OCM update

It has been awhile since I first ventured into the Oil Cleansing Method (my first OCM blog post was in December 2012).

This is partly because my OCM regime was interrupted by ... a cold sore. A burning, bumpy, itchy patch of red below my lower lip. I haven't gotten a cold sore in about two years. Of course, the morning that I'm supposed to fly back home for Christmas I wake up with that tell-tale tingly feeling -- that feeling that persists no matter how much you deny it, that feeling that is just waiting to change into an ugly outbreak. Despite a 2 gram tube of Abreva that cost me over $20, the cold sore took a few weeks to heal. During that time I didn't feel like rubbing my face with oil and steaming it with a hot cloth.

Now I'm back to the OCM. In the past week I've done it twice. The first time I did a really thorough treatment that left my skin feeling amazing. The second time was a bit quicker -- I just did it in the shower. I probably use even more grapeseed oil than my original 2/3 castor oil, 1/3 grapeseed oil ratio (my skin is much drier in the winter). Since I just squirt the oils into my hands I haven't measured them exactly.

My skin feels soft and smooth. The OCM also seems to be helping me get rid of the tiny blackheads that plague my chin.

I feel happy about the fact that I'm not putting chemicals into my skin. I have a feeling I'll go through the grapeseed oil a lot quicker than the castor oil, though -- besides using more of it on my face, I've also been rubbing down my legs with it after getting out of the shower. Nice and light!

OCM day 1

For those of you who have never heard of it, OCM stands for the Oil Cleansing Method. Some friends and I had a "girls' night" a couple of weeks ago - complete with paraffin wax, nail polish, and a chick flick. One of the girls raved about a natural skin treatment she was trying out, and convinced me to try it, too. It felt amazing!

Turns out, the oil cleansing method is a hot topic on the Internet. Busy, down-to-earth moms to ecoholic hipsters have all jumped on the bandwagon and added it to their blogs. I've decided to give it a shot. 

Here's how it works (from what I've learned): 

1. Combine castor oil with a second oil (the most popular carrier oils I read about were extra virgin olive oil, sunflower seed oil, avocado oil or grapeseed oil) Make sure you get pure, quality oils. 

2. The ratio of the combination will be different according to your skin type. From what I understand, the castor oil is the primary cleanser -- the more oily your skin, the higher the ratio of castor oil. 

3. Rub the oil around on your face (counter-intuitive, I know! Research it -- it supposedly works wonders for ALL skin types!) 

4. Dampen a washcloth with hot water and lay it over your face for thirty seconds to open your pores. Wipe the oil off, rinse the washcloth and repeat until the oil is off of your face. 

I'm using castor oil and grapeseed oil. Instead of mixing the two up in a bottle, I'm trying out different ratios first. Tonight I used a ratio of about 1/3 castor oil and 2/3 grapeseed oil, since my skin is usually dry (especially in the wintertime)! 

Tonight, after day 1 of my second student teaching placement, I decided to treat myself with some all-natural pampering. I ground up 1 cup of oats in our coffee grinder and mixed it into a hot bath (oats help soften your skin). I lit some candles, turned out the lights, and soaked for a good forty minutes. In the tub I treated my face to the OCM, and my feet to a sugar scrub. After getting out and drying off, I moisturized my legs with grapeseed oil. 

So far, my skin already feels great. It feels like a cleanser, toner and moisturizer all in one. Last night I used the castor oil as an eye makeup remover, and it worked wonderfully! It also apparently encourages hair growth (in areas where hair already grows -- I'm not going to turn into a werewolf!), so it should also thicken eyelashes. I mentioned this to Isaac, and he is now using it to rub down those patches on his cheeks that refuse to grow the beard he longs for. 

Day 1 of the OCM ... I'll post an update on how it goes, and whether or not Isaac has grown a beard.