Video Blog: How to Wash Your Face Using the Oil Cleansing Method

by Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home on May 10, 10

in Frugality, Living Simply, Natural living

Back by popular demand, my second vlog! This time it's on how to use the Oil Cleansing Method for keeping your face beautiful and clear!

I'll show you how I mix up the oils that I use, in what ratio I use them, and then give a bit of a demo of the actual washing process:

Want to learn more about the Oil Cleansing Method?

The Oil Cleansing Method- Some great, basic information on the method and why/how it works.

How to Clean Your Face Naturally @ Simple Mom

Oil Cleansing Method @ Sorta Crunchy

What do you use to clean your face? Any other Oil Cleansing gals out there?

About Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home


Stephanie Langford has a passion for sharing ideas and information for homemakers who want to make healthy changes in their homes, and carefully steward all that they've been given. She has written two books geared to helping families live more naturally and eat real, whole foods, without being overwhelmed and without going broke. She is the editor and author of Keeper of the Home.

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    { 39 comments… read them below or add one }

    RG May 12, 2011 at 12:33 pm

    I have always heard it ages your skin more to use hot water when washing your face, and to always wash your face with cold or room temp water. Any thoughts?

    Reply

    Melanie July 5, 2010 at 3:28 pm

    I have a question: I’ve been doing this for a few weeks, and now I feel like I’m getting a lot of clogged pores (little white bumps around my hairline, chin). I was doing 1:1 castor and olive, and just switched to 3:1 castor and olive (few days ago) with no difference. Am I doing something wrong?

    Reply

    Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home July 6, 2010 at 5:02 pm

    @Melanie, I’m not sure, Melanie. This actually helps to reduce my clogged pores significantly. Have you read carefully through this page? It might offer some answers:
    http://www.theoilcleansingmethod.com/

    Reply

    Jackie September 27, 2010 at 9:16 am

    @Melanie, Hi Melanie,
    I’ve just started this method, but have been using natural oils for skincare for some time. It sounds like you’re just not getting the oil of well enough in those places (hairline and chin). It’s very important to clean the oil off well, because it is full of dirt and toxins that it’s drawn out of your skin.

    Reply

    Hannah June 28, 2010 at 4:07 am

    What a great post! I can’t wait to try this method. I have been dealing with breakouts since my teens and I have spent thousands trying to clear up my skin. I just bought some serum to fade my acne scars. Would it be ok to use this with the oil cleansing method?

    Reply

    Susan Allums June 14, 2010 at 9:39 am

    I just wanted to THANK you for this beautiful presentation on cleaning your face with oil. I will admit I was VERY skeptical but after trying this method, for a month I would like to tell you how well this has worked. You see when I turned 30 I noticed my cheeks becoming more and more flushed, after trying many things, even a dermatologist it was determined I had rosacea. So after struggling with this almost 14 years, and trying every product, of every price nothing, and I mean nothing makes my face look as great as the oil cleansing method. WOW! My face is very different. My color is so great now. Very slight pinkish tinge (only after a shower or exposure to heat) no break-outs, smooth and actually glowing. It had become dull and lifeless. I have even told several friends, some of them with rosacea as well and we are all ecstatic with the results. Thank-you so much for a “life” saver. And keep all the great posts coming!! Many Blessings!!
    Susan Allums

    Reply

    Laura June 5, 2010 at 12:31 pm

    You know, I think the videos you’ve been doing around here are great, but I wish you’d put a little summary at the end. I bookmarked this page awhile back because I wanted to try mixing up some oils, but I don’t want to have to watch the whole video again just to get the ratios. Just an idea for those of us who are lazy video-watchers and prefer things to be written out! :-)

    Reply

    Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home June 5, 2010 at 2:01 pm

    @Laura, Noted. :) I can’t guarantee I always will, because the time it takes to make/edit/upload videos makes it difficult to be able to add much writing to the post without it becoming unmanageable. But I will try!

    Reply

    Joi May 18, 2010 at 5:42 pm

    I am loving your website and learning so much.

    My 14 yr old and I just started this method 2 days ago and love it! She had a ton of blackheads on her nose and after 2 days they are almost completely gone. I love how my face feels too.

    Thank you!

    Reply

    Tammy May 16, 2010 at 1:25 pm

    I read the post at Simple Mom back when it was posted, and bought castor oil, and then I forgot all about this! I watched your vlog last night and dug out my castor oil. It worked great! I was sceptical, but it worked. :) And it was so relaxing too! I’ll be using this cleansing method from now on!
    .-= Tammy´s last blog ..~Doll Blanket~ =-.

    Reply

    Christy Sheffield May 13, 2010 at 8:35 pm

    Thanks for sharing this information. My husband and I are taking baby steps (thanks to your book, too) to rid our house of toxins and live frugally. We are slowly clearing out old cleaners and replacing them with things like the no-poo method. I’m super excited about trying this because I, like many other women, am still plagued with skin problems as an adult. I have the dreaded combination skin, drier in the winter and extremely oily in the summer (yet still with dry patches). I can’t wait to see what will happen. Plus I love that I can adjust the ratio of oils depending on the season.

    Reply

    Laurie May 13, 2010 at 8:32 pm

    oops, check that…I mixed 2 tsp. castor oil to 1 tsp. of olive oil since my skin is oily. My skin felt fabulous all day today!

    Reply

    Laurie May 12, 2010 at 8:50 pm

    I was really excited when I saw your vlog last night and then checked out other links to the oil cleaning method. I am 57 years old with oily skin and I STILL deal with breakouts, ugh. I had to ask at the pharmacy counter for the castor oil at Target as it is a special order there but they had some in stock behind the counter. I mixed 1 tsp castor oil to 2 tsp olive oil to try. I must say my skin felt sooo soft after I was done I felt like I’d just had a salon facial! I can’t wait to see some long term results. The only thing I’m bummed about is I just spent $80 on Clinique facial products, pooey.

    Reply

    Allison May 11, 2010 at 12:42 pm

    I love this and can’t wait to try it! I’ve been doing the no poo method for a month now and can’t imagine ever going back to anything conventional. All that money I wasted over the years :(
    Ok, so now what do I do about shaving my legs??? I can just kick myself for starting so many years ago…please tell me you have a good idea for how to wean my body from doing that (unfortunately I’m NOT a natural blonde with soft hair either).

    Reply

    Mom3 May 11, 2010 at 7:25 am

    This looks worth a try. I have extremely oily skin and still get breakouts in my late 30s. I have a rather strange question: do you wash the washcloth in your regular wash? It seems like it would have too much oil that would get on the rest of the laundry.

    Reply

    Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home May 11, 2010 at 7:27 am

    @Mom3, I wash it with my towels (kitchen and otherwise). It doesn’t seem to cause me any problems in the wash, because I rinse it out so well.

    Reply

    Alison @ Hospitality Haven May 10, 2010 at 11:34 pm

    I’m so excited to try this!! I’ve been doing the no-poo method since you posted it and have been loving that too! Thanks for your inspiration on healthy and natural living. :)

    Reply

    Cara May 10, 2010 at 10:22 pm

    Does castor oil come from castor beans?? I just read from a mercola newsletter that the beans are extremely poisonous: “Castor Beans: One castor bean contains enough ricin to kill an adult within a few minutes.” I like the idea of oil cleansing but my red flag is up. Any thoughts??

    Reply

    Jule May 11, 2010 at 6:36 am

    @Cara, ” Ricin is found in the meal or cake after the oil has been extracted. Those who occasionally take castor oil may be assured that ricin does not occur in the pure oil.”- Quoted from http://waynesword.palomar.edu/plmar99.htm
    “Noteworthy Plants– The Castor Bean”

    Reply

    Cara May 11, 2010 at 10:43 am

    Thanks, Jule, for the info. I appreciate it :)

    Reply

    Jessica May 10, 2010 at 9:44 pm

    It sounds strange at first…using oil to clean your face, but then I took a soap making class and the most basic soap is made out of olive oil, lye and water. What a great (and economical) way to be a good steward of our resources!
    .-= Jessica´s last blog ..Welcome to the Gullible Gourmet!! =-.

    Reply

    Sheri May 10, 2010 at 7:55 pm

    Sounds like a good thing to try. I don’t wear a lot of make-up, but am usually wearing mascara. Does this take that off or do I need to wash first? Thanks, I love the vlogs!

    Reply

    Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home May 10, 2010 at 9:13 pm

    @Sheri, I actually don’t wear mascara so I can’t answer that, but it does remove the rest of my makeup just fine.

    Does anyone know about the mascara question?

    Reply

    alyssa May 11, 2010 at 2:30 pm

    The oils, along with hot water, work great removing my mascara. Even if you don’t use the OCM, you can still put oil(castor, olive, or a mix) on a cotton ball and wipe your lids and lashes. I do this instead of buying makeup remover. It’s worked great for me with “regular” mascara- I doubt it would work with waterproof, though. Hope that helps!

    Reply

    Sheri May 12, 2010 at 12:44 pm

    @alyssa, Thanks! I will have to give it a try. I have to go get some castor oil now. They may laugh at me at the pharmacy since I am 9-months pregnant. They will probably think I am trying to induce labor :)

    Reply

    Marcee May 23, 2010 at 10:10 am

    @Sheri,

    I have never used the recipe described here. But have been using plain Coconut oil to wash my face for several years. About a teaspoon. I do it much the same as she does her oil. I rub it into my whole face, neck, chest areas, and especially around my eyes for about 15+ seconds. I use waterproof mascara and regular mascara. I use a very warm wash cloth and just remove it. Rinse the washcloth in more warm water and repeat. It takes everything off. So well in fact that I need a little moisturizer when I am done. I usually just put a drop of coconut oil back onto my face for a moisturizer. Such a small amount it is gone in 30 seconds. I am acne prone and since using coconut oil my face is much clearer. Old dark spots (acne scars) have diminished to half. So I am using less makeup now to cover the blotches.
    I used to use Aubrey’s (oil) make-up remover to remove my mascara. But, since coconut oil works so well, I know longer buy or use anything else. So don’t hesitate to use oil to remove make-up of any kind. It has worked for me.
    I may try the recipe above just to see if it works better. But, being lazy, just using a little spoon to get a drop of coconut oil out of the jar is so convenient, if it not oodles better I will just stick to my old ways.
    Coconut oil is a good ph for the skin (slightly acidic), is anti bacterial, is anti fungal, and easy to find at any health food store.

    Reply

    Lanna May 12, 2011 at 11:00 am

    @Sheri, I think you can use coconut oil to remove mascara, & if I ever get rings of mascara under my eyed I like to dip a qtip in olive oil and just roll it over the splotch.

    Reply

    Hannah May 10, 2010 at 2:15 pm

    This is the first I’ve heard of this method, but I’m intrigued. Do you have a particular brand or source for castor oil that you recommend?
    .-= Hannah´s last blog ..For everyone who’s a mother or ever had one =-.

    Reply

    Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home May 10, 2010 at 9:16 pm

    @Hannah, No, I don’t. You can just use the stuff from a regular pharmacy and it will be just fine. There are higher quality brands of castor oil available, so obviously those are better, but any kind will work.

    Reply

    carrie May 10, 2010 at 12:28 pm

    This is intriguing. Can you use just olive oil? What’s the point of mixing the two? What about people with acne-prone skin?
    .-= carrie´s last blog ..10 on the 10th: grammar notes =-.

    Reply

    Rachel May 10, 2010 at 12:17 pm

    Thanks for spreading the word about OCM. I have acne-prone skin, but I have found that when I use the OCM with a little higher ratio of castor oil it helps clear my acne almost immediately and keep it clear as long as I do it regularly.

    At night I use the OCM to get makeup or dirt from the day off, in the morning I just do a gentle wipe down with a warm washcloth. If I have any dry spots I use a little coconut oil.

    Love your blog! I look forward to more videos, too! :)

    Reply

    Rene @ Budget Saving Mom May 10, 2010 at 10:54 am

    I can’t wait to give this a try. I will be ordering some castor oil right now. I have a question. . . for teens do you think that a 3 parts castor oil to 1 part olive oil would be good for their oily skin, or should we just experiment and see what works best?? Any suggestions? Thanks! I loved your video. It was good to “see” you again. (-: Rene
    .-= Rene @ Budget Saving Mom´s last blog ..Free Sample Wysong Pet Food =-.

    Reply

    LMK May 10, 2010 at 9:46 am

    How often do you use this method? Every evening or a few times a week? Also how do you treat your skin in the morning, just a water rinse?

    Reply

    Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home May 10, 2010 at 1:08 pm

    @LMK, Some may use it every evening. Personally, I am a lazy face washer and I do it just a few evenings a week. The rest of the time I only rinse with water.

    Reply

    Megan@SortaCrunchy May 10, 2010 at 8:55 am

    YAY!!!! I am SUCH a fan of OCM. I have been doing it for over three years now and cannot imagine cleansing my face any other way. Thanks for putting together a great visual on what this looks like! LOVE IT!
    .-= Megan@SortaCrunchy´s last blog ..The Long-Awaited Update on the As He Leads Us Project =-.

    Reply

    Kara Fleck May 10, 2010 at 7:41 am

    You’re right – it really is that simple & easy to do :-)

    Thanks for the reminder that as the seasons change we might need to consider adapting our skin care to suit our skin’s needs, too.

    Terrific vlog!
    .-= Kara Fleck´s last blog ..The Best of Both Worlds: Bringing Our Favorite Indoor Activities to the Outdoors =-.

    Reply

    Darcy May 10, 2010 at 5:11 am

    Thanks for that! As I’m trying to move to more natural everything, and began oil pulling recently, this will be my next step for skin cleansing!

    Reply

    Stephanie @ Keeper of the Home May 10, 2010 at 1:09 pm

    @Darcy, Oh, I’m experimenting with oil pulling a bit, too! :)

    Reply

    Katie May 10, 2010 at 5:09 am

    LOVE your vlogs. Hoping to see more in the future. Tried this before but I didn’t stick with it. I’m going to give it another try. Thanks.

    Reply

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