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Style & Beauty

Oil cleansing method - anyone still doing it?

35 replies

CakeandRoses · 17/07/2011 12:11

Is anyone still doing ocm after the original mumsnet craze a couple of years ago?

If so, how's it working for you now? What method/oils/frequency do you use now?

If you gave up was it due to the issues mentioned on the threads then? Eg:

Open pores
Dry or flaky skin
Boils/spots under the skin
Excess hair (eeek!!) Believed to be caused by the castor oil.
Rashes

I've just started doing ocm and my skin is looking amazing. I'm not using castor oil yet (ordered from amazon), just sweet almond oil and argan oil for any extra moisturising needed afterwards. I'm planning to massage almond oil on daily and wipe off with a muslin, a la eve lom/liz earle (I believe) and do the castor oil + steaming 1-2 times a week.

Thank you!

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CakeandRoses · 17/07/2011 12:12

I meant I'll be using diluted castor oil (prob 90/10 almond and castor)

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ComradeJing · 17/07/2011 14:40

There are still lots of threadscabout OCM. I'm doing it and have for the past 2 months. My skin is the best it has ever been, my blackheads have almost gone, an odd under skin cyst has gone and apart from initially I haven't had a spot since.

I use jojoba oil with castor oil every night (about 70:30), steaming, as you say, a la eve lom, followed by rose hip oil and just water in the mornings.

Very happy with my routine and refuse to be convinced by smart packaging ever again!

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Miggsie · 17/07/2011 14:43

Yes, I do. I haven't used soap or any cleansing product on my face for years now and my skin is fine.
I use water most days and the oil once or twice a week (but I have "mature" skin).
I make my own face cream from jojoba and rosehip oil which I use daily.

Castor oil is the best for direct cleansing ime. Olive oil is great for face AND hair.

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Dorje · 17/07/2011 14:44

I got flare ups of acne, and gravel like texture to my forehead - took three months to clear those closed comedones off.

I think my skin is very oily anyway, and the OC method did little for me.

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msbunbury · 17/07/2011 15:54

Yes I'm doing it - mix of olive (80) and castor oil (20) not had brilliant results but my expectations were very high. Can't imagine doing anything else now though...

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chipstick10 · 17/07/2011 17:57

My skin is probably quite balanced but can feel tight when i have had a shower and washed my hair. Dd slightly open pause (i do also on my chin) but she has slightly more oilier skin than i. Ds suffers mild acne. We started ocm a week ago. Started with evoo and caster oil but felt the olive oil was probably a bit heavy for us all and so i switched to almond oil. So far so good. Definate improvement in ds's skin. Clearer and less blemishes. I also use the almond oil on my hands, body , cuticles and under eye. Also take my eye make up off with it, its fab.

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CakeandRoses · 17/07/2011 19:56

This is very interesting to hear thank you.

i can't quite believe how my good skin looks at the moment - i'm dreading the breakout phase - does that happen to everyone?

msbunbury do you use that mix every day? why do you say your results aren't brilliant?

what i noticed from other old threads i read is that many people seemed to be doing the steaming every day (often using the castor oil) whereas the original method suggests only doing it 1-2 times a week. i wonder if that's why some people had issues?

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chipstick10 · 17/07/2011 20:27

I dont use the caster oil everyday only three times per week. ive only been doing it a week but i def wouldnt use the caster oil more than three times a week. On the days i dont i just use almond oil with slightly less hot water.

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Hopefully · 17/07/2011 21:01

I've been doing OCM for a couple of years, on and off, and I've pretty much hit on the routine that works for me. My skin is naturally very oily, but is now pretty balanced.

I use OCM every evening, with an 80/20 mix of rapeseed/castor oil. I moisturise with a couple of drops of Clarins moisturising oil for greasy skin. In the morning I use a soap free foaming cleanser (Clarins sample at the mo, previously a Simple one) with a Clarins day moisturiser with SPF. Every week or so I use whatever exfoliator DP has (he looooves the exfoliator).

My next mission is to find a moisturising oil to replace the expensive Clarins one, but since the Clarins one is only about 5% used after a month, I'm not too fussed just yet. My skin is the best it's been for years, so I'm reluctant to mess with a winning combo!

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otchayaniye · 17/07/2011 21:09

I've done this for about 5 or 6 years and no problems ever. I use any oil to hand, but usually sunflower/castor.

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kyacat · 17/07/2011 21:30

I've been doing it for about 5 months and I love it, my skin is the best it's been in a while :) I use a spot of castor oil with jojoba oil, a small amount of evoo and vitamin e oil, and a some lavender and patchouli oil. I moisturise with jojoba oil if required.

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skyebluepink · 17/07/2011 22:47

Yes I use cold pressed coconut oil and it works well for me. I don't moisturise at night I just use SPF in the day

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CakeandRoses · 17/07/2011 23:41

Oh this is heartening . i was so hoping some of you had had long-lasting results from it as i could get seriously used to my new glowing, dewy skin.

i'm probably going to wash with just water in the mornings like comrade suggests - do any of you do that too?

there were some scary posts about castor oil in some of the older threads with things it might cause ranging from: papery skin on hands, dry skin on face through to white facial hair and dry head hair (when not used on the head) . it's made me a bit worried about using it very often or in high ratios. have any of you found any issues with it?

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chipstick10 · 17/07/2011 23:54

I use caster oil in tiny amounts. If you have ever used vanish powder in your wash, it comes with a big pink scoop. I fill that scoop with almond oil to discanter into a bottle and then i just literally line the bottom of the scoop with caster oil and mix it together. I too read the scare storys and it worried me.

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msbunbury · 18/07/2011 07:44

Yes I use that mix everyday - but am fairly slack about it - the flannel isn't always steaming hot (more quite warm) and tbh I just sort of wipe off rather than some massage type action. Plus there are days when I just can't be bothered and give my face a quick wipe with a flannel. Skin is mostly good though - I was expecting it to be magazine type dewy airbrushed skin!! Hahah
I have been using evoo from Sainsburys but tried some at my mils the other day from italy from a tin - the difference was amazing - its much 'finer' less 'thick' and nicer to use by far.
Quite fancy trying avocado oil though...

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belindarose · 18/07/2011 07:58

I've been doing it about a month but with waitrose baby bottom butter that I saw mentioned on a previous thread. Had some I don't use for DD. Like OP, my skin looks amazing at the moment. Some new dry skin around my nose though, so need to think about how to address that.

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kyacat · 18/07/2011 08:22

I only use castor oil in tiny amounts. I can tell when I've used too much as I get dry skin around my nose and chin, and a greasy forehead. I'm waiting on Avocado oil arriving from Amazon, looking forward to trying it :)

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mummynoseynora · 18/07/2011 08:30

is there anywhere I can read up on this?? sounds interesting

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Pin0t · 18/07/2011 13:06

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CakeandRoses · 18/07/2011 13:13

mummynosey here's a link to one of the old posts about it which includes a link to the method

belinda what's your method and frequency? are you steaming every day? excessive hot water can cause dry skin too so if you are maybe ease up on the heat/steaming every day.

msbunbury and kya the thought of avocado oil makes my mouth water Let me know if you think it's good stuff if/when you try it please.

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valiumredhead · 18/07/2011 13:14

Yes, been doing it for the last couple of years and my skin has never been so good. I use anything really and a muslin cloth in warm water.

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ReshapeWhileDamp · 18/07/2011 21:45

I did it for a couple of months back then. It worked well for a while, then I noticed excess white hair growth! Honestly.

I stopped.

I think most of it's gone now. would like to try it again but minus the castor oil, and not sure OCM would work without that.

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otchayaniye · 18/07/2011 21:56

To be honest, I think any waxy/cream/oil works on a normal non sensitive skin.

I use any oil, any cream, Waitrose Baby Bottom stuff, Boots Cold Cream. Basically oil

But the castor oil recipe and pages are here

www.theoilcleansingmethod.com/

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ruddynorah · 18/07/2011 22:02

i've been doing it about 2 years now. perfect skin. i use any oil. currently olive oil from the kitchen. i do it each morning and do nothing at night.

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ChunkyPickle · 18/07/2011 22:06

I'm just starting it, with no problems so far and no real difference to my skin (although I didn't use much more than water and moisturiser before anyhow) so I'm encouraged to hear that people are still doing it (although worried about hair growth.. I have enough problems as it is)

My other secret crunchiness is I'm now a fortnight into being shampoo free - just bicarb rinse, and my hair is really loving it.

I didn't mean to turn hippy - but I saw an advert for moisturising mouthwash to relieve dry-mouth and it tipped me over the edge. (really.. who needs it and why don't they just have a glass of water instead????)