The Oil Cleansing Method Experiment - get rid of those stubborn blackheads

If you frequent any natural beauty blogs or forums you're likely to have heard of the Oil Cleansing Method. I read about OCM a while ago and promptly forgot about it. I have been fairly happy with my current skin-care routine for a while now which just consists of cleansing my face with warm water and Olive Oil every night and I saw no reason to mess with it. Since I started cleansing with olive oil I have noticed a marked improvement in my complexion and I've been really happy with the results. There's only one thing that's still bothering me, those really irritating, stubborn and fugly blackheads.

The kind of blackheads that have been on my nose for as long as I can remember, the kind that make me feel as though I have a strawberry for a nose, and the kind that even after a long and painful squeezing session, they seem to be back with a vengeance the next day. I've almost resigned myself to never getting rid of them, no matter how hard I've scrubbed, steamed or picked, they're still there.

What is the Oil Cleansing Method?

OCM is where you cleanse your face using a mixture of Castor Oil and an oil of your choice. I am going to use a mix of Castor Oil (20%), and Sweet Almond Oil (80%), but different people prefer different Castor oil amounts and different oils. I am going to use Sweet Almond Oil for now as I already have some but next time I would like to try Jojoba oil which is more like the skins natural sebum. A high percentage of Castor Oil can apparently be drying which is why I'm going to try a small amount, people with really oily skins might prefer a slightly higher Castor Oil level. The Castor Oil is important to the OCM as it acts as a cleanser, soaking up all the excess sebum your skin has produced.

The Experiment - How do I do it?

It's really pretty simple! The instructions I'll be following for my experiment are as follows and were largely taken from www.theoilcleansingmethod.com and the Essential Day Spa forum.

1. Find some sort of container for your oil mix, I found a little soap dispenser from the local supermarket. Measure out your oils and pour into your container. It's preferable to have a dark container to preserve the life of your oils, mine is clear but when it's not in use I will be storing it in a dark cupboard. I measured just a small amount of both oils so I can adjust the ratios of each oil if I need to.

2. Massage a small amount of oil into my face using my hands, paying special attention to the areas that I have blackheads, (mainly the T-zone, in particular, my nose!) I will massage for at least 10-15 minutes as apparently this gives enough time for your skin to release some of it's plugs which you are supposed to be able to feel on your hands like little pieces of grit.

3. I'll remove the oil with a cotton pad soaked in hot water and carefully make sure I've removed all excess oil before splashing my face with cold water to close my pores.

4. As the OCM can apparently be quite drying, I will moisturise afterwards with a tiny amount of Sweet Almond Oil.

I'll be performing OCM on my skin every night for the next 2 weeks and reporting my progress at random intervals here, I'm really hoping to be able to report blackhead free skin here any day now!

There's a lot of awesome advice and experimentation to be found on the Essential Day Spa forum where there is a thread dedicated to OCM and the different oils and measurements used as well as peoples results. This was the thread inspired me to try the OCM after reading the successes many have had in removing their blackheads after only a few days of using this method. For further reading, check out this epicly huge thread on OCM at the Essential Day Spa site or visit www.theoilcleansingmethod.com.

Olive Oil - My Personal Favourite Natural Beauty Aid!

Olive Oil is one of my all-time favourite beauty aids, why's that?

1. Because it's natural - if you buy yourself some pure Extra Virgin Olive Oil and make sure you check the label carefully, there should be no nasty chemicals whatsoever!

2. It's Cheap - Or at least it's relatively cheap compared to a lot of store bought moisturizers on the market. You're looking at around £3.50 (or a few dollars) for a bottle and it lasts for so long!

3. It multi-tasks! - Not only can you use this directly on to your face, but you can apply it all over the body (liberally of course.. you don't want to slip off your seat!), as well as using it to moisturize your lips and even help keep your hair soft and shiny.

4. Oh, did I mention that.... - You can cart it from bathroom to kitchen. It's as great for you on your food as it is on your skin.

5. It's an AMAZING make-up remover - I use Olive Oil every single day to remove make-up. I use this to take off my hardcore mascara and it works so well. To remove make-up take a cotton pad and moisten with warm water, apply a small amount of olive oil, spreading it with a clean finger evenly over the pad. Apply the cotton pad to your skin gently and wipe off your face paint. Voila!

Myths About Olive Oil - "It'll Make My Face Greasy" - I thought so too before I tried it, especially if like me you have naturally oily skin anyway. However, in my experience this really isn't the case. Oily skin is sometimes caused by excessive drying that causes sebum to over-produce to compensate which results in greasy skin. As long as you don't go overboard with the oil it soaks in quickly and leaves your skin lovely, soft and healthy looking. It absolutely has never aggravated any spots and seems to help scars fade faster.

My current Olive Oil Regime

I've suffered with gross, spotty and acne scarred skin for as long as I can remember and I have to say, since using olive oil on my skin it is noticeably better. So much so that olive oil is practically all I use on my skin these days. I absolutely love the stuff, my friends may think I'm a weirdo for taking a bottle of oil with me to the bathroom but I'm the one with super-soft skin so who cares!

If the smell bothers you, try adding a few drops of an essential oil like lavender. I really recommend giving olive oil a chance, even if you have problem skin. Do not fear the oil!

Drinking Water for Clear Skin - Experiment

  For as long as I can remember I have read article upon article in girly magazines, seen pieces on TV, posts on the internet, and heard my friends talking about the benefits of water for the skin. 

 It seems to make sense. Water is good for your overall health, it aids your kidneys in flushing toxins from your body, it's good for digestion, circulation, and even your energy levels. It makes sense to me, then, that keeping your body well hydrated would have possible benefits for your skin.

Why have I not tried it?

I think the main reason for me is that I don't particularly like the taste of water. Especially the slightly-chalky-with-a-hint-of-chlorine water that leaves my taps! As a kid I was given fizzy drinks, sugary cups of tea and fruit juices. I'm used to tasting my liquids.

Another reason for me is that the supposed required 8 glasses of water a day seems like such a chore. I've tried to increase my water intake before but I've ended up getting lazy and going back to my old drinking habits in a few days...which is not to drink much at all. (Apart from at the weekends, but this type isn't very hydrating).

 I can usually get through the whole day fine on one cup of tea and a glass of fruit juice. 

I'm guessing my less than great skin, lack of energy and dry brittle hair could at least be partly to blame for this, which is why I'm going to try the 8 glasses/2 litres of water a day thing for the following 2 weeks.

I'm skeptical of needing as much water as this, and I've also read a lot of articles where people refute the 8 glasses a day rule. Water is obtained through food and even caffeinated or fizzy drinks to an extent; drinking too much can even be dangerous.

However, I think drinking more will overall be beneficial and I'm interested to see whether or not it will have much effect on my skin in such a short space of time. I know that out of my group of friends, whether it's a coincidence or not, the ones with the best skin do seem to be the ones who drink the most water. 

While I was researching this I found lots of arguments about which kind of water is best for your skin, bottled vs tap, room temperature vs chilled etc etc. I've decided to drink 2 litres of regular tap water a day. I know I whinged about the taste earlier but I resent having to pay for bottled water when I already pay for the stuff that comes out of my faucet. Also, there are the green issues of getting through a crap load of plastic bottles every week, not mentioning the fact that bottled water isn't any better for you (and in some cases may be worse).

To make this easier for myself, I'm going to fill a plastic 2 litre bottle with tap water every day and try to keep it with me at all times, at college, at the gym, in my bedroom, next to me while I'm watching the TV, and in my bag while I'm out and about..(I'll be needing a big bag, then). 

I'll update within the week to record my progress and note any changes in my complexion. For future reference, my skin as it is now is okay. Following the "no-wash" experiment, it's better than it was before, but it is still a bit dry, dull, a few blackheads, the odd pimple now and again and looking quite tired. Let's hope all this water injects a little life into it, as well as me!