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Thu Oct 26, 2006 8:42 pm  |
Okay, so I tried the OCM for about a week and a half, but had to stop because just about every pore on my face seemed to become clogged. Additionally, I had several large and painful pimples every morning. My mix was approximately 50/50 CO/EVOO.
Is this hyper-purging or am I having a really bad reaction to it??
I also should add that before beginning the OCM, my skin appeared almost completely clear and calm. |
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Fri Oct 27, 2006 5:56 am |
Before you stop there are two things you should try first.
1. Change the EVOO to some other oil such as grapeseed oil, almond oil (what I am using), wheatgerm oil etc. I have been told that because EVOO can be too moisturising, some people do break out. Or at least that is a suggested reason.
2. Another thing people have mentioned that may cause breakouts is not washing all the oil and the accompanying debris from your skin. Try using a warm-hot face towel and put that over your skin a few times. This can help break down the oil making it much easier to wash off. I find if I try to wash my Oils using just warm water a film still remains.
HTH!  |
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Fri Oct 27, 2006 9:16 am |
Like cuppre said, make sure you are getting all the oil off - I let the warm-hot washcloth "steam" on my face at least 5-6 times and then lightly wipe the cloth around just to make sure. Your face should feel soft, not oily. I also follow up with a toner.
Also, I found the castor oil way too heavy, so I only use a few drops and not every single time. Most of the time I do a 60/40 mix of EVOO/jojoba oil b/c I have very oily skin and it does really well w/ the jojoba. I have not heard of anyone else using this combo; it's really all about experimenting and finding what your skin does best with.
I would have NEVER thought this would have worked on my skin, but now it gets congested when I DON'T do OCM. I guess it's not for everybody but don't give up just yet! |
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Fri Oct 27, 2006 10:40 am |
Thanks for the suggestions. Once my skin is a bit more back under control I will try the CO with Grapeseed oil. And make my mix mostly grapeseed oil.
I am pretty sure that I was getting all the oil off because I was very careful about doing the multiple hot washcloth rinses. After I started to see the congestion, I even started washing my face with my cleanser after doing the OCM -- but it didn't make any difference everything just kept getting worse and worse.
I really liked initially how my face felt after doing the OCM but the aftermath was really awful. |
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Fri Oct 27, 2006 6:48 pm |
You might be allergic to either of the oils. I am allergic to jojoba oil, or at least my skin reacts by having new tiny bumps. 
Don't give up on OCM as there are alot of options. As Bunny7475 suggested, perhaps try OCM without the castor oil? |
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Fri Oct 27, 2006 9:38 pm |
Thanks! I wondered about that -- I got a "kiss my face" olive oil/honey bar and I noticed an increased amount of tiny bumps the day after I used it. It wasn't a rash, it didn't itch or anything, it was just congested pores. I also use olive oil soap on the rest of me and have never had a problem -- could it be that my face is unusually sensitive??? It would be sooo wierd if I were allergic to olive oil!!!
I will try eliminating the olive oil and reducing the castor oil and see where I am at -would grape seed oil be the best substitute? I have jojoba oil too but only use it as a spot treatment because it tends to make my skin dry out.
Another thought -- could all that gentle massaging have stimulated my pores to create more sebum, and thus breakout? |
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Sat Oct 28, 2006 12:08 am |
Don't think massaging your skin will cause sebum production. I always believed that gentle massage is just good for stimulating circulation and that is a good thing generally.
I am not sure why sometimes parts of our skin is more sensitive than others, but if an olive soap does that to your skin then definitely replace the olive oil with something else. Grapeseed oil is a good oil and you can buy it at the supermarket. I have heard carekate say we should always try for cold-pressed ones. |
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Mon Oct 30, 2006 1:10 pm |
It is usual to go through a period of extreme purging when beginning a regimen that includes OCM. The reason is because the oils are drawing deeply imbedded dirt and impurities to the surface of the skin. Once this process has completed – and provided you continue using OCM – you will rarely experience any breakouts after this period of adjustment.
As the others mentioned, you could also be having a reaction to one or more of the oils you are using so you may want to consider switching to another. Below is a list of various oils that can be used in skincare, along with their benefits. Be sure to note that Jojoba oil is sometimes known to clog pores so you probably don’t want to switch to that one!
And, as Cuppre said, it is best to utilize oils that are processed via cold-pressing because this ensures that the benefits (i.e. vitamins/nutriets) of the oils are not destroyed by exposure to heat processing.
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Sweet Almond oil - Contains: glucosides, minerals, and vitamins A, B1, B2, B6 and E. Rich in protein.
Uses: Helpful to all skin types. Helps relieve itching, soreness, dryness and inflammation. Very lubricating, but not penetrating, which makes it a good massage oil, and protectant. Can be used 100% strength.
Apricot Kernal oil - Contains: minerals and vitamin A..
Uses: all skin, very rich and nourishing. helpful for prematurely aged, sensitive, inflamed, delicate or dry dehydrated skin. Can be used 100% strength but normally used at 10-25%.
Avocado oil - Contains: vitamins A. B1, B2, D, E, Pantothenic acid, protein, lecithin, fatty acids
Uses: Very penetrating. Moisturizing for dry and dehydrated skin, eczema, improves elasticity. Very thick heavy oil, best blended with others. Normally used at 10% to 25% dilution.
Castor oil - Contains: glyceride of ricinoleac, iso-ricinoleac, and lesser amounts of stearic, linoleic and dehydroxysteric acids.
Uses: Prevent scars. Helpful to dry, chapped skin & lips conditions hair. Often used as a fixative for fragrance. Use at 10% dilution.
Coconut oil - Contains: According to Sheppard-Hanger, is closest substance to human sub-cutaneous fat and more compatible with skin than vegetable oils.
Uses: dryness, itching, sensitive skin,tanning aid. Use as base or 10-50% additive. Cannot clog pores, making it an ideal carrier for oily or troubled skin. Good hair conditioner.
Grapeseed oil - Contains: vitamins, minerals, protein, linoleic acid. Cholesterol free.
Uses: all skin types, odorless, penetrating. Very light oil. Slightly astringent, tightens and tones the skin. Does not aggravate acne or leave a greasy feel. Good in light face lotions. Use full strength.
Hazelnut oil - Contains: vitamins, minerals, proteins, oleic and linoleic acid
Uses: Slightly astringent with fast absorption. Useful as base for oily, combination skin & acne. Tones and tightens skin, simulating to the circulation, helps maintain firmness and elasticity. Encourages cell regeneration. Only two fatty acids account for 90% of its fatty-acid content and both of these are unsaturated. With nearly 80% oleic acid and 10% linoleic acid, hazelnut oil is one of the most highly unsaturated vegetable oils.
When incorporating hazelnut oil into your soapmaking recipes, be sure to include more saturated fats and oils in the formula for more normal tracing times. With only 7% saturated fatty acids, hazelnut oil is slow to saponify. Hazelnut oil also contributes stable lather and conditioning qualities to soap. Use 100% as base or in 10% dilution. I found SAP values varying from .129, .136, .195.
Hemp Seed oil - (Hemp seed oil does not have any of the intoxicating properties of the leaves or seeds.)
Contains: It is a greenish color oil which contains 50% linoleic acid, 30% linolenic acids, plus 3% GLA These are the building blocks of our skin. Hemp seed oil is known as "Nature's most perfectly balanced oil". It has the lowest amount of saturated fatty acids and the highest amount of polyunsaturated essential fatty acids resulting in a moisturizing and penetrating oil that can be used directly on the skin if desired. These oils have the ability to enter directly into the lipid layers of dry skin cells and replenish the missing oils. Dermatologists claim that EFA's (essential fatty acids) replenish dry skin, preventing cell loss and causing younger looking skin. Besides EFA's, hemp seed oil contains vitamins and enzymes that are easily absorbed by the skin and contribute moisturizing qualities to cosmetics and soap.
Uses: Hemp seed oil is a rich, nutrient oil pressed from hemp seeds, and a favorite oil for nearly all toiletries. It is believed to soothe and heal dry skin and minor burns. It is exquisite in lotions, lotion bars, lip balms, and of course, soaps!
Jojoba oil - Contains: protein, minerals, plant wax, myristic acid.
Uses: Similar to our bodies own natural oils, penetrates skin very rapidly, therefore not good for massage, but excellent for nourishing skin. Healing for inflamed skins, psoriasis, eczema & dermatitis. Can help control acne and oily skin or scalp. Used also for hair care. Good for all skin types. Can clog pores. Myristic Acid is anti-inflamatory, so may be a good base oil for treating rheumatism and arthritis. Use a 10% dilution or full strength.
Kukui Nut oil - Contains: Very high in linoleic acid, oleic acid
Uses: Extremely good penetration to all skin levels, soothes irritation, sunburn, lesions, burns. Protects tissue from drying. Cosmetic chemists report that Kukui oil has an excellent skin feel. They say the Kukui oil seems to be readily absorbed into the skin & it does not leave a greasy film. It seems to make chapped or rough dry skin feel smooth, silky, and soft. It seems to prevent scarring when applied to abrasions. Use as 5-10% additive.
Macadamia Nut oil - Contains: Palmitoleic acid, 60% oleic acid, omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids,very stable.
Uses: All skin types. Tones aged or dry skin, Skin-softening. Wound healing. Macadamia's fatty acids are helpful in maintaining the skin's critical water barrier functions. It is self-stabilizing and requires no antioxidants. In addition, it has an excellent safety profile that includes low order of oral toxicity. All of this suggests its usefulness in facial products, baby products, balms and lip-glosses.
Olive oil - Contains: protein, minerals, vitamins
Uses: rheumatic conditions, hair care, cosmetics, soothing, nail & hair care. Helpful for inflamed skin or acne. Bruises & sprains. Use10 to 50% dilution. Traditionally used to produce macerated oils.
I also like using Neem oil to treat breakouts/bumps, mixed with a few drops of Lavender EO and/or Calendula extract. Here’s the profile for Neem oil: http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/learn/oilprofile/neem_oil.php |
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Über-oily,semi-sensitive, warm/fair-skinned redhead, 38...Will swap/shop for members outside U.S. and/or make homemade skincare products upon demand-PM me for details. |
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Mon Oct 30, 2006 2:54 pm |
An excellent oil - but STINKS to high heaven!! |
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Think for yourselves and let others enjoy the privilege to do so, too. ~ Voltaire www.Candessence.com |
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Mon Oct 30, 2006 3:11 pm |
| when i first started using ocm i broke out a bit becuase i didnt get all the oil off my skin. I started using witchhazel after to make sure i got it all off. Now I wash my face with cold cream soap and various others (l'occitane)to make sure i get it all off. |
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Mon Oct 30, 2006 4:43 pm |
I have been experimenting with OCM in the last week and a half. I had one cystic bump come up and go away quickly, but this was due at least in part to hormones. My pores, though, have not become cleaner.
Before I had a few large, dark pores. Now those pores look lighter, BUT I see many more smaller pores with gunk in them. Is this purging too? After OCM in the evening, I do the hot washcloth thing several times until I don't feel any more oil--in the morning, I wash my face with AHA cleanser from skincarecentral.biz instead to speed my routine up. I use a microfiber cloth morning and evening.
I am trying to stick with the OCM for a longer period to give it a chance to clear up, but I'm really afraid that I am gunking my pores up forever.
priscilla |
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Tue Oct 31, 2006 4:19 am |
Thanks carekate for the rundown on the different kinds of oil. Tempted to add macademia oil to my mix now.
Also please check your PM  ! |
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Tue Oct 31, 2006 6:11 am |
| Candy8865 wrote: |
An excellent oil - but STINKS to high heaven!! |
NO LIE!!! But I used it to create a first aid salve containing Neem and Lavender EO and the scent wasn't so bad -- and the salve is AMAZING in how quickly it heals!!
Ditto my cuticle balm where I used Lemon EO to disguise the smell of the Neem. I think the benefits of Neem oil outweigh the olfactory offensiveness and you only need a tiny bit to be effective.... |
_________________
Über-oily,semi-sensitive, warm/fair-skinned redhead, 38...Will swap/shop for members outside U.S. and/or make homemade skincare products upon demand-PM me for details. |
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Tue Oct 31, 2006 6:37 am |
| Priscilla wrote: |
| Before I had a few large, dark pores. Now those pores look lighter, BUT I see many more smaller pores with gunk in them. Is this purging too? |
Yes, this is purging too! The combination of the oils and massage/suction action is drawing the deeply embedded dirt to the surface of your skin, as well as softening sebum plugs of long-buried blackheads so that these plugs will be purged as well (that “grit” you sometimes feel when massaging the oils on your face which makes you think you got sand or something in the oil).
| Priscilla wrote: |
| I am trying to stick with the OCM for a longer period to give it a chance to clear up, but I'm really afraid that I am gunking my pores up forever. |
You’re not going to gunk up your pores forever - that is a myth. In fact, you are actually going to get your pores cleaner than they have ever been before!!
I don’t actually use OCM myself, rather I use my beloved Burt’s Bees Orange Essence Facial Cleanser (click here for full review: http://www.essentialdayspa.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=12803&highlight=burts+bees+orange+essence ) which provides all of the benefits of OCM without the mess and/or hassle of mixing oils each time to cleanse my face. When I first began using my orange cleanser regularly, I went through a brief period of purging (which also happened to coincide with my monthly cycle) but after that my skin has stayed remarkably clear and I’ve noticed that the pores where I used to have the most stubborn crop of blackheads predating when I hit puberty have stayed clear and have not become congested again, as always happened in the past (i.e.: I’d purge the blackhead out and a couple weeks later that same pore would be clogged up again).
Please give OCM at least a month before you give up and throw in the towel because I think you’ll find that it will completely turn your complexion around! |
_________________
Über-oily,semi-sensitive, warm/fair-skinned redhead, 38...Will swap/shop for members outside U.S. and/or make homemade skincare products upon demand-PM me for details. |
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Tue Oct 31, 2006 6:54 am |
You know, I wonder if skin might also be reacting because you are still stripping away too much of the oil. The reason I say this is because a few people who have complained of breaking out after using OCM say they use hot water to wash off the OCM and then use a follow-up cleanser as well. Since one of the reasons for choosing OCM is to ensure that the cleansing process does no strip us of natural oils, perhaps less after cleanse would help?
Am I making sense here? had this thought while doing my own OCM routine. No breakouts, but no miraculous plugs coming out either.  |
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Tue Oct 31, 2006 7:02 am |
| cuppre wrote: |
You know, I wonder if skin might also be reacting because you are still stripping away too much of the oil. The reason I say this is because a few people who have complained of breaking out after using OCM say they use hot water to wash off the OCM and then use a follow-up cleanser as well. Since one of the reasons for choosing OCM is to ensure that the cleansing process does no strip us of natural oils, perhaps less after cleanse would help?
Am I making sense here? had this thought while doing my own OCM routine. No breakouts, but no miraculous plugs coming out either. |
Yes, I forgot to add that in my post as well -- thanks for reminding me!
When using OCM, it is not necessary -- repeat: NOT NECESSARY to wash your face with a cleanser afterwards. In fact, it's detrimental because you are over-stripping your skin and it is going to compensate by shifting your sebum glands into overdrive and start a vicious circle with your skin. Next time you use OCM, just remove it with the warm/hot washcloth and then use a toner. Save that cleanser to use when you wake up in the mornings! |
_________________
Über-oily,semi-sensitive, warm/fair-skinned redhead, 38...Will swap/shop for members outside U.S. and/or make homemade skincare products upon demand-PM me for details. |
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Tue Oct 31, 2006 8:12 am |
DIY Girl
I had a similar violent reaction to OCM, while my skin overall did look better, I was breaking out like mad!  After 2 months of nonstop breakouts I had to give it up for a while, I still believe in OCM but possibly the mix's I was using were not agreeing with me. Or maybe I just really had that much nasty gunk hiding in my pores(I know for a face I was rinsing it off properly), either way I have 2 weddings coming up and the Holidays so I didnt want to be a zit monster in all the pic's! Ive been eyeballin' the BB's OEC and will probably give that a shot after the new year. |
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Tue Oct 31, 2006 8:56 am |
I had breakouts when I used OCM but my pores were cleaner. Also, my skin became more sensitive to AHA/BHA products and I had to use more gentle products, not sure what I did wrong. I did use a cleanser after OCM because I thought the breakouts could be from the oil not being removed completely. That's probably what made my skin more sensitive.
Maybe, I'll try OCM again and stay with it a little longer to see if the breakouts would stop. |
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Tue Oct 31, 2006 5:38 pm |
Thanks for the advice CareKate and Cupre. I will try to hang in there, and I'll also try to stop washing my face with cleanser after OCM.
I don't feel grains coming off when I am massaging the oil into my T-zone, but after do the hot washcloth part (several times), I can see the gunk in my pores becoming better defined. It LOOKS like it wants to come out, but even if I use my extractor, nothing pops out. I also tried opening up the top most layer of skin with a lancet, but I still can't squeeze anything out. I can just SEE it. Is this good? Bad? Abnormal? I'm also wondering if I should steam my face BEFORE and AFTER the oil massage. Advice?
priscilla |
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Tue Oct 31, 2006 7:15 pm |
| Priscilla wrote: |
I don't feel grains coming off when I am massaging the oil into my T-zone, but after do the hot washcloth part (several times), I can see the gunk in my pores becoming better defined. It LOOKS like it wants to come out, but even if I use my extractor, nothing pops out. I also tried opening up the top most layer of skin with a lancet, but I still can't squeeze anything out. I can just SEE it. Is this good? Bad? Abnormal? I'm also wondering if I should steam my face BEFORE and AFTER the oil massage. Advice?
priscilla |
Same for me too! |
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Tue Oct 31, 2006 8:15 pm |
| Priscilla wrote: |
I also tried opening up the top most layer of skin with a lancet, but I still can't squeeze anything out.
priscilla |
EEK! You should NEVER do this! I dont mean to scold but you could seriously damage your skin by doing this! Maybe you should try massaging the oils in longer or using a clay mask to "draw" it out, or even an exfoliater. Try the aspirin mask, the DIY recipie is on the DYI sticky. HTH! |
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Wed Nov 01, 2006 8:54 am |
Yeah, the lancet thing is bad, but it is something that I read and that was too tempting not to try since I can SEE the gunk coming to the surface but not coming out.
Example: last night, I did the oil massage for 20 minutes and used 3 sequential hot towel treatments to get clean off of the oil. Afterwards, the clogged pores were like very sharp black dots on my nose (vs fainter, more diffuse black dots on my nose). They even LOOK like they want to pop out, but they don't. Very frustrating.
I've tried clay masks after OCM, as well, but they don't get rid of the gunk either--they shrink the pore but don't get rid of the gunk coming to the surface.
Suggestions or advice? This is really frustraing and it's hard to keep going with it when all I see is more black stuff in my pores. 
priscilla |
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Wed Nov 01, 2006 9:01 am |
| Priscilla wrote: |
Yeah, the lancet thing is bad, but it is something that I read and that was too tempting not to try since I can SEE the gunk coming to the surface but not coming out.
Example: last night, I did the oil massage for 20 minutes and used 3 sequential hot towel treatments to get clean off of the oil. Afterwards, the clogged pores were like very sharp black dots on my nose (vs fainter, more diffuse black dots on my nose). They even LOOK like they want to pop out, but they don't. Very frustrating.
I've tried clay masks after OCM, as well, but they don't get rid of the gunk either--they shrink the pore but don't get rid of the gunk coming to the surface.
Suggestions or advice? This is really frustraing and it's hard to keep going with it when all I see is more black stuff in my pores.
priscilla |
Try the aspirin mask or something else with SA in it, its great for cleaning out the pores. The aspirin mask gives really good instant gratification. |
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Wed Nov 01, 2006 9:05 am |
i've tried using a 5% salicylic acid solution as a toner afterwards without good results. is the aspirin mask likely to work better?
thanks vonstella! |
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Wed Nov 01, 2006 9:39 am |
| Priscilla wrote: |
i've tried using a 5% salicylic acid solution as a toner afterwards without good results. is the aspirin mask likely to work better?
thanks vonstella! |
Try my Super Sonic mask, which combines BHAs (aspirin) with AHAs to take care of what's in the pores and the dead skin cells on the surface that could be blocking the entrance to the pores so the gunk can't come out. The recipe is in the DIY sticky thread (it's full name is "Dr. Holland's Super Brightening Super Sonic Facial Mask"). |
_________________
Über-oily,semi-sensitive, warm/fair-skinned redhead, 38...Will swap/shop for members outside U.S. and/or make homemade skincare products upon demand-PM me for details. |
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