Homemade Facial Cleanser - OCM Style

*WARNING LONG POST!  BUT WORTH A READ SO IF YOU DON'T HAVE TIME NOW...COME BACK LATER*

Thanks all for the tips on my exhaustion.  I'm pleased that I already do most of what was suggested so at least I'm on the right track.  Wise Hot Husband reminded me after he read it that when we move we'll sleep because right now in our current situation - we really don't sleep at night.  (He often gets called out to work through the night and that always wakes me up and then I get up and go to work and.....it's a long story)

So I'll quit complaining about it....for now!! Ha ha ha!

Moving on...besides me complaining about my fatigue I've been complaining about my skin (which we think will also be better when we move too) and I'm happy to report that it's on it's way back to what it used to be.  After seeing this post my friend Ariel thought I had Perioral Dermatitis and with a little cream it helped take that rash business away. Thanks friend!

But my skin was still not the same and super dry and just well....getting older.

And besides the fact that I like to save money, the environment and like to do things naturally whenever I can I tend to think outside the box.  Up here where you can't just run to a bazillion stores and get what you need you have to think home remedies.  Which I like :)

So I decided to try the Oil Cleansing Method.

Now I have taken this content right from the source from which I found it.

Simple Mom

So I give that blog all the credit and am just passing it along.

{If you haven't read Simple Mom before head over there...lots of great stuff}

So the basis of the homemade cleansing method is to wash your face with oil.

Crazy huh?  Especially if you have oily skin right?

Except that it's not crazy at all.

I was a little skeptical at first and shrugged it off after I first had read about it but after spending hundreds of dollars on skin care that was making me worse....this OCM method popped into my head.

A prompting as one may say...

And so I tried it.

Here's some info straight from Simple Mom.

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

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

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

Here’s a direct quote from acne.org:

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

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

Then she goes on to say how to do it.  Again all from Simple Mom.  Simple Mom, Simple Mom, Simple Mom.  (Just want to make sure there is proper credit)

"How to Get Started

1. Make your cleaner

Simply mix the oils together in a small bottle, give it a little shake, and you’ve got yourself a homemade, frugal facial cleanser. The most popular blend of oils for this cleansing method is castor oil and extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO). The castor oil draws out dirt and other gunk from your pores. The EVOO is a brilliant moisturizer, helping heal and nourish the skin.

• For those with normal skin, you could start off with a one-to-one ratio of castor oil and EVOO.
• For those with acne-prone or oily skin, reduce the proportion of EVOO, and try three parts castor oil to one part EVOO.
• For those with drier skin, start off with one part castor oil to three parts EVOO. This is what I use.

Experiment, and find what ratio works for you. Just start off with a little bit, and then try it for a few days. I began with one teaspoon of castor oil and three teaspoons of EVOO in a little squeeze bottle.

2. Gently rub it in

Pour a quarter-sized amount into your palm, rub your hands together, and slowly massage your skin with your fingertips. Don’t splash your face with water first — apply it dry. Work the oil into your skin for about a minute, and enjoy the peaceful massage at work. Don’t scrub — just rub.

3. Steam your face

Next, wet a washcloth with hot water (but not scalding!), and put it over your face until it’s about room temperature. This is steaming out your pores, removing the impurities and the dead skin cells. It’ll take about a minute — enjoy the nearly-free facial.

4. Wipe off the oil

Take the washcloth, rinse and wring it, then gently wipe off the oil. Your skin will probably feel softer immediately."

Now I'm not always super consistent.  But I never am with washing my face at night.  I never have been.  All I ever did up until recently was use water and I think that used to work the best on me.  But I do pretty good with this and I gotta tell you....it feels soooooooo good going on and after you've wiped it off.

ARE YOU STILL WITH ME??????  See this is why I try not to do long posts.  Just sayin'.

Here's more from Simple Mom

"• If you’re like me, your skin will feel softer and look a bit brighter. It won’t feel tight, but it won’t be greasy, either. Olive oil has the same pH as human skin, so it’s the perfect cleansing balancer.
• The OCM also brilliantly removes makeup. It works better than the Clinique makeup remover I had been using. Much cheaper, too.
• You also probably won’t need to do this more than once per day. I do this at night, just before bed. In the morning, I simply splash my face with cold water to wake up. Every now and then, I’ll dab on a little bit of moisturizer, but I hardly need that anymore. I never thought I’d see that day.

Other beneficial oils

Castor oil and EVOO are carrier oils and work well, but other people have found great success with jojoba oil, grapeseed oil, and flaxseed oil, especially if their skin is very oily. I haven’t tried these personally, though.
If your skin is on the dry side, almond oil and evening primrose oil are also good carrier oils."

I personally use Castor Oil and it seems to work great.  Right now I'm using just a tiny little travel size bottle and I've not had to re-make any and I've been doing it for a couple of months.  A little goes a LONG way!

Right now I have a three to one ratio.  Three parts Olive Oil and one part Castor Oil.  But I'm thinking I'm going to add a little of this.....

Tea Tree Oil and I have been BFF's for a long while.  I use this for lots of things.

This is what Simple Mom said about Tea Tree Oil...

"Tea tree essential oil is a natural antiseptic, and is great for clearing up acne. Try a few drops into your OCM mixture. Only use a few drops — a little goes a long way."
 

ALSO I use Tea Tree oil in Cute Kids bath when he has a bum rash.  It's gone by the next day.  Just make sure you don't get it in their eyes.  As you can see you can get the oil at The Body Shop but I got mine from Walmart and it's a much bigger bottle.  Of course you can always get it a health food store.

So my personal testimonial on this is that my skin feels healthier and brighter.  It's suuuuuper cheap.  I just went to my kitchen a grabbed me some of my EVOO and mixed it with some castor oil.

Which if we all lived close I'd share with you because I ordered two bottles (I always order in bulk because...well it's just a habit up here) and it's MORE then enough!!  

But I think so fart  - HA HA HA HA did you see that I wrote FART by mistake and I just can't not share that!!! YEE HAW!!!

Try this again...

So FAR I think this has been the best for my skin.

It'd be good for anyone whether you think you have skin issues or not.  It saves you TONS of money.

Here's my tips:

1- Use a little dab of the mixture to take off eye make up first.  Works soooo good!

2- Be sure to rinse it ALL off.  It's tempting to leave a bit on because it feels so good but that layer has all the bad dirt and junk in it so clean it off properly.

3- Really only do it once per day.  I think your face just doesn't need it.  

4- To moisturize you can use the mixture - just a tiny bit or you can do what I do...

I use....

Vitamin E.

Vitamin E oil is so good for your skin. I used it on my dry itchy belly when I was prego and now I use it on my face as a moisturizer. Just a tiny bit. I get the stuff from Walmart or health food stores that are in bottles and are already a liquid. I make sure I get something that is at least 36,000IU because I have some 32,000IU and it's way to thick and sticky.  And you really don't need a lot!  Just a itty itty tiny bitty bit.

Okay I can't possibly type any more!

I know I've lost most of you.

But sometimes this Visible Voice gets chatty okay!

I'll just end this by saying to do some research on the OCM method and all the benefits of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Castor Oil.  They both can do great things for your body.

Off to clean my house and hoping I can do some more Art Journaling today!  Oh please oh please!

PS- Hey remember that time when I typed fart by mistake. Ha ha ha!! "I funny" as cute kid would say!

{photos taken from Simple Mom or found by Google Search}