Virgin Coconut Oil and the Oil Cleansing Method

Hello Ladies! I am currently in the process of testing out new products and beauty methods which take some time for results. I am so excited to share them with you!

In the meantime, let me tell you about my modified version of the Oil Cleansing Method (OCM). Being a voracious internet surfer, I first came across this method when I was researching about the many uses of virgin coconut oil. I previously made a post on how to use VCO as a remedy for hairfall. Since I have so much left, I wanted to see what else I can use it for.

This is how I understand the principles behind the Oil Cleansing Method: 

1) There is a "rebound effect" when you use overly drying skin care products. When we use products that rob our skin of  its natural oils, it overcompensates by producing more oil. This predisposes to clogged pores and acne. Achieving truly clear skin requires a balance, and the irony is you have to leave oil on your skin surface to keep it from producing too much oil from within.

2) Like dissolves like. In this case, hardened sebum in our pores are dissolved by oil. 

Makes sense, doesn't it? :-)

These are the simplified steps in the Oil Cleansing Method:

1) Apply a generous amount of oil on your skin (enough to cover your face, but not to the point that it is dripping down your chin). 

2) Massage your face

3) Apply gentle heat: may be in the form of steam, or a (tolerably) hot towel. The hot steam generated while you shower the rest of your body may be enough. You just want to open your pores, not cook your skin. 

4) Wipe away/wash away excess oil with water. Some use hot water to dissolve the oil. Some use cold water to close the pores. Some say use room temperature water. The goal is to leave just enough oil that your skin needs. 

I followed steps 1-3, using a hot towel. Heat opens up your pores and lets the oil dissolve the sebum stuck in deeper areas. However, just washing with water makes me feel that there is still too much oil on my face. I have to use a small amount of mild soap to wash away the excess oil. This is probably because VCO is heavier than the other types of oil that are being used for OCM. In spite of being heavier, it does not clog pores. The type of oil used varies from person to person. Some use a mixture of sunflower and castor oil. I guess it would depend on personal preference, skin type and what  is available to you. I prefer to use my VCO since I have so much of the stuff lying around. Maybe I'll try to add a bit of castor oil in it someday, but for now, pure VCO is enough for me.

Try this once and you'll get hooked. I noticed a big difference the first time I did it. My face felt so much softer, but clean, and GLOWING! Not the oily type of shine, but a sheen that looks healthy from the inside. I do this at night, when I have the luxury of time. In the morning before work, I do a very quick massage and skip the hot towel. Right now, I hardly use any moisturizer. I just apply sunscreen on top of that "just right" amount of oil left on my face and I'm good to go. My face is far from oily and my skin has been so clear since I tried it!

I just want to add something about the face massages. You can find articles devoted entirely to this topic. Look them up and you will find tips and techniques on how to do a proper massage. I do this while I'm watching TV or reading. It's a bit tiring on the fingers, but I really try to do it regularly. Aside from helping you gently exfoliate your face and dissolve all the impurities and sebum on your skin, massaging can work wonders in removing fine lines and increasing your skin's elasticity. It does this by increasing blood circulation to your face. A good blood circulation increases the supply of oxygen and nutrients to your skin and promotes the  production of collagen and elastin. 

There are really no hard or set rules on how to do a proper massage, just try to use upward strokes as much as possible. I put a bit more effort on my jawline, chin, my laugh lines and around my eyes which are areas that I feel need more "lift".

If you've heard of "RF Slimming", it uses basically the same principle which is improved circulation, but with the aid of radiofrequency for stimulation of subcutaenous layers and heating. Personally, I feel that a good diet, lots of water, exercise and extra TLC is enough to achieve healthy and beautiful skin :-) You don't even have to spend on expensive products! It just takes more time and effort to see results, but I find that the natural method is always better. If you just stick to your routine, you don't have to waste big bucks on these "quick fixes".

Have you tried the oil cleansing method? What type of oil do you use? I would love to hear your story :-)

Thanks for reading this!

Home Made Remedy for Falling Hair: Coconut Oil and Castor Oil

I recently made a post mentioning one of my hair troubles: falling hair. The main culprit was rebonding for so many years. Initially, my hair was so thick that I didn't really mind all the hair loss until I noticed that my hair was beginning to thin out. I really freaked out! I didn't want to go bald. I decided to stop having my hair chemically treated, and began to look for a way to grow back my hair.

I did a lot of research, and found out that there are a lot of natural cures to fight hair loss. I guess this wouldn't be as effective for those who really are genetically predetermined to lose hair, ie alopecia areata. However, since my hair loss is due to chemical exposure, I figured that some TLC would help.

I came across tons of blogs about homemade cures and remedies for falling hair, but I decided to try out two ingredients which were readily available to me.

The first ingredient is virgin coconut oil. I bought one made by Prosource from the local drugstore and it was quite cheap. There are so many ways to use virgin coconut oil. It is used topically for hair and skin care, and can also be ingested to improve blood cholesterol levels. It's so convenient to have a bottle around, to rub on very dry skin, remove stubborn makeup, and just pamper your skin before taking a bath.

Virgin coconut oil is very mildly scented, and does not make me break out. It is a definite must have as a beauty staple.

Speaking of Prosource, I also LOVE their Virgin Coconut Oil Soap. I have been using Dove for years, because I have sensitive skin, until I tried out their soap. It is much more gentle than Dove, less scented, but it bubbles up really well and it made my skin sooo soft and supple. I really feel the difference after bathing with this soap. Downside is, it's a bit more expensive and gets used up faster. But it is still so well worth it. You don't even need to put lotion on when you use this soap. That's how good it is.

If these products are not available locally where you are, you can check out their site here.

* Prosource product images taken from http://www.hktdc.com/manufacturers-suppliers/Prosource-Int-l-Inc/en/1X07QK93/)

The other ingredient I used was Castor Oil. I just bought a small bottle from the drug store. It is very cheap, and a small amount goes a long way. Castor oil is known to promote hair growth, and is also popularly used on eyelashes and eyebrows. I dab a little along my lash line and over my eyebrows before I sleep. This stuff is sooo sticky but is odorless, and has not irritated my skin. Like coconut oil, it is also being used in oil cleansing methods. I prefer to just keep it on my hair.

I started using castor oil when I had a "grooming accident" on one eyebrow, and I was desperate to grow it back quickly. I decided to try it on my lashes too. My eyebrow filled in quickly, and I notice that my lashes are fuller now, with new growth on parts that were bare before. I just use my pinky finger for this, but you can use a cotton bud. Some even use washed empty mascara tubes, but I'm just too lazy to wash all that gunk off my used ones.

I mix 3 parts virgin coconut oil and 1 part castor oil in a small atomizer, give it a good shake, and spritz it onto my hair. I use a thin comb to part my hair in small sections, to make sure that stuff gets into the scalp. You don't really need a lot, just enough to cover your scalp. Then I give myself a good scalp massage, wrap my hair up in a bandana, and leave it on overnight. When I wash it off in the morning, my hair feels healthier and invigorated. Downside is, it takes two washes to get all that oil off.

For good measure, I also used hair fall repair shampoos and conditioners by Dove and L'oreal, just to minimize possible hair fall caused by hair care products. To tame my unruly hair, I used Lauat Leave-On Hair Conditioner from Watson's.It contains lauat, gugo and virgin coconut oil, all herbal ingredients which are traditionally known to promote hair growth. They also have a shampoo in this range of products, but since I already had two brands of hair fall repair shampoos, I decided not to try it anymore.

I'd give this product a 4 out of 5 since it did help control my frizzy hair, and didn't weigh it down so much.

I did this VCO + castor oil routine about 2-3 times a week. Within 2 weeks, I noticed that my hair loss was reduced significantly (I would say more than half AT LEAST). I also noticed A LOT of baby hair growing within a month. That's why I decided that it was finally okay for me to go back to the salon and have my hair straightened again, this time with a less harsher method.

I've stopped doing this routine since then but I'm really happy with the results. If you decide to try this, I hope it works out as well for you :-) I think the best thing I did was to stop the chemical rebonding altogether. All this work will be futile if you keep subjecting your hair to what caused it to fall in the first place.

Have you tried other methods to control hair fall? I'd love to hear them :-)

Thanks for reading this!