OCM adventures

If you read my previous post, you won't be surprised by this entry and that I'm onto a whole new "let your body do its natural thing" adventure. It's called the OCM - the oil cleansing method. Yep! I'm rubbing oil all over my face to clean it. I know, it sounds completely backwards, but in all honesty, I'm three days in and I think I'm hooked. I change my mind like the stinkin' tides, but this one just might stick.

You should know that for how little I clean my hair, I'm a bonafide fash-washing freakshow. Some can't go to bed without brushing my teeth and I always, always, always wash my face. And I've tried everything on it. The picture above shows only a few of the soaps, toners and lotions I've wasted paychecks on in the just past few months. Told you: Freak. Show. That's why I'm hoping the OCM continues to produce positive results. It's cheap, it's easy and, seriously, my skin feels great.

Why OCM works: Just like stripping your hair with shampoo, we strip our faces when we wash them with soap. This leaves our skin dry forcing our skin to attempt to replenish what we've taken away by creating a bunch of oil. Basically, not cute. Cleaning with oil not only avoids stripping our skin, but oil dissolves oil, so the OCM allows the face to clean itself while also maintaining it's natural balance.

To make: Go to your grocery store and pick up a bottle of castor oil as well as another carrier oil like EVOO, sunflower seed oil, almond oil or jojoba oil (which I'm using). Then get an ice cream sandwich and a bag of Doritos, 'cause it's about to get CUHRAZAY. At home, mix the two together, depending on your skin type:

Oily skin: 3 parts castor oil, 1 part carrier oil
Normal skin: equal parts both
Dry skin: 1 part castor oil, 3 parts carrier oil

I started with the normal skin mix and added one drop of tea trea oil for good measure (hey, adult acne, welcome to the party!). You can experiment to see what works for you. Add more carrier oil if you're dry and more castor oil if you're oily.

To use: Pour about 1/2 a tablespoon into your hand and rub the oil on your face, massaging for a minute or so, using pressure to really work the oil into the face so it can do its job. There's no need to take off your makeup before hand, because the oil does this too (plus, castor oil is good for lashes). Then you take a washcloth, soak in hot water, wring it out and lay the cloth over your face. The steam will open your pores, allowing the oil to be easily removed. After a minute, gently wipe your face. Rinse your washcloth in the hot water. Repeat the steam/wipe combo two more times. When finished, just splash some cool water on your face and pat dry.

Most articles suggest doing the OCM just once, at night, then in the morning rinsing your face with water. If you're using the right combination of oils, you shouldn't need lotion. But if your face is like mine and feels just a little dry at night, dip your finger into the oil mixture, rub it between your hands and then put on your face like you would lotion. This works great for me. Then in the morning, after my water-only wash, I just  pat on a teeny bit of spf and I'm out the door.

Wait, no. I put on pants. And makeup. THEN I'm out the door. Who needs shirts anyway? 

no 'poo 'do

Those who know me well know that when it comes to washing my hair, I'm a one to two-times-a-week kind of girl...Okay, it's definitely closer to one than two. I'm just not a big fan of the old lather, rinse, repeat... to the point where my coworkers have been running polls on how long it's been since my last wash. They make guesses, because they can't actually tell.

On a long stretch, I go 3-4 days hair down, then it's all up from there - ponytails, high buns, low buns, headbands, braids, scarves. The gamut. I'll do it all to avoid a wash. But I can. Because it's not greasy.

When you wash your hair every day or every other day, you're stripping your hair of the natural oils it needs to stay healthy. Your hair then overcompensates by trying to hurry up and add extra oil before you strip it again. Sad hair day, bad hair day. So, why not opt for unwashing and let your hair do it's own thing?

I can't go so far as to join the newly popular No 'Poo movement. Still, I'm a huge seller of the infrequent 'poo. And even though you're probably thinking this makes me a Grossie Mcgrosserson, I've convinced a number of my friends to hop on the bandwagon. Sure, it takes a few weeks of practically marrying a bottle of dry shampoo in order to keep your roots from looking completely soaked, but when it's over you'll save yourself so much time! And that - I think (and my converts would agree) - is totally worth it. Helloooo, way more time for pizza eating and lifetime movies? Yes please! 

Anyway, all I'm trying to say is "don't knock it til you try it." And by that I mean try it. I even promise to be there when you feel like whining about the in-between stage. Cross my heart!  


Please note: Just because I don't shampoo, doesn't mean I'm not clean. I rinse off in shower when need be. You know, to clean up after a work out (ha), to be extra warm, to knock all the bottles off the little ledges trying to shave my legs, etc. 

Sayonara

 

 

I guess summer is the time to go away, because I just attended another send off! It was a grill party for my friend Beej (my music baby buddy), who's going to Japan to visit his brother, Travis. Travis works for A&F and got an offer to relocate to Japan's new flagship store, so he and his wife Sarah packed up and left! I love life's unexpected opportunities and so enjoy hearing about people and couples and families who take advantage of these kinds of adventures.

I'm equally excited for Brandon to experience overseas travel and to explore a new culture. It's so exciting! It just makes me thankful all over again for my life and the chances I've had to visit other countries and understand how other people live throughout the world.

The going away party was a blast! It was so great to spend time with Brandon and his friends - the ones I already knew and a few new faces - including Jilly - who I've been waiting to meet for, like, ever! While his friend Matt loaded the kabobs and prepared the food, I ate snacked until I was full. That's always the case, huh? Eating the dinner before it's actually done? I was just too eager to hold back - and isn't that just the story of my life!

With that, here's to you Beej. I hope you have the best time ever and that you take tons of pictures, so my blogbesties and I can live vicariously through you!

Cheers & safe travels!