Unlisted Brand • Oil Cleansing Method OCM • Cleansers

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J024 on 5/16/2013 2:00:00 AM more reviews by J024

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

I used 75% evoo and 25% castor oil for a month and at first my pimples dried up and my skin looked so nice but after doing this method for a month I started noticing small bumps under my skin. I got freaked out cause I realized they were pimples that hadn't surfaced yet. So I decided to stop doing this method and that's when all hell broke loose. I got the worst acne I had ever gotten in my entire life. I had a ton of huge pimples that hurt so badly. Now I'm left with really red acne scars. So seriously I would not recommend this method. I loved it at first and even told my friends and family that they should try since I loved the results I was seeing. But if I would have known how badly my face would turn out, I would NEVER have tried it. Please don't make my mistake. My face looks horrible now

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lacz123 on 5/11/2013 10:34:00 PM more reviews by lacz123

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Other   Eyes: Other    

Sincerely wish I'd tried it sooner. Years and years sooner. Putting oil on my skin just seemed far too mental. I've had problem skin since I hit puberty. I'm 25 now and I'd say I've let it affect my life and, partly, who I am as a person. Which is sad. I had terrible cystic acne for most my teenage years, but that has almost completely subsided aside from the occasional sneaky ones on my back, which I can live with.
For the last few years though, I've had gradually worsening rosacea and enlarged/consistently clogged pores (all over cheeks/nose).

I tried several different cleansers, face masks, and moisturisers, (and probably more useless stuff I don't care to remember) in hope of making it better. To be honest I think I'd also been making things worse by aggravating my highly sensitive skin. Even with mild cleansers I could never resist the urge to wash quite thoroughly twice a day. I also picked and squeezed which definitely doesn't help at all... can't overstate this enough, because I know just how hard it can be not to. SO there's my life story up until now, it's not been a happy trip for my skin if I'm honest. However, I'm a month into using OCM now and wanted to say how much I appreciate it even if it helps just one person. Put it this way, I've never wrote a review on anything before. It is that good for me.

One month in and ALL my skin problems have improved and I'm way less stressed about it all which has gotta help. My skin doesn't feel oily or dirty in the morning so I'm fine with just splashing it with water (the less I can do to it to aggravate it the better, although... I did try doing nothing for a week once and that didn't work too well!). I do moisturise currently with a light moisturiser (clinique m-gel) mixed with a drop of jojoba, but I feel the more I use OCM the less I need to as my skin seemingly adapts.

There WAS A PURGING PERIOD for a few days. Terrible ugly purging, but that's good right? I still find myself gently squeezing some crap out every 3 days or so from somewhere, usually my nose, but it comes out easier ( = less aggravation) and the general condition of my skin is SO much better now so it's a price I'm willing pay. I'm using 1/3rds castor/jojoba/grapeseed at the moment and things just keep getting better. I'll update if it all goes to **** but I'm feeling pretty hopeful right now. More than worth a go if you're having any of the issues I described.

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Northstar5 on 4/25/2013 3:17:00 PM more reviews by Northstar5

Age: 44-55   Skin: Combination, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Hazel    

I really think the key to successfully using OCM over the long run is to mix an emulsifier into the oil blend, which makes it rinse perfectly clean. I've read many reviews from people who had great results with regular OCM the first few weeks, and then had disasters like cystic acne or milia or other breakouts, which can take ages to subside.

Honestly, most people cannot rub oil into their faces day after day without clogging pores and having the oil build up slowly on their skin. And since OCM is especially recommended for oily and acne-prone faces, I think you can really mess yourself up if you don't dig deeper than strangers telling you online that it worked great for them. For example, the proposed recipe of 50% castor oil/50% carrier oil is crazy for most people: that is way too much castor oil, which WILL clog pores and for many will result in serious breakouts down the line, even if it seems wonderful at first. There is a reason all commercially made oil cleansers include an emulsifier. My trial and error are explained below.

I am 45, have combo skin that is going through a dry patch in cooler weather, but whether I'm oily or dry, I am always prone to breakouts, and my skin is fairly sensitive. I'm often told I have nice-looking skin, and that's because I have the breakout tendency totally under control with a 2% BHA liquid and have not broken out in ages. Until I tried the OCM, that is.

First I tried washing my face with organic extra-coconut oil, since my skin seemed a bit dry and flaky and coconut oil gets great reviews. I loved the feeling and thought I was sold, but three days later had the most ghastly red spots in areas I used to get acne 25 year ago! It got better in a few days, so I tried again, this time with olive oil. Same thing, even worse. Truly, all hell broke loose on my face. I was so broken out, like I have not been in DECADES. I went crazy using BHA twice a day until the breakouts subsided but I made my skin so flaky and dry and angry in the process. Got "somewhat" back to normal in a week by only washing at night, with Toleriane, and following up with dabbing Paula's Choice Resist Toner and Earth Sourced moisturizer. Good, soothing products that did not cause breakouts.

Here is what I finally ended up doing, and I am happy with the results. I bought Polysorbate 80 (an emulsifier---you can get it on several sites that sell facial oils both in the US and Canada). I made an OCM mix as follows: 40% sunflower oil (light, non-comedogenic, good for combo skin), 10% castor oil (deep cleanser), 10% oat oil (excellent against inflammation, soothing), 20% argan oil (you can find it cheap enough to still make the blend economical, and argan oil has many known benefits---substitute with hempseed oil if it's too pricey or you can't find it), and 20% polysorbate 80. Wow, what a difference. The oil went on smoothly without feeling too greasy at all.

The key here is NOT to massage too much if you have sensitive or breakout-prone skin. You'd only be stimulating things. Lightly massage the blend on. There is no need to leave it on. And there is no need to use the hot towel to 'open pores.' Dermatologists will tell you there is no such thing: you're not actually opening or closing your own pores. The hot towel just feels good, but it can irritate your skin. I skip this altogether. So I just lightly massage my cleansing oil in for about 20-30 seconds, and rinse with slightly warm water. The oil blend rinses right off. My skin feels so soft using this method, and perfectly clean. Makeup is removed too. I've been doing this every other night for ten days, with no adversity at all so far. If I have been wearing really heavy makeup I follow up with a foaming wash and/or toner (I like Paula's Choice skin balancing products for this). My skin has never felt and looked so good. On other nights I wash with Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser, or plain old Cetaphil which works awfully well despite the negative press about SLS.

I will update in a few more weeks. Note: this blend is for combo, breakout prone, somewhat sensitive skin. You can also mix part sunflower oil part grapeseed oil instead of just the sunflower oil, as lots of people with oily and acne-prone skin swear by grapeseed.

A quick word to those who use large amounts of tea tree oil or essential oils in their blends, or who add fragrant essential oils to the mix (like citrus, lavender, mint). It is apparently a bad idea. Even if you don't feel any irritation, these things do slowly irritate the skin at a level you don't see, eventually harming your skin and impeding its ability to repair itself. Use tea tree oil sparingly. Lay off all fragrances in your skin care products, as well as alcohol and fragrant essential oils and anything that includes peppermint, camphor, menthol and witch hazel. I have this from a chemist and a high-end dermatologist who treats 'famous faces.'

UPDATE/EDIT - MAY 5, 2013:

Unfortunately the OCM ended up making me break out despite my modifications including the emulsifier and using just grapeseed oil and hemp oil. I started getting blemishes like I have not had in years, and that's even if I followed up the OCM with a foaming wash or toner. My face not only broke out but became uneven to the touch and irritated and just overall not happy. I know it's the oil and not any other products. I stopped OCM three days ago and the blemishes are drying up with the help of 2% BHA solution and some 2.5% BP right on the blemishes. Talked to my derm and she said it's extremely common for this to happen and she's gotten so many visits from women who latched on to the OCM hoopla and got serious breakouts.

There is no such thing as a 'purge.' That is a myth. When you break out from a new product it's because your skin is irritated by it and the breakouts may eventually stop simply because your skin eventually gets used to it.

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fashionablyinsane on 4/25/2013 12:27:00 AM more reviews by fashionablyinsane

Age: 19-24   Skin: Other, Dark   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

Tonight was my first night doing the OCM and I'm already a believer! My skin has never felt so clean. I had already been using argan oil after cleansing (with cetaphil) and those results were great. So I decided to enhance that by doing complete cleansing with oil. I used castor & jojoba. After toning with Peter Thomas Roth glycolic pads I didn't feel like I needed to moisturize. But, I wanted to add argan & rosehip seed oil just for an extra overnight treatment. I will update you guys on the results after using it for a few more weeks. Wish me luck!!

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pomanhan000 on 4/21/2013 11:26:00 PM more reviews by pomanhan000

Age: 18 & Under   Skin: Combination, Tan   Hair: Brown   Eyes: Brown    

I really like this method! I've had moderate to severe acne for the past few years, and have been on various acne medications that were very drying. I have been doing this for a little over three weeks and it has really cleared my skin up!! My acne scars have faded significantly, I currently only have one pimple, and my overall complexion has evened out. I hardly put on any makeup now! I use 2 parts grapeseed oil mixed with one part castor oil, and steam my face twice! I recommend this method!

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Curlycat on 4/14/2013 2:34:00 PM more reviews by Curlycat

Age: 25-29   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Curly, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

Words are not enough to explain how much I regret trying the OCM method.
I used to have a few small blemishes om my right cheek (they have been there for many years now). I tried the OCM 3 times back in february, hoping it would make them disappear. It resulted in light acne and LOTS of blemishes after LOTS of pimples. 2 monts later my skin is still the same with bumps, pimples and blemishes.

I've tried several creams, cleansers and oils but it hasn't helped.
Please be careful.
I didn't listen to my gut feeling and it resulted in bad skin.

I tried castor oil, sunflower oil and olive oil.

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judywapner on 4/9/2013 1:22:00 PM more reviews by judywapner

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair, Cool   Hair: Brunette, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Green    

-----GOOD EXPERIENCE WITH OCM-----

I have sensitive skin and I get tiny blackheads on my cheeks, nose and forehead. I've also been noticing the pores around my nose getting bigger as I age.

I read about the OCM in a novel about the Romans and how they used to slather their entire bodies with oil and then scrape it off...got me thinking!

I did lots of research before I started this and now I'm in week 5 with no problems to report!

I used a mix of caster oil and olive oil to start (the caster oil sounds gross, but thats the oil that actually does the cleaning work! You need to use it.) I used a ratio of maybe 75% caster oil to 25% olive oil. Sounds like a lot of castor oil, yeah, but I figured I should start strong to begin with and then lower the ratio later. At the end of the first week, I did get a few red bumps on my forhead and hairline, so I dropped the ratio to 50/50, then to 25% caster oil and 75% olive oil.

I use the OCM everyday, usually twice, morning and night (or if I've used it at night, I just put a hot towel on my face the next morning, wipe and apply a little more olive oil as moisturizer)

My method is this, get out two washcloths and run the water to the highest heat. I apply the oils to my face and lightly massage for a few minutes.(2-5) Then I wet one washcloth with hot water and set it on my face till it gets cool (thats like only 30 seconds), then I wipe. Then I wet the second washcloth, set that on my face another 30 seconds and wipe. Then I apply some olive oil as a moisturizer. If I'm going to be wearing makeup, I go easier on the olive oil here, since I don't want my makeup floating around on my face.

I put my oils in a little pill bottle, but I have been looking around for a pump, since that would be so much easier to dispense it.

Notes:
Olive oil as a moisturizer works amazing and makeup sits wonderfully on my skin when I've used it.

Yes, I even use the OCM on my eyes. it gets off ALL my makeup and I have never had it get in my eyes (I've even opened my eyes while they were slathered in oil)

Key to the OCM is getting the ratio right.

Also, some people actually ARE allergic to the oils and can't use the OCM...don't cry if you are one of them.

Try to think of the OCM as a face mask, instead of a face wash. The castor oil is STRONG. It can pull stuff out of your body. It's like a weird magnet oil. I have read of users massaging their face and suddenly they have all these little grains of sand under their fingers! Those are the blackheads that the caster oil has pulled out! I have never had anything that dramatic happen to me, but sometimes I feel a little thing and look down at my hands to see one little blackhead. YAY!

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calooza on 4/8/2013 9:17:00 AM more reviews by calooza

Age: 19-24   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Hazel    

I've using EVOO for the last few months as a makeup remover before i cleanse with a regular cleanser at night.

I've used it before and notice more clogged pores, but i wasn't sure if it was because of EVOO or some other product i used at that time, so i tried it again, and never stopped :)

It takes off my eye makeup with no effort, and even Revlon Colorstay foundation from my face, no breakouts so far. I think it even made my skin so much better...

I take a small amount (i store it in a pump bottle) and massage into my skin for a few seconds. Then i take a paper towell/tissue and wipe it off. Then in the shower i use my regular cleanser to wash away any oilresidue.

I bought cold pressed castor oil today and i'm adding it to the EVOO because it seems to be very effective taking off dirt and oils from the pores, so i will update this soon... Hopefully i won't experiment such horrible breakouts from it as my skin has been finally ok in a few months. :)

___

UPDATE:
Adding castor oil was a disaster to me, and i dind't even had to wait weeks to realize it. It took only 2 days to get (painful) breakouts on my chin and cheeks, and little bumps on my forehead, where i never breakout, unless i do something wrong, which apparently was the case... so i stopped it until it got worse. It's taking a while for them to go away, but my skin is better now. ufff...

I'm scared of using it again. Castor oil goes deep down to your pores, which means it will take all the things in your skin deep down, and they get stucked in there. That's the real danger of using it. I dindn't even steam the face, and used a regular cleanser after... and the castor oil i bought was cold pressed and bio, so i really don't get it how it can be so effective on some people and didn't worked for me...

So, i'm using EVOO again by itself and it works wonders as before :) it's a cheap and effective way to completely remove my makeup.

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*TOP REVIEWER* snoopy68 on 3/27/2013 11:50:00 AM more reviews by snoopy68

Age: 44-55   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Green    

I have been using Albolene cleanser for several years, as I hate anything that foams or dries out my face. So, the other day I thought that instead of buying another tub of Albolene that I would make up a batch of oil to cleanse my face with. I mixed about 10% of hexane-free, cold-pressed castor, 90% EVOO, and 5 drops of pure Geranium oil (as I've read Geranium oil is great for skin rejuvenation). I slather in on my face, ensuring that I massage it into my skin very well. I've never felt actual debris coming out of my skin, as several reviewers have noted. I soak a washcloth in hot water, wring it out, let it cool down for a second, and then apply it to my face until it completely cools. Then I rinse the washcloth thoroughly and wipe the remaining oil from my face, concentrating on removing traces of oil from the hair and jawline, so I don't get whiteheads (that happened to my skin years ago when I tried the OCM). I must agree that my skin looks dewy, fresh, and moisturized. I only use the OCM at night to remove makeup. Afterward, I apply Roseseed Hip Oil and a little bit of Weleda Skin Food around my outer eyes, neck, and chest areas. In the morning, I simply use baking soda as a quick exfoliant. My routine is pretty simple. I am 45 years old and I am constantly complimented on my skin. I have very few lines. My worst complaint with this whole aging business is a few broken spider veins on my face, but overall I believe I have good skin. I tend to be a bit acne prone, however, OCM has never excerbated the issue. All I can say is give it a try and see if it works for you.

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cbatten on 3/19/2013 8:40:00 AM more reviews by cbatten

Age: 30-35   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Brown    

It seems like a lot of people use OCM as their actual 'cleanser'? Maybe what I'm doing isn't truly OCM but I learned this method when visiting family in Korea and it's always worked for me.

Step 1: Massage oil onto face to help dissolve makeup and any dirt/grime/oil trapped in pores from my daily activities. Use a clean cotton pad to gently remove the excess oil.

Step 2: Use a facial cleanser to remove the added oil from your face; avoid excessively hot water and unnecessary scrubbing with face cloths which can irritate the skin; pat dry.

Step 3: (Optional; I never use toners myself but my cousins do) Apply toner using a clean cotton pad.

After cleansing the face; you would continue with your skincare routine which typically looks like:

Morning: Serum/Treatments; Sunscreen; Moisturizer; Eye Cream; Makeup
Evening: (Occasional: Face Mask, Treatment or Exfoliation); Serum/Treatments; Moisturizer; Eye Cream

If you're on Tretinoin (Retin-A) like I am, then that is all you need to use in the Evening for your skincare. Fewer products is definitely better in this case; leave the fancy serums, treatments, lotions for use in the morning. If your skin is still adjusting to Retin-A, then a moisturizer at night may be necessary but it should be a no-frills moisturizer without any actives.

As for oils; my preferred oil during the cooler/dry months is Apricot Kernel Oil because it's really soothing. Even after washing it off with cleanser, your skin will feel soft and hydrated (but not overly so) since some of it will have been absorbed by your skin. The other oil I use is Coconut Oil which is more slippery, cooling and drying (after wash off) in contrast to Apricot Kernel Oil. I like to use it during the summer months when my skin doesn't need the extra hydration and because I like the smell of it! It smells justs like Coconuts :). I don't bother mixing either of my oils with anything else; they work perfectly fine on their own.

Overall, I think have really great looking skin for my age, even long before I started using Tretinoin to help maintain my skin now that I'm in my 30's. I'm constantly mistaken for being in my early 20's and while I'm sure part of that has to do with good genes, I think good skincare and a healthy diet helps. I will use oils to help clean my face forever! :)

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parkway on 3/14/2013 10:11:00 AM more reviews by parkway

Age: 25-29   Skin: Sensitive, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Black, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Black    

I can't say I hate it, but I have sensitive and acne prone skin and I was told by my dermatologist to stay away from any oils. Even though this is just the cleansing agent which you'd rinse away later with other type of cleanser and water, but still... it's oil~ You have to massage the oil into your face for at least 30 seconds but less than 1 minute to dissolve makeups; oil will turn milky white as it emulsifies (add tiny amount of water and massage again BEFORE you rinse the cleanser out). If you skipped that step, you'd end up with clogged pores and horrible breakouts.
If you wear heavy makeups (sunscreen, primer, foundation, setting powder, blush, and bronzer), then this is your best choice to take makeups off; and also the only way to take stubborn mascara off in one step.
I later found this method not the best for me and replaced it with cleansing water (I only wear BB cream spf 40+). For the mascara and eye makeups, I'd still use a separate makeup remover (Neutrogena). For this Neutogena eye makeup remover, I always dampen the cotton pads with it and hold them on the eye lids for at least 15 seconds and lightly sweep across the lids without pulling the skin under.
Cleansing water provides mildest cleansing ability and adds lightest burden to your skin because you would not need to worry about the film most oil and cream makeup removers leave on your skin.
Back to the topic, I personally would avoid this oil cleansing method as I've tried multiple times and never really gotten any good results. However, this is the best way to remove all stubborn and waterproof makeups, so... just consider if your skin can tolerate the heavy and thick oil and if you have the patient to massage the product + finish off in the right amount of time, then you are good to go!

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KJC1980 on 3/14/2013 8:29:00 AM more reviews by KJC1980

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium, Neutral   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

For starters, I would like to say that I am a 32 year old who has had acne and redness since the teen years.Everything clogs my pores. I have HUGE pores. Even glycerin clogs my pores because it is film forming(my skin NEEDS to breathe or else it freaks immediately). Silcones make me break out in white bumps. Other moisturizers and soaps just give me acne cysts and whiteheads, black heads. In comes Hemp Seed Oil. My first time trying oil cleansing I made a really huge mistake...I involved water. I don't know how everyone else uses OCM but I'll tell you...my skin BROKE OUT so much from it when I involved rinsing with water, or wetting my face before using the oil. . I will also tell you that I am sitting here with uninflamed, perfectly clear, bumpless, blackheadless skin, with NO redness at all. Like matte finish. Yes, I am a man and yes I still want perfect skin like anyone else. NOW I OCM again BUT...I take hemp seed oil to my DRY face and massage it in to small areas. I literally have tiny grains of hardened oil coming out of my pores as I do it. I wipe each section with a dry towel as I go. I continue massaging oil in until I am getting no more grittiness on my hands. Do NOT rinse with water. Just go to bed. Or go on about your day. Hemp seed oil will fully absorb within 10-20 minutes and your skin will not look greasy. I can't believe I have clear skin for the first time in my life. My other tips to those of you like me, who have suffered with bad skin for many years?? DO NOT EVER wash with drying OTC soaps. IF you must wash your face to gently exfoliate and cleanse with something else (I do every couple days) USE GROUND OATMEAL (colloidal oatmeal). Grind some whole (not instant) oatmeal in your coffee grinder and add water to it. It is an amazing cleanser and has moisturizing properties. DO NOT use moisturizer. SInce re-starting OCM with Hemp Seed Oil ...i have clear, wrinkle-less skin with no imperfections. Literally. Just don't use water!!! Let your skin breathe!! Never use regular moisturizers, or cleansers. There is no adjustment period. It just works. You should never get more pimples when you start...only see your present ones disappear!!

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jen17881 on 3/8/2013 5:51:00 PM more reviews by jen17881

Age: 30-35   Skin: Acne-prone, Fair, Warm   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Brown    

I got sucked into the OCM hype last year. I've always had decent skin with dry patches here and there, and no more than a zit or two at a time. I was trying to clear those up and tried different things... enter the OCM. I tried it for several weeks, experimenting with multiple different oils, always making sure to remove them very well with a warm washcloth. All I can say is, my skin was never that hydrated... nor did it ever break out so horribly. I got zits in areas like my cheeks and jaw where I had never, ever broken out before. Needless to say, I was horrified. It took my skin months to recover, and I am left with scarring that I had never suffered from until using the OCM.

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sephilli on 3/7/2013 3:31:00 PM more reviews by sephilli

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond, Wavy, Medium   Eyes: Brown    

I have read various sites about the ratio to use, and I decided on a 1:3 (castor oil : EVOO) ratio in the end. After a couple weeks, I noticed a new pimples starting on my cheeks, chin and around my nose. - just little small ones. These gradually turned into smallish whiteheads. I haven't had these many blemishes since I was in my late teens. Will not use again - now I need to figure out what to do with all of this castor oil...

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VickyJane23 on 3/6/2013 9:55:00 AM more reviews by VickyJane23

Age: 19-24   Skin: Oily, Fair   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Green    

I had been reading up on ingredients in cleansers, and come across a lot of negative articles on parabens, SLS etc and I really wanted to try an all natural skin regime. I have oily skin that can break out easily, but it's also sensitive, can get red with certain products etc. so I thought I would give the OCM a go...biggest mistake I could make!. I wanted it to work so badly because it made my skin glow like never before in the first 2/3 weeks, then all of a sudden my face was red with a weird bumpy texture and I broke out in spots all on my cheeks, jawline, chin and forehead (hasn't been that bad since I was 12/13, I'm now 22!). I then tried adding tea tree oil in thinking maybe it wasn't killing enough bacteria, this just made my skin a little more dry but did nothing to help the spots so I gave up. I am now trying to restore my skin back to how it was using La Roche Posay's gel cleanser and effaclar duo cream, I'm praying these will work! In the mean time I'm still in search of a natural cleanser, because I hate the fact the cleanser I'm now using is basically all chemicals, including SLS. If you are not acne prone then I'm sure this method would work wonders for you since it really does make your skin glow, however it seems this either destroys skin or makes it the best it has ever been so it's a massive risk to take, unfortunately the risk didn't pay off for me.

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GlowBrite on 3/5/2013 7:54:00 PM more reviews by GlowBrite

Age: 25-29   Skin: Combination, Fair-Medium   Hair: Blond   Eyes: Green    

Acne prone skin BEWARE!

UPDATE: My skin still has deep acne along my cheeks and jawline. I've been on epiduo cream for 6 weeks and its gotten worse. Has anyone found a way to clear their skin after trying OCM?!!

I have had acne since middle school and I am now 25. It became so persistent and severe that I went on accutane last Feb. after 6 months of treatment, my skin was virtually flawless. I hadn't had one single blemish or blackhead for 6 months and I was thrilled with the results. I read amazing reviews about the oil cleansing method and since my skin was doing so well, I thought this would kick it up a notch and make it glowy. I used the recommended ratios for sensitive skin with castor and organic sunflower oil and followed directions strictly (steaming with a clean towel several times to remove all excess oil). At first I thoughtI could feel gunk coming out of my pores as I massaged (as most reviews state). A few days in, my skin became dry and pink but I figured I was just adjusting. I attempted this for shy of 2 weeks and honestly only gave up because it was time consuming and I wasn't terribly impressed. 1-2 weeks later is when trouble arised. My entire forehead turned into tiny scaley bumps. There was not one clear pore on my forehead and it almost felt like someone had plastered it because the bumps were all touching. I then began getting deeper nudules under the skin all over my cheeks and chin and even to the jaw line. I started raiding my old acne creams and face washes, using clay masks, apple cider vinegar, benzoyl peroxide, you name it. I was able to get rid of the tiny forhead bumps with lots of gentle exfoliating (Jane Iredale Magic Mitt!). Now I'm still fighting larger cysts on my cheeks. To have finally achieved clear skin after a long journey with accutane, I was crushed to see it all taken away with a few rounds of the OCM. At this point I had tried clearing it on my own for over a month. Devastated, I went back to my derm. and confessed that I clogged every single pore on my face by washing it with oil. She looked at me like an idiot, referenced the commercial "don't believe everything you hear on the internet ,and gave me tons of samples of Epiduo. This is a combination of benzoyl peroxide and adapalene. Basically the adapalene unclogs pores and exfoliates while the BZ kills bacteria. I have been applying this nightly for about 2 weeks now. Unfortunately my skin is getting worse (which is normal). This is all of the buried oil being purged. I am praying that this will clear my skin again for good but they say it can take 12 weeks. Otherwise I may need another round of accutane. Long story short this is the WORST thing I have EVER done to my skin. I should have known by the name alone. Please be extremely careful with this and down right avoid it if you've finally achieved clear skin with accutane. Trust me it is horrible to have the small time with clear skin taken away :(

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*TOP REVIEWER* dddoxie on 3/5/2013 12:31:00 PM more reviews by dddoxie

Age: 30-35   Skin: Combination, Medium, Warm   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Medium   Eyes: Hazel    

UPDATE: I truly believe the OCM has drastically improved the clarity/texture of my skin. I previously had large, congested pores and blackheads on my nose/cheeks and chin. After using the OCM for about 3 months now, I no longer have large pores on my cheeks, my blackheads are almost non-existant and my oil production has decreased dramatically. Thank you OCM!!!

I used to think that every liquid foundation broke me out because of the actual foundation, never really paying attention to the method I was using to remove it. Although I am reactive to certain foundation ingredients, after I learned to remove it properly, I have have had so few reactions to liquid foundation.

I use a recipe of 1 part EVOO to 3 parts Castor oil with a splash of jojoba and almond oil. My skintype is combo/oily and this formulation has never broke me out.

Regardless of whether I use liquid or MMU I will use this as a m/u remover first as it does an amazing job at getting all of my mascara off and gently, with very minimal rubbing required. I use a wet washcloth to remove the oil from my face and then follow up with my regular daily cleanser to remove the oily residue.

I can't ever see myself using another cleanser, especially when this one is so easy to DIY at home. I'm concerned about clean ingredients, and while there are some good oil cleansers on the market, why pay more $ for those when you can make it yourself and know every ingredient in it?

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*TOP REVIEWER* franzvonstuck on 3/3/2013 6:13:00 AM more reviews by franzvonstuck

Age: 36-43   Skin: Combination, Fair, Neutral   Hair: Brunette, Straight, Fine   Eyes: Hazel    

I must confess, I couldn´t even do this method for a week, because soon it was clear, that my skin was going to be ruined, when I continued the OCM.
Reading about the OCM, I so wanted this to work for my skin.
FYI: My skin is dehydrated, sensitive, acne-prone, combo skin. I suffer from blackheads and my skin keratinizes too much, hence the congested pores and blackheads. I don´t have acne with large pimples or cystic acne, just hormonal breakouts and a general tendency to congestrd pores.
I´ve got huge problems with cleansing my skin, because even the mildest cleansers can wreck my skin and make it dry to the point, when my skin peels and feels like it´s cracking. Wearing sunscreen with spf 50 every day makes it important to cleanse my skin.
I tried the method only with oils, that were not supposed to be comedogenic. Castor oil was new to me, but I thought it safe.
I did the classical method, putting a mixture of 1/4 castor oil and 3/4 olive oil together and massaged it on my face. Then rinse with warm or hot water, maybe use a washcloth and you´re done.
This ruined my skin, but not by breaking out. My skin - and I had to find this out the hard way by using this method- refuses warm or hot water and washcloths or muslin cloths for cleansing. It gets so stressed, dry, flaking and red, you wouldn´t believe me.
I couldn´t believe it either as the water I used was not steaming hot or so and I used special organic muslin cloths.
I change the oils, using rosehip oil, which my skin likes, but no success either way.
I had to stop after several days or I would habe been able to peel my skin from my face in large flakes. My skin hurt and was a mess. I was lucky that my skin recovered again and I had no longterm effects on my skin from this. Reading other reviews, some people had to deal with scarring form breakouts or permanent damage of the skin.
Needless to say, that I recommend to be careful with this method if your skin is sensitive.
I certainly won´t try this again and although it worked wonders for some people, others may suffer from it.
Be aware of this facts.

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roqnroch on 2/28/2013 8:27:00 PM more reviews by roqnroch

Age: 36-43   Skin: Normal, Fair-Medium   Hair: Brunette   Eyes: Brown    

I was so excited to try the OCM after all the rave reviews I read online. Huge mistake! The first week was great. My skin looked and felt good . . . GREAT as a matter of fact. The second week didn't go as well as I started getting hard white blemishes all around my chin. Everything I read said that there is a period where your skin will need to adjust and that I should stick with it. So I did for about 3 months, but it just kept getting worse and worse.

Soon the white spots turned into huge red pimples that I couldn't get rid of. After 3 months I couldn't take anymore and stopped using it, but my skin has never been the same since. The only thing that has helped at all is Olay Blemish Control with Salicylic Acid Acne Cleanser. If I miss one night of washing my face, I wake up with new blemishes. Still now 5 months later, my skin is still not great and I doubt it ever will be.

So while this method may work for some, it does not work for everyone. Use with caution.

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beautifulletdown15 on 2/26/2013 9:58:00 AM more reviews by beautifulletdown15

Age: 25-29   Skin: Oily, Fair   Hair: Red   Eyes: Brown    

Oil cleansing reviews range wildly- anything from “This destroyed my skin” to “this made my skin perfect and like a baby’s bottom.” If you try this method after reading a number of reviews, you’ll likely be terrified. Luckily, I am lazy; I basically read two glowing reviews and then immediately tried it. My skin was so awful at the time anyway that I had nothing to lose.

For the first couple of weeks I used this nightly with about 60% grapeseed oil and 40% castor oil. I’d massage for five to ten minutes or so, wipe it off with a warm cloth and tone afterwards with witch hazel (I was terrified of leaving any oil on my face and causing breakouts).After about a week my face started purging. There are a lot of mixed messages on how to deal with this and on whether or not your face even should purge. My forehead was covered in tiny bumps, my cheeks were breaking out and getting cysts along my jawline. I’m not a doctor, but I took this as a sign to reduce and then totally drop the castor oil. I’ve since changed to using a mix of grapeseed oil, apricot kernel oil and a couple drops of tea tree oil and no toner. In the mornings I’ll splash my face with water.


Make sure the oil you're using is non-comedogenic, and be ready to radically adjust/completely eliminate castor oil. It's a really harsh, deep cleansing product and frankly I feel like it's kind of unnecessary if you're oil cleansing every day...It's not like I dip my face in bacon grease and poop each morning, just some light makeup.


For any girls with acne prone skin- keep in mind that oil cleansing can balance your skin but it doesn’t treat active acne. I saw the most improvement when I added Bedtime for Breakouts to this routine every night. I’m not sure if that defeats the purpose or not, all I know is that my skin is better than it’s ever been. For the first time since I was 12 I can leave the house without makeup on. Good luck ladies!

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