Cleansers
A facial cleanser or wash is essentially the foundation for your skincare routine. It helps close your complexion to remove that and impurities from the surface of your skin.
Are you however using your facial cleanser the right way? Although you may think this is a pretty simple skincare step, there is some technique involved.
Choosing the right cleanser
It is key to pick out the right facial cleanser or wash for your skin. Most of us often mistake a face wash for a cleanser. While both skincare products help in cleansing your skin, there are some subtle differences that you should be aware of. This will help you understand which one or two you should be incorporating into your skincare routine.
Difference between a cleanser and wash
A face cleanser is made to purify, hydrate, and soothe your skin. The texture will be creamy, milky, gel-like, or even watery. A face wash on the other hand is made to clean your pores more deeply. The texture is often foamy, or we lather into foam when applied to your damp skin.
Never use your body bar soap on your face!!
Once upon a time, it was perfectly acceptable to use bar soap as a face cleanser. However, using your body bar soap on your face is a disaster waiting to happen. Soaps will strip off oil off your face and give you that squeaky clean feel but that is actually your skin barrier being tampered with. Unless you’re using one of those beauty bars specifically made for your face, of course.
Which type is best for me?
If you have dry skin, a face cleanser will better keep your skin barrier moisturized and healthy. Look for formulas with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid or glycerin, such as CeraVe Hydrating Facial Cleanser.
For oily or acne-prone skin, you likely want to use a foaming face wash. It’s what your skin needs to keep pores clear and remove the oil, dirt, and impurities that can exacerbate sebum production (which is what makes your face oily). Examples include Cetaphil cleansers including the Gentle Foaming Facial Cleanser for sensitive skin.
Double Cleansing
You can also incorporate both a wash and cleanser into your routine to Double Cleanse. This is especially great for evening cleansing and for those days you wear makeup. Double cleansing is a technique in which we use two different cleansers back-to-back.
To do it correctly, you need to pick a combination that balances itself out, instead of giving too much of one thing. For instance, using two deep cleaning cleansers might strip your skin, but using a hydrating cleanser or cleansing balm before finishing with a deep cleaning foam cleanser creates balance.
Cleansing Do’s
- If you’re going to touch your face, no dirty hands! Before cleansing your skin, wash your hands- that way you can help avoid transferring bacteria from your fingers to your face.
- Massage it into your skin for at least 60 seconds before rinsing it off.
- Cleanse twice daily.
- Apply moisture on damp skin.
Cleansing Don’ts
- Don’t over-cleanse your skin. Twice daily suffices.
- Don’t scrub harshly when cleansing, you might damage your skin barrier.
- Don’t use hot water, use lukewarm water instead.
