oil cleansing method

When I was preggers with my daughter, I became very conscious of what I was putting on my body. Usually a new mom worries about what she puts into her body, but since I ate well (and my cravings were all over the junk food map!) I shifted my focus onto beauty products.

Holding my squirmy 8-month old here, which is why I look funny!

I soon discovered that the stuff I was washing my face with were not only toxic, but also unnecessary. You know when you know these things in the back of your mind, but you gravitate towards the pretty little packing and advertising claims anyway? That was me.. Yep. Didn't help that I worked for a magazine that had blow-out sales twice a year and I scored high-end (ie, ridiculously expensive) products for only a few bucks. Seriously, I packed in closets full of beauty potions.

This is my beauty arsenal and all I use on my face.

FAST-forward four years and I'm still on this kick. Except now we're on a one-income salary and it just doesn't pay to spend money on, erm, 'incidentals'(?) Since my obsession second home is Pinterest, I've discovered a great and healthy cleansing method that costs very little money and it has given me super glowy, dewy and clear skin (I can go on and on). 

What is it?
OCM. That's right. Just three letters crunched together to sound like a cable channel. Maybe it is, but I've definitely tuned in. It stands for Oil Cleansing Method and I'm in love. I've 'Youtubed' this and even read various testimonies on it. Women love this. So, I too, have jumped on the bandwagon to Great Skinville. 

How on earth do I wash my skin with oil? 

Easy peasy. Simply put a nickel-sized drop of oil between your palms, rub your hands together and massage onto your face. *I keep my skin dry for this part.* Once I've got it all on, I moisten a washcloth with warm/hot water and stretch it out over my face so it 'steams' my skin. I leave it there for a minute or so and continue to do this a few more times until I feel the oil has penetrated. I then continue to rinse the washcloth with warm water and exfoliate in circular motions. This is very relaxing! However, most nights I'm just scrambling to get myself - and kiddies - to bed that I totally miss out on that.

Do I wash morning and night?
Depends. Sometimes I'm too busy to wash my face in the morning and I just do it at night.. you know, to 'wash the day away'. I find it also saves on resources and since your skin doesn't get terribly dirty from night to morning, I think its fine.

Is it capable of removing makeup? 
Honestly, I don't usually wear makeup, so I'm not an authority to say. However, I have worn HEAVY DUTY organic sunscreen that turns my skin kabuki-white, and seriously doesn't budge AT ALL, and I haven't experienced a problem with taking it off. You just have to put the washcloth to your face and rinse it more times, but it eventually does come off. Makeup is much easier to dissolve!

What oil do I use?
I use Castor oil because its good with removing impurities from your skin. I've also used olive oil and coconut oil and liked those as well. Its all about preference and what works for you. I would just steer clear of lower quality oils since it is your face and you don't want to sacrifice quality for quantity. Trust me, the stuff lasts a long time since your only using a little bit and its much cheaper in the long-run than buying face wash!

What do I use after washing?
I put a drop of Moroccan Argan oil onto my face and rub it in while its semi-dry. I find when my skin is still a little wet it seeps in better. I love how it moisturizes and keeps my skin dewy. Plus, its Fair Trade, so its good not only for me, but the workers who harvest it. I don't use any creams or moisturizers and I'll always opt for oil even when I'm in a pinch. Heck, I even moisturize our babies delicate skin with almond oil!

So that's it. Beauty routine in a nutshell, nature's "pretty little packaging"!