her juvenescent elixir

The Oil Cleansing Method for make-up removal and deep skin cleansing.

What you will need:

• A small plastic empty squeeze container or jar [you can find this in the travel/miniatures section at your local drugstore or discount store.]
• Castor Oil [can be found at your local drugstore or grocery store.]
• A Cutting Oil [I use Olive Oil or Extra Virgin Olive Oil, you can also use Safflower Oil or something similar.]
• A funnel [if the lip of your empty container is small.]
• A measuring spoon or cup [if you feel you cannot eyeball your measurements.]
• A clean wash cloth.
• HOT water.
• Time.

Instructions:

• Turn on the hot water to allow it to warm up for the steam cleaning.
• Wash your hands.
• On a dry, uncleaned face, generously apply a half dollar sized amount of the castor oil recipe. [OCM Recipe for oily/combination skin: One part castor oil to two parts cutting oil; in this case, olive oil. Use more castor oil if your skin is drier--up to 50-50.]
• Gently massage the oil into your face. I concentrate on my t-zone and my eyes [to get that stubborn waterproof mascara and eyeliner off.] Sometimes I let it sit on my face for 5-10 minutes before the next step.
• Soak the towel in the hot water, then quickly apply it to your face. Hold it on your face until it starts to cool. Do not rub, just allow the steam to penetrate your skin and pores. Repeat until you feel that your face is clean. I often do this up to 6 or 7 times. **NOTE: The water is hot, not scalding.**
• You do not need to cleanse your face after the steaming.

My routine:

• OCM
• Twice a week: Apply a clay mask with Benzoyl Peroxide for 15 - 30 minutes and rinse.
• Tone. [I use witch hazel.]
• Medicate. [I used Neutrogena's On The Spot Acne Ointment all over my face every evening.]
• Moisturize. [I use 50% Oil of Olay all day moisturizer and 50% Emu Oil.]

I have had some sort of pimple problem since I was about 12. As soon a puberty hit full force I was breaking out. It is very much genetic and very much something I will have to deal with for the rest of my life. I’ve tried every acne medication ever invented except for proactiv, accutane, differin gel etc. The only thing I’ve ever had prescribed to me was Retin-A and I hated how it dried out my face.

I figured out that I was doing too much to solve this problem. I would wash, tone, use astringent on occasion, use blackhead scrubs, creams, zit gels and the list goes on and on. My skin was getting worse than it’s ever been.

I decided to read up on acne, AGAIN. I soon figured out that less was more. And, as it turns out, it was. I threw away all of my harsh cleansers and moisturizers with salycylic acid [that medication does nothing for my acne.] I began to heal my acne with plain old warm water. I washed my face with water in the mornings and in the evenings I’d cleanse with a regular face wash, not an acne wash. Soon, my face calmed down and I wasn’t getting any new pimples except for the occasional hormonal breakout [which were fewer and smaller than ever.] YAY! But I still had to deal with pimples that were there. The blackheads, the scars, and my brand new supersized pores!!

I want to note: my acne was never severe, but it was painful and ugly and persistent. It got to a point where I had no less than five blackheads and 3-6 whiteheads at a time any given week. Not a good look for a make-up girl. Make-up couldn’t cover that up. Also, at no point did I ever stop wearing make-up.

I decided to figure out how Proactiv worked. Why? So that I wouldn’t have to buy it. In the meantime I bought a mask [while looking for a clay mask that wouldn't break me out] to help deep cleanse my pores. After looking at all of these high priced clay masks online and in the health food store I bought something that I’d never looked twice at before. Made by Neutrogena, it had 3.5% benzoyl peroxide in it. I left it on 3 times longer than the instructions said and when I awoke the next day, I looked like a new person. My about-to-pop whiteheads were no longer red and angry. In fact, some of them were smaller and one of my blackheads was completely clean! BP - benzoyl peroxide was the key for me!

So what did I do, what do I use, and what is my routine?? [cont'd under the hood]::

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