remedy for acne helps too- I used brewers yeast for a month or two and it helped clear me up. I've read that turmeric can help too '¢Clean your face twice a day '¢Google [Removed] and read her articles about OCM. Stick to it religiously I hope I've helped! Good luck!

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November 17, 2015
not just any oil people...use the right oils for your skin
I see that it's a hit and miss with this OCM thing. I included the list of oils you should avoid below. Hope it helps! I tried it about a year ago and it worked and then I stopped(stupid me) because I came back with bad acne. now I am going to start again. I think depending on the oils you use. It may not work for everyone because everyone's skin is different. but at least it gives you a better guidelines to which oils you should be using instead of splashing your face with just anything. I will NEVER use coconut oil on my skin, i have tried it without researching it, it's horrible for oily skin(at least my skin) so I did so much more research and I came across this article that talks about the different oils and their properties. so basically oily/acne prone skin people need to stop using Oils high in Oleic Acid(see list below) and start using oils high in Linoleic Acid(see list below). Our oily skin is so unbalanced, that is why we break out, we produce more Oleic acid than Linoleic acid. so we need to find a balance. If you are curious, I have used Hemp seed oil a year ago(which did not break me out) and now i am trying the Evening Primrose oil. I stay away from oils that have more Oleic acid thank Linoleic acid. I have heard great reviews on Pumpkin seed oil but I haven't tried it. I hope this helps...GOOD LUCK!!! Oils high OLEIC ACID: Avocado Oil, Aprikot Kernel Oil, Hazelnut Oil, Shea Nut OIl, Macadamia Oil, Sea Buckthorn Oil, Olive Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Palm Fruit Oil Somewhat balanced oils high in OLEIC ACID: Jojoba Oil, Coconut Oil, Flaxseed Oil, Tamanu Oil, Argan Oil Oils high in LINOLEIC ACID(best for oily skin): Safflower oil, Black Cumin Seed Oil, Hemp Seed oil, Evening Primrose oil, Pumpkin seed oil, rosehip seed oil, grape seed oil, soybean oil, wheat germ oil(comedogenic oil so be careful) somewhat balanced oils high in LINOLEIC ACID: Castor oil, kukui nut oil, pomegranate oil, sesame oil
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December 5, 2013
Ruined my skin

Pros:

cheap

Cons:

severe acne breakout
doesn't clean face
ruined my skin

Before starting this, I had 1 zit. I was just trying to get rid of my blackheads. 1 month in, I started getting a few pimples on my cheeks, very unusual for me. Then, my whole face erupted in acne. I stopped using the oil cleansing method because the steaming was further irritating my raw acne and I figured this had to be the only thing that could have caused it. I didn't change anything else to my routine. I have been trying to clear my face for two months now. I have severe acne and I never had acne this bad even as a teenager. I had used olive oil, castor and tea tree oil. My pimples pop by themselves and I have cystic acne (never had before this). I have to put gauze on my face at night to keep pimples from popping on my pillows. I have spent over a hundred dollars already on products trying to correct it and my face isn't responding to anything, not even pills.
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January 22, 2017
Cw14, just saw your post on sea salt and water. doing that now actually it makes sense thanks for suggesting it