If you google OCM or oil cleansing method, you will be sure to find an overwhelming number of sites that swear by this new, natural method of cleansing. It’s not just skin either. The movement to co-wash, or conditioner-wash your hair is extremely popular. Also called no-poo, these methods fall into the science that the skin is the body’s largest organ and is very self-sufficient at oil production and regulation. That’s the key word; regulation. For many years, dermatologists have told those with skin issues such as oily or acne prone skin to scrub off the oil and scrub it good! They were throwing the most hard-core drying agents at the skin to essentially soak up the oil to prevent blemishes. Guess what happened? Those who were walking around wiping their faces with OxyClean pads soaked in alcohol were only robbing their skin of necessary moisture and, in turn, kicking oil production into overdrive. Our skin is too smart for the Clean and Clear pads. Skin says, “Yeah, go ahead and try to keep me dehydrated like a raisin. I’m going to turn on your oil-producing glands like the Fountains at the Bellagio to compensate. Because I need moisture.” So this leads to a vicious cycle.
But how do we thoroughly cleanse our skin without stripping it of its natural moisture? In the wake of the Clarisonic, it’s pretty easy to get a good deep clean at home while maintaining a gentle exfoliation process. But if you don’t have a Clarisonic or you feel like you are a little congested and want to really deep clean your pores, you might consider the oil cleansing method. Lets go back to Chemistry 101: Like dissolves like. Remember this? No? Good, me neither. I read it on google. Basically the Oil Cleansing Method follows the methodology that oil dissolves oil, so all of that makeup and grime that you have been wearing all day doesn’t have to be harshly scrubbed off to get your face clean. Throughout the day, your skin produces oil. Makeup mixes with that oil and with the influx of primers, BB’s, cream-based formulas, there’s a lot of stuff on your face.
I received a sample of Dermalogica PreCleanse in my November Sample Society box and decided to give it a whirl. My skin has freaked the freak out in the past year so I am struggling with some breakouts and irritation. My plan of action is to only use the most gentle cleansers and moisturizers until things get under control and then I will introduce some anti-aging products again. But because I’m so self conscious about the condition it’s currently in, I am using concealers to make my public outings a little less humiliating. At the end of the day, I just can’t wait to get my face clean and moisturized. So last night I tried the Dermalogica Precleanse deep clean oil treatment. Basically you start with a dry face and pour a little on your fingers and begin to massage your face with it for about 2 minutes. The oil warms up with the friction of your skin and begins to dissolve oil that has hardened on your skin. I took a nice 2 minute mind vacay to Bora Bora while I was massaging. Then you add warm water to your face to create a milky emulsification to allow the oil to gently wipe away with a dry cloth, leaving no residue behind. You can then use a mild face cleanser if you want, or if you use one with a BHA or AHA, your skin will be nice and prepared for the cleanser.
I can say that this is something that I am digging very much. I love the feeling of taking all my makeup off at the end of the day but I also love knowing that any old oil that has begun to harden in my pores can gently be dissolved and removed. My chin area had a bit of congestion that I could feel so I paid a little extra attention to it and the little bumps literally went away….in front of my eyes…like they just dissolved and went bye-bye.
Now, there are a lot of DIY OCM recipes and sites out there so I tried using my own Argan Oil to try it. The thing I didn’t love about using argan oil by itself was that it doesn’t have an emulsifying agent in it to lift the oil away. That milky mix that appears when you add water after massaging the Dermalogica is because there’s an agent that emulsifies the oil to easily wipe it away. So all the dirty oil that dissolved with the Precleanse is wiped off. With the Argan Oil it didn’t wipe away like that, it left a bit of oil residue, which feels nice, but it’s mixed with all the grime that I had been trying to get rid of in the first place.
I’m not sure if this will be a nightly routine for me because it is considered a deeper cleanse and I am trying to be as gentle as possible on my face now. The smell is heavenly and the feel of the oil is nice and smooth, not thick and sticky. But I have a strong feeling that this is going to be a purchase in the future.
Have you done the Oil Cleansing Method? How are you doing it and what are some tips you might share?
Availability: Dermalogica Precleanse $35
-Olive
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