As a beauty addict, I’m always on the quest for new amazing products especially if I can save money.  I’ve been hearing a lot about the Oil Cleansing Method (OCM) and how these same oils are great for your hair, so I have been using  natural oils, such as castor oil, coconut oil, and grapeseed oil, in my hair care and skincare routine.

CASTOR OIL

Castor oil contains vitamin E, minerals, proteins, antibacterial and anti-fungicidal properties. Scientists attribute its healing benefits to its unusual chemical composition, which consists of a triglyceride of fatty acids with ricinoleic acid of up to 90 percent. In addition to healing benefits, castor oil also contains anti-inflammatory properties, all of which are related to healthy hair growth.

BENEFITS

• Highly effective remedy for hair thinning and hair loss.
• Applying to scalp prevents dry and itchy scalp.
• The oil mends hair scales bringing back shine and strength to the dull and lifeless hair.
• The ricinoleic acid in castor oil works to inhibit many viruses and bacteria, to cure acne.
• The glossiness of the bean oil makes it a popular choice for lip balms.
• Keeps the skin looking smooth, youthful and unlined.
• Thickens eyelashes and eyebrows

REMEMBER

Castor oil isn’t a moisturizer, it’s a sealant.  So make sure you use a water based moisturizer for your hair. Castor oil can be drying, so adding olive oil or another moisturizing oil can prevent dryness of the skin.

WHERE TO BUY:  Most supermarkets or pharmacies may also sell castor oil in small bottles in the laxatives section.

COCONUT OIL

Coconut oil has numerous benefits for both hair and skin. It is nutrition for all hair types, helping hair to shine, softening hair, remedying damaged hair by helping to preserve the hair’s natural proteins  and can even providing relief from dandruff.  For the skin, coconut oil is an excellent moisturizer for all skin types, and especially for dry and older skin. Coconut oil is so good at smoothing out the appearance of wrinkles and helping with skin conditions like psoriasis and dermatitis that it’s often added to commercial skin care products.  And there’s more––the lauric acid in coconut oil has both anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties

BENEFITS

• It is effective in reducing the protein loss for damaged and undamaged hair.
• It is an excellent conditioner and helps in the re-growth of damaged hair.
• Provides the essential proteins required for nourishing damaged hair.
• Coconut oil also helps in treating various skin problems including  dry skin, psoriasis, dermatitis, eczema and other skin infections.
• Prevents premature aging and degenerative diseases due to its remarkable properties.
• Great as an effective natural deodorant.

REMEMBER

Look for extra virgin, that has not been hydrogenated, bleached, refined or deodorized.  This form of coconut oil is the most safe and skin friendly. It has a very low melting point and does not solidify on your skin, clogging up the pores, as is the case with other coconut oils.  A small amount goes a long way.  Too much oil will leave your hair greasy and stringy.  Also, do not leave the oil in your hair for more than a day without washing it, your hair will become greasy.

WHERE TO BUY:  Health food stores like Whole Foods

GRAPESEED OIL

Grape seed oil contains high quantities of Vitamin E and F and also minerals like zinc potassium, copper, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron and selenium. But most of all grape seed oil is rich in proanthocyanidins (OPC) a compound that is high in antioxidants which are 50 times more effective than Vitamin E and 20 times stronger than Vitamin C. Antioxidants are found in grape skins and seeds and are more concentrated in red and black grapes.  These great components make grape seed extract an asset in the production of massage oils and balms, hair and hygienic products, face and body moisturizers, as well as in sunblocks and sunburn ointments.

BENEFITS

• It contains 73% of linoleic acid which may be beneficial in the treatment of acne, dermatitis, allergic reactions, atopic eczema and dry and itchy skin.
• Protects against UV radiation, and lightens the effects on age spots and pigmented skin caused by ultra violet rays.
• The antioxidant activity may help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, stretch marks, and saggy skin activity may help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, stretch marks, and saggy skin.
• The grapeseed oil for hair protects the hair from heat.
• Because it is lightweight, it is quickly absorbed by the scalp and moisturizes the hair follicles from the roots down.

REMEMBER

When buying Grape Seed Oil, look for cold-pressed organic oil since it retains most of the natural beneficial ingredients compared to the chemically pressed oils.

WHERE TO BUY:  Grape Seed Extract is available at most herbal food and drug stores. It can be purchased in the form of capsules, tablets, oil and powder.

MY SKINCARE REGIME:  THE OIL CLEANSING METHOD

I have been experiencing issues with acne and redness lately, and  I’ve  heard so many great benefits of using the Oil Cleansing Method (OCM), that I decided to give it a try.  I know using oil to cleanse your face sounds pretty strange, but judging from the reviews I’ve read, it’s worth trying.

HOW IT WORKS

Cleansers, exfoliates, astringents, and scrubs can strip the skin from its essential oils (sebum).  Although I’ve been taught to wash my face twice a day, what that actually does is strip my skin from its natural glow and lead to an unhealthy cycle of skin irritation and acne.

Crazy as it sounds, oil dissolves oil.  So by using the OCM , you’re getting rid of the dirty oil, while replenishing it with nourishing oil.  This will eventually clear the skin from issues like oily skin, dry skin, sensitive skin, blackheads, whiteheads and other problems caused by mild to moderate acne–while leaving your skin healthy, balanced and properly moisturized.

HERE WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:

• PREPARATION

Castor oil and extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) are the most common combination of oils used in the OCM.  Castor oil is great for cleansing and dissolving, and it is also antibacterial, but it also can be drying, so depending on your skin type,  you’ll want to use more or less castor oil proportionally to the other oils.

OTHER OILS:

Jojoba (all skin types, but very desirable for acne-prone skin)

Sweet almond (all skin types, especially oily)

Grapeseed (all skin types, especially oily)

Avocado (dry and aging skin)

Sunflower Seed (all skin types)

Olive (all skin types)

OIL CLEANSING RATIO

Dry Skin: Blend 1 tablespoon castor oil with 3 tablespoons carrier oil.

Normal Skin: Blend 2 tablespoons castor oil with 2 tablespoons carrier oil.

Oily Skin: Blend 3 tablespoons castor oil with 1 tablespoon carrier oil.

Remember, that what may work for others, may not work for you.  So you can adjust the ratio to what suits you.  I have oily skin, so I use grapeseed oil as my carrier oil, and because I’ve noticed that the castor oil can be drying so I put a little on grapeseed oil into the mixture and/or apply olive oil as a moisturizer.

• CLEANSE: You don’t have to remove your makeup, you can start with a dirty face.  After you’re finished mixing the oils, pour a quarter-size into your palm and begin to massage the oils into your face for about two minutes.
• RINSE: Put a washcloth under hot water.  Adjust the heat to let it cool and it apply the warm washcloth to your face for 10-15 seconds.  Then begin to gently wipe the remaining oil from your face.

If your face is feeling tight and dry, you can apply a drop or two of the carrier oil to moisturize your skin.  Use the OCM at night and in the morning, simply just a damp washcloth to gently wipe your face.  I’ve only been using it for a couple of days, so it’s too early to give any results, but I will keep you posted.

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MY HAIR CARE ROUTINE

Castor oil is beneficial with hair thinning/loss and dry scalp, so I like to massage it in my scalp and along my hair line.

I use coconut oil as an hot oil treatment and deep conditioner.  After I wash my hair, I mix it with my hair mask, sit under my heated cap for about an hour and rinse it out.  I’ve also seen reviews of people using it as a pre-poo.  Remember that coconut oil can cause hair to be stringy and greasy so you want to rinse it out.

Because it’s lightweight and odorless, I love to to use grapeseed oil as a moisturizer for my hair.  It helps add shine and hydration without looking stringy and feeling greasy.

HAVE YOU TRIED ANY OF THESE OILS IN YOUR HAIR CARE AND/OR SKINCARE ROUTINE?  HAVE YOU TRIED OTHER OILS?