Oil Cleansing Method for Combination Skin with Lucky Cloud
Does the famed Oil Cleansing Method (OCM) work for people like me with combination skin- not too dry or too oily, just always stubbornly spotty and uneven? Lucky Cloud Skincare used me as a guinea pig to find out!
The theory: oil dissolves oil.
“olive oil was rubbed in to skin, which loosened dirt and grime”
It’s actually quite an old system. Before soap was used to clean our bodies (which we’ve only done since the 19th century when it was first produced industrially) many cultures used oil to cleanse their bodies. One of the most traditional oils used (in ancient Roman times) was olive oil. It was rubbed into the skin, which loosened dirt and grime and was then removed with a tool (called the strigil) which you scraped against the skin, removing the oil and dirt, before having a lovely hot bath! The key point to take away here is that oil dissolves oil. The basic idea is you massage oil on to your skin, which loosens the dirt and impurities on the surface of your skin and in your pores. You then remove said dirt and oil with a cloth. Easy peasy. It's ideal for people with dry, sensitive and mature skin, or anyone who wants fresh & clean skin without stripping away your natural oils
HOW TO
Fill a basin with warm water and soak a cotton face cloth. You don't want scalding hot water, but you don't want it luke warm and tepid either. Find a balance between the two.
Squeeze out excess water and hold against face for a few seconds. This part of the process helps to get your skin ready, by “steaming” your pores.
Scoop out a small amount of balm (approx the size of a blueberry) and warm between your fingers
Massage all over your face. This is going to remove and dissolve make-up, sunscreen, dirt and just general grime from the day. You’ll find that it will do such a good job of dissolving make-up that you shouldn’t need to use any make-up remover.
Don’t forget to inhale deeply to enjoy the scent of your cleanser as well! Enjoy the process!
Using your face cloth that’s been soaked in the hot (ish) water, squeeze out excess water again and hold against your face.
Start wiping the day away! Rinsing the cloth as you go will help to get your skin squeaky clean.
Once done, make sure you give your cloth an extra rinse and hang out to dry
Finish by misting your face with a toner or hydrosol and apply your chosen moisturiser or oil
My verdict
I, like many, had doubts starting the oil cleansing method, because I had always thought it would make my skin greasy seeing as usually, I stick to micellar water and light moisturisers. However, after 3 weeks of using the Nourishing Cleansing Balm daily and the Balancing Face Oilevery two days, my skin has not felt greasy at all, simply more moisturised and cleaner! So good news for combination skin peeps like me; no need to fear an oily face!
In the interest of total honesty (which I like to think my blog always sticks to), the method has not actually reduced my spots, and my skin very much looks the same, even if it does feel softer and healthier. So for me, the OCM was certainly no quick aesthetic fix, but I have a sneaking suspicious my skin woes are much more related to my diet, and my stress, than my skincare routine!
However, the actual process felt much more gentle and more luxurious, especially with a hot muslin cloth at the start to open the pores, and of course, it being Lucky Cloud, the products smelt absolutely gorgeous. The best part about this brand- apart from it being based right here in Edinburgh and run by the lovely Lucy Cardwell- is that every formula is 100% natural, meaning its kind to sensitive skin! This oil and balm are jam packed with skin loving vitamins, nutrients and essential fatty acids, and best of all, they are vegan and cruelty-free!
