There’s just a little something special about the oil cleansing method. Sure, it sounds totally opposite of what someone would do to clean their face, remove makeup, or even clear their skin. If there’s one thing that singles out the OCM from all the rest it’s that it works!
I haven’t come across too many people who haven’t been able to refine and define their personal oil cleansing method. Whether it be tweaking oil recipes and ratios or just switching to a different cleansing cloth, the OCM has shown itself to be incredibly tolerable for the vast majority of people who try it. Of course, there is always trial, error, and yes, even failure using the OCM, but overall I think you should give it a go if you haven’t already. (you can learn more about the OCM here)
Today I want to talk about how you can bump up your personal oil cleansing method by a notch or two. This is nothing fancy by any means but it really makes a difference depending on your skin type and its specific needs. I have personally really enjoyed formulating my current OCM wash.
The Enhanced Oil Cleansing Method
In order to get the best results and the most benefits, you will first need to find out which skin type you have.
Generally, there are 4 skin types:
• Normal– Smooth, even complexion and texture with very little dryness or oiliness.
• Dry– Dry flaky sometimes scaly skin that feels tight, irritated, and itchy.
• Oily– Shiny skin will a lot of oil production, particularly in the T-zone area. Acne prone.
• Combination– A combination of dry and oily skin. Uneven complexion. Acne Prone.
The next thing to consider is what you are trying to achieve with your skin.
This could be:
• Anti-aging
• Evening out the complexion
• Clearing up acne
• Moisturizing
• Reducing oil production
• Brightening the skin
• Reduce Scarring
*** These are a few basic things most people want for their skin and of course there are many others. Feel free to leave a comment if your skin issue is not covered in this article. I would love to hear from you! =)
Now that you have determined what you want for your skin, you will need to match the right base oils for your skin type to make sure you get the best results possible. Remember, not all oils will work for everyone. You can find out which carrier oils are best for your skin type HERE.
For my formulation, I used equal amounts of rosehip seed oil, argan oil
, and jojoba oil
as these oils are fantastic for my oily acne prone skin and they also help prevent signs of aging.
Oils to consider for your skin type could be:
• Normal– argan oil, rosehip
, jojoba, almond, grapeseed
• Dry– almond, coconut, avocado, argan, rosehip
• Oily– jojoba oil, rosehip, argan, grapeseed
, castor oil
• Combination– almond, avocado
, argan, rosehip, coconut
• Acne Prone– tamanu oil (used specifically for acne scarring and scarring prevention)
Matching the right oil for your needs is a really important step so don’t skip it!
Essential Oils for The Enhanced Oil Cleansing Method
Once you have found the right mix of base oils you will need to choose essential oils to really get things amped up!
For some reason, I had never considered adding essential oils to my OCM until one day I was missing an acne wash I used to use. Now granted I would never use that toxic wash again, but I still missed the fresh clean feel it gave my skin not to mention the imagery of dying acne bacteria. So what was I missing? Essential oils!
Adding essential oils to your OCM recipe can create all kinds of neat treatments and effects. You can read about the best essential oils for your skin type here.
Some really great essential oils to consider are:
• Anti-aging– rose, geranium, myrrh, patchouli, carrot seed, frankincense
• Evening out the complexion– rose, lavender
• Clearing up acne– tea tree, rosemary, thyme
• Moisturizing– rose
• Oily– Neroli, ylang ylang, geranium, lemon (be sure to use lemon only at night)
• Reducing oil production– rose
• Brightening the skin– lemon, grapefruit
• Reduce scarring and redness– lavender
I chose to go simple so my recipe is just for acne-prone skin.
Here’s how to make it:
What You’ll Need-
• 1 4oz pump bottle
• 2 TB Rosehip seed oil
• 2 TB Argan oil
• 2 TB jojoba oil
• 10 drops Melrose essential oil (a mixture of tea tree and rosemary essential oils. You can get it HERE)
• 1 drop Copaiba essential oil (known to magnify the effects of other essential oils. You can get it HERE)
Loving Preparation- The Enhanced Oil Cleansing Method
• Add each oil to the 4oz bottle using a small funnel if needed
• Next add in the essential oils
• Cap tightly and ROLL the mixture between your hands to mix
[yumprint-recipe id=’23’] To Use
• Simply add 1 pump of enhanced OCM oil to your hand and smooth over the skin in a circular motion. Concentrate on trouble areas and anywhere that needs make-up removal.
• Next take a warm damp cloth and gently wipe off the oil
• Feel free to add a few drops of your new EOCM recipe to your hand and use it as a moisturizer. The essential oils will get right work leaving your skin fresh and acne free!
Check out these great OCM articles:
The Oil Cleansing Method
Nitty Gritty on the Oil Cleansing Method | Crunchy Betty
The Oil Cleansing Method: A How-To Guide for Clear, Radiant Skin
Oil Cleansing for Naturally Perfect Skin
Have you ever added essential oils to your OCM recipe?