The Oil Cleansing method

The Oil Cleansing method, or OCM as it's commonly known, is something that has taken the internet by storm over the past few years. If you've not heard of it, then read on to find out exactly how oils can give your skin that WOW factor!

Most women are bombarded with products that claim to rid the skin of oil, but this is possibly one of the worst things that you can aspire to do - your skin needs oil to function properly, and to keep it looking youthful. The concept of the oil cleansing method is that 'oil dissolves oil', water alone will not rid the skin of dirty oils, which is why when we're in the shower, most of us will reach for a face wash or a face scrub to deep cleanse our pores of dirt, make up and daily grime. 

What you need to know, however, is that oils are not something to be afraid of and you CAN smother them into your face without turning it into a spotty oil slick. The oil cleansing method works to replace the dirty oils that have collected dirt throughout the day, with fresh oils that will nourish the skin, which is why this is a method that's best used in the evening. With the OCM you won't need facial wipes, facial cleansers, facial scrubs, or even face masks - all you need is a few bottles of oil, making your facial cleansing routine both cheaper, and longer lasting. 

Here's how to do it - 

The key ingredient here is something called Castor Oil, which is an oil that's deep cleansing and nourishing for both hair and skin, Castor Oil is very difficult to get hold of in shops in the UK, but if you search on Amazon you'll find a huge selection of the stuff from as little at £1.99.

Because Castor Oil can be quite drying on the skin, it's best to use a smaller ratio of Castor Oil to your carrier oils, so bear that in mind. I used to measure out my concoctions using tea spoons, because I'm terrible at maths, so ratios would baffle me! 

What you'll also need is: 

• A carrier oil - you can use almost any oil, but avoid coconut oil as it's known to clog pores, you can even mix up your oil mixtures and include essential oils such as tea tree or lavender oil. 

My favourite mixture is - 1 teaspoon of castor oil, 1 teaspoon of grapeseed oil, 1 teaspoon of sweet almond oil, 4 drops of tea tree oil and 4 drops of lavender oil. 

• A washcloth
• Hot water (but not scalding) the water needs to be hot enough to melt the oil, but not so hot that you'll end up with broken capillaries (red surface veins).  

How to do it:

• Measure out your oil mixture, it's advisable not to pre-mix a bottle until you've played around with what works for your skin, if you find your skin feels too dry afterwards then you'll need to toggle the quantity of castor oil. 
• Give the water time to warm up, while you rub the mixture into your face - do as you would with your daily cleanser, rub don't scrub, think of this as time to unwind and relax too, you're essentially giving your face an oil massage. Massage the oils into your face for at least 2 minutes, then let them sit in your face for a further minute. 
• When the water is warm enough, soak the wash cloth and ring it out, then sit it ontop of your face for 15 seconds to steam your pores, this'll enable the oils to loosen slightly making them easier to wash off.
• After you've steamed your face, rinse the washcloth and ring it out again, and then gently wipe the oils from your face in a downward motion, repeat this step until you feel you've gotten most of the oil off the surface of your face.
• You're done! Pat your face dry with a clean towel, and if you feel you need to, you can apply a light moisturiser - enjoy your super soft face and the knowledge that your skin is thanking you for being so kind to it.

Things to bear in mind:

• As with all new skin care regimes, it'll take your skin time to adjust to this one, meaning that for a few weeks you may experience more breakouts than usual. DON'T PANIC! Stick with it for a few months, because this is your body expelling all the dirt and grime from your face, it's detoxing and it needs time to finish this process so that it can adjust to the new routine. 
• I found while I was practicing this method that it wasn't quite enough to get rid of stubborn blackheads on my nose, so it's worth investing in a soft bristled face brush to brush away any blackheads in a circular motion, you can pick these up for next to nothing from most shops such as Superdrug or The Body Shop.
• Don't be tempted to mix the OCM with store bought cleansers, because your body has only just started getting used a new regime so you'll only confuse it if you mix this all natural method, with ones that involve chemicals. All store bought cleansers have chemicals in them, so if you're using the OCM, avoid these at all costs. 

If you have any questions, feel free to comment below!