Friday, November 9, 2012

Coming Clean on Foreign Oil....

A decent interval having elapsed since my last Coming Clean post (in which the blogging world was electrified to learn that Mrs. M never shampoos her hair), it's time now to discuss my dependence on foreign oil.

By foreign oil, I don't mean the sticky petroleum that powers America's motorways and clogs her atmosphere. We're talking a different kind of liquid gold here - from Italy, France, Spain, Tunisia, Greece - the delicious stuff we drizzle on salads, swirl into skillets, put on our faces....

Put on our faces? Yes. Here at Micawber Towers, we clean our faces with olive oil (mixed with a bit of cold-pressed castor oil). It's called the Oil Cleansing Method, and it sounds completely nuts - but it really works.


(If you are one of those blessed with a happy complexion that responds well to soap and water, feel free to stop reading at any point.) :)

To many of us, who grew up with the idea that Oily Skin is a Bad Thing, the thought of cleaning our faces with oil seems horribly wrong. But a little oil is actually a Good Thing for your skin - the trick is to find the right balance. I happen to have sensitive combination skin - with rosacea - and nothing I've  tried in the past works as well, as simply, and as inexpensively as the Oil Cleansing Method.

Based on the principle that oil dissolves oil (and it's true - I've tried it on a splattery stove with great success), cleansing with oil has many advantages:
  • It gently removes dirt, sweat, dead skin, and excess oil(!), without stripping away important moisture.
  • It leaves behind a thin layer of protection for the delicate facial skin, eliminating the need for additional moisturizers.
  • It's utterly simple, and healthily natural* - no chemicals, preservatives, or scents.
  • Ingredients are readily available, and can be mixed up at a moment's notice.
  • It can be endlessly, and instantly, customized to suit your skin's particular needs.
  • From a financial standpoint, it's ridiculously low-cost.
  • On an ecological level, it keeps innumerable bottles and boxes out of our landfills.
In short, oil cleansing is a win-win for the complexion AND the annual income - not to mention the planet.

Castor oil is the key to the Oil Cleansing Method - but it must be used sparingly, and combined with a secondary oil. Extra-virgin olive oil and sunflower seed oil are probably the two most commonly used; I have also seen references to almond, grapeseed, jojoba, and others. (We use extra-virgin olive oil, since we buy it in bulk and it's always on hand.) There's no hard-and-fast ratio for combining the oils; it's best to experiment and find what works best for your skin. (Click here or on the link below for some suggested ratios.) Essential oils can also be added if you like.

So what are the steps involved in Oil Cleansing? Here's what I do: In my bathroom, I keep a little jar of mixed oils (about 75% extra-virgin olive oil and 25% cold-pressed castor oil). To clean my face, I pour a bit of the oil onto the fingertips of one hand, pat against the fingertips of the other hand, and apply to my face in a circular massaging motion, covering the area from jawline to cheekbones. Because of my rosacea**, I pay special attention to the areas of my face that tend to get bumpy, and rub a little longer there.

To rinse, I wet my washcloth with hot water, ring it out, and hold it against my face for a moment. (This is supposed to open the pores and release accumulated gunk. I don't know if that actually happens, but the warm washcloth feels very relaxing.) Then I wipe my entire face with the washcloth, scrubbing gently at any bumpy bits - then rinse the washcloth, and I'm done***.

(You may be wondering whether this leaves the washcloth oily - but it doesn't. I think the castor oil causes everything to rinse out cleanly.)

I've been using the Oil Cleansing Method for about three years now, and I'll never go back to any other cleanser. Not only does the oil mixture clean my skin gently and thoroughly, it's also extremely versatile. A very thin layer, applied to slightly damp skin, makes a terrific moisturizer. A thicker layer works wonders in winter to protect exposed skin from the cold and wind. (One Miracle Product Does It All!)

If you've read this far (without being horrified), you may be interested in the following link...

http://www.theoilcleansingmethod.com/

...for a comprehensive article which explains in detail the theory and practice of Oil Cleansing. (You can also Google "Oil Cleansing Method".)

As with any alternative cleaning method, Oil Cleansing is not for everyone. But it certainly works for me - and if you're looking for a gentle, inexpensive, healthy facial cleaner, it may work for you too.

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*The word "natural" has been so overworked of late that I hesitate to use it. Arsenic is natural too - does that mean it's good for us?

**Another advantage of this method: I can exfoliate all I want (though I still only spot-exfoliate where needed, and never two days in a row) without irritating my skin or exacerbating the rosacea.

***What about the forehead and eye area? I don't use the oil around my eyes because there's no need; the washcloth cleans that area sufficiently. (Since I use pure mineral makeup and don't wear mascara, there's not much to clean.) For the forehead: Because I have bangs, I only use the oil on my forehead if I'm about to shower and wash my hair, and I'm careful to clean it off very thoroughly so my bangs don't get oily. On non-hairwashing days, I just wipe well with the warm washcloth, letting the water and friction do the job. :)

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31 comments:

  1. I enjoyed your no-poo post, although, I have to say, I'm not sure it would be for me, as my hair is a law unto itself....but this I think is really interesting, I certainly agree that oils are good even for oily or combination skins.....hmmm....great post!

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    1. Thanks, Faith! I remember reading (a few decades back) a suggestion to use olive oil as a moisturizer on the face, and thinking it the most ridiculous thing I'd ever heard. But now I've changed my mind. :)

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    2. P.S. Faith - have you read "Curly Girl"? It's all about the conditioner-only method which is great for lovely curly hair like yours.

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  2. Fascinating post Sue. I really couldn't contemplate no 'poo' but this I could try ... off to read more!

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    1. Thanks, Annie! It's quite interesting, I think - goes against all the received wisdom on skincare - or at least against all the marketing hype of those who would like to sell lots of cleansers and toners and moisturizers and primers.... :)

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  3. I think I will try this...you had me at "low cost". Been using mineral oil to remove my mascara for years and it's been fabulous...

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    1. Great! Let us know how it works if you do. I spent about $8 on that bottle of castor oil three years ago, and I still haven't used it all up. I've gone through maybe 20 ounces of olive oil in that time - let's say $5 worth - so my TOTAL skincare product cost for the last 3 years is probably under $15. (The castor oil would be even cheaper if it weren't cold-pressed.) Yep, oil cleansing is low-cost for sure! :)

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  4. Mrs. Micawber, you definitely made me interested in this cleansing method. And it's just so easy and requires little ingredients!I will try it today itself, just need to purchase castor oil. Thanks for sharing your beauty secret :)

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    1. Good luck, Anna! When I started this method, my skin did feel oily for the first week or two - I think I wasn't wiping firmly enough with the washcloth. Let us know how it works for you. :)

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    2. I tried it yesterday! Well, can't say anything yet, but skin feels a little oilier,than usually.after I applied oil mix (sunflower and castor) and gently removed it from face with warm towel, I saw that skin looked much lighter,and felt slightly more gentle. Let's see what happens when I keep on doing it more.

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    3. If it keeps feeling oily, try wiping a little harder. Good luck! :)

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  5. I love this posting, Sue! I've been making my own face oils for ages! I like to add a couple of drops of chosen essential oils both for their therapeutic purpose and for the perfume. I've never tried a mixture of olive and castor oil though for cleansing and I'm going to try it!

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    1. And judging by your beautiful skin, the oils are doing a good job. :)

      I always keep a second jar of olive oil mixed with tea tree and peppermint oils - it's my bug repellent for cycling and clambering through ditches in summer - but occasionally I use it at night if I have a specially irritated area on my face or the sides of my nose. What oils do you use? (Would you be willing to do a post on your blog?)

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  6. I am loving all this information and had planned a trip to the health food store already today. Very interesting, I have the dreaded rosacea too, mostly on my nose now so I am going to give this a try. I only use Boom products by Cindy Joseph, i used to only use mineral make up. Love this post Sue.
    Hugs,
    Meredith

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    1. My rosacea is much better than it used to be - a lot of small factors have added up to a large result. Plenty of olive oil in the diet, a B complex vitamin supplement, change of makeup (from Clinique to Everyday Minerals), and the OCM have all helped out quite a bit. I'm still very ruddy in spots, but the bumpiness is under control - and as mentioned in the post, I can exfoliate as much as I like now, which really helps.

      Thanks Meredith! :)

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  7. Will pass this one onto my daughter who has oily skin, mine's so dry it flakes off, but other than growing little skin cancers it's pretty simple to deal with.

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    1. It might work for you too Janet - it seems to have something to offer every type of skin. Good luck to your daughter! Oily skin has one advantage - fewer wrinkles down the line. :)

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  8. Sounds like a good idea, to me too.

    Ahhhh me-oh-my-oh-mercy. Another person, too familiar with rosacea. -sigh- Guess technically, mine isn't too bad. But it still needs covering up, in the one area on a cheek. Grrrrr.... Courage! To both of us!

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    1. You always look lovely in your photos, Auntie. What would we do without makeup? :)

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  9. Is this the same principle of only using oil on cast iron skillets? My Dad never washes his, only wipes them carefully and then rubs oil into them until he uses them again. He uses them almost every day! They are years old and have such a lovely black sheen.
    It is interesting what you do, but I just use Dove soap and try not to look into too many mirrors! :-)

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    1. I think the oil on cast iron helps to keep it seasoned. (Which, now that I come to think of it, may indeed be the same principle as Oil Cleansing.) :)

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  10. I'm going to read into this more, it is fascinating. I'm like Annie, and can't get my head (ho ho) around the idea of no shampoo but this I could imagine trying. Thanks. juliex

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    1. You're welcome, Julie. It's not that different than the concept of cold cream, which until about 40 years ago was probably common practice.

      :)

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    2. I have been using extra virgin olive oil for a number of years as my only moisturiser and everyone comments on how young my skin looks. I use it on my legs as well in summer. Don't laugh...I also use a pot scrub to buff my face, the fine scotchbrite type. Rub very lightly using a bit of olive oil soap, wash off and then oil the face. Amazing how fast the oil is absorbed. Eva, Sweden.

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    3. I'm not laughing - here in America we have a product called Buf Puf which is exactly like a pot scrubber for the face. I like to use a silk mitt which a friend brought me from Turkey years ago - it's a very rough silk, made for scrubbing the skin after sitting in a steam bath. It will take off a few layers of skin if I'm not careful with it. :)

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  11. This. Is. Remarkable! I'd never heard of it before. I might give it a try.

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    1. If you do, let us know how it works for you. My sister does it too, and we've converted a few people at work who have been very pleased with it.

      :)

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  12. I, too, might have to try this. I don't have sensitive skin, but my skin is oily. I thought I'd tried everything. :) I've enjoyed my luffa; I know that can be very difficult on sensitive skin. Lately I've been using grapeseed oil with tea tree oil. I have another mixture with rosemary and mint, and I LOVE it. It's a terrific moisturizer, and it smells so wonderful!

    My mom always used to tell me when I was growing up that one day I'd love my oily skin because I'd look so much younger than all my dry-skinned friends. Well, I still have the complexion of a 17-year old, and I'm thinking I've had quite enough oil for one lifetime!!! :)

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    1. You do have great skin, Deb - especially considering all the time you spend outdoors. Mine used to be much oilier than it is now - it's drying out with age, so the oil cleansing is really pampering it.

      What I'd really like to know is: do we EVER stop getting acne? :)

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  13. I can't use soap and haven't done so for years. Recently my skin has become so sensitive I can't use my Trilogy which has stood me in good stead for years. I have read about this method and tried olive oil on its own but keen to try the addition of castor oil to see if it helps. Thanks for sharing.

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    1. You're very welcome. I'll be popping over to visit in a minute ... have seen you around in other people's Comments section but have never visited you yet. Thanks for commenting, and I hope the OCM works for you. :)

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