About three weeks ago, I decided to start the Oil Cleansing Method (OCM). I haven’t posted my progress until now as I wasn’t entirely happy with the products I was using. Firstly I had trouble sourcing castor oil, then I didn’t feel particularly happy with my choice of secondary oils. I tried walnut and extra virgin olive oil and both felt too thick and greasy for my liking. I wasn’t experiencing the after-cleansing “glow” that many people report and my skin just didn’t seem any different at all, if anything it made it a tad oilier and I had a small breakout around the edge of my face.

I must admit, I started wondering if the OCM simply wasn’t suited to me. As I was deciding what to order from Anita Grant this month, I came across her Carrot & Wheat Germ Cleansing Oil which she markets specifically as an OCM routine and is labelled as being suitable for combination skin. Doing some research online didn’t really reveal anything about using these particular oils as part of the OCM, but being the curious shopaholic that I am, I decided to take a risk and try it. I plumped for the full-size bottle as I knew the sampler wouldn’t last me if I liked it.

I’m happy to say that I get on much better with this combination of oils. For a start, they are much lighter than the ones I had been using and generally feel nicer to apply. My face feels lovely and clean afterwards and my complexion is very even. I have had a couple of spots appear here and there, but they aren’t too big and seem to clear up reasonably quickly. I’m not going to let this deter me as I understand that any change to my routine can cause a few problems while my skin rebalances itself. I also bought a sample of watermelon oil (supposedly good for oily skin) and I add a few drops of that in as well - not sure if that plays an important part, guess I’ll find out when I’ve used it all up.

One interesting thing I’ve found is that I no longer need to exfoliate - the OCM does a great job of removing build-up which is much kinder to my skin. I don’t need to scrub my face at all and I’ve even quit using my regular facial cleanser. The OCM does the lot!

I used to moisturise up to three times a day, but now I only do so after the OCM. The other two times (morning and evening) I just tone and nothing else. So althought the cleansing oil wasn’t exactly cheap, it looks like it will definitely save me money in the long run.

Overall, I’m very happy with the OCM so far. I can’t stress enough how important it is to find the right oils for your skin - please don’t give up if it doesn’t work the first time, just try a different product. Also, I do want to point out that although castor oil is considered to be the definitive ingredient in the OCM, it may not suit everyone and you can still achieve wonderful results without using it.

I’ll continue to update on my progress as I settle further into my routine over the coming weeks and months.

Update: I’m afraid things haven’t worked out too well - see the post I’m Quitting The OCM for more info.

Price: £18.00 for 100ml
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Link: http://www.motherearth.co.uk

Ingredients: Organic witch hazel, infused with organic calendula petals, organic elder flowers, organic burdock root with organic rose geranium & organic neroli essential oils.

I purchased this along with the matching moisturiser (see my other review for today). I’ve always been impressed with how witch hazel takes care of my skin and with the addition of the other beautiful ingredients, I thought I’d give myself a nice treat.
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Price: £25.00 for 30ml
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Link: http://www.motherearth.co.uk

Ingredients: Organic almond oil, organic carrot oil, organic St. John’s wort oil, organic beeswax, organic shea nut butter, organic elderflowers, organic yarrow flowers with organic rose geranium & neroli essential oils.

This was very much an impulse buy, along with the matching toner which I am also reviewing today. I was researching moisturisers (always a dangerous thing to do) and fell in love with the ingredients. I was also excited to learn that it is suitable for those prone to oily skin and breakouts.
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Price: £5.99 per 30g (refill available for £4.99)
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Link: http://www.innocentoils.com

Ingredients: Avena Sativa (Oat) Kernel Flour, Montmorillonite (French Green) Clay, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Ground Almond), Lavender Flowers, Lavandula (Angustifolia) Essential Oil, Chamomile (Anthemis Nobilis) Essential Oil, Geranium (Pelargonium Graveolens) Essential Oil

I tend to exfoliate with a plain loofah, but a few months ago I decided to try something a little more luxurious for special occasions. I was drawn to this product because of the mix of oats, clay and almonds - other scrubs tend to have only a single exfoliating ingredient.
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