When I was a teenager, I had pretty bad skin. Actually, really bad. Having slightly oily/combination skin, I suppose that’s to be expected, but honestly I remember it being horrible. I thought it would go away as I got older but it never did, so by the time I was 25 I was ready to slam my face against a wall. I have always washed my face before bead. Cleanse and tone – that’s always been there. I’ve used different products, but none really helped. I started using Proactive when I was 25 and it cleared up a lot of it, but I still got blemishes, plus I hated putting all those chemicals on my face.
That’s when I read about the OCM (Oil Cleansing Method) on pinterest. So many people had said it had done wonders to their skin, so I had to try. I followed all the basic recommendations, starting with Castor Oil, using a hot towel to wipe the oil off and all the rest of it. It seemed to be going well. I then found a skin care line that pre-made oil cleansers and had something custom made for my skin based on my description of my skin’s properties. Bad Idea. Really bad idea. It totally destroyed my face. Not my cheeks, or nose, but the edges of my face – so under my chin, and my forehead were covered in acne – tiny little blemishes all over. They were red, they were ugly and they hurt! I had read some people didn’t do well with the OCM and had the same problem – but since the majority of people in the OCM forums and on blog posts about it were raving about how it left their skin glowing, I ignored the warnings and tried it anyway. Turns out, if you don’t have a particular skin type, it could backfire like it did for me.
I stopped using that stuff immediately. The lady who owned the line felt so bad she gave me a refund and suggested I get something that exfoliates to help clear it all up. I did some hunting and found Alba’s Acnedote Face Scrub. This stuff was awesome and I could see my skin starting to clear up, but I still had scars all over from the OCM damage, and I was still getting blemishes. Then I saw a post on pinterest about Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV as it’s known for short). You’d think I’d have learned my lesson from following pinterest suggestions, but it seems I’m stubborn and this time it was a good thing.
I started out with a mix of half water, half pure ACV and would use a cotton pad to wipe my face with it after cleansing with the face scrub. I noticed my skin clearing and even the scars going away. I did a bit more research and learned that different essential oils could be added for additional benefits and to cover the smell (no one want’s their face smelling like salad dressing!). I also found that witchhazel was recommended for an astringent so I put the two together. I’ve tried tons of oils now – lavender, tea tree, lemon, rosemary, sea buckthorn, argan, and I can’t even remember all the others. My mix changes slightly each time I have to make more (after running out) but it’s pretty consistent in being 1/2 witchazel and 1/2 ACV. I then usually add 10 drops of tea tree oil (which gives me a nice tingle when I’m applying it, but is diluted enough to not be drying), and several drops of lavendar, lemon, and sea buckthorn. Sometimes I add other things like Rose Mesquite or Rosemary, but those are my standards.
I’ve been doing this for almost a year now and my face is completely clear. I mean – clear, with no blemishes, and with an even skin tone. The scars are totally gone. No blotchiness. Every once in a blue moon (usually from wearing sunscreen or doing something out of my usual routine) I’ll start to get a blemish, but it’ll never actually get that far – it’ll go away before being anything more than a slight reddish area after using the toner mix. I now also have a Tea Tree Oil blemish stick from Rocky Mountain Soap Factory that my fiance gave me for Christmas in my stocking (so romantic, no? Whatever, it works!) and I’ll dab some argan oil before bed around my eyes since they’re supposedly the most delicate skin on your face and I don’t want to have any signs of premature aging.
So there you have it – – my secret recipe for clearing Oily/Combination skin, brightening skin spots and eliminating scars. I hope this is useful to you – it made a world of difference for me.
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