Master the Oil Cleansing Method For Beautiful Skin

I’ve written about many natural beauty ideas before, but oil cleansing may be one of the simplest. It’s one of the most effective natural beauty tips I’ve found for healthy, clearer skin. Here’s how to add it to your skincare routine and why it can work so well!

I admit, I was skeptical before I first tried this oil-cleansing method. My skin is naturally oily and I wasn’t sure it would work for me. I also had very acne-prone skin when I was younger, and was afraid that a method like this would bring back the acne… I was wrong!

What Is Oil Cleansing?

It may sound crazy, but the idea of using natural oils to gently cleanse the skin makes a lot of sense. The basic idea is to use natural oils in a specific combination to cleanse and naturally balance the skin’s natural oils. This produces more nourished and moisturized skin than detergent-based face wash.

The basic concept of oil cleansers is using oil to massage and cleanse the skin. Like dissolves like and the carrier oils help dissolve the impurities stuck in pores. Warm water then opens the pores allowing the grime and sebum to be easily removed.

Fans of the OCM claim it can help with oily skin, dry skin, sensitive skin, blackheads, and whiteheads. The types of oil you choose depend on your skin type.

Natural Makeup Remover

Many makeup products have oil in them and oil cleansing can help remove these too. Use it to remove foundation powder, mascara, and even eye makeup! Here are more DIY makeup remover ideas.

Does the Oil Cleansing Method Work?

This is the part I’m most excited to share! Even in the third trimester of pregnancy, when my skin usually goes a little hormone-crazy, I had ZERO breakouts! I used oil cleansing for several months to help avoid blemishes and remove makeup.

When I first started using oil cleansing, I had an adjustment period where my skin got worse for about a week. Most resources I’ve seen suggest this is a detox reaction as impurities are pulled from the skin. This is definitely what it seemed to be for me. After that, my skin gradually improved and by 3-4 weeks of using only oil cleansing, I had no excess oil, no dryness, and no blackheads.

I asked several friends and family members who now use the oil cleansing method how it’s worked for them, and they seemed to have the same results. Some even noted that the combination of oil cleansing and taking gelatin daily has been the best anti-aging treatment!

Oil Cleansing Ingredients

Want to try oil cleansing and see the results for yourself? All you need are some natural oils and a clean, damp washcloth!

The most common oils used are castor oil and olive oil, though you can use any natural oil. Castor oil is naturally astringent, so it helps pull impurities from the skin. This makes it ideal for oily or combination skin (and even dry skin in lesser amounts). While I use castor oil packs to help detox, it can be too harsh if it’s used undiluted as an oil cleanser.

You’ll mix the castor oil with another carrier oil (or several) that match your skin type. My other favorite oil to use is olive oil, though sunflower, safflower, or even coconut oil can work.

Which Oils Work Best for Oil Cleansing?

Some oils, like rosehip oil and castor oil, are more astringent (drying) than others. Others like olive oil can be too heavy for naturally oily skin. Here are some oil cleansing options and how they work:

Base Oils

These are oils to use in larger amounts along with the castor oil.

Avocado oil – Good for combination, dry, or mature skin.
Grapeseed oil – Lightweight oil that’s good for oily or acne-prone skin.
Sunflower oil – A lighter oil that’s good for combination or oily skin.
Sweet almond oil – Good for oily, sensitive, or combination skin types.
Coconut oil – This works really well for some and not so well for others. It can be too drying and pore-clogging, especially for acne. Some people love it in skincare products though.
Olive oil – My favorite oil to use. Great for mature or dry skin, but I found it worked well for my slightly oilier skin too. Be sure to get real olive oil though since most of what’s in the store is mixed with other, cheaper oils.

Specialty Carrier Oils

These work great to add a little more customization to your OCM blend. They’re a more concentrated source of skin-loving nutrients. You can add just a little bit of these to your oil blend for big benefits.

Rosehip oil – This astringent oil is great for more oily skin types but in smaller amounts it’s also a good anti-aging oil. Full of vitamins A and C to help with scar tissue, blemishes, and wrinkles.
Argan oil – Packed with vitamins A and E, antioxidants, and linoleic acid. It’s emollient, helps protect against free radical damage, is anti-aging and moisturizing.
Jojoba oil – Similar to skin’s sebum, jojoba has vitamins E and B as well as minerals. It won’t clog pores and it’s great for all skin types.
Essential oils – While these aren’t a carrier oil, they deserve a mention. They offer additional skin benefits to help with anti-aging, inflammation, and blemishes. Some of my favorites are lavender, tea tree, frankincense, sweet orange, and cedarwood. Just add a drop or two to your OCM blend (but be sure to avoid the eyes!).

Want to Buy It?: Don’t want to buy the oils yourself and DIY it? This handmade oil cleansing blend smells divine and works well for oil cleansing.

Oil Cleansing Blends

If you’re new to oil cleansing, it may take a few tries to figure out what oil blend works best for you. I used a mix of 3/4 olive oil and 1/4 castor or hazelnut oil and it’s perfect for my skin. You can also try the following:

Oily Skin: 1/3 castor oil or hazelnut oil and 2/3 sunflower, grapeseed, or sweet almond oil.
Combination Skin: 1/4 castor oil or hazelnut oil and 3/4 olive, sweet almond, sunflower, or other oil
Dry Skin: All nourishing oils like avocado or olive oil, or a very small amount of castor/hazelnut oil added to the nourishing oils.

Start with the suggested amounts above for your skin type and adjust if needed. When I started, I mixed up very small batches until I figured out the right blend for me.

I’ve also found that even pure coconut oil can work well once the skin has adjusted, though it can be drying on some skin types. One friend uses a half and half mix of coconut oil and olive oil that she blends in a blender to create a cream, and this works perfectly for her.

Oil Cleansing Tutorial

Now that you know which oils to use, here’s how to do the OCM!

Pour a quarter-sized amount of the oil blend into your hand and massage onto your dry skin. Use smooth circular strokes to massage it in for 1-2 minutes. If you’re wearing makeup no need to wash it off first!
Optional: Leave the oil on for up to 10 minutes to deeply clean skin cells and pores.
Soak a clean washcloth in very hot water and place the damp cloth over your face for a minute or so. This creates steam to remove any oils and skin impurities. Repeat if needed.
Use the washcloth to gently remove any remaining oil. There will still be a thin layer of oil on the skin and this is beneficial.
Most people don’t need a moisturizer after the adjustment period. However, if you still have dry skin, try reducing the castor oil in your blend and use a little lotion to moisturize.

Oil Cleansing Method FAQs

Oil Cleansing With Acne

It’s normal for it to take a week or so for the skin to adjust. You may even see more oily skin or breakouts during this time as impurities leave the skin. If you can, resist the urge to use harsh soaps or facial cleansers as it will make the adjustment period take longer.

You can also speed up the detox process by using a clay face mask once or twice a week.

The Oils Aren’t Working For me

Even if you don’t have acne-prone skin you may still have an adjustment period. And you’ll likely have to experiment with different oils to find your perfect oil ratio. If your skin is too dry afterward then reduce the castor oil (or rosehip oil if using). If it’s way too greasy, try a lighter-weight oil or increase the castor oil used.

If you find your skin really doesn’t like this after a month (and you’ve already tried different oils) then the OCM may not be a good option for your skin.

Cleaning Up Afterward

If you do this in the shower, make sure to clean your shower floor regularly so it doesn’t get slippery! Some readers have also asked how to clean the washcloth afterward. I do a separate load of laundry for them and wash on hot. You can also follow the wash up with a vinegar rinse before drying.

Have you ever tried oil cleansing? Did it work for you? Share below!

Sources

Michelle, D. (October 29). Oils Specifically For Acne Prone Skin. Minimalist Beauty.
Crunchy Betty. (February 23, 2019). Trying and Troubleshooting the Oil Cleansing Method: Tips For Flawless, Oil-Cleansed Skin.
Parker, S. (2014). Power of the Seed: Your Guide to Oils for Health & Beauty. Process Media.

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About Katie Wells

Katie Wells, CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of Wellnesse, has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

Comments

997 responses to “Master the Oil Cleansing Method for Beautiful Skin”

Jennifer

January 6, 2013

I know that you buy your oils from Mountain Rose Herbs but what do you think about the organic NOW brands of oils? are they the same quality as what you buy at Mountain Rose Herbs?

Reply
1. Wellness Mama
  
  January 6, 2013
  
  They work great too!
  
  Reply
Josephine Aumer

January 6, 2013

I started using the oil cleansing method about a year and a half ago. I have never looked back – my skin looked so good I stopped wearing foundation and most makeup without people even realizing that I don’t wear it anymore. I had enough people ask about what I used to make my skin look so good that it turned into a business. I make natural oil cleansers and lotions – the business is growing and my clients are happier using my oils than their dermatologists products! I had one client get rid of persistent black heads in one use and will now not use anything else. I will never use anything but the oil cleansing method now!!

Reply
1. Jillian
  
  March 7, 2014
  
  I know this thread is kind of old, but which oil did you use that got rid of blackheads so easily???
  
  Reply
2. Margo
  
  March 26, 2014
  
  Josephine,
  
  I am 53 years old. I just recently started using the Oil method. I can honestly say it’s great! I don’t have the “Oil Slick” going on later in the afternoon anymore! I have weird skin, the T-zone is definitly my weak spot/area! I’m still experiencing the black heads on my nose. I am using Castor Oil, Olive Oil and Coconut Oil in the evening, and in the morning I use Honey and Coconut Oil and a little Lavender oil. Also, what do you or anybody recommend for aging skin? Particularly the eye area?
  Thanks!
  
  Reply
Megan

January 5, 2013

I’ve been using oil cleansing for a year and a half now, and it totally eliminated my hormonal cystic acne on my chin, and blackheads on my nose. Really really happy and amazed by how well it worked. Now I do oil cleansing about 1x a week, and just wash my face with a mild cleanser the other days, and my skin looks GREAT. Two questions, though – how do you get your washcloths clean? Mine are permanently oil saturated, and, kinda gross. My washing machine doesn’t get all the oil out. Second – I worry about the effects of washing oil down the drain – does anyone know what this does to the city water purification system?

Reply
1. Michelle Riffer
  
  January 26, 2013
  
  @Megan curious what oil combination you use? Sounds like we have similar skin, and while I’ve had pretty good results I still need some tweaking… Would love to hear what you’re using and in what ratio?
  
  Thanks!
  
  Reply
2. AshnJared Martinez
  
  May 28, 2013
  
  I’d. Love to try this but I’m really acne prone and rely on face wash scrub toner and benzol peroxide to keep my face ?! This really won’t make my acne worse? And using it to remove makeup won’t jam it into my pores?
  
  Reply
  1. Anne-Laure
    
    July 17, 2013
    
    The face wash scrub you use has only temporary effects, you feel a clean face because it takes off any single nautral oil of your face. But this causes your face to react by producing more oil, and this is the phenomenon that clogs pores… If you stop face wash scrub, your face will scream REVENGE!!! As you have read it above, It takes a few days/weeks for skin to detox itself, so my advice is to begin using oil cleansing while on holiday, and hang on! Don’t let it down before skin gets ok.
    
    Reply
Kirsten Turner

January 5, 2013

I saw this blog and deciced to give it a try. I use coconut oil, mostly because I am in love with it and all its benefits. I’ve been doing this for about a week now, and though i have a zit or two (which is normal for now-I’m 8 mths pregnant), I can tell a major difference in my skin. It glows more, and my skin is much more balanced when it comes to moisture. I definitely reccomend this method!!!

Reply
1. Taryn
  
  September 18, 2014
  
  You’re using straight coconut oil? Do you put it on your face for makeup remover and/or lotion? I’m concerned that using straight oil on my face for lotion would make me breakout.
  
  Reply
Julie Wekenmann

January 5, 2013

Thank you for this. I just went out and bought some Castor and Olive Oil and will start my oil cleansing later today. How do you store your oil blends? I was looking for something in the health food store, but couldn’t find anything. Any recommendations would be appreciated. Thanks!

Reply
1. Diane Kerslake Eaton
  
  January 6, 2013
  
  I store it in used hand soap bottles, but Mountain Rose Herbs sells plastic bottles you can put it in – I wasn’t able to find any the right size in local stores, so I just decided to reuse other containers.
  
  Reply
2. Wellness Mama
  
  January 6, 2013
  
  I keep it in a re-used glass bottle, but anything with a pump would also work really well…
  
  Reply
  1. Kiran
    
    January 16, 2015
    
    Hi, I was wondering how you use the product that you keep in a glass container. I just started ocm a few days ago and I combined my oil mixture in a small mason jar and have been putting my fingers in there to get the oil out. But it sounds like from reading the comments I may be contaminating it. Should I throw out what I’ve been using and make a new batch? How do you get it out of a mason jar without contaminating it, or should I just use a different bottle instead? Thanks in advance!
    
    Reply
    1. Katie – Wellness Mama
      
      January 16, 2015
      
      I built a pump on the top by using the pump from an old soap container. I should do a tutorial on that. you can also pour some into your hand… it should be ok if you havent gotten water in there though.
      
      Reply
      1. Kiran
        
        January 17, 2015
        
        Thank you!
    2. Gia
      
      January 16, 2015
      
      I washed out one of those bear shaped bottles that honey comes in. Works great!
      
      Reply
3. Cathy
  
  January 14, 2013
  
  I purchased amber glass dropper bottles from Mountain Rose or one of those places (I also buy soap-making supplies from another company) and they work perfectly. The dropper makes it very easy to get out the right amount of oil without contaminating the rest.
  
  Reply
4. Anne-Laure
  
  July 17, 2013
  
  Recycle! Any face or hand or body container with a pump works. I rinse it thoroughly, then add a shot of 70°alcohol to kill germs, and mix straight in the container… I’m actually going to empty the small remaining amount of my manufactured oil cleanser, and replace it by pure oils 😉
  
  Reply
Raven

January 5, 2013

I have combination sensitive skin, so I was planning on just trying the coconut oil/olive oil mixture you mentioned. I used to use castor oil on my scalp because it did wonders for my hair, but it dried my scalp out too badly (even in the teeny little dose I was using of it mixed with olive oil) and gave me flakes.

So, using this mixture, you mention not to do it every day, which is fine, but how do you take off makeup day to day? I already use olive oil to take off my eye makeup, but what should I use to take off my face makeup if I switch to this. Right now I use a mix of aloe vera water and olive oil, and it works great, but if I shouldn’t do this deep cleaning daily, should I skip the oil on the day to day? I just don’t know what to use to remove my foundation daily with this cleansing system and I don’t want to taint my chances of it working by removing it incorrectly.

Reply
1. Wellness Mama
  
  January 5, 2013
  
  You can use it daily, it just isn’t usually needed. I use a plain, damp microfiber cloth on days I don’t use it, and this also takes make up off easily… aloe and olive oil won’t mess up your natural oil balance, so they are a great solution on days you aren’t using oil cleansing….
  
  Reply
  1. Raven
    
    January 5, 2013
    
    Thanks! I was worried it would just add too much oil, even as good oil.
    
    Reply
amanda

January 5, 2013

sounds great! what do you do for the rest of your body’s skin? what do you use on children’s skin?

Reply
1. Wellness Mama
  
  January 5, 2013
  
  Either homemade coconut oil soap, or plain microfiber cloths or sometimes an olive oil and salt scrub depending on what my skin is doing. For the kids, I usually just use microfiber since they already have great natural oil balance in their skin and sometimes moisturize with homemade body butter…
  
  Reply
  1. Lily
    
    February 1, 2014
    
    I an looking for your homemade coconut oil soap bar recipe with
    No luck. Is this one you’ve shared? If so could you direct me?
    
    Reply
Christine

January 5, 2013

This makes me remember the smell of Pond’s Cold Cream in my grandmother’s bathroom. It’s such a nostalgic wonderful smell to me.
But I remember always wondering how she could have such beautiful, flawless skin at her age using a “grease.”
Now, I know. Thanks for this post! I will be breaking out the olive oil this morning!

Reply
Mary Ann Scoville

January 4, 2013

My favorite oil to use is coconut with a drop of lavender essential oil mixed in (you can make a container full ahead of time). I rub magnesium oil on my face first, and then the coconut lavender concoction and my face feels amazing afterward.

Reply
Kirsten Cleigh

January 4, 2013

I love this idea! I have searched and searched for a good face cleanser and can’t find anything that doesn’t dry my skin out. I always get a few pimples right before That Time Of The Month, and the only things I’ve found so far that control it is either a cleanser with salycilic acid or tea tree oil, but both leave my skin super dry, at least until a few hours later when it over compensates and becomes crazy oily. I’m going to try this as soon as I get some castor oil!

Reply
Cindy Drugan Dolezal

January 4, 2013

I’ve used this method for years on my extremely dry skin with one variation. I mix the olive oil with beeswax to thicken in a blender. I tried every expensive cream out there and nothing else works like this. I think I’ll start usinG coconut oil to thicken instead.

Reply
1. Angelica
  
  January 4, 2020
  
  I’m really wondering why we don’t oil cleanse or body? Or even hair?
  Are stripping “soaps” really even necessary?
  
  Reply
  1. Monic
    
    February 6, 2020
    
    Body cleansing with oil exist, I’m using it few times per week. First you have to warm your oil mixture, massage it over your body. Next using face cloth rinsed in hot water – massage and remove oil. You have to rinse cloth few times. For some parts of body I’m using soap after oil cleansing ritual is finished. The best way to do this is in bath and use washing up liquid to clean bathtub. I’m not using this method after gym or active days but it’s great after lazy day just before bed.
    
    Reply
  2. Jessica
    
    August 1, 2021
    
    I like to apply an oil cleanse to my hair once a week. I use argan oil with a couple of drops of tea tree oil. It helps if you have dandruff or dry scalp and hair. I leave it in for 2 hours and wash it out with shampoo and conditioner.
    
    Reply
2. Tiffany
  
  January 12, 2020
  
  This works great! My face is never dry anymore. I naturally have oily skin, so I used the 1/3 to 3/4 ratio. I even put it on lips in the shower and it helps! Thank you so much Kat Katie for posting this:-)
  
  Reply
3. Brooke
  
  July 22, 2023
  
  To anyone with acne reading this: I highly recommend researching oils high in Linoleic acid for acne prone skin! I have been doing OCM for a decade, it saved my acne-prone skin as a teen, but it only started helping when I learned about oleic and linoleic acids. Olive and coconut oils are often recommended but can be very unhelpful if you really have an acne problem, which is why there are so many comments from people who found OCM to make their acne worse. I personally love pumpkin seed oil the most, and I like rosehip seed oil as a moisturizer.
  
  Reply
anastasia

January 4, 2013

I want to try this!

Reply
1. Wis
  
  August 17, 2019
  
  It doesn’t suit for people who have fungal acne since oil contains fatty acid that only exacerbate the skin condition.
  
  Reply
  1. Cheryl
    
    August 19, 2019
    
    People who have fungal acnce can use pure olive squalane oil, I learnt from this youtuber, https://youtu.be/LStcy5km0nc
    
    Hope it helps 🙂
    
    Reply
    1. Kala
      
      January 18, 2020
      
      Cheryl, I’ve never heard of fungal acne, but after researching it a bit it’s as though I’ve seen the light!!!! Thank you for posting your comment!!!!! God bless!
      
      Reply
Fajah Shamsid-Deen

January 4, 2013

I have been using Witch hazel to cleanse my face and olive oil as a moisturizer, so I plan to try this oil cleansing. I think I was drying my face out a little too much. I love the benefits of making a product to care for my skin, so I’m excited to try.

Reply
jessica

January 4, 2013

Do you make a big batch and keep in bathroom? Just wondering how long it would last if stored that way. Sounds awesome!

Reply
1. Laura Vandette Rzadkowski
  
  January 6, 2013
  
  I’ve been washing my face with the oil cleansing method (OCM) for about 6 months or more now. I create a big batch (about a cup at a time) and it lasts until I finish it. I use a combination of Caster oil with Jojoba or Avocado oil.
  
  Reply
  1. Kaelyn Eades
    
    June 8, 2023
    
    Me too! I have oily skin in the summer and dry skin in the winter. But I also have the tbone line where it’s oily and my cheeks and nose are pretty dry.
    
    Reply
Amy Winberry Presley

January 4, 2013

I’ve been using olive oil cleansing for many years now. I love it. I have tried to make it myself, but I love the product that DHC Skincare sells. I haven’t found anything better.

Reply
1. Gail
  
  July 22, 2019
  
  Me too! I’ve been using THC oil cleanser for about 20 years and even after trying lots of other cleansers it is still my number one go to. I’m interested to try this DIY method save a bundle!
  
  Reply
Shannon

January 4, 2013

This sounds great. I have used honey/baking soda combo for a while but want to try.

QUESTION: Is the castor oil/olive oil combo safe to rub on my eyes to remove mascara?

Reply
1. Kima
  
  January 4, 2013
  
  Coconut oil works wonders for make up removal
  
  Reply
2. Wellness Mama
  
  January 5, 2013
  
  I use it for that, but just make sure not to actually get in to my eye…
  
  Reply
3. Corina
  
  June 19, 2014
  
  You use the honey and baking soda on your face?
  
  Reply
Alison Knight

January 4, 2013

I have a question…For Christmas I received homemade ‘sugar scrub’ from my sister-in-law. I believe it was a mixture of just sugar and coconut oil. I used it in the shower, at first only on my face and feet, but as I keep doing it, it makes for an awesome shaving cream and even soap for my whole body. I was wondering if sugar had any negative effects on the skin? So far I see none…

Reply
1. Fajah Shamsid-Deen
  
  January 4, 2013
  
  I’ve been using a sugar scrub and have been very happy with the results. My skin is very smooth and I rarely have breakouts. I use a sugar, olive oil and almond soap as a body scrub and face scrub. I use the scrub weekly for my face and for the body, daily. As for using sugar as a scrub, I think it’s wonderful because it will dissolve as you keep circulating and cleansing all the while there are no harsh chemicals or non-dissolving apricot bits or small stones as in other scrubs. I have been doing this for years now and only see the benefits of being able to have my own scrub by using ingredients from my kitchen! It exfoliates wonderfully and cleans your body and face really well.
  
  Reply
2. Wellness Mama
  
  January 4, 2013
  
  Sugar is definitely not optimal for the intestines, but it is great to use topically on the skin…
  
  Reply
  1. lyss
    
    January 4, 2013
    
    Oh, thank you! I’ve been wondering the same thing since I’ve been using a white sugar/olive oil combo on my face. My skin is really weird…broken out all over, but dry and flakey. So lately I’ve taken to trying to scrub it all away…not sure what’s best, but peeling skin is not very pretty. I’ve been using the sugar scrub, plus scrubbing with a microfiber scrubber…and I still wake up with flaking skin. Any tips? Is using plain olive oil as a moisturizer a bad idea for acne? I’ve been trying that lately, as coconut oil seems to be too drying, which is what I had been using. I don’t want to clog up my pores, nor do I want to buy chemical laden lotions, but I’ve got to do something…
    
    Reply
    1. Wellness Mama
      
      January 5, 2013
      
      I’d try the actual oil cleansing method and give it a couple weeks to see how you adjust. You may not need the extra moisturizer at all, but if you do, shea butter usually helps with flaking. Taking gelatin and coconut oil internally will also help repair skin from the inside out…
      
      Reply
    2. Josephine Aumer
      
      January 6, 2013
      
      I agree with Wellness Mama – try using the Oil Method few a few weeks. I also like using jojoba oil in the winter and it tends not to clog acne prone pores as much as some of the heavier butters. I also like to mix baking soda with my cleanser as a scrub every few weeks. I also have extremely odd combination skin and have a lot of trouble with acne.
      
      Reply
      1. Kelly Brown
        
        July 18, 2014
        
        What is your facial regimen? It sounds like we have similar skin and I am so frustrated right now. Thanks so much!
    3. Tiffiny A Olivieri-Russell
      
      October 22, 2013
      
      I use a blend of sesame oil and lavender oil on my skin every day and it has really controlled my breakouts! I get organic cold pressed sesame oil from the health food store and lavender from doTERRA.
      
      Reply
      1. Emily Bergeron
        
        January 20, 2014
        
        I started this treatment just a few days ago and I already see the
        improvement. I use about a half and half blend of castor oil and olive oil. However, after I wash the oil off my face I apply a layer of
        avocado oil and it works wonders. The avocado oil acts as a moisturizer while adding important vitamins into the skin and replacing the bad oils
        with the good
    4. Kari
      
      May 6, 2014
      
      You are over scrubbing and stimulating your skin too much, thus making breakout worse. If your skin is acneic, then you should scrub way less…like twice a week at most. Sounds like it’s dehydrated too. Drinking more water would probably help. Perhaps the oil method might work. Sesame oil makes a great moisturizer, and might be really good mixed with the castor oil. It’s very low in the comedogenic range, but make sure to get a good quality one made for your skin, not one you cook with. Hope this helps 🙂
      
      Reply
    5. Marina
      
      May 11, 2014
      
      I wouldn’t use sugar, since the granules are too rough for the skin (even though it does dissolve as you massage it with water). The skin may feel soft because it’s an abrasive scrub, but with a long-term use, you’ll likely to develop fine lines and may even develop a sensitive skin. Olive oil is also very cometogenic and not the best for the acne-prone skin. Sesame or jojoba oils would probably be better. I am a licensed esthetician, and I love natural products, but you really need to be careful with some of them.
      
      Reply
      1. jesse
        
        July 14, 2015
        
        Marina If you can so kindly answer some questions for me. I have been reading up on face natural face routines. I am fair skinned and have a mixed skin type. Around nose and as far out to my eye ducks are oily. As well as around and under my lips and across jaw line and my chin and center of eye brows. But my cheeks and forehead are dry. I get red blochy spots. I get white head badly under my chin and black head prone and some pimples usually near my chin. Store products dry me out. I have been reading on many different masks and exfoliators. I have tried cleansing my face with a small mix of olive oil coconut oil and flaxseed oil. Then for a scrub I tried a honey, cinnamon, sea salt scrub. I have tried a coconut oil and baking soda scrub and have tried a honey, bannana mask with lemon. so I know the steps of cleansing, steaming, exfoliating, masking then as a toner apple cyder vinegar. After it dries I use a very small amount of coconut oil to mosturize. Its been three days and it seemed to bring black heads/ pimples out and seems better now. I would love to try different scrubs and masks and natural toners and mosturizers. Would you give me advice based on your knowledge if these oils are okay for my skin, I really like coconut oil so im hoping it is okay. And how often you think I should use the scrubs and masks? And I heard yogurt and milk honey and oat meal are a great cleanser but im seeing here that dairy isn’t good? would u be able to tell me what u think is best as an everyday cleanser/moisturizer (and how often should I Whatuse a scrub and mask? Do u also have any tips or recipes on scrubs and masks all natural. So far I have used coconut oil, flax seed oil and very little olive oil as a start. Then I steam and either use the honey and cinnamon scrub or the coconut oil and bakingsoda scrub. (Every 3 days With scrub) but I have been using bannana mask everyday and vingear everyday as a toner and also two three times a day on pimples. Is their another recipe routine u can reccomend? I appreciate it very much. Sorry about my spelling.
    6. Aileen
      
      June 20, 2014
      
      I’ve been to Murad Spa for facials in Los Angeles, and have talked to the clinicians there. You can over exfoliate your skin. Also, I learned from the spa, some people have higher cell turnover. Meaning they build up dead skin cells faster than other people which means that blockage can be an issue. You have to remember, your skin is the largest organ on your body. So just like any organ, it is composed of cells which need water to be plump. Dehydration i.e. lack of sufficient water intake, causes cells to deflate like a flat tire. It causes fatigue, hunger, headaches, and a multitude of other symptoms which are often mistaken for other illnesses. Eight to ten glasses of water each day is recommended, but you have to adjust this for any medication you might be taking (includes vitamins) and also don’t forget the water presence in your food. You might also want to examine your diet and see if there are any contributing factors. What you ingest ultimately comes out your pores and also is absorbed by the cells. Better diet = better skin. Putting topical creams, oils, and ointments may help briefly, or may cause problems also, but, the other half has to come from inside and genetics. You may want to check with a dermatologist and/or another doctor such as an allergist to make certain your flaking condition is not a symptom of something else i.e. allergies, medications, eczema, dermatitis, etc. Skin can do some funny things when it comes to stress also. I had a rash on my fingers that would not go away no matter what cream I used. Once I divorced my first spouse, magically, the rash went away and has not re-appeared since. I’m in my 40s, but I also still get hormonal flareups, especially on my chin. I’m using coconut oil cleansing, but also use a tea tree soap on my skin. I’ve gotten rid of a lot of processed foods out of my diet and eating a lot more raw fruits and vegetables. If I don’t eat them, I steam them, or I blend them into a juice. My skin has improved and the under eye wrinkles are diminished. I use Argan oil as a moisturizer. On the plus since I’ve been doing this, the yucky jowls that were forming on either side of my jaw area are going away (I guess that also helps that I dropped some pounds also due to the diet change). Best wishes to healthy skin!
      
      Reply
      1. Ans
        
        July 26, 2014
        
        Hi Aileen,
        I have read a lot of comments above and below and I am very keen to try out the OCM as a solution to my life less acne prone skin. I also have hormonal imbalance that shows up on my chin and upper arms.
        Hence, I am very keen to know what is your oil combination. Also, you mentioned that you also use a tea tree soap. Could you also share when do you cleanse and when do you use soap (in what order). I have been using tea tree facial wash from body shop for more than a year and it has seemed to have suited me so far.
        Am wondering if I feel like continuing it when and how I could it.
        Thank you!
        Ans
      2. Sarah
        
        September 25, 2014
        
        Ans,
        I have been using this ohm for a year now. I started with the recipe she lists then gradually made my own adjustments. I now use jojoba in the summer and grape seed or olive oil in the winter as they are heavier. I have had acne my entire life (now 36) and finally it’s gone. After the initial transition from 20+ years on the Clinic 3 step system, I only “wash” once a week or use oil to remove mascara (I don’t wear makeup). I do use a warm washcloth in the shower to wash my face daily, just like Mommy did when we were kids, remember? 🙂 It took me about a month to transition and I washed everyday then gradually lessened the amount of washing based on how “oily” my skin felt. I’ve always been dryer on the tops of my cheeks and an oil well everywhere else. I have bangs and my forehead was a mess and it kept my bangs greasy. I no longer have that problem now. I just use a few drops of oil and massage well then jump in the shower.
        Hope this helps!
    7. Sarah
      
      September 13, 2014
      
      I heard somewhere that you should not scrub the infected area (pimples) because then they will just get worse or spread ! I usually use a pimple extractor when they get really bad or just leave them alone and let them heal !
      
      Reply
    8. lisa
      
      September 30, 2014
      
      You may be overly drying your skin out with the sugar and exfoliating. Try just the oil? I know I spent years with acne and realized that I didn’t actually have oily skin, I have very sensitive skin and I was breaking out because I was drying it out.
      
      Reply
      1. Jamie
        
        October 24, 2014
        
        Lisa, that is what I am just realizing! I always thought my skin was oily and that is why I broke out – after trying the OCM I have realized my skin is actually super dry. I am not even sure castor oil is right for me at all. What do you use? Should I try just coconut oil or just avocado oil?
    9. Teri
      
      August 10, 2019
      
      Until recently, I have always used Powdered Milk as a cleanser. When you first put it on your face it is almost gritty which fgently exfoliates the skin, but as tyou add little bit more water it turns into a creamy cleanser with all the benefits of the vitamins and mineral that come from milk. Unfortunately, my skin is beginning to age a bit and is losing moisture, I have been adding olive oil to the milk cleanser for a lot more moisture and it works wonders. Every time I try to purchase something with an ID requirement for anyone that looks under 30, the cashier is always shocked to see I’m actually going to be 52 in October.
      
      Reply
  2. Kay
    
    January 30, 2014
    
    I use almond oil and a few drops of peppermint essential oil in my sugar scrubs and my skin is loving it. I was only using coconut oil, but the almond oil is much more moisturizing and luxurious. I use the scrub after I shave my legs, too.
    
    Reply
3. Emily Willen
  
  May 7, 2013
  
  I would think if sugar isn’t good to put in your body, you shouldn’t be putting it on your skin either (they say you should only put things on your skin that are safe to eat since you absorb everything through your skin)… Also sugar feeds bacteria, candida, parasites… I use sea salt, or ground up seeds or adzuki beans since they have detoxing benefits & are high in antioxidents (only issue with sea salt is it burns). You can easily mix it up yourself.
  
  Reply
  1. Chris
    
    July 24, 2013
    
    I’ve never had sea salt burn.
    
    Reply
    1. Pepper Mohr
      
      August 21, 2013
      
      I’ve had sea salt burn also. Very sensitive skin here though. I used the sugar instead for a scrub and it worked great. I want to go with this oil cleansing on it’s own first and see how that works.
      I’ve made my own facial and body soap for years now and love them. I used to make my own lotion until I dropped and broke a bottle of the preservative on the kitchen floor. It took the finish off the floor. I rinsed out the mop in the bathroom sink and it removed the finish from the porcelain. That shocked me and I immediately stopped using any lotions on my face and went to oils alone. I would do a spritz of organic rose water then my own oil blend of argan and jojoba. I love the idea of adding wet heat to open up the pores.
      Thank you very much for the info 🙂
      
      Reply
      1. jessica a. watson
        
        August 31, 2013
        
        WHAT KIND OF PRESERVATIVE WERE YOU USING!! YIKES!! THERE ARE NATURAL WAYS TO PRESERVE YOUR RECIPES. THAT IS A HORRIBLE THOUGHT. ARE YOU USING NATURAL SKIN-care DAILY?? JUST CURIOUS
      2. Pepper Mohr
        
        August 31, 2013
        
        Jessica I used to use phenonip which is considered skin safe. I blend with jojoba to extend the life of my other oils but for a lotion you need to use a preservative unless you refrigerate (and throw away after a week or so) and even then you need to avoid the eye area. The addition of water to any recipe can cause bacteria to flourish.
        I also wanted to let you know that using all capital letters on the internet means you are yelling or shouting which I’m sure you don’t mean to be 🙂
      3. Kim
        
        November 18, 2013
        
        Rosemary oil is a natural preservative. It is quite pungent but there are many natural preservatives. There is tons of info on the net. Thought you could add some to your fave homemade lotions etc. instead of any potentially dangerous preservative…
      4. Elizabeth McIntyre
        
        January 22, 2014
        
        I want to let you know you are terribly misinformed and such posts help to spread this bad advice. Additives such as Rosemary Oleoresin, Grapefruit Seed Extract and Vitamin E are NOT preservatives. They are, at best, an antioxidant which should be added to your oils when you first open them to assist in keeping your oil(s) from going rancid more quickly. But they will NOT kill bacteria, yeast, and other pathogens that will cause your scrubs to grow molds and other nasty stuff. Preservatives get a bad rap and if you are going to mix something like a sugar scrub up and keep some on hand, you’d be wise to use a gentle preservative such as Optiphen or Phenonip. Especially if any water could possibly be introduced to the mixture.
      5. Kimberly Borchardt
        
        January 24, 2014
        
        Thanks for the info.
  2. jessica a. watson
    
    August 31, 2013
    
    YOU DONT HAVE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN SUGAR OR SALT. I DONT PARTICUARLY WANT TO ABSORB ANY MORE OF THOSE 2 THEN I HAVE TO. I AGREE WITH EMILY, I GRIND THE ADZUKI BEANS IN THE COFFEE BEAN GRINDER AND ADD SOME ALMOND MEAL, THEN I DECIDE ON AN OIL BASED ON WHAT MY SKIN WANTS. I HAVE GOTTEN TO KNOW MY BODY AND HOW IT FUNCTIONS OVER THE YEARS.IF YOU TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT YOUR SKIN IT WILL SHOW YOU!! OR MAYBE THATS JUST MY BODY/SKIN. #MYTEMPLE
    
    Reply
    1. Kay
      
      January 30, 2014
      
      “Table” salt is not good in several ways, but sea salt and epsom salts are very beneficial in many ways and our bodies need salt to function properly. Salt itself does not actually cause the bp issues, it’s the sand and glass particles that are in the iodized or “table” salt, along with lots of other things. Sea salt is a mineral that we can’t do without.
      
      Reply
      1. Jill
        
        March 8, 2014
        
        Sand and glass in table salt causing high blood pressure? That’s a new one! Where’s your data?
    2. Merise
      
      May 22, 2014
      
      I use the left over ground coffee beans as a body scrub. I mix them with oil so they go on smoothly. Makes a mess in the shower, though! 😉
      
      Reply
    3. Casey
      
      July 12, 2014
      
      This is all very interesting thanks for the info. And to Jennifer please stop using caps that is so rude if you can write comments like a normal person spare people the aggravation of having to scroll down to skip your comment. So inconsiderate! Great recipes on this site, thank you!
      
      Reply
  3. Kim
    
    November 18, 2013
    
    Interesting theory. I tried malt-o-meal raw honey & a little coconut oil as a scrub. WOW! It was scrumptious and worked so good. My skin never felt so smooth. PS I am an Esthestician. I actually have no opinion on the sugar thing. I think different strokes for different folks. Salt could also be considered un healthy due to the high blood pressure aspect when taken internally, Ya know? Also if the sea salt is burning, perhaps you are scrubbing to hard. You could break the tiny capillaries in your skin on your face by scrubbing too hard causing permanent redness. (i’ve done it). anyway, great topic ladies…
    
    Reply
  4. nicole
    
    January 15, 2014
    
    Sugar is not good to eat because of the way it causes your blood sugar levels to spike. I don’t think it would react the same way being absorbed through your skin. Also, sugar doesn’t “feed” bacteria, it actually kills bacteria by causing water molecules to leave the cell and dehydrating them, similar to salt. One reason there is so much sugar in packaged foods is that its a preservative because of the way it inhibits cell growth.
    
    Reply
    1. Grimm
      
      February 10, 2014
      
      I agree that sugar does not feed bacteria. If it did then it would not have such a long shelf life lasting decades and still be 100% edible.
      
      Reply
      1. Tiffaney
        
        July 2, 2014
        
        I think that they mean that sugar in the gut can feed yeast, or candida. This is true…. But that is internally, not externally….
  5. Robin Conkel-hannan
    
    February 16, 2014
    
    Using any kind of salt can be drying.. I think it would work on feet than faces..
    
    Reply
    1. Joyce
      
      March 9, 2014
      
      Salt on the outside of the body can actually make you skin softer. Try soaking in a salt water spa or swimming in a salt water pool. You will be amazed!
      
      Reply
  6. Mint
    
    March 24, 2014
    
    Hello Emily,
    
    I would venture to say that you are incorrect in claiming that sugar is bad for topical use. Sugar is used a lot in skincare products because all forms of sugar are humectants, which means that they draw in moisture. This is great for your skin because you get natural and gentle moisturizing. Our skin absorbs substances differently than how substances are absorbed and processed through our digestive system. This is why using a sugar wax or sugar scrub is not going to make you gain weight. However, if one is prone to yeast infections, sugar should be avoided near the respective areas.
    
    Salt can be incredibly irritating and harsh to sensitive skin when used directly (sea salt to fresh wounds was a torture method, after all). You especially don’t want it touching the genitals, es that area is basically raw. Still, everyone is different and salt may work out for you wonderfully as a body scrub.
    
    If your skin is sensitive, don’t be afraid to try the sugar scrub as it is incorrect to assume that it will harm your skin. If you want to avoid processed sugar, feel free to use brown sugar, maple syrup, etc. Good luck you guys!
    
    Reply
4. Emily
  
  April 17, 2014
  
  If you would rather not use sugar you could use Epsom salt which has wonderful health benefits. I am about to make the facial cleanser with the Olive Oil/Coconut Oil combo, Castor Oil, and Epsom Salt.
  
  Reply
Marie Forsdick Smith

January 4, 2013

i’m almost at the bottom of my face soap, i’ll give it a shot!

Reply
1. Mapel
  
  July 10, 2013
  
  You don’t have to use the oily cleanse as your daily cleanser. I use it once a week for maintenance, and the other days of the week use my Juice Beauty cleanser. Your choice, but I prefer to use it once a week. (:
  
  Reply
2. Jessica
  
  October 22, 2013
  
  it works awesome. i’ve tried a lot of natural beauty options like baking soda vinegar rinse for hair wash as well as other stuff and none of it worked for me. but this definitely did and i’ll never go back to regular face wash. i just use straight up cold processed coconut oil ever couple days with a wash cloth for maintenance between days.
  
  Reply
  1. Grimm
    
    February 10, 2014
    
    The “no-poo” method of hair cleaning requires a detox period too. Plus it works better to mix a tsp of the baking soda with a cup or more of warm water. Mix til dissolved then pour on your hair. Massage in. Repeat til you feel your styling products have rinsed away.
    
    I use the “no-poo” method when I can’t find any Liggett’s shampoo bars at the store. My hair has never been softer or curlier!
    
    Reply
    1. Brianna
      
      April 4, 2014
      
      I use baking the “no poo” method and I have been for months now and my hair hasn’t been better! I’m not sure if it only works for certain hair types however I am certain that there is a time period where your hair needs to adjust. wash your hair less often when you do this. (I now only wash my hair twice a week). I use baking soda(quiet a bit actually) as the shampoo make sure you massage all of your hair and that everything is covered-rinse off immediately it helps to massage while rinsing to ensure you wash all of it out. and for conditioner I use a mix of 2 cups of water and 2 and 1/2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. I pour it over my hair. most people wash it out but I leave it on my hair, the smell goes away as it dries but you can leave it in for 10 minutes and rinse it out too.
      
      Reply
      1. Susette
        
        May 15, 2021
        
        I do this too. I keep a detergent size cup in my shower and mix about 1/8 cup of baking soda with the rest water, then pour on my hair and massage in. I let it sit for a bit while I wash other places, then rinse it out and apply about 1/4 c of ACV with the rest water. Just before I leave the shower I rinse that out. My hair is soft, clean, shiny, wavy, and I’m often complimented. I don’t color it—don’t need to. I just turned 70 last year.
    2. Sarah
      
      September 13, 2014
      
      I tried the “no poo” method for 2 months with baking soda watered and then cider vinegar for a rinse and I found my oily hair was weighed down and super stiff and basically unmanageable. I heard from lots of blogs that some people had miraculous results and others didn’t….. And then I switched to shampoo by morroco methods … And I found it truly amazing!!!! It’s a concentrated shampoo that doesn’t suds up and they have 5 different shampoos that you rotate … And my hair hasn’t felt better ever then it does now!!! I can’t stress how amazing it is!!! My hair grows now and is stronger which was ALWAYS. An issue for me!!!
      
      Reply
      1. JJ
        
        February 9, 2015
        
        I’ve gone no poo lately and had exactly the same experience with vinegar. I NEVER use it after the baking soda. when I swim in the pool I use it BEFORE to help get the chlorine out, but I do baking soda (1-2 tablespoons) in 3/4 to 1 cup of very hot water and massage it in and let it sit for a while (especially on the scalp, leaving the ends mostly alone) and then rinse very well. no conditioner to follow. my hair has been lovely. I wash once a week. maybe twice if I’ve been swimming because even with the vinegar rinse helping there is still chlorine build-up that makes me more greasy.
        
        so you’re definitely not alone in having the hair be greasy/stiff/(I’d say waxy?) using vinegar! I have no idea why, but it doesn’t work so well for me as a conditioner, either!
      2. Caitlin
        
        February 18, 2015
        
        Maybe try using white vinegar? I haven’t tried no poo because I am still researching it (hate doing anything w/o a little research first lol).
        However, I found a few blogs that recommended using white vinegar instead of the acv for oily hair! Worth a shot! Good luck!
      3. Rose
        
        April 29, 2015
        
        No poo didn’t work for me. Then I discovered it had to do with the municiple water quality. When I visited family in coastal NorCal, it was great and I only needed to wash my hair every 2-3 days. They’re water is largely snow-melt. Using L.A.’s well water with fluoride and chlorine additives it is greasy and heavy by the end of the day. A water filter helps.
        
        On a side note, I have been reading that fluoride is not a natural element on the periodic table, but rather a toxic by-product of aluminum production. The industry was paying a fortune to dispose of the toxic substance then began convincing governments it helped with cavities and they should add it to the water supply. We endure not only bad hair, but when ingested fluoride has negative affects on brain function. Basically, the industry turned a financial loss into a profit that we pay for with our physical health and tax dollars. As the Roman saying goes… follow the money.
      4. Kristy
        
        February 1, 2020
        
        My daughter and I CANNOT use the no-poo method either. not the vinegar as well. It made our hair get greasier everyday. Even started to stick together in clumps. I finally found shea shampoo, conditioner,and 2 types of hair balm. Wonderful. Non toxic. It’s called Shea Moisture. I have long hair that list its silkiness at 45. Now my hair is silky again and I flat iron it. Hope this helps
        Cheers!
Kathleen Quiring

January 4, 2013

Yup: I’ve done this for almost two years now and will never go back. I’ve had acne-prone skin since I was 11, and nothing has been better. My skin still isn’t perfect — I don’t think it ever will be — but it sure beats all those smelly, bleaching, expensive creams that never did a darn thing!

Reply
1. Tabitha
  
  February 20, 2014
  
  Which oils did you use and how much of them? Thanks!
  
  Reply
2. Melanie
  
  March 27, 2014
  
  I want to try the oil method for my 13 old son. Do you do this every day or is it a weekly treatment.
  
  Reply
  1. Katie – Wellness Mama
    
    March 27, 2014
    
    I do it daily…
    
    Reply
    1. Brenda
      
      May 12, 2014
      
      Hi, I found your blog a few days ago and I LOVE IT!!
      
      I have been using Clinique’s mild bar soap and Clinique’s moisturizers which work excellent on my skin, no breakouts or oily nose finally haha but I also started to make changes around the house trying to reduce chemicals by switching to natural homemade recipes I have found on your blog and other blogs. I had literally 45 tabs open on my phone and on the computer cause I have been finding all these articles really interesting and I also want to make a difference.
      
      My question is, if I oil cleanse my face at night and shower the next day, should I wash my face lightly with soap and moisturize as usual? Or skip the soap and just massage my skin with warm water. I am really confused about that. I have read several blogs on this topic but I haven’t found my answer.
      
      I like the idea of the oil cleanse A LOT but I am living the ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ kind of philosophy cause my skin is in a good place right now. So, I am not fully in that wagon yet. Yesterday I cleanse my face with coconut oil and this morning my face looks great, my nose is not oily and the skin looks very good.
      
      Thanks a lot for your blog, it has been really enlightening and I love all the DIY recipes. I will be making them little by little; this is a wagon I am not getting off of.
      
      Saludos,
      
      Brenda
      
      Reply
      1. Katie – Wellness Mama
        
        May 13, 2014
        
        I’d skip the soap completely since it will strip the natural oils…
      2. Kyla
        
        April 6, 2015
        
        Great article, been want to give this a try. One thing To point out please stop fearing the word chemical and praising the word natural. Water is a chemical. Pretty much everything is and natural does not equal safe. There are plenty of “natural” poisons. the scientist finds this maddening.
    2. Josie
      
      June 9, 2014
      
      Hey Wellness Mama, quick question about the oil cleansing. ..Why do you recommend not to wet face first?
      
      Reply
      1. Katie – Wellness Mama
        
        June 9, 2014
        
        It actually protects the skin more to let the oil make contact directly
      2. Jen
        
        December 2, 2014
        
        Oil and water do not mix, as we all now. so the oil will not be able to penetrate the water and get to the skin, it will simply slide off instead.
    3. Marilyn
      
      August 9, 2014
      
      I have some Kiss My Face pure olive oil soap. Could I use this instead, or would it be too drying? Thanks!
      
      Reply
      1. Wellness Mama
        
        August 10, 2014
        
        It’s totally up to you what you use, but a soap, even made from oil (castille soap is a product of olive oil) is going to be very different from actual oil cleansing.
      2. sharyne
        
        October 4, 2014
        
        I purchased kiss my face olive oil soap and it made my skin itchy and irritated.
      3. sara
        
        January 14, 2015
        
        why dont you try cleansers which are soap free, such as QV cleanser or Cetaphil or Sebamed? i recommend qv as its none drying.
    4. Lindsay
      
      August 28, 2014
      
      Hi! When I first read about the ocm, I was really excited– I’ve been trying to rid my life of chemicals and filling it with cruelty-free products and so on. I’ve been experimenting with different oils, different ratios, etc, for months now (maybe 5?) and I just can’t get it right. It’s been really discouraging– reading how many of you out there have no problems whatsoever with your oil regime! I’m so jealous!
      I’ve tried half and half castor and jojoba, 1/3 castor to 2/3 jojoba, when my face was dry, castor and avocado, castor and coconut, jojoba and a bit of tea tree, and on and on! I just can’t seem to get past the crappy skin “phase”. I’d been using Dermalogica, but it makes my skin feel tight and a bit dry, but didn’t make me break out like my oil cleansing experiments have. I’ve given each mix several weeks, but I’m ready to give up and I SO don’t want to!
      Any maaagical tips?
      
      Desperate Lindsay 🙂
      
      Reply
      1. Diana
        
        September 14, 2014
        
        Hello Lindsey ~
        
        I have always had issues with my skin…mainly basil skin cell issues, redness on my face and lg pores…I always thought it was from the sun but found out it was from a few things like food allergies, I used to use scrubs on my skin which created senstivity & drying agents which most if not all store bought products contain. The expensive creams and cleansers from high end stores as well did nothing for me except steal money from my pocket & the promises they proclaimed died a quick death. I have been using the ocm for 8 mths now and will never ever go back to the crap that the media tries to sell you…usually if not always they pedal lies lies lies.
        Once I started the ocm it took me a few tries to get the right portions. I love what it has done for my skin (I am 55) and let me tell you I have tried everything under the sun. So here is my receipe by parts…1 pt casteroil (it is not only a cleansing agent but is also a drying agent…be careful on how much you use)…9 pts sunflower oil (this oil feels like velvet to the skin…very refreshing and moisturizing)…8~12 drops of rosemary essential oil (reo is antiviral, antimicrobial & is an antibiotic nartually)…you can read that profile of rosemary essential oil on wellness mama and you can go to rosemaryessentialoil.com and find a bunch of info. I swear by reo it has even cleard the redness on my cheeks. Good luck Lindsay and have a bright and beautiful day!
      2. Lisa
        
        November 24, 2014
        
        Hi Lindsey, I tried using coconut oil and loved it at first! I used it in the am and pm. It cleared up my skin/acne and it was nice and smooth but then started to become irritated. I have sensitive/dry /40+yrold skin. so I now wash with raw honey in the am (I keep a small container in the bathroom, scoop a bit- 1/2 tsp in my palm, wet it and massage into my face gently, I leave it on while I brush my teeth, then rinse) then I oil clean at night with avocado oil and sometimes add the coconut too. It has helped keep my skin happy, clear, and smooth. Good luck….
      3. Sarah
        
        December 6, 2014
        
        Hey! I tried ocm once and it didn’t work for me either. I think I was using the wrong oils. I am 22, have had acne since I was 12 and have very thin, somewhat dry and sensitive skin.
        
        I tried oil cleansing with hemp seed oil, as it supposedly is the closest to the skin’s sebum. I could litteraly feel the junk surfacing while cleansing. My detox phase seemed to keep lasting though: cystic acne and flaky skin. Not dry, felt moisturized, but flaky and after I had cleansed it would feel burning, especially if I would bend down and blood rushed to my head (odd, I know). I switched back to just washing with water.
        
        Now I’ve finally discovered an oil that seems to not break me out and evens out my skin tone. It also really quickly heals any small wounds. I’m talking about almond oil. I wash my face in the morning and at night with warm water, pat it dry and apply almond oil (I don’t even need a full drop). Still get pimples, but far less. I use coconut for my body which also works great, but don’t use it on your face if you are sensitive to comedogenic products like I am.
        
        Another thing to try is lessening dairy intake… I can’t give up my cheese, although in a two week no-dairy test period it did help my skin quite a bit 😡
    5. Lisa
      
      December 4, 2014
      
      Hi Katie! Is it OK to do it morning and night everyday?
      
      Reply
    6. nicole
      
      December 30, 2014
      
      I have cystic acne will this oil wash help? I am desperate!!
      
      Reply
    7. Amy
      
      January 12, 2015
      
      Is it okay to use almond oil?
      
      Reply
    8. Michele
      
      January 13, 2015
      
      Would you recommend grape seed oil with the castor oil, instead of using olive oil?
      
      Reply
      1. Katie – Wellness Mama
        
        January 13, 2015
        
        You could definitely try it.
    9. Meghan
      
      February 15, 2015
      
      Will this also remove eye makeup?
      
      Reply
      1. Holly W
        
        April 4, 2015
        
        Yes it does for me, and much more gently. 🙂
    10. Elizabeth
      
      March 4, 2015
      
      Just once a day or morning and night?
      
      Reply
    11. Daina
      
      March 6, 2015
      
      So, it’s normal to still break out while your skin adjusts? I’ve been using the ocm for about a week. And I don’t know if I should switch out the olive oil for castor oil, or give it another week or so.
      
      Reply
      1. Wellness Mama
        
        March 6, 2015
        
        Yes, you may still have breakouts.
    12. Daina
      
      March 6, 2015
      
      So, it’s normal to still break out while your skin adjusts? I’ve been using the ocm for about a week. And I don’t know if I should switch out the olive oil for castor oil, or give it another week or so.
      
      I’m also looking for something to mix with some distilled water and spritz on my face after its washed. I have never had luck with moisturizers. They always make me break out. What could I use that’s natural, moisturizing, nourishing, and will help with redness and inflammation?
      
      Reply
      1. Chloe
        
        April 2, 2015
        
        I would recommend spraying on a bit of rose water, it’s natural moisturising and nourishing! Many people use a rose water and glycerin (vegetable) mix to use as a natural moisturiser.
        
        In very rare cases it can cause itchiness as a mild reaction but it is known to be very calming and gentle on the skin. Many products targeted at sensitive skin have rose water. I hope this helped you out. 🙂
      2. Jennifer
        
        May 7, 2015
        
        I’ve used rosewater and glycerin as a spray-on moisturizer for my oily skin. It works great and smells amazing! You can find it at most healthfood stores.
    13. Maresa Hoffmaster
      
      March 23, 2015
      
      Hi Katy is twice a day to much to use this method? I have dry skin and started this to get rid of that issue and I’m coming across the finish line of my first week. And I feel like twice which I’m doing may be to much for me. I just wanted to see how you are doing it. And what I could maybe try for my face in the morning?
      
      Reply
      1. Wellness Mama
        
        March 25, 2015
        
        I do it once a day, but some people do it twice. I would just figure it out by experimentation.
    14. Veronica
      
      April 14, 2015
      
      Katie, Thank you so much for sharing. I admire your commitment to remain pure and natural. I have been using a toner and moisturizer twice a day since I started taking care of my face as a teen. I am in the process of gathering all I need to start oil cleansing, but should I continue using a toner and moisturizer after I oil cleanse? Thank you for your reply. 🙂
      
      Reply
      1. Cynthia
        
        May 8, 2015
        
        I find you do need to moisturize after this cleansing oddly since you’re putting oils on your face. But if you do it as directed it really just cleans. And I’d try without the toner at first and then if need it then try rose water or chamomile water or holy basil or cucumber omgoodness mountainroseherbs.com has so many – LOVE them!!
    15. Sheila
      
      April 25, 2015
      
      Hi Katie,
      I have a question about your daily use of the OCM. The website dedicated to the method states to not do it too frequently. I follow your blog and your recipes. So, can you elaborate on the daily use versus occasional? Many thanks!
      
      Reply
      1. Wellness Mama
        
        April 28, 2015
        
        I think it really varies from person to person. My recommendation comes from years of doing it myself, but my face is not your face, and your face may need less frequently oil cleansing.
    16. Marlene
      
      May 7, 2015
      
      What about adding emu oil to the oil cleansing? Is vitamin E oil with the castor oil ok?
      
      Reply
      1. Wellness Mama
        
        May 9, 2015
        
        You could try both of them… I am not sure how you would react to them, but it won’t hurt to try.
    17. Nicole
      
      June 16, 2016
      
      How many times in a day do you wash with the oil?
      
      Reply
  2. Kristin
    
    September 26, 2014
    
    If your son has acne prone skin, add a drop or two (seriously, that’s all you need) of tea tree oil in the cleansing oil mix. If he doesn’t take to this method, try a very mild natural soap, I had GREAT success with Dessert Essence Thoroughly Clean Face Wash
    (dilute it by half for a while- its potent!) and if he moisturizes, just use coconut oil.
    
    Reply
3. Celine
  
  March 31, 2014
  
  Hi,
  I would like to give it a try but products are so expensive here. Are you using oils of cosmetic quality or grocery store oils?
  Thanks.
  
  Reply
  1. Jay
    
    April 2, 2014
    
    Whether they are for food or cosmetics doesnt matter, check they are virgin expeller pressed oils without hexanes and other chemicals, and havent been chemically refined. I also check they are non-GMO or organic. If olives are grown near you fresh olive oil should be available at the market, and online shops like vitacost and amazon have good deals on coconut oil.Also make sure its 100% and not a blend
    
    Reply
    1. Rebecca
      
      September 11, 2014
      
      Sams Club also now has a good quality coconut oil, virgin, cold pressed, and organic
      
      Reply
  2. Alli
    
    November 5, 2014
    
    Try vitacost.com
    
    Reply
Ghislaine Clouthier

January 4, 2013

My mom uses coconut oil every day on her skin. She is almost 60 and I think it has smoothed her skin a lot!

Reply
1. Beverly Cole
  
  February 22, 2015
  
  I have been using this for the last few months and love the results.. i use olive oil only at night, although i am getting into the coconut oil now and may incorporate that into the mix..i also wash my face in raw honey in the morning. Between the two regimes my skin looks great. I am 63 yrs old and have been told i dont look it
  
  Reply
  1. shawna
    
    March 2, 2015
    
    washing your face with honey? What do you use and how do you do it? Thanks for your help
    
    Reply
    1. Hannah
      
      September 1, 2015
      
      Honey is fantastic, you can use it just like you would a face wash. I used it for a while and it did wonders for my skin. Unfortunately I have sensitive skin, so I had to stop the method after my face decided it’d add honey to the list of things that make it red and irritated. I think that’s an uncommon result though and otherwise it is a fantastic cleanser, moisturizer, and antibiotic for your skin. My skin was gorgeous while I could use it.
      
      Reply
      1. Marina
        
        May 14, 2016
        
        You can dilute honey with a little water.
        Mixing honey with egg yolk or plain whole milk yoghurt as a mask also does wonders to a skin.
        Try it this way.
    2. Nicklaus H.
      
      September 29, 2015
      
      I just use bout a spoonful of honey, let it warm up in my hands and use it as a scrub on my face. I have sporadic bouts of serious breakouts, usually when my stress/anxiety levels get worse than usual (I’ve been recently diagnosed with PTSD and have had severe anxiety since I was about 12) and it works wonderfully. I don’t do it daily since good honey is pretty expensive, but I’ve been doing it about every two weeks and it’s great.
      
      You can even leave it on for a bit as a face mask and seriously, it’s fantastic (plus as long as you like honey, it smells awesome and isn’t gross to get in your mouth). If you’re feeling really fancy, mix a little bit of cinnamon in too and it’s even better.
      
      Reply
    3. Cindy
      
      May 20, 2016
      
      Honey is great to use daily as a face wash or mask. For exfoliation, add baking soda. For brightening the skin, add lemon juice. Skin feels so soft afterwards.
      
      Reply
  2. Erika
    
    April 3, 2015
    
    I’ve been using OCM for about 18 days now. Im using a mixture of castor and olive oil. I can see changes unto my face but since my 1st week up until now Im still experiencing Cystic acnes on my face. I feeling troubled by this and wondering if you can give me some advice. Thanks!
    
    Reply
    1. Kara
      
      April 7, 2015
      
      I’ve heard great things about using baking soda on cystic acne. I too suffer from it and using a mixture of honey, baking soda and cinnamon has really helped. I’ve just start the OCM, so we shall see if I have the same results.
      
      Reply
      1. Erika
        
        April 8, 2015
        
        I’ll try to use that method and I hope for some changes. Thank you very much! 🙂
      2. katherine
        
        May 6, 2015
        
        whoa whoa whoa stop right there!!! i know you’re trying to help but DONT PUT BAKING SODA ANYWHERE NEAR YOUR FACE
      3. Carolina Villalobos
        
        May 29, 2015
        
        Well I’ve been using baking soda mixed with coconut oil for my face for a year now and works wonderfully. It cleared my teenagers kids acne too; It was not cystic acne though. Before doing this my face skin used to break out regularly; it doesn’t anymore, unless I stop doing it. Once I restart using it, it dries the ones I got in a day. I feel this mix exfoliates, cleanses and nurtures my skin really well.
        Ps I’m saving a fortune in proactive lol,, no more proactive for me or my kids lol
        Want to try a recipes with magnesium and one with turmeric. Just to give different nutrients to my skin ?
      4. Sue
        
        July 11, 2015
        
        Kara, your mixture makes sense as the baking soda reduces the pH of the skin, honey is an antibacterial, and cinnamon supplies iodine which our immune systems need. Thank you for sharing your cleansing mixture.
      5. Allison
        
        July 15, 2015
        
        Baking soda is HIGHLY alkaline, so it actually raises the pH of the skin. Skin is meant to be slightly acidic to function properly, so using baking soda actually will damage your skin’s barrier over time. What’s the point in avoiding harsh soaps (also alkaline, usually less so than baking soda) if you are going to use something else that disrupts the pH and barrier function of your skin?
      6. France Desrosiers
        
        July 27, 2015
        
        How much of each please? Honey, baking soda, cinnamon?
      7. Crystal
        
        August 3, 2015
        
        What ratio do you use of each ingredient?
      8. Elana
        
        January 13, 2016
        
        I used to have cystic acne. It was years ago, so I didn’t know all the stuff I know now. The only thing that cleared it up was a Fango mud mask (by Borghese – an Italian skincare line – highly fragrant for me now, but I’d still try it again if I got cystic acne again).
        My friend sold the stuff but what she said made sense – I needed something *different* to get in and draw out impurities and essentially break the bacteria cycle. So with that in mind, I’d try honey – Trader Joe’s sells Manuka honey with a 10+ rating which I believe has to do with the therapeutic level of the antibiotic function of the honey. Research it, as I’m not a doctor or scientist myself. Just an avid researcher who has been researching natural remedies for decades and since being pregnant with my now 2.5 year old, I went completely au naturel…I’d try the honey first, then if no results, I’d be inclined to use colloidal silver spray and gently rub a small amount of Himalayan salt on infected areas (but being careful of open sites to test for stinging) and rinse. Then I’d use Medicine Mama’s Bee Magic really gently all over. It has propolis and honey in it too. Just some ideas!! I know how hard it is to deal with cystic acne – I barely left home back then and never without sunglasses and a hat. ? But Fango did work.
      9. Kim
        
        August 13, 2016
        
        I used to use baking soda (rinse face with hot water, make a baking soda paste and gently scrub esp around the nose and chin where most blackheads are, then tone with witch hazel and moisturize with coconut oil) nowadays my routine is much more sophisticated and I make a facial scrub with equal parts honey and coconut oil and then filled to the top of my jar with celtic sea salt. Requires no heat or anything, just pour honey over the oil and mix with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Then mix in the salt until incorporated. When I use it early in the day I have to follow with a gentle cleanser so I dont look so greasy, but at night I usually just leave it to absorb.
    2. Mandrea
      
      April 8, 2015
      
      Be careful of what you put on your skin if you have acne, you really want to use non comedogenic oils and absolutely use a good exfoliant. I’m currently playing with fractionated coconut oil, eucalyptus & tea tree essential oils mixed as a face wash. (all from The Vitamin Shoppe.) A mix of apple cider vinegar & distilled water as a toner… I also have a grape seed carrier oil that I mix my sea buckthorn, rose hips, and other oils in & I use that under my spf moisturizer. Really the most important thing that keeps my acne at bay (along with a healthy diet) is using a super fine grit exfoliant 2-3 times a week. & if you can find a great esthetician a good salicylic, mandelic, or lactic peel would be very helpful as well.
      I’ve found that hormones are the biggest culprit when it comes to acne, diets high in carbs and sugar can cause hormonal imbalances as well as stress& other factors. Then excess sebum is produced which then gets trapped in the follicles bc of built up dead skin cells or follicle clogging products.
      I seriously hope you find the balance that your skin deserves, acne is a big pain in the rear end… My struggle with acne is what drove me to become an esthetician.
      
      Reply
      1. Julie
        
        May 7, 2015
        
        Hi. I’m going to start using this method and am thinking of adding rosehip seed oil to the almond oil/castor oil mixture. Do you have any thoughts on this? I’m just trying to make a wise, informed decision.
      2. Crystal H.
        
        January 23, 2016
        
        May I ask what kind if super fine grit exfoliater you use ?
        I am looking for a goo one but am not sure how they will do for me.
        Thanks
      3. Lisa
        
        September 12, 2016
        
        i would really use some help right now. I agree with the diet part. High in carbs diet and sugar does increase hormonal imbalance. Im workin on the diet. however my skin is no where close to recovering. since last two days I got a really bad reaction on my face and neck. small bumps and dot size cysts around mouth and jaw line. I think its the outer peace cleanser that I bought last week. since then I have been noticing this reaction but it got worse today.
        
        my skin can be very oily and very dry if I don’t moisturize. but after an hour or two my skin gets oily and itchy no matter what. I think I would say that my skin is oily, sensitive, dry (only when I don’t moisturize or use wrong products), breaks out all the time with cysts and hormonal acne around jaw line and mouth, and itchy. I dont know which oils to use and if it gets worse, please tell me a reason why and how I can start this without damaging my skin more.
        can I use oil cleansing both day and night. and can it be used to take makeup off. if yes then do I need to double cleanse?
        
        Thanks
    3. Elise
      
      April 14, 2015
      
      I had similar trouble. Week 1 wasn’t bad at all but then my pores started clogging and I got big blockages that turned into big, firm, cyst-looking lumps. I really wanted the ocm to work. I found other sites that mentioned that olive oil can be comedgenic (clog pores). I switched to a mix of castor and grape seed oils and my skin is becoming clearer and clearer. I use my Clarisonic Mia 2x/wk (in shower) with the ocm too and I think that’s helped. Good luck!
      
      Reply
    4. Shelley
      
      April 22, 2015
      
      Olive oil is not good for acne prone skin from what I have read. Try switching to another oil. Almost any other would probably be better. Everyone’s skin is different????
      
      Reply
      1. Allison
        
        March 5, 2016
        
        Yep – I’ve heard low comegenic oils are Hemp seed and Argan oil…. They have a rating of 0, compared to Olive which has a rating of 2 or Coconut Oil, which has a rating of 4! The higher the number, the more likely the oil will block pores. Everyone’s skin is different. Guess you have try variations to find out what works.
    5. Kristen
      
      May 12, 2015
      
      I struggle with acne and oil cleansing has helped a ton – I use castor oil with tea tree oil (just a little mixed in). Peppermint oil is also great for that.
      
      Reply
    6. Adria S
      
      May 16, 2015
      
      I had bad cystic acne around my chin and jaw line up until two months ago. How did I get it to stop, you may ask? I quit ALL dairy. Apparently dairy is a huge culprit in hormonal cystic acne. I never would have believed it had I not seen it for myself. Please try this if you have not already! Cystic acne is so painful and damaging and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone 🙁 If you do decide to try quitting dairy, remember not to have milk chocolate or “non dairy” creamers either, they say on the bottle that they DO contain milk products and I have had issues with them! I think that natural skin care (example, water only washing or raw honey washing) in conjunction with dietary changes are the ONLY thing that has saved my face! PLEASE try it!
      
      Reply
      1. Lia
        
        May 19, 2015
        
        I also suffered with cystic acne and its painful and very damaging, yes!! im 31 and still fight with acne. I love dairy, so do you think maybe trying lactose free products might help instead of cutting it out all together??
      2. Maggie
        
        February 6, 2016
        
        Very true, when I stop consuming dairy products I don’t get breakouts.
      3. Amanda
        
        September 17, 2016
        
        Dairy ruined me too! I have avoided Dairy for 10 years now – very rare, VERY rare is it that I get a whitehead! So grateful to be dairy-free and there are so many options now a day (brands like Enjoy Life, some Amy’s products, etc) that make it easy, fun & inflammation-free!
    7. Jen
      
      May 20, 2015
      
      I have had issues with cystic acne over the last five years. I have also had some digestion issues at the same time. I had to cut gluten from diet as a result of the digestion issues. With the reduction of gluten in my diet, my cystic acne problem been greatly reduced. There are several articles out there, that talk about cystic acne in relation to gluten.
      
      Reply
      1. Sharon
        
        May 24, 2015
        
        I had cystic acne from puberty on. It got much worse in my 30’s with young children eating more cheese. Finally figured out dairy was the culprit.( Dairy never gave me digestive issues, it was not Lactose it was Whey) I am now in my mid 50s and my skin is better than ever. We own a Health Store and anyone who chooses to eliminate food and figure out their own triggers have great results. Each person may have a different food their body is not able to digest. When the natural elimination channels cannot detox, it goes to the skin. Good luck
      2. Trish
        
        February 2, 2016
        
        I am 46 and just recently both dairy free and gluten free and changed over to a clean eating lifestyle. I believe this is truly improving my cystic acne. I can not believe after 26 years of adult acne not one dermatologist recommend dietary changes and if they did the certainly did not emphasize the importance of non dairy diet. I have spent thousands in the name of clear skin. Now that I have changed my diet I am looking into oil cleansing vs cleansing with acv. Oh the money I will save !
        I recommend also reading about leaky gut syndrome and its affects on skin as well as caffeine.
        Caffeine,sugar and dairy are probably the three worst things for acne prone skin n
    8. Kelly
      
      October 20, 2015
      
      I get cystic acne from B vitamins. If you’re taking some that could be it. It doesn’t happen for everyone but I was surprised to find out how common it actually is. I kept complaining about the endless and painful cysts along my jaw and hairline when my sister asked if I was taking B vitamins. I had been taking B vitamins for about a month at that time. I could hardly believe it, since I had never before heard about B vitamins being a culprit for something so common as cysts, but I stopped taking them and my cysts immediately calmed down and were gone in a couple weeks. I’ve also been oil-cleansing since then, a couple months now, and I love it. Over the years, I’ve noticed a big connection between consuming dairy and sugar with getting pimples, oil-cleansing or not!
      
      Reply
    9. Bre
      
      February 24, 2016
      
      Cystic acne is an infection. My dermatologist prescribed me an antibiotic that took mine away. Now I only use oil cleansing and it works great.
      
      Reply
    10. Laurel
      
      June 12, 2016
      
      Cystic acne can also be a sign of a dairy intolerance- I’ve limited my dairy I take and have noticed a huge difference in my cystic acne chin breakouts!
      
      Reply
    11. Jules
      
      September 30, 2016
      
      Try mixing in a few drops of tea tree, lavender or orange oil to your olive or castor oil. Am in my 30s and eas still getting hirminal spots until I started adding this in. Now I hardly get any.
      
      Reply
  3. Sara
    
    June 26, 2015
    
    Hi! In love with the website. I have cystic acne, I started the oil cleansing with 10% castor and the rest with Olive Oil mixed with a couple drops of Geranium & Tea Tree – and things have become horrendous over the past two weeks. I really love it because it makes my overall skin smooth and moisturized. However I am breaking out in a billion tiny whiteheads along the bottom half of my face, which is odd because I have NEVER had whiteheads before. Only the occasional giant cystic ones. I definitely want to hang in there – but I have an inkling that something is very wrong here. I am not sure if it is too much or too less of Castor Oil, or if my skin really does not like Olive Oil. But I am beginning to look ridiculous.
    
    Help!
    
    Reply
    1. Maddie
      
      June 26, 2015
      
      Hi Sara,
      About 3 years ago, I tried the OCM for the first time. I used the instructions from the OCM website and did a ratio of 2/3 olive oil to 1/3 castor oil. Like you, I loved it at first. It felt freeing and really good for my skin. And my skin looked great and moisturized, and I felt like it was clearing up a bit. Then about 3 weeks in the same thing started happening to me…breakouts everywhere. Small, big, cystic, whiteheads – you name it. I think the reaction to this was the first time I had ever experienced cystic acne and it was horrible. So I stopped and went back to suffering through my normal routine with Proactiv. I didn’t think I’d ever try the OCM again.
      About 4 months ago, I found Katie’s website and really liked reading what she had to say through personal experiences, her thorough research, etc. My interest was peaked to try the OCM again. So I just took a leap and quit the hormonal birth control that I’d been on for about a year (for my acne incidentally, though it did nothing to help me). I started taking the Prescript Assist probiotics, fermented cod liver oil, and L-glutamine daily. And I began a new face wash routine with the OCM once a day after my workout (usually evenings) and washing in the morning with either only microfiber or oatmeal (I’ll also tone with ACV or witch hazel, moisturize with Boots No7 Beautiful Skin Day Cream, and spot treat with tea tree oil if I scrub with oatmeal, or just spritz on some of the magnesium sea salt spray from Katie’s website if I microfiber wash). I have tried many oils for OCM, but definitely DID NOT play with olive oil. I had also tried washing with coconut oil before this and I reacted about the same as with olive oil so I didn’t try that anymore either. First I tried grapeseed oil, then sweet almond, then hemp seed, then jojoba. My skin likes all of these and I really have seen improvements in my skin. It still isn’t perfect and tends to flare up around my chin the second half of my menstrual cycle, so clearly I haven’t figured everything out hormonally, but it’s much better and more manageable than it was. I don’t know the specific ratio I use but I probably started out close to 50/50 castor/whatever other oil for the first few weeks because I feared the same thing would happen that did 3 years ago. Now it’s probably close to 1/3 castor, 2/3 other oil, sometimes more, sometimes less. I think the almond oil works best for my skin, so I use that mostly, plus grapeseed every now and then because it reacts well to that and seems to glow more, and then during my most hormonal times of the month I use mostly jojoba just because I feel that it is really good for that time of the month and gives just the perfect amount of moisturization. I was also using the hemp seed oil for a month or two straight and my skin was probably the best it has been in a while, then my skin started breaking out very horribly so I started using other things, but it may have been from stress (graduating college, new job, new routine).
      Very long winded, but when I read your experience it just sparked me to share mine! Hopefully you can take something away from that. Moral of the story: I think unless you have perfect, non-sensitive skin, olive oil is not the way to go!
      Maddie
      
      Reply
      1. Roxanne
        
        January 7, 2016
        
        Hi Maddie- I know you mentioned several oils/combinations above but could you sum up what the best combination of oils was for you? Thanks so much!
      2. Maddie
        
        January 8, 2016
        
        Hi Roxanne- I almost always use: castor oil as my cleansing oil and a mix of hemp seed and grape seed oils as my moisturizing oils (more hemp seed and just a drop of two of grapeseed). The ratio changes…it’s probably about 1/3 castor to 2/3 hemp & grape seed mix if I am washing away makeup, and if not, I’ll decrease the amount of castor to just a couple of drops and let the rest be a moisturizing oil. But, I have also been using jojoba oil a lot lately as well. I started a new routine of just washing with manuka honey (I leave it on for about 45 minutes before my shower as a mask) then just wash it off and apply straight jojoba oil while my face is still wet, then just give that a quick rinse off too. I got this idea from thelovevitamin.com. It’s more my day-to-day routine now because I feel that steaming my face everyday with OCM is a little harsh and my T-zone doesn’t love it, so I’ll only oil cleanse about once or twice a week (unless I’m wearing makeup more often, which I usually don’t). All of this is working well for me besides my still resilient hormonal acne (which I’ve concluded that no external care will address – it must be internal!). But I REALLy love the manuka/jojoba for anything involving the T-zone. I don’t really have problems there anymore since using this routine, and I credit that to quality jojoba oil – my T-zone really loves it.
    2. Tiffany
      
      January 22, 2016
      
      Make sure your not having a reaction to one of the oils. I know when i get lemon on my skin i get a ton of tiny whiteheads all over my skin
      
      Reply
      1. Veronica
        
        June 20, 2019
        
        There is all face washing but how do you use oil wash on the body?
    3. Chantal
      
      April 5, 2016
      
      I had come across a term “milia” while researching my daughter’s white bumps. They are not actually whiteheads. This may or may not be the case with you, but it might be worth looking into.
      
      Reply
      1. Shelley Birnbaum
        
        May 6, 2016
        
        milia are white heads but can only be removed by an Esthetician or Dermatologist. They come from either eating/drinking to much dairy products or using pore clogging oils on your face such as coconut, mineral and too much castor oil. By the way, I am an Esthetician and Aromatherapist. Every oil has a chemical component that makes it the right oil for particular skin types. For example Hemp Seed, Avocado, and Pumpkin Seed are super moisturizing perfect for Dry/Mature whereas Grapeseed, Hazenut, Maralu and Almond are light fast penetrating making it perfect for an oilier skin. If you use oils that are not organic you run the risk of pesticides which can cause allergic reactions and worse.
2. Kelly
  
  August 26, 2015
  
  I tried the OCM once and at the time was desperate to get hormonal acne/cysts under control. Unfortunately it didn’t work for me but I kept researching and the things that made the biggest difference for me were to use very gentle cleanser at night only with just a warm water rinse in morning with a wash cloth and I added zinc to my supplement routine. I think the zinc was the biggest factor in clearing up my skin. I have not had a single cyst in over a year and I only get a pimple once in awhile around my period. My skin has never looked better. I thought about trying the OCM again but thought why mess with what is already working for me. I try to stick to a Paleo diet as well.
  I love Wellness Mama and am excited to try so many of her recipes for beauty and cleaning products; I just made toothpaste!
  
  Reply
3. Natalie
  
  November 16, 2015
  
  I’ve been using the oil cleansing method for over a month now, and I still HAVEN’T seen any improvements. I’ve tried changing the amount of castor/grape seed oil but it still hasn’t helped. Right now I use half and half because 2/3 grape seed and 1/3 castor wasn’t helping, but now my face is overly dry and flaky and no black heads or white heads have gone away. I was thinking about adding some jojoba, would that help? Please help!
  
  Reply
  1. Allison
    
    April 2, 2016
    
    I had the same reaction to that much caster oil…it dried out my face. I’m in my 40’s and now my skin is starting to get dry, so too much caster oil is not good for me! I experimented a lot and reduced the caster oil in my cleansing mixture significantly compared to other oils. Maybe try that? I think the key here is you have to experiment with different oils. I haven’t found one recipe off the internet that just works – I always have to adjust so OCM works for me. My daughter calls me the ” mad scientist” cuz I’m always mixing up something to try!
    
    Basically I’m down to just a few drops of caster oil compared to much more of the other oils (for me that’s 1/2 hemp seed and 1/2 jojoba). I still keep caster oil in the mix for its astringent properties, but I also add drops of tea tree, lavender and a drop of neem oil (which stinks but the lavender helps, and neem works too well on the acne to stop!). I tone with a mixture of pure witch hazel that has a few drops of lavender EO (like 2 drops to an entire bottle of witch hazel – very diluted). Sometimes, if my skin is still dry, I’ll moisturize before with a few drops of Argan EO. My skin has been pretty happy for the past 4 months, which is rare for me.
    
    Try experimenting…hope it works out for you.
    
    To Wellness Mama – thank you for this site! It helps to be able to chat with other people who understand what life is like with acne.
    
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  2. Tiffany
    
    May 19, 2016
    
    I am using half castor and half grapeseed (both high quality organic) for about 3 weeks and all my blackheads have gone away, and my pores shrunk. Before that I was using honey. Unfortunately OCM (or honey) has not stopped my cystic acne. I still get it, not at an increased rate or anything but just the same as before. Actually when I was using the harsh, drying cleansers I was getting it worse. But the rest of my skin looks so much better now with OCM! Honey also helped too but OCM makes the skin glow! And with both the honey and OCM, my cystic acne heals quicker than without.
    
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    1. Amy
      
      July 26, 2016
      
      I had cystic acne (every since I was in my mid 20s), but started using magnesium oil on my face and it has absolutely stopped it.. I still get some in my hairline, but as soon as they start, I use the magnesium oil (1:1 epson salts and water), and they go away quickly.
      
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4. Orlina
  
  January 30, 2016
  
  The concept of cleaning with oil has returned. This reminds me of when we were growing up in the ladies used cleansing creams and cold cream like Ponds. Only it is now better because it is homemade and natural.
  
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  1. Gina
    
    May 10, 2016
    
    I just tried oil cleansing for the first time tonight. I mixed 1 oz of jojoba oil w/ 4 drops of tamanu, 6 of tea tree & the contents of an evening primrose oil capsule. It’s my time of the month & both tea tree and tamanu really help get rid of the period pimples. Does this sound like it could work? E.P. is always part of my moisturizing routine & I didn’t have either castor oil or hazelnut. I did use a microfiber cloth though. My skin feels great now but I would love some advice for the future.
    
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5. Gammi Mo
  
  August 28, 2016
  
  I mix baking soda and coconut oil in a container until it is a paste and wash my face with this in the morning and then at night……also use coconut oil as my moisturizer and Burt’s Bees eye cream on and under my eyes. I am 60 and been told my skin looks like it is 40. I’ll take it!!!
  
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