Oil Cleansing Method

Today, I want to discuss my experience with the oil cleansing method {OCM}, and what "recipe" of oils I use! I discovered this method over a year ago on Pinterest, but I didn't begin to research it until around this past Fall. I first stumbled across Mommypotamous' blog which you can find here, and you can also google "oil cleansing method blog" and a ton of how-to articles will pop up! I found her blog to be most helpful, and she also has a troubleshooting post found here that includes tips and tricks to beginning the OCM.

Photo by: The Essential Wellness

Okay, down to the nitty-gritty; I researched essential, conditioning, and astringent oils like Mommypotamous mentioned in her blog, and I decided to create a recipe of a 1:4 part oil: 1 part astringent oil to 4 parts conditioning oil because I have normal to combination skin {I'm oily in my t-zone, dry around my nose and cheeks}. I also have really sensitive skin as I've mentioned in previous posts, so I knew I needed to completely avoid castor oil. Many blogs recommend using castor oil, but it's extremely potent and harsh, so unless you have very oily skin and are not sensitive in the least, I would not recommend using castor oil. I decided to try 1 part grapeseed oil to 4 parts hemp seed oil, and I added a few drops of tea tree oil, carrot seed oil, lavender oil, and jojoba oil {as you can see, nearly any oil can be purchased on Amazon!}. It turned out the 1:4 ratio was a little too oily for my skin, so I stepped down to a 1:3 ratio of the grapeseed to hemp seed oil and that was much better, and currently what I'm using. There are a lot of factors that come into play when choosing an oil blend, such as your skin type as well as your skin concern {i.e dryness, blemishes, oiliness, etc.}, so do research to determine what's best for you individually. I oil cleanse in the evening only and use this process to remove all my makeup and build up from the day. The steps are super simple:

1. Pour a small bit of your cleansing oil creation into your palm, rub your hands together, apply the oil all over your face, and using your fingertips, rub in circular motions as you would with any cleanser. This process can feel quite relaxing due to the scent of the oils. 
2. Don't rinse, instead grab a hand towel and run hot {almost steaming hot} water over one half of the towel, let it cool a second, ring it out, lay it over your face, flip the dry half of the towel over the wet half to keep the heat in, steam your face for about 20-30 seconds, and then gently wipe your face to remove the excess oil along with makeup and dirt{some blogs recommend steaming twice... I usually don't have the patience so I just do once}!
3. That's it! I follow with a toner {DIY: 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (also had a fellow green blogger suggest using coconut vinegar instead of ACV: less of a scent) in 1/2 cup of water} and argan oil as a moisturizer. NOTE: The past week or so I've been trying double cleansing, which is a popular method in which you cleanse with an oil based cleanser, and follow with a daily cleanser. I have been using my Aleavia prebiotic cleanser {full review here} with my Foreo luna mini, and then I use the toner and argan oil. I'll update y'all in about a month on how the double cleansing works! So far, so good. 

Results? I honestly have not seen a huge difference since I switched to the OCM. During the month and a half I used the OCM alone, my breakouts remained the same {mostly hormonal around and on my chin}, my redness decreased maybe a very slight amount, although, my skin's overall appearance did look healthier and had more of a glow, especially in the mornings after it had been fed argan oil all night! This cleansing method is super inexpensive, and it does a great job removing makeup and dirt, so I am still giving it a shot. Some bloggers say it takes a while to notice a big difference. For now, I am pleased with the way it cleans and the subtle differences I've seen. If anyone has experiences to share please comment below! 

As you may have read in a previous blog, I have seen a noticeable difference in my breakouts, redness, and overall skin appearance since using the Aleavia cleanser, so check out my full review on that. I am hoping the oil cleansing in the evening in combination with using Aleavia will yield great results. I'll keep you all posted!

Also, as most blogs on this topic will say, cleaning your face is just a small part of the journey to clear, healthy skin. The HUGE factor that affects skin's appearance is what we feed our bodies. I know it was extremely hard to keep a healthy diet during the holidays {I sure didn't, and my skin has paid for it}, and we all deserve a huge piece {or 3} of grandma's favorite homemade cake or pie every now and then! I saw a fitting quote the other day and wanted to share: 

"It's not about what you eat between Thanksgiving and New Year's, it's about what you eat between New Year's and Thanksgiving." -anonymous, but great food for thought {pun intended}! It's important to treat ourselves when we want to, but also keep that healthy balance within our diets. 

Thanks for reading! Until next time.

Stay beautiful.
xoxo, Holly