I greatly enjoy watching people’s reaction when I tell them I wash my face with honey, but seeing their reaction when I tell them I occasionally wash my face with oil is even better.

It’s kind of the same as when you tell them the shirt they just gushed over was bought at Walmart. (I don’t condone Walmart so my face would be one of sheer horror.)

I have to say, for as strange and totally-against-all-valid-reason as it is spreading sticky oil across your face, the outcome is amazing. It melts off all your makeup and makes your skin glow. You can literally see the difference in just one day. No, really. Don’t believe me? Then, you have to try for yourself.

Again, I discovered this through Crunchy Betty’s fabulous website. She’s pretty much my go-to for any crunchy procedures or questions I might have. But I share my own experiences and tips on how to wash your face with oil.

Oil Cleansing Method, otherwise known as OCM:

First, collect three things- castor oil, a carrier oil, and a washcloth.

1. Castor oil is the most important ingredient.

It’s the oil that does the cleansing. I randomly bought this oil through an Etsy seller when I was trying to make my own shampoo, so it was kind of like fate that I had it on hand. Otherwise, I’ve heard that it is easily found at Target in the—wait for it—laxative aisle. Don’t run away screaming just yet. The whole point is that we should put things on our skin that’s pure enough to ingest right? Right? Just try to get past this and get your precious skin-loving oil.

2. Carrier oil provides extra benefits our skin needs.

I currently use extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil. Cold-pressed is generally the purest type of oil because adding heat kills a lot of beneficial properties. But other oils work just as well. Below is a list I’ve excerpted from Crunchy Betty.

• Jojoba (all skin types, but very desirable for acne-prone skin)

• Sweet almond (all skin types, especially oily)

• Grapeseed (all skin types, especially oily)

• Avocado (dry and aging skin)

• Sunflower Seed (all skin types)

• Olive (all skin types)

• Apricot Kernel (dry, aging, and normal skin)

• Argan (all skin types, especially aging skin, pricey)

• Tamanu (all skin types, pricey)

Now, I’ve heard rumors that some people may not have the greatest results with olive oil. Jojoba and grapeseed tend to have the best reputations among OCM fans. Luckily, grapeseed oil can be found next to the olive oil in good grocery stores and jojoba, well, call on the magic of the internet.

3. Last but not least, a washcloth.

Self-explanatory—get yourself a nice and clean one!

Next, figure out your best ratio. Think in thirds and halves. For normal skin, use equal parts castor and carrier oil. For dry skin, use 1/3 castor oil to 2/3 carrier oil. For oily skin, use 2/3 castor oil to 1/3 carrier oil.

I have have normal skin with the exception of a dry T-zone; so I use about 1/2 and 1/2 using slightly less castor oil. You can experiment and figure out the best ratio for yourself.

Now that all that preliminary information is out of the way, onto method.

1. With a dry face, makeup and all, mix together the castor and carrier oil in your hands. Massage gently onto your face getting every last bit including eyes and jawline and wherever else you have problem areas. Be sure to take at least a minute to massage it all in.

2. Hang out for five minutes. Here, I’ll brush and floss and dilly dally around.

3. Turn on the faucet to the hottest water you can handle. (I know I said heat is your enemy, but here, it’s necessary to help remove the oil.) Wet your washcloth well then wring it out so it doesn’t drip. Place it over your face and keep it on until it begins to cool.

4. Optional: repeat two more times.

5. Using the wet washcloth, gently scrub the oil and makeup off your face, rinsing and rewetting as needed.

6. Voila. You have a clean and make-up free face!

7. Moisturizing is generally not necessary but if you feel tight, use a bit of the carrier oil.

I like doing the washcloth process three times because, I don’t know, it feels right. Holding the hot washcloth over my face opens up my pores so the oil can get in and clean out the gunk. It’s truly exciting because my blackheads all but disappear! I do moisturize my T-zone, but it’s because I’ve gotten lazy and haven’t been as vigilant with my ratios. I end up using more castor oil than I should. I just mix a few drops right in my hand each time I do the OCM.

Now, should we use the OCM every day?

Some people do. I don’t. I use the honey wash every day and the OCM maybe once or twice a week—usually when I know I should wash my hair soon. On these days, I can be sloppy, get the oil close to my hairline and wash it out! If I committed to the OCM every day, I would have the skin people kill for. But between these two methods—honey and oil—I’m more than satisfied with the results.

Also, after using the OCM, your skin will look and feel so great, you’ll feel just dandy not washing it the next morning. In the end another added bonus: less washing, more skin health!

My bathroom is turning into a kitchen pantry right now and I’m loving it. How about you?

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Assistant Ed: Zenna James / Ed: Catherine Monkman