Hey guys,
I've been M.I.A. yet again but I do have some good news to bring with my return. I'm officially a licensed Esthetician! So to keep in the spirit of that, today's post is going to be all about cleansers.
Most people don't know that they need a certain type of cleanser for their skin type. Also, let me go ahead and stress the fact that you should NEVER use your normal body soap for your face. Let's get a little scientific for a minute...
Your skin has something called the acid mantle, which is it's protective barrier. Body soap has a high pH level, which makes it an alkaline, therefore stripping your skin of it's acid mantle. In short, a body soap is not chemically balanced enough for use on the face.
So here are a few tips for which cleanser you should use for your skin type.
Oily/Acne
If you have oily skin, there are a few things you need to look for in a cleansing product. Make sure that the cleanser you choose is going to be oil-free and it's better if it's a gel or foamy cleanser. Another good tip for oily skin is, after you've done your cleansing, give your skin a "cold rinse". A cold rinse, essentially, is just patting your face with cold water. This re-constricts your pores which helps reduce some of the oiliness.
For acne prone skin, a lot of the time, oily & acne products go hand in hand. It's much easier to find a cleanser for acne skin. Again, just make sure that it's oil-free and non-comedogenic (which means, it doesn't aggravate acne breakouts).
Here are a couple of cleansers I suggest:
Clean & Clear Foaming Facial Cleanser ($4.99 at most drug stores)
Neutrogena Pink Grapefruit Oil-Free Acne Cleanser ($7.99 at most drug stores)
Burt's Bees Natural Acne Solutions Purifying Gel Cleanser ($10.00 at BurtsBees.com)
Clinique Acne Solutions Cleansing Foam ($18.50 at Sephora.com)
Aveda Outer Peace Foaming Cleanser ($27.00 at Aveda.com)
*Tip: Just because your face is oily DOES NOT mean you should wash it more often. Never wash your face more than twice a day. Overwashing your face damages it's protective barrier.
Dry Skin
Dry skin is the exact opposite of oily skin, obviously. Dry skin needs more oil so it's best to avoid any type of gel or foaming cleanser, those will just dry your skin out more. You should also try to avoid any cleanser with alcohol in it. Instead, look for a milky or cream cleanser. These types of cleansers remove excess oil and dirt without stripping your skin of it's natural oils. So, you should look for a creamy cleanser with either low or no alcohol content.
Some that I suggest:
L'oreal Advanced Revitalift Anti-Wrinkle Cream Cleanser ($6.99 at most drug stores)
Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser ($7.49 at most drug stores)
Burt's Bees Radiance Facial Cleanser ($10.00 at BurtsBees.com)
Lush 9 to 5 Cleanser ($19.95 at Lush.com)
Dermalogica Essential Cleansing Solution ($33.00 at Dermalogica.com)
*Tip: Never use hot water on your face, it will cause it to dry out more.
Sensitive
Sensitive skin is similar to dry skin in the products you will need to look for. Again, look for a creamy or milky cleanser because these are less harsh and drying than a foam or gel cleanser would be. Try to look for products that are fragrance free, Extra fragrances are a nice luxury but they are often the cause of allergic reactions. Also try to look for a cleanser that doesn't have alcohol & is hypoallergenic. (Note: Hypoallergenic just means that the product is LESS likely to cause a reaction, not that it is guaranteed not to.)
Some products I suggest:
Neutrogena Extra Gentle Cleanser ($7.49 at most drug stores)
Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser ($7.49 at most drug stores)
Burt's Bees Sensitive Facial Cleanser ($10.00 at BurtsBees.com)
Aveda All Sensitive Cleanser ($21.00 at Aveda.com)
Pevonia Sensitive Skin Cleanser ($28.50 at Pevonia.com)
*Tip: Less is more with sensitive skin. Have a simple skin care system of just a cleanser, a toner, & a moisturizer. Skip the serums and specialty creams, they will just make you overwork your sensitive skin.
Combo
First things first, you have to identify what type of combo skin you have. Is it both oily and dry? Dry and sensitive? After you've figured that out, figure out which areas on your face are which skin type. Sometimes it's necessary to use two different cleansers on the appropriate areas of your face. For example, if you are oily and dry, use a foamy cleanser on the oilier areas and a creamy cleanser on the dry areas.
Products I suggest:
Neutrogena Visibly Even Fomaing Cleanser ($6.50 at most drug stores)
Yes To Tomatoes Facial Cleanser ($9.99 at most drug stores)
Clinique Liquid Facial Soap ($16.00 at Sephora.com)
Korres Milk Foaming Cleanser ($21.00 at Ulta.com)
Pevonia Combination Skin Cleanser ($28.50 at Pevonia.com)
*Tip: Try using different products on different areas to find a mixture that's perfect for your skin.
Last but not least, I'm going to talk about the process of actually cleansing your skin.
1. You should be cleaning your face two times a day (once in the morning, once at night). No more and no less.
2. Each time you cleanse, you should wash your face with cleanser 2 times. The first time is to get the initial dirt and oil off of your face, the second is what actually gets your skin "clean".
3. Rather than splashing water on your face to rinse, use a microfiber facial towel. For more sensitive and dry skin, try using a piece of flannel. It works wonders!
4. Always use WARM water. Not hot, not cold.
5. Use a toner or astringent afterwards. This closes your pores and gets any traces of leftover cleanser off your face.
6. Use an appropriate moisturizer after cleansing.
I hope this helps! Thanks for reading!
xo Lauren.
