REVIEW: Holland and Barrett PUKKA Castor oil & REVIEW: Miaroma Grapeseed Oil

Hey guys, just wrote another post about the oil cleansing method and here are the products I'm using for it! Just two oils, and that's all ya need for the method anyway.

I ordered both of these on line, and I think because my cart went over a certain price the shipping was free. 

PUKKA Castor oil &  Miaroma Grapeseed Oil

I think the price for both of these are just over £10, and considering how much you get and how much you need they really will last a long time. A scrub nowadays costs roundabout £5 anyway, so two of these together I wouldn't consider expensive. 

PUKKA Castor oil: One thing about Castor Oil. IT SMELLS. Now, I don't know whether it's just this brand,  because I've googled to see if it was just me dying from the smell and it seems that the internet disagrees since others have said that there shouldn't be a smell or that there wasn't one to begin with. This leave two options a) It's the brand I'm using b) My bottle has gone bad. I know it's not b), since the expiry date is about 2 years, and the bottle was sealed when I got it. So I guess it's just this brand. I'll write down below how to deal with the smell. Other than the smell "problem", the oil is thick very thick, and is a very, almost clear, pale yellow. It seems to be doing its job with the cleaning, and at 250ml it's a good size. The bottle is made of glass, which will be a pain in the butt for me since I don't want to take it overseas. Then again, I could just buy Castor oil when I go the USA as all the gurus who use the method are from the US anyway. (Also, this oil is cold pressed and organic, which is the ONLY type you want.)

Miaroma Grapeseed Oil: At 118 ml, this plastic bottle helpfully comes with a lid that you can squeeze oil out in drops. Still causes a slight mess, but it's better than the Castor which is just a screw on lid. A pain in the butt when you only need 3 drops! Anyhow, the oil is much thinner and is a yellow colour, very easy to distinguish both oils from each other so I can never get them mixed up. This oil doesn't really have a strong noticeable smell, and the only tiny tiny issue I have is that I'm not sure if Grapeseed oil in general should only be used if organic. If so, I can't tell with this one. The ingredients only say Grapeseed oil and vitamin E. Neither are bad for you, and the oil doesn't seem to have a negative effect even if it isn't strictly organic. 

Solving the smell and quantity issue! I recently bought these two joys from Ebay. Two glass 10ml droppers. One for Castor and one for Grapeseed Oil. This solves the smell problem with the Castor as I only need to open the droppeR and squeeze 3 drops onto my hand. This minimizes the strong smell and the only time you smell it is when you rub it on your  face. You have to squeeze the dropper quite hard on the Castor oil to get the oil into the pipette, but it's doable. Before getting these droppers I was pouring the oils into a small shallow plastic jar, which wasted SO much oil and made it so hard to measure. I would have to pour the oils into a spoon trying to get the right quantities and then pour them into the jar. Annoying as heck, especially with the extra cleaning you had to do all the time. These droppers also make measuring SO much easier, 3 Castor drops to 7 Grapeseed Oil crops. Mix, and rub it on ma face! Love these two, and using them is actually quite fun. Kind of like having vials of chemicals that you need to scientifically measure wahahaha. Vials are always cooler, they seem like fun old school chemistry that you see in old books. The droppers were relatively cheap by the way, when buying from Ebay only look for them sold in pairs, buying one on it's own isn't really worth it.  

Grapeseed Oil left (the oil is actually much more yellower in real life), Castor Oil right.

My review of the OCM:

http://thesilverpocketwatch.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/natural-spot-treatments-natural-acne.html

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Natural spot treatments, natural acne treatment: The Oil Cleansing Method! OCM Method

Hey guys - as said in a previous post I said I would try the oil cleansing method. Well, I have, and so far it's been...good?

I add the question mark because I'm still using it and despite having used it for a while I've read that the method does take a few weeks to work its magic (and I think in general skincare products take 6 weeks to work, and I don't think I've used this method that long as of yet) so I will persevere. Having said that, I have noticed a few changes to my skin, so good, some not so good:

- The blemishes on the top of my cheeks and under my eyes have gone completely! My skin used to have a constant strip of tiny bumps and now they've been replaced with smooth smooth skin! Great stuff.

- My overall face has feels smoother and cleaner, despite what it looks like (more on that in a sec.)

- Some big pores that were bothering me have definitely gotten smaller or have gone completely. Another thumbs ups.

- OK, now onto the "bad" stuff. I say "bad" because the method has caused me to break out. Not major terrible breakouts but there have been a number of small white heads and recently there was a very large white headed on my chin, which is still healing. From what I can see the white head wasn't made from one big white head but a few small ones together. It's mostly gone, but there's still a spot and it will definitely make a mark afterwards. Hopefully it'll clear up soon.

- Blemishes have appeared elsewhere. For some reason very recently above my left eyebrow a group of spots have emerged - not big angry ones but little ones. Not even spots really, blemishes. Maybe they like that eyebrow for some reason. Also, my cheeks. Both cheeks have blemishes and they are pink and noticeable. Not big angry spots, but it sure is annoying. I hope these will clear up too since they are appearing in places where I don't normally have spots.

- Blackheads. When I talked about some of my cheek pores getting smaller, I'm sure it was my pores getting clean. My chin and nose however, haven't had massive changes. I know I have a deep suspicion that I will always get blackheads, so this isn't that big of a deal. I think some of my blackheads of risen to the surface a little and some have gone, but it's not been a magical change.

- *NOTE* I want to point out that I have recently (I think) over ex foliated my face. Two days in a row of ex foliating and I think I've caused a mini breakout or made more spots appear. These recent spots are VERY recent, so I will report back in the long run since I'm not sure if it's the ex foliation of the oil doing its work.

- *NOTE* For those who are unfamiliar with the oil cleansing method, there will be a detailed run down below. The reason I haven't stopped this method even with breakouts is that the method takes a lot of time to work. Also, I believe that the process I am going through with the breakouts is called "purging", as in my skin is getting rid of the impurities and pushing them out, hence the breakouts.

*UPDATE* 10/08/2013 Hey guys - I recently decided to stop using the oil cleansing method. For a short period of time I stopped using the method due to laziness and when I resumed using the method I broke out. I decided to persevere for a little longer but after another week or two I decided dealing with the breakouts really wasn't worth it. I'm not entirely sure if my skin was going through another purging stage or if my skin was rejecting the method entirely. Either way, I decided to stop. I have recently started using another natural cleansing method, and somehow that's backfired on me too -_-.


THE METHOD:

Now, I have read far better blog posts on the OCM method with much greater detail and easy instructions I have followed with no problem. I'll an excellent one here so I don't have to write a mediocre one in comparison:

http://www.crunchybetty.com/nitty-gritty-on-the-oil-cleansing-method

Scroll down to "What oils are best for your skin?" And read from then on.


Follow those instructions well, and see how it goes! I have to point out that the method DOES NOT WORK FOR EVERYONE. As with every skincare routing it never works for everyone, but this method does take time to work and does cause breakouts, making it even harder to tell whether or not your skin is liking it or not. Only experience can solve it I'm afraid.

See ya soon! (Expect reviews on cleansing oils next!)

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How to get rid of Keratosis Pilaris

Aaah, keratosis pilaris. I didn't know it existed till I accidentally come upon it when I was watching a random beauty guru on youtube talk about her "chicken skin" on the back of her arms and how she managed to get rid of it. That's not to say I've never noticed my KP on the backs of my arms, heck from a short while I would just sit there at my desk and pick away and ease out all of the ingrown hairs (OK, gross, but it's not infected or gross, it's just like picking off dry skin) as a form of terrible procrastination. When I realised I had it, I was somewhat relieved and surprised that it was actually a thing. I haven't fully removed my KP, and even though I have made excellent progress I know the parts I picked at will leave a red scar for a long, long time. Anyhow, here's how I've managed to reduce my KP.

1. Exfoliating gloves. Ordered from Ebay for less that £2, and these gloves can be rough if you're too harsh with them. Gentle buffing motions guys.

2. Whatever shower gel you like. Being cheap and Asian I naturally gravitate towards the cheap gels, I'm currently working my way through a bottle of Palmolive something or other.

Method:

1. Put on the gloves and wet with warm water. I normally do this in the shower to kill two birds with one stone.

2. Squirt some shower gel onto the palm of your gloved hands, then rub both palms together to get the foam going.

3. Whatever area you want to exfoliate  buff in circular motions for a minute or two. Don't be harsh and over do it, the skin will look way worse afterwards.

4. Rinse off. After this ex foliation  I use excess oatmeal from my facial cleansing routine and rub it on my arms and legs. For more info on that click HERE. Then I get out, towel dry and use a body lotion as normal. Make sure to wash out your gloves so no shower gel dries up in them.

And that's it! The effects are eventual, but believe me, the skin will be so much better. I use this method every time I shower, if you shower everyday religiously, then that's fine but just be gentle. The eventual process should end up with smooth skin. I have been using it for a while, and there are still bumps, but there are definitely a lot less than before.

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Natural spot treatments, natural acne treatment: The Lemon juice trick! (A.K.A. Using lemon juice on your face!)

Lemon juice has received rave reviews on how it can help spots, breakouts, blemishes, acne and blackheads.

Seems like a miracle right? Well, the reviews aren't really lying - I tried lemon juice for a while, but I eventually stopped because I got lazy!

I can say it really does work - however, it STINGS! If you have sensitive skin and can't tolerate pain very well, then there are a number of DIY face masks that incorporate lemon juice mixed with other things so it doesn't hurt. Also, you do carry the risk of doing damage to your skin if you overdo it.

For me, I went all out and put lemon juice on a cotton pad and wiped my face a while after cleansing and just before going to bed. I would let it dry first, and I made sure to try to sleep on you my back, but in the morning I always found myself lying on my side anyway, so no real worries. The juice dries like a shiny mask, so it doesn't rub off.

Blemishes and blackheads still remained, but they were much less so! I believe consistent use will be really great in the long run.

NOTE: Lemon has bleaching properties - so don't do this then go out into the sun! (It's sticky and dries shiny any way, so why would you?) Either rinse it off or do it before going to bed. A paler face and darker neck is hard to explain!

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Natural spot treatments, natural acne treatment: using oatmeal as a face wash! Picture heavy post!

 Bubzbeauty! I'm one of the last folk to follower her advice of using oatmeal as a daily facial cleanser, but better late than never right? My skin hasn't been great as of late - a combo of bad university diet (I'm catered, and that's never good) and unsuitable cleansers has made me desperate for a change. I considered getting a a new cleanser, but the amount of cleansers and the time it takes to find one that works is something I don't have the time or patience to do!

So I'm setting myself a challenge. I will use oats to wash my face every time I shower, with occasional updates when I decide I have the time to blog. Once I've finished this humongous bag of oats, the final verdicts shall be clear! 

Handy benefits of oats:

- Natural, so no harsh chemicals that'll tear my pores open and leave large holes on my face!
- Cheap, around £1.10 for a bag of natural oats from the corner shop.
- No waste! Even if the oats aren't the best for me, I can still eat them and they will last a year when stored. That £1.10 goes a long way!
- Easy. Water + oats = face wash. Even I can't mess this one up.

So, my first try made me a happy, happy person!

Here's a before shot in one of my university dorm's bathrooms.

I look really sad here lol. But as you can see, there's redness and spots. Believe me, the picture doesn't do the badness of my skin justice, it's actually a lot worse but the lighting was bright.

Here are some close ups:

Again, the lighting makes it look better than it actually is! Trust me, my cheeks were red and I have blemishes everywhere. And my chin is actually embedded with blackheads that have been there for months!

And here's how I store the oatmeal, the brand I use and the amount I used today:

 Believe me, the amount in that cup was TOO MUCH. It looks like so little, but then again a handful with my tiny hands really isn't much. I used the excess oatmeal on my legs and they are now smoooooth!

Instructions:

1. I got in the shower put the cup at a corner of the shower where I knew it wouldn't get wet. I cleaned the rest of my body with my normal shower gel and ex foliated my legs and the backs of my arms (I have ingrown hairs in those areas, ex foliating will eventually get rid of that.)

2. Take a handful of oats, and  hold them under the shower head until they get wet and soggy. Squeeze, and you should see a white milky liquid come out. Cup this liquid in your other hand, and rub on your face, it's all goodness!

3. Gently ex foliate your face with the oatmeal. It get's messy, but it should be fine if done in slower steps. I took pinches and ex foliated my face with them. Any remaining oats can be rubbed anywhere else you would like on your body. I did my legs.

4. Rinse! WARM water only, hot water is too much for your skin. After rinsing feel free to take the shower head and spray it in the areas of the shower where oatmeal has landed. For me the oatmeal rinsed away with no issues at all, and my university showers don't have plughole strainers.

5. Rinse away any oatmeal from your body, and change the shower temperature to cool/cold, and rinse your face gently to close the pores.

6. Pat yourself down with a towel, with extra gentleness when drying the face.

Here are my AFTER pictures after using the wash ONCE:

(It's normal to have a slightly red face after ex foliating.)

SO much better! Less red and angry, with smaller pores and soft skin. I am so psyched for this natural cleanser, and this is after ONE wash! I have high hopes for this method.

Here's a comparison of my before and after ONE wash:

Before









After, a little red and you may not be able to see the difference right away....








But! Here are more:
                                                                                       


Before








After









Honestly guys, my pictures can't do the method justice, no matter how clear! I can hand on heart say my skin was less red, softer and I was very pleased. If this is one wash, how will my skin look after a few more washes?

I'll update soon. This the beginning of the oatmeal journey!

*UPDATE* 29/03/2013
Hey guys, quick update here. I've been using the face wash when I shower for a while now, and it consistently helps my face stay nice and clean. However, my skin has been so rotten lately during exam season and my lack of exercise and diet has certainly contributed to blemishes and spots. Oatmeal definitely helps calm these down, but I need to use it longer before I make a final verdict.

*FINAL UPDATE* 21/06/2013
Hey guys, I finally finished the whole bag of oatmeal, and I while I stick by my opinion that oatmeal doesn't "fight" spots or acne aggressively, it really hasn't got any cons when it comes to being kind to skin. It soothes and calms redness for sure, and while for some reason I do find it a little drying on the face after my shower, it hasn't had any other negative effects on my skin. So if your skin is irritated and angry for whatever reason, I highly recommend using oatmeal because it's so mild, and will certainly make your skin softer.

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