Other Ways I'm Apparently Becoming a Hippie.

After I saw the vast improvement of the No 'Poo Method with my hair,

I started wondering about my skin.

Hello, Oil Cleansing Method.

You heard me: OIL.

You put oil on your face.

A lot of people freak out when they hear this because they think putting oil on their face will clog their pores and make their skin break out like crazy.

Not true.

Remember Science class?

Like dissolves like.

Basically what this method does is dissolves and removes the nasty oils from your skin and replaces it with natural, nourishing oils.

You can compare this to the No 'Poo Method. When shampoos strip your hair of its natural oil, it tries to make more oil and you end up with oiler hair.  Using the method balances the Ph level of your hair and it doesn't overproduce more oil.

Same with your skin.  Cleansers strip your skin of its natural oils, so it freaks out and makes more to make up for it. You're left with acne, oil, and blackheads.

So pretty.

These oils balance your skin's Ph level, making your skin less oily and leaving it in much better condition.

So, what oils to use?

There's a lot.

It can be overwhelming.

(Go here if you want to find out WAY more)

But I'll tell you what I use because it's working for me.

Tea Tree Oil - great for all kinds of things

Jojoba Oil - great for acne prone skin

Castor Oil - your base oil, used in every version of the method. There is a difference in Castor Oil you get at the grocery store, and the health food store. Cold Pressed/Processed is better as the grocery store stuff can clog your pores. So buy from the health food store!

Olive Oil - great for all skin types, nourishing

In your research you may find you'll just need Castor Oil and another oil of your choice, but you really just need to experiment with it.

What I use is:

1 TBL Jojoba Oil

1/2 TBL Castor Oil (a full tablespoon is too drying for me)

1/2 TBL Olive Oil

1/8 TBL or so Tea Tree Oil

Mix it, don't dilute it.

I don't make more than this at a time incase my skin changes.

This amount lasts me about two months, though.

(Which means those bottles of oils should last me, like two years. Score.)

Now for how to use the method!

I use this only at night. 

Twice a day was too drying for my skin. 

In the morning, I just rinse my face with warm water and then cold water.

Pour about a dime size of the oil in your palm and then rub it all over your face. I keep my skin dry when I do this, so I know where the oil is going.

Rub it in good. 

You might feel some grittiness as you rub - this is gunk from your pores coming out. 

You heard me.

I rub it in for about thirty seconds and then let it sit on my skin while I turn my faucet on.

This is important, people:

The way you cleanse with this method is through steam.

Once your water is as hot as you can stand it, soak a washrag in the hot water.

Squeeze out the excess and then put the washrag over your face.

The steam opens your pores and lets the oils really do their thing.

Leave it on until the rag has cooled to room temperature.

Now you're going to turn the hot water back on and spend the next minute or so wiping your face, rinsing the rag and repeating until the oil is gone.

(NEVER reuse the washrag. Use a clean one each time.)

And now you're done!

This takes a little more time than using a traditional cleanser,

but I find the hot washrag to be like a mini nightly facial and I look forward to it.

I don't typically use a toner after this, if I do it's 1 part ACV to 3 parts Green Tea.

I don't find a need for moisturizer anymore either, but if I'm feeling a little dry I use a traditional night cream.

I'm still on the hunt for a good natural moisturizer, but right now I use drugstore stuff.

I haven't dabbled in making my own - yet.

I'm on about month four of this method and I'm in love.

My acne has settled down except for cyclical,

my scarring is a lot better,

the redness isn't as bad.

My skin is also way softer.

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While we're on the subject of like dissolving like and oils, you should know that the best eye makeup remover I've found, especially for waterproof mascara is Olive Oil.  Because waterproof makeup is usually oil based, so an oil would dissolve it.

Trust, girls.

Buy Olive Oil.

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Body wash is another thing I've been curious about. They do the same thing to your skin, stripping it of natural oils, putting other chemicals into your bloodstream.

You know the drill.

So, I use this now.

I leave it on the floor of my shower so it melts, then I pour it in my hands, rub it all over and rinse.

It's fantastic.

Coconut Oil is a natural anti fungal and antibacterial, so when you use it as a body wash it absorbs in your system and you get a bit of those benefits.

Plus your skin will be unbelievably soft and dewy.

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When did I become such a skin hippie?

I would like to know this.

But, I'm a fan of everything I use

because it works wonders and

I'm okay with fewer chemicals all up in

my body.