Oil Cleansing Method (OCM)

This method did not work for me. If you're on the fence about this, personally, I don't think it's worth the risk. A few days into the OCM my face started to break out in closed comedones on my cheeks.. I have NEVER broken out on my cheeks, ever. Until trying the OCM. These comedones took forever to come to head, at one point I counted over 50 on my cheeks, and they left me with horrible, deep red pigmentation marks. It's been 6 months since I stopped and some of the marks have yet to fade. Again, this is not worth it.

Oh, how I wish the OCM had worked for me. I was completely committed for over 2 months. I'm 30 y/o and have combination oily/dry skin. I tend to only breakout on my chin (leads me to believe it's hormonal). Before starting this new method, I had just switched to using from using Proactiv to an organic blend of black african soap w/ a tiny amount of salicylic acid. Then, I'd use Clinique moisturizer. I wanted to try to wean myself off of these acne products, thinking, hey, now I'm 30, I probably don't need these chemicals, I'm probably just reliant on them. I did that for 3 months and would have maybe 1 small zit a week, sometimes maybe a cystic pimple, treatable with on the spot Proactiv lotion. So, I was pretty please that my skin was doing decently without needing daily acne treatment. I wanted to take it a step further and eliminate the need for the lotion (has some harmful chemicals in it and just thought it would be simpler, less products). Here's how it went: Week 1: Coconut oil 2Xday, no steaming...beautiful skin Week 2: Coconut oil 2Xday, not steaming...horrible huge cystic zits...3-6 at a time. I understand the whole purging thing, but this was insane. Then I read coconut oil bad for acneic skin so I then I switched to jojoba. Week 3-4: Jojoba Oil 2Xday...getting better Week 4-5: Jojoba Oil 2Xday ...horrible huge cystic zits, again only on my chin, tried adding the steaming method Week 5-6: Jojoba Oil, Castor Oil, Tea Tree Oil and Tamanu oil blend, with steaming method 2X day...mostly tons of zits again, sometimes I'd have a couple days of freedom, and I'd think my skin was finally adjusting. Week 6-7: continued Jojoba Oil, Castor Oil, Tea Tree Oil and Tamanu oil blend...realized that I now I 25 (yes 25) new ugly acne scars on my face. I started spot treating them with Proactiv again as it was just out of control. Week 7-8: Did OCM only 1Xday, back to African black soap in the morning. Still breaking out. Week 9: I quit. It was destroying my chin. This scarring is going to take months (years?) to heal (I have fair skin and it heals slowly). I'm now trying baking soda as my face wash, using a jojoba oil blend as a moisturizer for everywhere but my chin, proactiv on my chin, and my old Clinique moisturizer (just bought a Derm-e moisturizer today with NO oil...again, this Clinque moisturizer has some questionable chemicals in it.) Been 5 days and totally zit-free. So there's my (probably way too) detailed account. I have gone totally DIY/organic with all my cleaning and body products my last few months, so believe me, it hurt to give up on the OCM. But you know what...these chemicals, that I've been using my whole life, never did even a fraction of the damage that the OCM did. I'm going to just hope this new organic moisturizer doesn't cause break-outs and call it a day. I really tried my best here with troubleshooting. Would I recommend the OCM? Well, it works for some people, and I'm not sure I even regret it as it could have been great, but maybe I should have quit sooner. Maybe it just sucks for people with hormonal acne on their chin and jawline? Fair skin? Everyone's different.

So when I started OCM, I sort of blindly walked into it after watching about three youtube videos from people with already perfect faces and articles raving the "like dissolves like" ability and whatever. I purchased some organic, unrefined, unfiltered, etc. coconut oil while I was on a trip to trader joe's, and when I got home proceeded to slather it on my face dry and steam it off with a warm wash cloth. Let me tell you, my skin looked and felt amazing afterwards; my blemishes had already retreated a bit and my discoloration was significantly lessened, and my skin felt baby soft. I thought it was great that this one step method, along with an apple cider vinegar toner, was all I needed to keep my face clear, and after my acne had completely disappeared about three days later, I was sure I discovered the secret to curing my seemingly immortal skin condition. Then I came across this review page for OCM on acne.org. The reviews were of course largely negative, and I was so shocked that anybody could possibly have had a bad experience with this god sent elixir of a cleanser! I was soooo not buying that I could ever react that way, but as I kept reading (I ended up reading every review), I started to notice that a majority of the positive reviews were from people like me, who had just started using OCM and reaping the magnificent short-term benefits, while everyone in the negative reviews had stuck around long enough to see just how bad this wrecks your skin. I was effectively scared away from OCM after about the 40th negative review, and with phrases like "cystic acne" and "the worst breakout of my life" thrown in the mix, I felt so betrayed by my $8 jar of coconut oil and stopped using it immediately. And of course, my skin did not only return to its dismal condition prior to OCM, but it now featured the all-too-talked-about "closed comedones" typical of OCM after-effects studded across my jaw. And then what proceeded really was the worst breakout of my life. I haven't really had too terrible of acne prior to this, so I'm not saying that I had horrible cystic acne covering my entire face, but I did breakout in about 10 painful pustules on each cheek, accompanied with tonsss of redness surrounding it (this was about 2 weeks after stopping OCM). As I type this, I'm struggling through the brunt of this OCM-induced breakout, and really wish that I never tried the darn thing in the first place. I know some people have definitely had success with this, and apparently there's some sort of "purge period" that people go through (? sounds made up to me), but it just isn't worth sticking around for some sort of positive outcome when the getting there is so painful and horrible; plus, people see my face every day, and high school people suck. All in all, this isn't worth the risk. Go see your derm, don't trust something you read about online just because a few testimonials and some logical-enough presentation of "facts" makes it out to be great. If you don't understand the science behind it, don't use it unless a doctor tells you to.

I'm 20 years old and never had skin problems until I got off the pill with the age of 17. I started to break out quite badly. I used some conventional skin treatments and anti-acne-cremes. After about two years my skin got a lot better and I only had some spots. So I wanted to get rid of those spots - I always had two to ten pimples on my face. I decided to stay away from harsh remedies, so I searched for natural treatments and came across the oil cleaning method. At first - aside from some really big spots - it went well, but after about five days I started to get small closed comedones on my whole face. Every part of my face was suddenly bumpy. The spots weren't inflamed and I thought it was only the process of the so called "purging". Due to the fact that I always read to just stick to it and wait until the purging-phase is over, I did so. After one month my skin was a total mess. Some of the small bumps got inflamed and I even got some cystic acne, which I never had before. I had to go back to taking antibiotics. I would never ever suggest to trying out this treatment! STAY AWAY FROM OIL!!! Especially if you have oily skin as I do. And yes there are people, who have oily skin and no, it's not only dehydrated skin, which needs more moisture to get less oily... FYI: I did a lot of research about the oil cleansing method! I nearly read every posting/feed/forum about this topic. I also tried different oils (all with a rating of 0-1 on the scale). I never used the same washcloth twice.

Tried this method after reading the "Highly Recommended" post on acne.org ([link edited out] I only read about 2 pages that were filled with positive reviews, but I should have looked further into it. A little background: I had almost completely clear skin prior to using this method, but I use around 5 products per day including Tazorac, Aczone, Sulfur Wash, Birth Control, and Clindamycin (sp?)... so I thought "Wow, this would really lessen my routine and since I'm basically clear, it shouldn't be too bad..." After about 3-4 days, I noticed my pores looked clogged and bigger around my cheeks and forehead AND I have whiteheads and small pimples on cheeks/jawline (haven't had to deal with this since my teens [now 22 y.o.]). I now know that this method just clogs your pores and yes, initially, I had high hopes and it made my skin feel awesome/moisturized/ what have you... I am glad I stopped after 4 days, since I am super afraid I will get cystic acne (never had it before). Wish I never tried it, not for everyone, it may work for you, but if you are acne prone/oily skin, I really don't think this would be beneficial. If you have somewhat clear skin now, don't try this... seriously it took me so long to get clear and now I wish I had stayed with my routine. As someone else said: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." P.S. For anyone thinking I was doing it wrong- just stop, I did everything as instructed- used all natural ingredients, organic, clean towels, the ratio, etc. etc. You don't need to tell me that I wasn't doing it right.

I've been seeing a particular user commenting on the lower rated reviews here and encouraging people to continue with the OCM method even if it's not working, or giving 'helpful suggestions'. If it's not working for you, STOP. YOU are the one who has to deal with the nasty effects of the OCM, not some random user bleating about how great it is. Fact of the matter is, like every product on the planet, this method won't work for everything. If it does, great. If it doesn't, don't psyche yourself out thinking it will suddenly and magically work. That being said, I did this one time. I went to the Oil Cleansing website and followed their instructions. I forgot what I put in my mixture specifically. Let's just say it didn't work very well and I wasn't interested in trying again. Not to mention I also tried using coconut oil as a moisturizer because of all the rave reviews random people online gave it. I used organic, cold-pressed, unrefined virgin coconut oil as an evening moisturizer, and hell hath no fury, seriously. I had the worst breakout of a life time. I used it for several months before calling cold turkey on it. Never again. I even tried hemp oil for a bit, but that just didn't agree with me. Oils just don't work with my skin. And I'm not a huge advocate of Paula's Choice, but she does discuss oil cleansing on her website. Myth: The combination of oils and hot steam used by the oil-cleansing method will 'deep-clean' skin in a way that no other product can. Hot steam is irritating in every way possible. Irritation stimulates oil production directly in the pore and makes pimples look even redder. Using hot steam on a regular basis also can cause small blood vessels in your skin to rupture, over time creating a network of surfaced red capillaries. So, keep that it mind guys. Be gentle to your skin. I would also like to add that oils cannot purge your skin. The 'purging' phase is a hideous, ugly myth that people love to perpetuate on the internet. True purging is caused by peels, scrubs, AHAs, BHAs or retinoids. If the oil is breaking you out, that's because it is clogging your pores and your skin is more likely irritated if anything.

Okay, so my story might be similar to those who constantly searched and googled the internet on "how to clear up acne". First I tried Proactiv+...noticed nothing after the 60day window so I returned it for a refund. I had hopes for the OCM method and it was the worst decision for me: CLOSED COMEDONES EVERYWHERE once I used the OCM for about a month. I thought this was because of the "purge" stage, but I didn't know that meant that these comedones would actually work their way above my skin, making clumps of red comedones all over my cheeks. oils I used: Castor oil Jojoba oil grape seed oil I started with a 50:50:10 ratio with the above and adjusted based on the feel on my skin. I added more jojoba if needs since it made the castor oil easier to smooth around on my face. I combined the above oils in a bottle. I used a nickel sized amount and put it all over my face and then used hot water to soak my washcloth and put over my face for a few minutes, wiped, wa-lah. I then used bragg's ACV with water and sprayed as a toner. I did this for maybe 2 months until I was mortified enough. OCM all depends on your skin type "oh it's natural....oil dissolves oil...no harm there" no. This did not work for me, at all. It's February now and my hyper pigmentation marks are just starting to fade. The whole process was started in JUNE. that means it has taken me 8 months to get my skin back to what it was. if you want to help your acne do yourself a favor and check out Paula's Choice products. THEY ARE AMAZING. I used her sample size ($9) 2% BHA liquid on the damage OCM did to my cheeks.

I tried OCM for about 2 or 3 weeks and I just wound up with more acne. I used a half and half mix of castor oil and hemp seed oil twice a day. I went from having a few small zits on my forehead to having acne all over my cheeks, nose, the sides of my face, and my forehead. It took months for my skin to get back to how it was before trying OCM. OCM might work for someone who doesn't have acne, but if you do, I don't recommend trying it.

I tried oil cleansing on my torso using a mixture of Castor Oil & Olive oil (heavier on the former). I didn't notice any big changes at first, then my skin rapidly broke out (like after a week) in what almost looked like sores. I haven't had acne like that in years. I tried a number of dietary things to clear it, and also sprayed my torso with sea salt water nightly (I do this on my face, which has kept it clear for years). Not much made a difference... ...that is until I read about Vitamin D3. Another acne-sufferer posted his success with it, using a combo for VitaminD3 & Vitamin C. He was taking these for other reasons, and noticed it also cleared his acne. I take about 10,000 mg of D3 and 500 C each day (he used less of the former). It's been about 6 weeks and the change has been so up-lifting. It was slow to start, but then picked up. I must note that I added Vitamin C to my routine at about week 4, and thats when i really saw some fast changes...might be due to the 2 vitamins interacting, or just that D3 needed about 4 weeks to really work. I know you're supposed to wait a few months (at least 3-6) before writing a review of a method, but just thought i should let folks know.

I'm actually very surprised by all of the positive reviews. I will just start out by saying that this method is NOT for all skin types. I have very sensitive acne prone skin. I have tried everything on the market and have gone to dermatologists with no luck. I've been on birth control for hormonal irregularities and that has helped tremendously in the past. Now, being a freshman in college and having a highly stressful job, my body is undergoing stress that it has never dealt with before. In reaction to that, my face is breaking out worse than ever so I wanted something natural to help reduce it a little bit. I tried the OCM for about a week. First few days were great. I saw improvement in my skin's appearance and I loved how my skin felt. Fast forward to the fifth day, I woke up and my face was completely inflamed. Little red bumps all over my cheeks, face felt scaley and itched like crazy. I was extremely disappointed, I wanted this method to work. I will just say this, if you have sensitive skin, I don't recommend this method. I'm not against trying it out, but I will share the warning signs that I saw before my skin became irritated. Usually when I try something new that works for my skin, I will see an immediate improvement that is consistent. After the third day I saw new blemishes forming and I noticed that my face felt hot. If a product actually works, this will not happen. I should have stopped the method right then and there but I didn't listen to my body and am now paying the price for it. I also noticed that my face was actually becoming very dry. If you are wanting to try this method, I recommend only doing it every few days, on a small area of your face. Maybe just try it on your chin or one cheek just to see how your skin reacts. If you are suffering with the same irritation I am, I will share with you what I recommend on doing. What I am doing as of right now is just letting my face heal on it's own. I wash and steam my face with a warm wet washcloth, nothing else. No soap, no oil, just warm water. Afterwards, I moisturize my face. This is working for me so far. After I see that my face has healed back to the way it was before, I will go back to my normal cleansing method. The reason I am not using soap on my face right now is because my skin is already irritated and I am worried that it will make it worse. I do wear makeup, but I've noticed that gently washing my face with a warm washcloth does take it off. Another thing I recommend is a very mild soap called Black Tie soap made by the Black Sheep Soap Company. You can find this soap on [link removed] if you look under Black Sheep Soap Company. It is meant for acne prone skin and it has helped so many people. The soap is made with all natural oils and it has completely cleared my acne in the past when I wasn't so stress prone. It balanced out my skin's oil production but I still used a moisturizer with it. This is the method I will essentially go back to when my face heals. I just wish I would have stuck with it.