Oil Cleansing Method (OCM)

I just started OCM about a month ago. I used 1/3 hemp seed oil, 1/3 sunflower oil, 1/3 castor oil. I have acne prone skin and have tried EVERYTHING from the time i was 12 up to now 24 years old. The reason I wanted to do OCM is because I have blackheads and scars covering my entire face and now minimal pimples. I wanted my pores to unclog and shrink and this seemed perfect. I choose the hemp seed oil and sunflower oil because they will not clog your pores. The first two weeks was fine. I had blackheads literally coming out onto my hands. Two weeks later my face exploded. I mean, red spots everywhere, blackheads, little white heads, and big pimples on the jawline. My face felt like a giant scab. I wasnt sure If I was going through the so called "purging stage" or if my skin just didnt like it. So i did my research and I found that castor oil causes major problems for people. I changed my ratio to 1/2 hempseed, 1/2 sunflower, a teaspoon of castor and a few drops of tee tree. In stead of just rubbing the oil off with a washcloth and hot water, i just used african black soap (supposed to be great for your skin) to make sure all the oil was off my face. Then I either use a honey&cinnamon mask or Oatmeal&cinnamon&honey mask. After I wash off with water and apply a toner of 1/2 raw organic apple cider vinegar (with the mother) and 1/2 distilled water. Then I put on very very little spot treatment (I just used equate) The next day my face improved 50%! It wasn't dry, the redness was decreased, the bumps also decreased. I know this seems like an overload but everything I used was all organic (except the spot treatment) so there isn't chemicals in these things to kill your skin. All this together cost me about $40 but it will last me for at least 3-6 months easily. I hope this helps some of your who are researching some helpful hints for your "purging" stage. Some people cant handle OCM and if this last for more than a few weeks I suggest stopping before you scar your skin.

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.

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. :)

I just want to say I wish I would have listened to my aunt when I was a teenager. She told my to clean my face with oil and I thought "your crazy lady." Why would I put more oil on my oily face. Fast forward 22 years after struggling with acne since I was 12, I finally decided to try this as my last resort. Believe my when I say I have tried everything too many to list. I finally realized that I was stripping my face and always trying to dry it out. Your skin is not supposed to be totally oil free. Your skin needs moisture even if your oily. By constantly using harsh drying products my skin was producing more oil. It was a vicious cycle. So now I only cleanse with oil and occasionally use a honey lemon cinnamon mask. Soap never touches my face. Since doing this I no longer get cysts. There is no cure but this has changed my skin dramatically and I don't have to wear as much makeup and sometimes go without.

If you go online a research which oils to use for the OCM, you'll find that they all use castor oil. Well I didn't have that when I decided to try this so I made a mixture of 1 part grapeseed oil, 1 part jojoba oil, and 1 part coconut oil with just a few drops of TTO. I recommend you steam your face before applying the oil. Then rub GENTLY in circular motions for a few minutes. You only want to try this if you have the time to do it properly. This isn't a method to be rushed. After a while you may feel tiny "grains" all over. If you do, it's your blackheads coming out. Gross, I know. This happened to me the first few times I did this method. After you have taken your time to massage your face, get a washcloth and dampen it with water that's hot but not burning. One area at a time, place the hot cloth on your face and gently remove the oil. When you are finished you will still feel oil on your face. This is fine, especially if you have dry skin. Heck, this is even great for oily skin but if you don't want any excess oil on your face just use a mild toner to remove. Good luck, and remember this doesn't work for everyone!

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.

Blog here - Read all the comments - [link edited out] Around April of 2012 my boss told me about OCM and finally convinced me to try it so I bought castor oil in the drug aisle and mixed it with my extra virgin olive oil in the kitchen. I used it off and on maybe once every 2 weeks for several months...never noticed a major effect but did start noticing slightly more clogged pores than usual. I attributed it to stress and stopped using OCM for a while and used gycolic acid...I picked OCM back up more frequently in Sept-Oct 2012 and then we moved to Colorado Springs. I started noticing more and more clogged pores around my mouth and nose, where I normally did not get pimples (I have always been Tzone for breakouts). I attributed this to the dry air we had moved to and started using OCM even more. Early November I bought grapeseed oil and used it to clean and moisturize my face almost daily...my face continued to get worse and for some reason I thought I needed more oil. In mid February I went to see an aestetician for the first time and she told me not to use the oil since I was already oily. I stopped and went back to moisturizer and in March is pretty much when all hell broke loose. Since I wasnt really using OCM at that time anymore I didnt think of it...it was like every single pore in my lower face was clogged and I started getting swollen breakouts too (which are not common for me). In April the derm told me it was hormonal and recommended Spiro to accompany my retinoid use. March-April were the worst acne I have ever had in my life. I think the antibiotics were finally controlling the swollen ones...but I had to literally manually extract every single clog as the retin a was bringing it up over the period of 2-3 months. I don't know how many I extracted...but they were all stuck under the skin. I always commented that my skin had seemingly changed in the way it functioned...Ide never had major issues on my cheeks and jaw...and some of the clogs were in lines across my cheeks, like every pore effected and took sooo long to come out. After finally getting most of all that gunk out (4 months after stopping OCM) I am still getting occasional clogs rising to the surface, but it was nothing like it was. After reading the comments in that blog as well as the negative reviews on makeupalley - [link edited out] and her story - [link edited out] I finally realized how what had happened to be was EXACTLY what happened to so many of these women, seeing effects for months later. I even read some saying there's took over a year to correct after OCM. Mine has gotten so much better in the past few months that I am hoping my skin is pretty much clear of all that stupid oil and possible infection now. I am still going to take Spiro to control any excess oil and antibiotics for the next month. I hope I am over it, but I can't believe I was the cause of it. I am 90% sure using OCM was the worst thing I could have ever done to myself. It caused so much anxiety and trauma over the past several months. The stress caused from that may very well be affecting my skin too....but I cant imagine that my experience is a coincidence if so many women using OCM had literally the exact same experience, type and location of pimples. I have my 6 week derm checkup tomorrow and will be talking to her about this in depth. The retin-a micro (and microdermabrasian) has been a godsend in getting this stuff out of my skin much faster than it would have. This gives me hope in that this shouldn't continue. Since I caused it myself with oil...once all that is out of my skin it shouldn't be something inside of me that is causing it...however it makes me so angry at myself...that I did this to myself. Such a simple stupid mistake could cause such terrible effects. Wow. What I did to myself in the pursuit of perfection. It is definitely humbling. Anyone reading this, DO NOT TRY OCM!!!

I used 20% avocado oil 20% Grapeseed oil, and 40% castor oil, and added 2 or 3 drops of tee tree oil. In the morning use a hot towel to open my pours and then rub it in, then wipe it off. At night I would sleep with it. It started out great, my pores started to shrink my skin would glow and then it stopped working.. My skin is still not flaking but I feel like I have more acne then before. I think its worth a try but didn't work for me. I am 22 and got acne when I was 20 so my acne is random.

I recently reviewed this product below and a few weeks later feel that I have to come back and correct my glowing review. The first month or so using OCM was wonderful, but during the second month, I began to notice many more small clogged pores and blackheads (comedones). In the last few weeks, I've developed several papules and larger, redder zits... including on my cheeks, where I haven't had them in months and had just started to nicely recover from scarring. :( I've very recently switched back to my old regimen of Dove soap and topical Retin A (that had been working until I made the switch) and am hoping to have this mess cleared up soon. I should also probably note that in the last month, I've gone from spring in a cool, dry Northern part of the country to summer in a hot, humid, Southern city. That change and the constant sweating, sunscreen, and makeup on my face have probably not helped. Anyway, I have to echo many people on here who warned us to stop OCM as soon as you start having a bad breakout. I regret waiting as long as I did.

I would urge no one to try this. After going on Roaccutan and having very clear skin, I thought I would try achieve radiant glowing skin with the OCM. It worked fine for the first few weeks, but this literally has ruined my skin. I have such awful scars left behind from the OCM. I used it twice a week, and believe the castor oil is the bad ingredient for me. It clogs rather than cleanses. I also think any harsh scrubbing/exfoliating with hot flannels and cloths aren't too good for acne sufferers. If you really wanted to try it then I would recommend only patch testing it on a very small area of the face, testing it for a month or so, then deciding whether it works for you. Please don't try over your entire face. I am still cleansing with Jojoba oil, but just on it's own (only twice a week, and Cetaphil the rest of the time), as it seems to cleanse and moisturise my dry/combi/oily skin. Jojoba oil does not seem to cause any problems for me either. It's all trial and error, so just be careful. This seems like it can easily be too much of an error. It really isn't worth it.