Cleaning your face with oil?

I realize this is a stumbling block for about 98% of the people out there. We are a generation that has been given such misconstrued  information about pretty much every area of our life!

It’s better to eat margarine than real butter.

It’s better to clean your tub with a toxic and toxin releasing chemical than some baking soda, water and effort.

It’s better to wash your hair with a harsh, oil stripping, degreasing agent that does more damage to your hair, scalp and body than it does good.

It’s better to brush your teeth with some of the same degreasing agents that are found in your shampoo and fluoride (which, according to poison control, can be deadly) than to eat a healthy diet and brush with gentle  and natural ingredients such as baking soda, hydrogen peroxide and some essential oils.

It’s better to spray your yard with more chemicals to make it grow and stay green than to water it properly, cut it properly and use non-toxic sources to kill weeds and pests.

It’s better to use a facial cleanser that has 27 unknown, synthetic and toxic chemicals than to use something that has been used for centuries to clean the skin.

Oil.

The ancient secret to amazing skin and hair – yet we have no concept how it can benefit either. We don’t want oily skin, nor do we want oily hair.

Touché! I don’t want either of those either, but what we don’t realize is that our body manufacturers it’s own oils to nourish our skin and hair. They are vital in keeping these areas thriving, healthy and working properly.

Now, before you decide to leave this article – take the few minutes to read it – I know you’ll learn something new and hopefully I’ll spark your curiosity to give it a try! Why not try to make something at home, that costs very little that can change the overall appearance of your skin?

I have been using oil to clean my face for about the past 18 years. I was one of those unfortunate girls who always had skin issues. Always. Not just in my teen years either – but in my 20’s and 30’s. I spent more money than I can remember trying to find products that worked on my skin – and to this day I can say that I found nothing.  I’d always have moments of insanity where I felt that I needed to go spend tons of money on organic cleansers (and other skin care products) because they must be amazing for what they cost – but I always walked away disappointed and with much less cash than when I started. Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad we have companies out there dedicated to making products that are safe for us to use, but I find this ‘organic trend’ becoming just another big corporation money maker. What do I mean by that? Read some labels on these products that are natural and have the words organic on them. They still contain synthetic ingredients, fragrances that aren’t listed and GMO products. How is this safe? On top of that – they are charging way more than their products are worth – just because they have ‘natural’ or ‘organic’ somewhere on the label. I also see so many companies taking advantage of the number of people who are wanting to be healthier and choosing better products for their families.

One brand in particular just shocks me with their sticker price of their products. They are selling a 19 oz Sunscreen with an SPF 30+ for $125.00. No, that is not a typo! $125.00! Their 6oz sunscreen is only $40.00. Their 6oz stretch mark cream is $20.00 and their 2.9 oz lotion for pregnant women for their neck, décolletage and breast is $20.00. Funny, because I’ve had people complain about my 8oz Belly Butter that I sell being costly at $18.00. I won’t mention that I make all my products myself – not relying on factories, machines or mass production lines.  All of my products are made fresh when an order is placed and therefore don’t need a bunch of ingredients that will allow it to sit on a shelf for months and months. Yet, these products are the trendy thing now and so the cost can be higher since the demand is higher.

I don’t think taking advantage of people is showing character nor integrity – no matter what business you’re in.

Anyway, I became tired of wasting my money when I was able to make products at home that worked BETTER than what I could find in the store!

Most of you know that I have a shop on Etsy where I sell safe skin care products – but this is NOT a product that I sell since it’s easy enough for you to make at home yourself! What I sell in my shop are those items that most people won’t want to take the time, energy or money to make themselves.

Never fear – the ever popular OCM Oil Cleansing Method can be done right at home with just a couple ingredients! I use this cleansing method on a seasonal basis, because I need extra moisture living a mile high above the ocean in beautiful Colorado! Throughout the colder months I use my Olive Oil Cold Cream Cleanser every night and I absolutely love the product. Both of these cleansers, along with the Almond Moisturizer I sell, have allowed my skin to do what it’s meant to do! Since I began cleaning my face with oil and using moisturizers that are oil-based, my skin has become amazing! I do not have oily/dry skin like I use to (sort of the T-zone thing), I no longer have blackheads, my skin tone has evened out and my skin is extremely smooth!

Why? When you are using nourishing oils on the skin, you are not stripping away the sebum (natural oil your body produces), but instead you are lifting the dirt out of your pores and leaving your skin nourished with healthy oils. By doing this, your skin will not have to overproduce oil trying to make up for what is stripped away by most commercial cleansing products. This is where oily skin comes from. Acne, zits and all those other great facial blemishes aren’t caused by oil – at least not good oil! Most commercial products (and I’ve seen some ‘healthy’ brands) are mineral-oil based. This is a toxic oil that just sits on top of your skin and has absolutely no benefits. Other products that are oil-free are lacking in the nourishing department. Then when you factor in diet, lack of water, poor diet, hormones and dead skin cells – that’s where blemishes come from! Don’t let the advertising campaigns make you believe it’s oil causing the problem.

Here is the Oil Cleansing Method. I have seen this on so many blogs and websites that honestly, I’m not going to give one or the other credit. I can’t remember where I first heard about it two years ago – but I know it’s something I do regularly now – so I can just feel free to fill you all in on the details. If you want to research this even more – just google ‘oil cleansing method’ and you’ll find plenty of information!

OIL CLEANSING METHOD

Before you we start let’s go over a few things.

–  First, there are only TWO main oils used for this. Castor Oil is the first and is always used and the other oil is pretty much up to you! I use Organic Extra-Virgin First Cold-Pressed Olive Oil and my skin does wonderful with it. I have read other articles where people have more success with Sunflower Oil. The best you can do is experiment. I do need to add that you shouldn’t just use any oil. Vegetable Oil, Corn Oil, Canola Oil – these should not be used. They are terrible excuses for oils and will not serve the purpose that’s intended for cleaning the skin. I would stick with Olive Oil or Sunflower Oil and make sure they are organic – you don’t want to be rubbing harmful ingredients into your skin!

–  Note the different consistencies for the condition of your skin. Start with one of these and adjust according to your individual needs. Some people will omit the Castor Oil, but I think it’s such a wonderful addition to skin care, that I would leave it in, just maybe decrease the amount used.

–  You may not need to do this every night. Again, experiment and see what your face needs.

–  Since you will be switching from one cleansing method to the OCM, your face and skin WILL go through some CHANGES! This is normal and should not cause you to give up after 3 days of trying. Your skin will now have to get use to you using an oil-based cleanser on your face instead of something that strips all the oils off your face. Since your face is use to over-producing oil to compensate for this loss, it may tend to over-produce for a few days into your new cleansing routine. Give your body time.

–  If you find you are getting blemishes – again, give your body time. You may be pulling out dirt and toxins that have been deep in your pores and your skin is reacting. Many estheticians say it can take up to 2 weeks for you skin to adjust to a new method or product. Keep this in mind.

–  You should exfoliate 2-3 times a week to remove any dead skin cells that are on your skin. Those who are 35 and older should do it 3 times a week because your skin is shedding the dead cells faster than younger skin.

–  Personally, when I do this method, I only do it in the evening. Since I follow with an amazingly nourishing moisturizer, all I do in the morning is a quick steam with a washcloth, spritz with my facial spritz, apply my Almond Moisturizer and start with my make up!

 

Here’s What You’ll Need:

Cold-Pressed Castor Oil (Organic is best)

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil or Sunflower Oil (Organic is best)

 

Here’s How Much You’ll Need:

Balanced Skin: Try a blend of 20% Castor Oil to 80% Sunflower Seed Oil (a 2:8 ratio of Castor:Olive)

Dry Skin: Try a blend of 10% Castor Oil to 90% Sunflower Seed Oil (a 1:9 ratio of Castor:Olive)

Oily Skin: Try a blend of 30% Castor Oil to 70% Sunflower Seed Oil. (a 3:9 ratio of Castor:Olive)

 

Here’s What You’ll Do:

Put a head band on so your bangs don’t hang onto your face.

I always remove my eye make up with straight Castor Oil and some tissue. I rub the oil on and gently rub over my eyes so I can remove all the mascara. If that’s too thick, you can add some Olive Oil to it. Technically you can just use the OCM mixture, but I like mine in separate containers.

After removing eye make-up and getting all the mascara, eyeliner, eye shadow remnants off, then you can proceed with the rest of your face.

I probably use the size of a quarter on my palm, rub my hands together very lightly, then I start massaging onto my face. I give myself a couple minutes to rub it all in thoroughly, making sure to get around your nose and in crevices so they get cleaned too.

Once this is done, I take a washcloth and soak it with hot water – as hot as your face can stand for a gently steaming. Lay the washcloth on your face and allow it to heat up the oils. Once the washcloth starts to cool, I soak it with more hot water and steam again.

Do this step a couple times until you see the ‘wetness’ of the oil is gone. Once you’ve achieved this, I like to soak the washcloth one more time and gently pat all over, especially along side my nose.

Follow up with an oil based moisturizer, some Jojoba Oil or Apricot oil.

Me, I add my Almond Moisturizer and I’m good to go.

* * * * * * *

I think everyone should try this. I’ll even go so far as to say it would benefit males greatly to do this as well! It’s a fact that they do not take care of their facial skin nearly as good as females do – so this may be something they wouldn’t mind trying. Tell them it’s like working on the car and getting some grease on their face – and they don’t mind it so much when that happens. Okay, that may not work for everybody, but it’s the line I threw my Hubby when he acted like putting oil on his face was as repulsive as, say, painting his toenails.

If you try this, let me know how it works. Remember – it takes time to fit this with your personal skin type, how often it’s needed and what oil is best. It still isn’t a huge cost investment, it’s healthier for your skin and body and you’ll end up looking fabulous!