Oil Cleansing Method

[KittyT]

The link that GoldLeaf posted from the long hair community is really informative, and has many different mixtures listed by their users.

What I do know is that Grapeseed and Jojoba are the lighter oils that probably work best on oily/combo skin. I started out with 50/50 grapeseed and castor oil, and that dried my skin out within a few days. I gradually used less and less castor oil until I was using pure grapeseed. After about a week of that, i noticed some dry spots, so I would moisturize with bit of jojoba oil.

Last weekend on a whim, I mixed my current batch and it seems to be just right. That may or may not change as my skin adjusts to it. It is very much a process of elimintation when creating a mix.

I've avoided using any essential oils as of yet, since I'm still perfecting the balance of oils. Once I've got that nailed, I'll introduce some EO's

Thanks for this information, Jenautica. It's very helpful to have you describe the process you go through for tweaking the mixture that you use!

 

[Fleur De Guerre]

I have no such precise methods as yet, but I started by reading the longhair community thread (well the beginning of it) and then bought some bottles of oil. I just pour a tiny bit in my palm of each, trying to make it even, masage it in for a few minutes and then use a hot washcloth to remove it. I use witch hazel afterwards to remove anything left, and I have started using a tiny bit of rosehip oil in lieu of evening moisturiser. Apparently it has amazing anti-wrinkle, anti-blemish, skin healing properties that promise to stop new zits and heal old scars. I have been doing this for precisely 2 days so far so I will have to see how it goes!

 

[KittyT]

One of my concerns is cost... I'm seeing a lot of people refer to this method as being low-cost. However, most everyone I'm seeing is using EVOO, which is actually quite pricey (and in the past, the Jojoba I've purchased has been pricey as well), so I'm questioning what the average cost of this cleansing method is, compared to, say, the bottle of Cetaphil I buy at the drugstore.

 

[Jenautica]

Keeping in mind that I got my supplies at Whole Foods, I probably spent more than I could have.

I used some EVOO that we already had at home. I believe I paid about $6 for that at Wild Oats.

Castor Oil $3 for 2 oz(?)
Jojoba $10 for 6 oz
Grapeseed oil $6 for 16 oz
Glass bottle $.99

The total amount of supplies I purchased should last me about 6 months. You don't need very much to clean your face...I probably use about a teaspoon or less each morning. Then I use the oil left on my hands to moisturize my elbows and feet. It's also great to use on your legs after shaving.

 

[ShooShooBaby]

kitty,

trader joe's is an excellent place to get decent-quality, cheap EVOO (their store brand is fine) and jojoba oil.

and jenautica is right, the supplies will last a long time!

 

[Jenautica]

fftopic: Oh how I miss Trader Joes!!!!!!!! My BF was in Portland a few weeks ago and didn't know what they were.

 

[ShooShooBaby]

fftopic: Oh how I miss Trader Joes!!!!!!!! My BF was in Portland a few weeks ago and didn't know what they were.

that's too bad! there are actually 3 of them in city limits, and more out in the suburbs! my ex has worked there for 3 years, so i think i've probably tried every product in the store that's vegetarian...

 

[ShrinkingViolet]

I use witch hazel afterwards to remove anything left, and I have started using a tiny bit of rosehip oil in lieu of evening moisturiser. Apparently it has amazing anti-wrinkle, anti-blemish, skin healing properties that promise to stop new zits and heal old scars. I have been doing this for precisely 2 days so far so I will have to see how it goes!

I've been doing the rosehip seed oil thing for a while now and it really is amazing! I use it as a kind of serum at nighttime under moistuser though, and it's not the slightest greasy - and I have greasy/combination skin. The Chilean sort is supposed to be the best, I've heard. Adding a few drops of rose essential oil makes it smell lovely too.

 

[Jenautica]

Rose Hip Oil? Now that just sounds delicious!!!

What brand are you using? Does it smell like roses?

 

[gluegungeisha]

Gluegungeisha, what make and color of lipstick are you wearing in your avatar? It looks fabulous on you! Does it come completely off with the oil cleansing method?

In that photo, I'm actually wearing a MUA's Chanel lipstick...not sure of the shade (doh!). However, Chanel is a brand I don't like too much (too many nasty additives and fillers). My favorite lipstick is made by Dr. Hauschka...a shade that looks brownish-red in the tube, but applies beautifully. I can't afford that, but my favorite color in a similar shade to the photo is from a German brand called Lavera, in shade 27. My mother found it in Germany for a reasonable price, but I just Googled the brand and found www.lavera-usa.com.

I highly recommend their products! They have an amazing line of products for sensitive skin, and I'm seeing results already, which is sort of a big deal if you've read my other posts about my skin woes.

 

[gluegungeisha]

I also read this on the Lavera website:

Both oily and acne skin is out of balance skin, and can be the result of hormonal, seasonal or dietary changes, or a reaction to drying soaps and other products. Resist the temptation to treat these skin types with oil-free products, which are often harsh and drying, and only send the message that more oil needs to be produced, upsetting skin further. Instead, work on rebalancing sebum production with soothing, hydrating and strictly non-irritating products to restore balance, harmony and health to skin.

Soooooo true.

 

[ShrinkingViolet]

Rose Hip Oil? Now that just sounds delicious!!!

What brand are you using? Does it smell like roses?

It really is very yummy! The first kind I tried (it was from a health food shop, I've used up the bottle now) had rose essential oil added to it, so it had a gorgeous rose scent.

Now I'm using the Chilean kind from the Andes mountains, similar to this and it only has a slight fruity scent. It's the really good stuff. I'm going to add some rose EO to it for the scent, I think.

You have to keep it in the fridge because the vitamins in it are easily degradable ... or something like that. I've been using it on some weird uneven pigmentation on my back for the last two days, just to see if it can perform any miracles.

 

[Miss_Bella_Hell]

Well, the past day I've been using plain EVOO on my face and I can really notice a difference in the size of my pores immediately after I wash. I'm hoping that if I give it a week my pores will stay like this all the time.

Plus it smells yummy!

 

[GoldLeaf]

Really? Wow! Cause right now, my pregnancy hormones are making my skin a mess. I swear, my face could help fill the oil shortage lol But this is also effecting other areas of my body. My shoulders and back look terrible ::mutters incoherently::

Oh, and a little OT, I wanted to congratulate you, Miss Bella, about your law review! I am not quite sure what all that entails, but I am sure that is quite the accomplishment, and I am thrilled for you! What area of law are you specializing in? Or do you not do that? I have no clue

 

[gluegungeisha]

Really? Wow! Cause right now, my pregnancy hormones are making my skin a mess. I swear, my face could help fill the oil shortage lol But this is also effecting other areas of my body. My shoulders and back look terrible ::mutters incoherently::

Aww, hang in there! I got of birth control in February, and my skin has been crazy for the past few months. Luckily for me, it was just my face, but it was still very unusual. My doctor also had me using hormones directly after that that were bioidentical...birth control threw off my levels a lot, so I had to supplement for a while.

My skin has JUST gone back to normal. "Normal" for me isn't perfect, but it's a lot better. I tried just about everything -- diet, different cleansing methods, etc. I know that cold cream made it worse, and the milk cleansers I'm using right now gave me immediate (glowy! soft! clear!) results...yay! Foaming cleansers didn't make it worse, but they didn't help either. Clay masks usually work for my skin, but since the problem was more internal and not a matter of congestion, they didn't really help...same with the oil cleansing method. I stopped eating wheat and dairy for about two weeks on the recommendation of a kiniseologist (sp??), but that worsened it -- whole grains are supposedly really important for good skin anyway.

Dietary stuff that HAS made a difference includes incorporating a lot of beneficial oils into my diet. I'm a strict vegetarian so I don't eat fish, but salmon is a skin superfood. If you don't eat fish, eat foods with flax or flaxseed oil. Olive oil, of course, is good. Some oil blends at health food stores are amazing, but a bit expensive...there's this stuff called "Essential Woman" that was $18, but used in small amounts (maybe 1/2 a teaspoon added to a salad dressing or another oil) it'll last you a while. It has evening primrose, flaxseed oil, and a few other very beneficial ingredients. Also eat a lot of nuts. Pumpkin seeds are especially good for skin -- sort of bland when they're plain, but some stores sell little flavored snack packs that are absolutely addicting. Also try FRUITEIN shakes! They have a lot of vitamins and enzymes, which will help your body break down all foods, and 13 grams of protein. They don't taste like protein shakes at all -- I actually look forward to drinking the red fruits drink twice a day! The vitamins are from natural food sources, which is good...I'm not going to go into the actual science of supplementation, but believe me, natural sources are the way to go. Give it a try.

 

[Miss_Bella_Hell]

Really? Wow! Cause right now, my pregnancy hormones are making my skin a mess. I swear, my face could help fill the oil shortage lol But this is also effecting other areas of my body. My shoulders and back look terrible ::mutters incoherently::

Oh, and a little OT, I wanted to congratulate you, Miss Bella, about your law review! I am not quite sure what all that entails, but I am sure that is quite the accomplishment, and I am thrilled for you! What area of law are you specializing in? Or do you not do that? I have no clue

YES! My skin is normally somewhat oily in the morning or even at the end of the day. This morning, after cleansing with EVOO last night, my skin was perfect - not oily, not dry. Perfectly matte!!!!!!!!!!!!! Amazing!

Thanks for the congrats - as of yet I have no specialization but I am thinking corporate law/contracts and/or international law. Law Review is the most prestigious journal at any given law school, and it looks great on a resume!

 

[KittyT]

YES! My skin is normally somewhat oily in the morning or even at the end of the day. This morning, after cleansing with EVOO last night, my skin was perfect - not oily, not dry. Perfectly matte!!!!!!!!!!!!! Amazing!

Did you use a moisturizer after using the EVOO? Also, are you using OCM morning and night? Or just once a day?

 

[Miss_Bella_Hell]

Did you use a moisturizer after using the EVOO? Also, are you using OCM morning and night? Or just once a day?

No moisturizer, twice a day.

 

[Jenautica]

Kitty, one great thing about OCM is that you can use a tiny bit of the oil to moisturize if you experience any dryness. That saves you from having to purchase a second product. Viva la multi-taskers!

When I started out I was cleansing twice a day and my forehead got a little flakey. I switched to morning cleansing only, and dabbed a bit of jojoba oil on the dry spots. That did the trick!

~Jenna

 

[KittyT]

When I started out I was cleansing twice a day and my forehead got a little flakey. I switched to morning cleansing only, and dabbed a bit of jojoba oil on the dry spots. That did the trick!

Do you find that the oil breaks down your makeup at all? I rely a lot on moisturizer under my foundation to help it go on smoothly and blend well. Also, I'm assuming I'll need to keep using moisturizer on my neck and chest, since those tend to be ignored areas that start to show age early due to neglect.

I guess I just need to shut up and stop asking so many questions, then get some oil and try it