health & beauty | the oil cleansing method

I'll be the first to admit that the oil cleansing method sounded totally crazy when I first read about it. Purposely putting oil on your face is almost looney bin worthy, right?  Turns out it's not.  Even though it's just a simple mixture of olive oil and castor oil, it works as well as or better than any expensive facial cleanser I've ever used.  Below I've copied over part of an article about oil cleansing, but please go read the full article from Simple Mom.  She does a much better job explaining this method than I ever could.

The Oil-Cleansing Method (OCM)

"Alright, it might sound a little odd to clean your face with an oil, especially if you have oily skin. But contrary to popular belief, oil does not cause oily skin or acne. That culprit is usually a combination of hormones, trapped bacteria, and dirt.

Like your hair, the sebum that the skin secretes is actually good for your skin — it’s there to protect it from the outside environment, and to keep harmful things from seeping in. Since water doesn’t break up oil, most commercial cleansers are marketed with the “oil free” stamp of approval, making them easy to splash off.

When skin’s natural oils are removed, the body’s reaction is to compensate by producing more oil, much like shampoo does with our hair. Or if your skin is dry, it’s because all the oil has been stripped away, and your body doesn’t compensate by replenishing it (that was my case).

Here’s a direct quote from acne.org:

“Oil dissolves oil. One of the most basic principals of chemistry is that “like dissolves like.” The best way to desolve a non-polar solvent like sebum/oil, is by using another non-polar solvent similar in composition: other oils. By using the right oils, you can cleanse your pores of dirt and bacteria naturally, gently and effectively, while replacing the dirty oil with beneficial ones extracted from natural botanicals, vegetables and fruit that heal, protect and nourish your skin. When done properly and consistently, the OCM can clear the skin from issues like oily skin, dry skin, sensitive skin, blackheads, whiteheads and other problems caused by mild to moderate acne–while leaving your skin healthy, balanced and properly moisturized.”

So in essence, good-quality oil is the perfect substance for cleaning sensitive skin, such as on our face, because it helps gently remove the dirty oil and replaces it with good, nourishing, healing oil."

So there you have it, the how and why oil cleansing works.  I have really dry skin most of the time and yet still find myself dealing with consistent acne.  The topical gel that I was using to help control my acne isn't approved for use during pregnancy, so I stopped using it when we found out we were expecting.  The pregnancy-safe facial cleanser I was using was seriously drying out my skin and didn't seem to be doing a thing about the acne.  I honestly figured that trying the OCM couldn't be much worse, so what did I have to lose?  I've been using the OCM for a little over two weeks now, and so far I am very pleased with the results. I haven't had a single new breakout since starting the OCM, and all my existing acne has cleared up considerably.  In addition, I no longer have to use any moisturizer at night, and I only need a little in the morning.

As far as costs go, I bought my castor oil at the pharmacy for $1.42, and I expect the bottle to last me 1 year. I just use the olive oil from my kitchen, so I'm a little fuzzy on the actual cost of that half of the cleanser. However, I can give you my best guess.  From my rough calculations, I figure that there are 34 tablespoons in my 17 ounce bottle of olive oil (approximately $10), and I used approximately 1 tablespoon to make enough cleanser to last me more than two weeks. One bottle should last me nearly a year and a half.  So if I had to guess, I'd say my total cost for a years worth of cleanser is right around $8.50 or $0.71/month.    

If you want to try it for yourself, please read the whole article from Simple Mom.  She goes through the entire process: mixing and storing your oil, applying it, and steaming your face/removing the oil.