oil cleansing / rosehip oil has wrecked my skin, what can I do?

[cerealqueen]

I had been using the oil cleansing method for about a month / six weeks and using a few drops of rosehip oil on my face. I don't know which is responsible but my skin is now really congested around my forehead, temples, nose and chin. I've stopped both now but my skin is the worst it has been in a long while, very bumpy and with blackheads. My cheeks seem to have escaped and are generally ok.

What can I do to sort my skin out? I can't afford any salon facials (we really are far too broke) I'm breastfeeding too, which limits some options.

[BeauNeidel]

Use some soft brown sugar and/or bicarb of soda as a scrub, and lemon juice as a toner (not on the same day though!) This should help.

I would say though you probably haven't been doing it long enough and it's just all the crap under the surface coming up.

[InNeedOfBrandy]

I was justr about to say it' the crap under the suface coming up. I do OCM but only with a light olive oil and no castor or rose hip.

[cerealqueen]

I have been using castor oil and cold pressed sunflower oils for the ocm, the rosehip oil was just a few drops added to my moisturiser.

Do you really think I should continue, have not done it for a couple of weeks now because I got the congestion and thought my skin might get worse then better but it just stayed worse. I planned to do it twice a week but have chronic waking baby and sometimes only managed once a week, frequency make any difference to efficacy?

[DonaAna]

I got severe cystic acne from OCM two years ago, it took months to clear and scarred my skin. I only use oil-free products now.

[BeauNeidel]

cereal, OCM on my non-sensitive skin did nothing for me. I was hoping it would get rid of the blackheads but it didn't, and tbh I only use oil now to remove make up.

If you really think it's not helping, then just stop. I have read that castor oil is the best (or worst, depending on your POV!)

[QuinnFabray]

A salicylic toner or home peel would really help to decongest your skin. My skin gets really easily congested, and I have to be very careful what I use on my skin. Most creams, lotions clog me up, and yes, OCM did the same.

I use a gentle cream cleanser or Cetaphil to cleanse - Clarins extra gentle cleansing cream, or Alpha H balancing cream cleanser both worth well, to remove my make up and clean my face in the evening. In the morning, when my skin is make up free I use Cetaphil, or Clinique facial soap for oily skin, depending on how my skin is.

After I've cleansed I aways use a toner, which is key to keeping my face unclogged. I alternate between La Roche Posay Efflaclar astringent lotion, which contains salicylic acid, and the soothing toner, again depending on how my skin is.

I use Clinique moisturising gel in the morning, and at night Clarins Lotus oil. Strangely, although this is an oil, it does not clog me, where 95% of all other creams and lotions do.

About once a week, I do a 10% salicylic acid peel from Bravura London. Salicylic acid gets right into your pores and unclogs them, it's changed my skin. I still have a few blackheads, but my skin is clean and clear and I don't get spots anymore.

It's taken me years of trial and error to find these products, and they work so well I'm sticking to them. I occasionally try something else and my skin doesn't thank me for it.

[spanishring]

I wonder if it's the rosehip oil - I could never get on with it and now I use the Clarins lotus oil, like Quinn and in the day I use an oil free moisturiser, like Clarins hydra quench.
I think that OCM is trial and error. I found most oils too heavy or greasy and so I use an Emma cleansing balm one - though I appreciate that might not be in an option as its£35 ( but lasts forever )

[QuinnFabray]

Ah see, even the Emma Hardie cleansing balm clogs me up. I like the cleansing method ( with a hot cloth ), but it only works with me if I use a cream rather than an oil. I do use rosehip oil, but only a drop round my eye area. Jojoba I've found to be less clogging than most other oils.

[Sillybillypoopoomummy]

I agree that you haven't done it for long enough. However, you should also use a toner to close your pores and remove vestiges of the oil - I use rose water from lush which is lovely and gentle and also makes the rosehip oil properly absorb into my skin rather than sitting on top. It may also be worth looking at the oil you are using to cleanse with. I found sunflower/castor/jojoba etc were far too drying which actually made my skin produce more sebum to compensate and resulted in spots. I now use sweet almond oil and since I switched to that and the rose water my skin has been amazingly clear. Hope that helps!

[Sillybillypoopoomummy]

Oh, and I do it every night!

[MoomieAndFreddie]

another OCM convert who thinks you haven't been doing it long enough

i have been doing it a year almost and for the first couple of months my skin was dreadful but after that its never looked better and i will never go back to anything other than the OCM

i use just olive oil to cleanse then a bit of coconut oil as a moisturiser.

everyone comments on my good skin. (sorry to show off :o )

[BeauNeidel]

Oh yes - how could I forget? I've got a massive continental shop near me and got some almond oil and rose water for about £3 in total. I love using the rose water.

I put a drop of tea tree in my oil when I do use it. I don't get spots very often, I just love the smell!

[foosty]

interesting - I had generally only been using oil on my skin to cleanse, coconut usually, followed by an Trilogy or a nice oil-based serum I've got, and kept on having cystic breakouts too, and my chin esp looks very congested. I'd been thinking that the oil was just blocking my skin up too. I must've been doing this for at least the last couple of years, though admittedly not every single day.

I've shifted back onto facial wash (neutrogena oil-free) followed by Philosophy serum and moisturiser and my skin is a wee bit spotty but getting better again. Also have the Bravura stuff which I do think works a treat, but I find it leaves my skin quite tight after using it.

It's a shame because I instinctively feel that using oils would be better, but I was getting so fed up and embarrassed at the state of my skin - and it's not covered on acne or anything, but I'd just get big deep red un-squeezable spots that take ages to heal and leave red marks behind. It knocks my confidence too much - I need to do what works for my skin and I don't think that's OCM.

Those that have persevered with it - how long until your skin is genuinely clear? And do you get NO spots once you're clear? Or still the occasional one?

[QuinnFabray]

I use a few drops of the Clarins lotus oil after I've done the Salicylic acid peel, and any tightness goes away. Because the Clarins is expensive, once I've used a quarter of the bottle, I top it up with cheaper jojoba oil to make it last longer. Those two mixed together seem to work fine and don't clog me.

[cerealqueen]

Thanks for the further responses, I don't think OCM is for me, sadly.

I'd love to do a salicylic acid peel but am breastfeeding and having done a google, it seems to be a no no. Would a different peel be a good idea? I did have a look at Bravura as it was mentioned in a thread a few weeks ago.

A scrub and Cetaphil looks like a good recommendation, I might have a look on Amazon tonight.

I feel like a teenager again .

[MargoLeadbettersfrock]

I got huge red painful lumps from the OCM.

I think the massage stimulates oil production and if like me youare oversensitive to massage it can lead to the "bumps" forming.
My skin is combinationbut with non visible pores ifysim
The best thing I ever did was to stop touching,massaging it etc - increases oil production and to wash gently every day with REN rose cleansing gel and use Origins scrub very gently once a week.

[cerealqueen]

I would love OCM to work as it does make sense but, I think part of the downfall for me is that I am prone to broken veins so couldn't have the cloth too hot?

I might look at my oil use too, was using rosehip as it has anti ageing qualities.

[pollyteapot]

I'm so sorry this has happened, especially as all reports on the PCM say it's the best for your skin.

I have used to OCM method for years and have sensitive skin. My blend is Apricot and peach oil, and when I need a deeper cleanse, I add a touch of castor. I also use a Serum with Rosehip in it. But OCM is such a trial and error. I had a few spots come out when I started

Perhaps try some Jojoba oil just now, not as a cleaner, but simply let it soak into your skin. Jojoba is a wonderful oil and closely resembles the skins own natural oils - its; great for sensitive as well as spot prone skin.
If you feel that your skin needs a bit of soothing, try some Sweet Almond oil, even Rice Bran Oil is a lovely oil (tescos do it) which is light and sinks in very well. It's one of my favourite oils.

[skandi1]

Rose hip oil is know to make acne worse. But that is assuming you suffer from
Acne. I think it's castor oil which is causing your problems.

I can't use anything with castor oil. It causes big lumpy spotty welts on my face. Not just ocm but other products with castor oil (found it lots of cleansing products).

I ocm but with sweet almond oil, jojoba oil or similar. I have started using Akamuti orange cleanser about 4 months ago. It's pure almond and peach oil with orange oil and I ocm with it. It's quite cheap and easier than mixing the same oils myself.

I first tried ocm about 3 years ago and I did it with castor oil and sweet almond. Horrible big lumps on my face and hard to get rid of. Stopped it and some months later tried without castor oil. Just plain oil. No lumps spots or problems and have been doing that ever since.

I think your problem is castor oil. I can use rose hip no problem but I have to stay away from castor oil.

[cerealqueen]

Hmmm, maybe the castor oil is the issue. I thought it was key in 'extracting' and as I have blackheads and open pores.

Will look at Akamuti and jojoba, thanks for those suggestions too. A lot to think about!

[skandi1]

I had blackheads and open pores before I began ocm. I don't any longer. Castor oil isn't necessary. I know some people do really great with castor oil but some react badly. I have seen lots of posts on mn about ocm and mners who had problems with castor oil.

Sweet almond oil is lovely as hair oil too if you have fly away hair like me.

[Cerealqueen]

Hello, thanks for all the advice just thought I'd update in case this can help anybody else. I have been using an exfoliating cloth, (like the Bravura one) each morning, clearasil ultra spot cream for the occasional angry spots, and hyaluronic acid serum with my olay moisturiser. At night, I'm using a tea tree cleanser from Superdrug. My skin is A LOT clearer. The cloth and serum I got off ebay and can't recommend them enough.

OCM just wasn't for me, I could not do the hot flannel being prone to thread veins so it probably won't ever work for me!

[valiumredhead]

OC wrecked my skin too so have been using the aloe ranges from The Body Shop which is amazing - I have had the best skin ever for the last few months. Rosehip oil is still ok and I use it sparingly.

[WayneDeer]

The OCM method had me back to teenage skin
I'm unsure that it is for all especially if you have had real problems when you were younger