The oil cleansing method is really simple and easy. The method is based on the notion that “oil dissolves oil” because a pimple is an area of the skin that has become inflamed due to the over-production of sebum. Cleansing with pure, unprocessed oils as opposed to cleansers has been proven to be more effective in clearing up acne, blackheads, whiteheads,etc. because cleansers usually c
ontain harsh chemicals and artificial ingredients which dry out the skin as they remove the skins natural oils causing the skin to overcompensate for the what was lost by producing more oil. This leads to the over-production of sebum and the cycle repeats itself the more the cleansers are used.
I believe that you can use any type of natural oil you would like but I use extra virgin olive oil and pure castor oil which are more commonly used in this method. The oils are mixed together in a bottle for easy access and the amounts that you use of each depends on your skin type. Castor oil is known for being a cleansing agent which makes it more drying than olive oil which is very moisturizing as it is a fatty oil so if you have oily skin you want to use more castor oil than olive oil in your mixture and vice versa. All you need is hot water, olive oil, and castor oil. I do the oil cleansing method at night before bed. No reason. Just my preference. Here’s what I do:
- I take a 5.1 oz plastic bottle and pour one part olive oil to two parts castor oil (my skin is oily). No measuring necessary. Just make sure you have more olive oil than castor oil if your skin tends to be dry and if you have oily skin use more castor oil than olive oil in your mixture. Simple.
- Once you’ve filled your bottle make sure you secure the top on then shake it up.
- Next, I pour about a tablespoon or tablespoon and a half of the oil mixture in the palm of my hand. I rub both my palms together with the mixture and then I gently massage my whole face. Note: If you wear foundation/powder you don’t have to wash your face prior to this. When I wear make-up which is either mineral foundation or mineral powder, I just apply the oil to my made-up face. Continue to gently massage your face in a circular motion all around your eyes, nose, forehead, cheeks, etc. You get the point…All over your face…If you wear make-up you will see it start to dissolve easily. I massage the oil into my skin for about a minute (I don’t keep the time. I just estimate 🙂 )
- Then I take a clean white wet washcloth that has been soaked with or in HOT water and cover my face with the washcloth and hold it on for a few seconds. This “steams” your face by allowing the steam from the hot water in the washcloth to open your pores.
- I repeat the whole process when I wear make up because I use the first cleansing to remove make up and the second cleansing to make sure my skin is actually clear of any dirt, or residue.
- Following the oil cleansing and steaming with the washcloth as I like to call it, you can use a natural and gentle cleanser but it is not imperative. And voila! That is it!
I don’t have acne prone skin as of right now, but I have in the past and it was a terrib
le time for me…I have to admit that the whole ‘oil dissolves oil theory’ makes sense and has proved itself to me time and time again. In the past, I used some of the most expensive, popular acne medications/systems and I found them to be too harsh and made my situation worse. The oil cleansing method does not disappoint me at all! I recommend it for anybody, but as we all know everything ain’t for everybody so it may or may not work for you. I do, however, think it’s worth a try 🙂
I also wanted to add, as I am very honest and thorough when it comes to advice, that I am on Yaz birth control and have noticed a change (for the good) in my skin since starting it. However, if I stray from my oil cleansing method I do notice a breakout here and there as opposed to when I use it regularly. Sooo, I just wanted to make you aware that there can be many factors that play a role in my skin’s clarity besides this method, but it is a huge part of my skincare regimen and I appreciate the kind compliments I received about my skin. Thanks and good luck with the oil cleansing method…Be sure to report back to Nikki on your experiences and I hope that you all have success with it as well!
There you have it folks. FrizzCurls also responded to many questions in the comments section of her interview. Head over there next to get the details 🙂 Later Gators, Nik
According to me it is the best oil in concern with skin celerity and serves great results.
health and skincare
I just started doing this about a week ago and I am AMAZED. I have had crazy oily skin my whole life; I don't have as much acne as I did when I was younger but I still have oily skin. Now my skin is MUCH less oily the whole day, even after a day outside in the sun with my makeup on it's not shiny. THANK YOU!!
Oil cleansing for me is more like a pre-poo for my face.I use it,then some steam and it makes my face really soft and helps the acne heal!
Oil cleansing is the TRUTH! I just wish I could get rid naturally of these scathered chin hairs that's mucking up my complexion (I'm 51 and I can't take hormones–hypertension patient)…SIGH
I tried this for the first time last night and my skin feels great. I also used Doctor Miracles face wash and it was the only thing that kept my face blemish free, but after i read the ingredients i saw that castor oil was one of the main ingredients! So I am so happy to discover a wayyy cheaper method to get the same results.
I've had this saved on my computer since it was originally posted and just got up the courage to do the ocm abt a month ago. I love, love, love it! I cannot rave enough abt how good my skin looks and how many compliments I get from family/friends abt the changes.
I stumbled upon this post and have been doing this for a couple of days now (using a 1:4 ratio of castor oil and avocado oil) and I just had to come back and say thank you to FrizzCurls427. My skin has been glowing, even my mom noticed and asked what I did to my face. This is definitely a keeper for me 🙂
Wow, I know that I'm very late to this table of discussion, yet what I've read is just really intriguing. I am seriously considering using this.Im wondering though, what are some good moisturizing products for skin? I know many women use black soap some even moisturize with EVOO, and I've read what you use in your regimin Frizzcurls.What are some other facial moisturizers that you'd recommend?
All I have to say is THIS WORKS!!! For years … 18 years to be exact, I have had "problem" skin. This post/discovery was a God-send, literally. Over the years I have spent hundreds, nearly thousands of dollars on over the counter products, dermatology consults/treatments, etc. There is nothing like a little boost in your self-confidence when you can walk out of the house without packing on make-up to conceal blemishes, mini mountains, lumps, bumps and the many imperfections that acne brings about. I love that this is an all-natural way to cleanse and heal the skin. I incorporate this method with toning with rosewater followed by moisturizing with a dollop of grape seed oil and I'm good to go. Now, if I could just find something for the chest, shoulders, and back area to clear away blemishes and prevent new acne. Any suggestions?
I'm so happy that you all have had success with the OCM!!! I have tweaked my regimen a little because for some reason my skin has become more oily than usual due to stress, hormone levels, etc. so to fix the problem I incorporated the natural cleanser by Desert Essence)Thorougly Clean Facial Cleanser with every oil cleansing application. This cleanser does not contain any harsh or drying chemicals and I have been using it for a couple of years now and it hasn't failed me yet…So what I do now is after I steam my face a few times(making sure any traces of oil are removed) I then cleanse with my cleanser one time just to remove any residue or excess oils. Again, I do this because I have oily skin and for some reason there has been an increase in sebum production in my skin lately. Then I rinse with cool water to close my pours and I use my ACV (bragg's brand with the "mother") as a toner. That's it!! My skin started to go crazy recently and I didn't know what was going on. I knew it wasn't the OCM because I had been successful with it for a long time. So, I knew it had to be some other factors playing a role in my increase in pimples so I chose to just add something extra just for prevention and it has done wonders!
THANK YOU! this was some of the best beauty advice i ever received! it makes so much sense too when you think about it. after about 2 wks, i am getting compliments on my skin! and I'm like wow!, can't believe how quickly it is helping improve my complexion and skin texture! i am using evoo, but will get some castor oil soon.
I was SUCH a NON-BELIEVER when I first read your advice about this method. But…. my curiosity got the best of me and I decided to try it. WOW!!! Been doing it in the evening for about 1 weeks now, and what a difference I see!!!!! I do 2 parts Castor Oil and 1 part EVOO…. its amazing!!! My skin looks like it is saying "yes, some moisture!!!!". My skin looks almost dewy… which I love!! To be clear, I still use my proactive system in the morns (I have crazy oily skin), but use this at night. What a difference!!! Thanks SOOOOO much for this advice… I am officially a believer!!! 🙂
Jus wanted to update you and thank you for your responses. I've been using the OCM for about a week now and love it. I still got my once a month annoying period pimple but it didn't last as long as it usually does. I absolutely love this and it is officially a part of my nightly skin reggie. Sometimes I'll smear a very small amount of shea butter on my face when I'm done.
Thank you so much for this…i have very oily skin and was so tired of the benzyl peroxides that dry out my face so much at night that i feel like my face is gonna crack.
I did a 3:1:1 of castor oil:jojoba oil: grapeseed oil and added a couple drops of teatree oil. I didnt used evoo because i needed a thinner oil than EVOO. this is my first night doing it but my face feels so amazing. I can smile at night and not feel like my face is gonna split.
Thanks.
I have had oily/clogged/acne prone skin for the better part of a decade and this is the ONLY thing that has kept my skin clear and glowing!!! Sometimes i get lazy and stray away from this b/c it does take a lil bit longer, or I get sucked into this or that new miracle product, but…I always come back to this!!! I use 2 parts CO and 1 part EVOO as well…I HIGHLY recommend this -IT WORKS!!!
Hi thanks for this helpful piece of information.
I just started (5days ago) cleansing my face with Jojoba oil and it is amazing, my skin is simply just clear!! It removes excess dry skin exceptionally well. I simply use a soft cotton pad and massage my face gently. I look forward to "steaming my face" 🙂 I will start applying this to my darkened knees and elbows too. I'm always thrilled to see alternative natural and simple methods work!
Wow!! I'm loving all of the success many of you are having with this method whether you use olive oil, castor oil, grapeseed, or whatever you desire it's about what will make YOUR skin happy 🙂
Some of you asked what I do in the morning. I don't do anything special in the morning besides use a small amount of an organic cleanser I purchase from the health food store Desert Essence Thoroughly Clean facial wash with tea tree oil and awapuhi and moisturize with a pea size amount of Oil of Olay Complete all day moisurizer with SPF 15 for sensitive skin…I use small amounts of these products just out of habit…I'm used to washing my face every morning and night. That's it. I just do the nightly ritual of the oil cleansing. I don't think it is detrimental if I skip a few days…It's really when I go several days without it and I did this purposely just to see if it really made a difference. And it did. I just keep it really simple the next morning as I really don't feel the need to cleanse my skin or moisturize because when I wake up in the morning my skin looks great…Hope my response was sufficient…To use it morning and evening would be an over kill in my opinion…All that is really necessary is once a day preferably at night or once every few days.
Anon115: You can purchase castor oil at any health food store i.e. the Vitamin Shoppe, Whole Foods…Just be sure that it is 100% pure
Peggy M.: I think that it should work for boys/men as well…It's worth a try…I use make-up and the ocm to remove my make-up and I follow up with another round of the oil mixture and use my hot washcloth to remove any residue and be sure my skin is clean. Cleanser is not necessary and yes you can just rinse with water. I use it if I wore make-up just because of paranoia..lol…But as long as you wipe away the oil until you no longer see any dirt/makeup you should be fine.
I have been a believer of this method since the year 2000 after using Queen Helen's Cocoa Butter on my face with a steam towel. There was an immediate difference in my skin's tone and elasticity.
For those of you who wear make-up, the oil is enough to cleanse. Have you ever noticed that makeup remover is moistly made of oil?? The most important part is making sure your water is hot enough to make a steam towel…I steam for until the towel cools off, reheat the towel and repeat until my skin is baby soft.
ECCO or EVOO is my choice.
queenofthe4s.blogspot.com
@Peggy M: I wear makeup and use the OCM. It works better than regular face washes to remove makeup because the oil just dissolves it away. I know of guys who use the OCM, so you should suggest that your brothers try it out.
@Krystal: Using just coconut oil probably didn't help your acne because castor oil is the one that really cleans your skin, according to all the websites I've read. I don't know how it works, but it does! You don't need a lot. I only use about 30-40% castor oil and my moderate-severe acne is not almost non-existant! I also massage it in for about 5 minutes (in front of the tv), to really get my skin clean.
My system froze as I was posting and I'm not sure if my comment went through … luckily I save everything. It's the writer in me. Here's what I said:
Okay. I've heard of this for the first time recently… and totally raised a brow. But last night I decided to try it and I absolutely loved the way my skin felt afterwards. Especially after the hot washcloth. I also checked out some YouTube vids to make sure I was doing it right. I'm a big visual person. I have a few questions though. Funny how I go natural THEN decide to pay more attention to what my body, skin and hair needs. I've been drinking water more as well. I'm only 25 but I feel like I could have done this sooner. I don't have acne prone skin, but like some folks, I get monthly "period pimples" (lol) in random places… nothing major though, but I'm sure I can have better skin. Ok, I digressed.
My question is for those who do this a few times a week, what do you do the other times? What are you washing with?
Second, can the OCM work for boys who are going through puberty? Or is this just a female thing? My little twin brothers don't have bad acne but their skin can always be better.
Last, for those who wear makeup and use OCM…. is rinsing with water good enough? I mean, should you wash with something else?
Ok, that concludes my novel … 🙂
This method might be good if you have mild acne or occasional breakouts, but I wouldn't recommend it for moderate to severe acne. I will admit that using oil (coconut) to cleanse my face kept it from drying out, but it did little to nothing for my acne. Proactiv (extra strength) is the only thing that consistently works for me.
Okay. I've heard of this for the first time recently… and totally raised a brow. But last night I decided to try it and I absolutely loved the way my skin felt afterwards. Especially after the hot washcloth. I also checked out some YouTube vids to make sure I was doing it right. I'm a big visual person. I have a few questions though. Funny how I go natural THEN decide to pay more attention to what my body, skin and hair needs. I've been drinking water more as well. I'm only 25 but I feel like I could have done this sooner. I don't have acne prone skin, but like some folks, I get monthly "period pimples" (lol) in random places… nothing major though, but I'm sure I can have better skin. Ok, I digressed.
My question is for those who do this a few times a week, what do you do the other times? What are you washing with?
Second, can the OCM work for boys who are going through puberty? Or is this just a female thing? My little twin brothers don't have bad acne but their skin can always be better.
Last, for those who wear makeup and use OCM…. is rinsing with water good enough? I mean, should you wash with something else?
Ok, that concludes my novel … 🙂
Hi, i'm anon 4:31. i use the grapeseed oil every night because i found that it makes a huge difference in the oiliness of my skin. so after i use the oil i wash with cetaphil using a sponge then wash again with AO #5 facial cleanser (this has made a drastic difference for my acne), then follow with non alchol toner, estee lauder night time serum (im 33) then spot treatment if needed then moisturizer if needed. in the am i toner only my face and sunscreen. along with regular facials now my skins texture and clarity have improved a LOT.
Very interesting! I use EVOO mixed with some aloe vera gel as a facial moisturizer but never knew I could use it to cleanse my face! I'm doing this tonight!!
I love oil cleansing!! I had to stop using castor oil though after the 2nd try and now just use coconut oil. Castor oil "heats" up when you rub it in your skin, that's why it's also used for "heat" packs for muscle aches and pain. If you have sensitive skin it can lead to peeling because in essence you're making it warm up more when you use the steaming method.
Olive oil works as well, but I tend to use coconut oil more because it rinses cleaner for me.
I just tried it last night and was so happy with the results! My skin felt soft, smooth and CLEAN (didn't think it would feel clean using oil LOL)! I am going to keep my experiment going for the week to make sure it wasn't a one-off, then I can add it permanently to my routine and start sharing with friends!
Like a couple of people asked before, do you use a regular cleanser in the morning? Has anyone ever tried oil cleansing both morning and evening?
I love the oil cleansing method. It really works on my combination, extremely acne-prone skin. I went away last week and forgot my to bring my oil mix and my skin went CRAZY. The ocm keeps my skin soft and almost acne free. After cleansing, I apply aloe vera gel mixed with a few drops of my oil mix. I do this at night and in the morning I just wash my face with water and apply sunscreen.
ive been doing this for 3 years…soap never ever touches my face…it saved my acne prone skin for good.
..I have extremely oily skin and its balanced and clear now.
I wish I wold have known about this in highschool…im 37 and ive had acne for 20 years…until I started washing with OIL…
Thanks so much for such a thorough explanation on this…i can't wait to try it…question for you, where do you purchase your castor oil? is the castor oil available at vitamin shoppe sufficient?
Thanks for this Frizzcurls 🙂 I have oily and acne prone skin, and I tried this tonight. I tried it with the only oil that I had left in my cabinet… macadamia nut oil. It actually worked out nicely. My skin is not greasy at all. I followed up with witch hazel… probably for my own comfort lol.
My question to you is, what do you do for your skin in the morning. Do you cleanse with a normal retail cleansing product, just use a toner, or just rinse with water?
Mallorie
this didn't work for me and in fact semi-lead me into a downward spiral with my skin.
the castor oil is very dangerous and you all must watch how much you use because it can dry out your skin severely.
washing your face too much can be bad for the skin. it can irritate it and weaken it thus allowing more acne to be produced.
just go easy with the face washing
and i dont recommend steaming either
as that can dehydrate the skin, too
Thank you for this post – I gotta try something! Like GG I think my acne prone skin gets worse as I get older. I drink lots of water and see the diff when I do that but want to do more. Do you think jojoba oil would work? I would be willing to try the others but I have that on hand (use it on my hair) and it helps the dry patches on my daughter's skin (she has excema) and I like that it doesn't feel greasy. Thanks for the tips! Corygentri
I do this a few times a week and get so many compliments on my skin…and then the "are you crazy look" when I tell people about cleansing with oil lool
I understand you do this at night. Do you do anything special in the morning?
Frizzcurls I didn't do anything besides the oil cleanse. I didn't even moisturize b/c my skin felt so soft and dewy afterwards. It was WEIRD. Nobody had every heard of it happening before, but if it's going to happen to anyone it will be me lol. That's just how it goes for me. I'd recommend trying it for the first time on a weekend to see what the reaction will be. It's funny how the "peeling" turned out to be a benefit, but it just shocked me at first lol.
Also, I hope you don't mind, but I e-mailed your small pic from this post to my BB so that I can show it to the stylist on Friday lol. I know now that I need to SHOW them what I want b/c clearly explanations don't help. This consultation will be long and thorough, complete with slide show lol.
Oh God, thanks sooooo much for posting this! My acne prone skin has gotten worse as I've gotten older, and it's so aggravating! Proactive and none of those things worked for me, and this makes so much sense! I've been looking for methods and found nothing. Thanks! I will be trying this tonight!! 🙂
If someone has tried this since its posting, please post your results. I'm particularly interested in how it worked on acne prone skin. Thanks
His Daughter: Sure you can use extra virgin coconut oil as that is the purest form and coconut oil is said to be ideal for skin care because of its anti-aging benefits and it is also very moisturizing. I might try this myself 🙂
Anon 440: Don't be scuuurrred! lol Good luck and report back to Nikki your results 🙂
Anon 531: Good luck! Hope you have lots of success with the Rhassoul clay 🙂 Let us know how it turns out!
kimmie0810: Oh my! Sorry that happened although you said your skin turned out fine but the peeling…Hmmm, I don't understand why that would've happened…Did you use something else along with the oil cleansing like another cleanser, acne meds, or a moisturizer? lol@ Fire Marshall Bill…Well, I hope when you try it again you have better results 🙂
Anon605: Yes, I do this every night but I have my lazy days when I'm too tired and forget…For the most part I use this religiously at night:)
GG: Good luck sis! I know it seems crazy to have acne as an adult but many factors are the cause of this condition besides our skin regimines such as what we put on the inside and whether we are flushing our systems out by drinking water and eating fresh produce regularly…Stress is another culprit which I can attest to because everytime I start stressing about things it definitely shows on my skin…Anyways, don't mean to ramble just wanted to share that:) Good luck and report back!
This is right on time for me! I'm in my thirties and have had acne-prone skin since I was a teenager. I thought I'd paid my dues but the clogged pores and bumps continue. I have really oily skin, so maybe this will help. I'm willing to try! Thank you!
Frizzculs, do you do this daily?
I tried this before b/c I have EXTREMELY oily skin and read information on another website and then did some research. I used castor oil & evoo too. I LOVED the way my make-up dissolved and how "clean" and soft my face felt afterwards. HOWEVER, the next day my face was a mess! It actually "burned" my skin. Similar to how my skin gets a crusty peel when I get a chemical peel at the dermatologist. I panicked. I have no idea what went wrong but I left it alone after 2 tries. I after the peeling went away, I had smooth soft clear skin but it looked horrid for a day or 3. I might give it a try again and use it only when I do want to "peel". It's alot cheaper than going to the derm or medi spa.
Not trying to scare anyone or discredit what she's saying. Just reporting my experience so if anyone else tries it & this happens they won't go crazy like I did lol. It's not that bad but it's SHOCKING to wake up looking like Fire Marshall Bill & to not know why lol.
Thank you so much
I am trying this method as soon as possible.
Rhassoul is a also removing oily very gently but sure is more expensive (very effective for hair cleansing indeed)
I've heard of this and I've been meaning to try it but I'ma scurrrrrrrrd! May try this weekend, hopefully I don't breakout.
I do this too and found that grapeseed oil works better for my very oily skin than castor oil did.
thank you for sharing with us. I am definitley going to try this method. I have cleansed with olive oil from time to time, just because i thought it was a good idea lol,but i have to try it with the castor oil.
Hi ladies! I'm glad this was helpful to you 🙂
Anon303: b. explained it perfectly. If you have any more questions just chime back in 🙂
Anon328: When I do this method at night depending on whether or not I follow with a cleanser I will use a moisturizer afterward. For me, it really hasn't proven to be necessary to moisturize after oil cleansing.
would extra virgin coconut oil do the trick?
Anon 3:03,
2 parts to 1 part is, for example, 2oz to every 1oz, or 1 cup to .5 cup. In other words, for every one part (measurement) of olive oil you use, put in 2 parts (measurement) of castor oil. How much or little is up to you. HTH. 🙂
Quick Question: when you're done do you put on a moisturizer afterward?
Thanks for posting your face cleansing method! I really appreciate your honesty as well.
Great advice. This may sound like a silly question but when you say 2 part castor oil and 1 part oilve oil exactly how much is that?
I've heard of this method but didn't get this much detail! Thank u! I, too, have oily skin, and want to give this a try 🙂 I'm also on Yaz and it has helped w/breakouts but my skin still gets oily. Great tips!
She does the same thing I do to a Tee, and I swear by this routine as well. I have oily combination skin and oil cleansing has not only helped normalize my skin but gives my skin a lovely glow and softness. It's amazing how much dirt and grime you see on the cotton pad just using oil as the cleanser! Oil cleansing is a step in my skin care regime I will not dare wander away from.
This definitely works! The only thing I do different is I add a teaspoon of sugar to get a more exfoliating effect. It leaves my face glowing and believe it or not, not greasy.
This was some of the best skin advice. I've heard of this method but because I have sever adult acne, had been kinda on the fence about trying it. This time I'm going to give it a shot.
Wow! Your skin is beautiful, I always use olive oil as my face moisturizer (just a little) along with a moisturizer with SPF…I never thought to use it as a cleanser. I will definitely give this a try tonight! Thanks!
-Jess
Great advice! Thanks for being so honest too : ) I've been using argan oil lately and moisturizing my face with a mix of cocoa butter and coconut oil. Seems to be helping me so far. I will try this mix of EVOO and castor oil too since I have those at home.