Hello beautiful readers! We’re back for Chapter 1 of our 5 Chapter series on the basics of skincare. As promised, we plan to drop some knowledge on you, so put on your learning pants and let’s go!
You may be thinking, “What on Earth can they really tell me about cleansers? They’re just cleansers, right?” This is a pretty common thought. Well, did you know that it’s possible to OVER cleanse your skin? And did you know that there are many different types of cleansers? Since this is the one basic skincare step that almost everyone does, even if they don’t do anything else, the market is incredibly saturated. It can be difficult to tell the difference.
Foaming, not foaming, Soap, Gel, Cream… what’s the difference? Is there one that is better than the others? Well, when it comes to foaming or not foaming, it’s really just a matter of preference, unless of course your foaming cleanser uses soap. I’m just gonna pause for a moment and say this, soap=bad. It’s fine for your body, but keep it away from that gorgeous mug of yours! It’s harsh and drying, and can leave really icky residue that can clog pores. So if you really prefer a foaming cleanser, look for something that says “mild cleansing agent” or “soap free.” We have an amazing foaming gel cleanser at Facial Bungalow that I LOVE called Trina Renea Skincare Silk and Soothe. It’s so rich and decadent, and super hydrating.
Let’s talk about exfoliating cleansers. These are all over the market these days. It’s a great way to combine 2 skincare steps into one, and to add some extra exfoliation into your routine. There are 2 types of exfoliation: chemical and manual. Chemical is going to use things like alpha hydroxy acids, glycolic or salicylic acid, etc. Manual uses things like jojoba beads or the shells or nuts, or sugar, or salt, etc. A word of warning… if you are going to use a form of manual exfoliating, we suggest sticking to ONLY jojoba beads. Jojoba beads are round, so while they create some friction to help remove dead skin cells, they are not going to cut. Most other forms of manual exfoliation include pieces that are not uniform in shape or size, have jagged edges, and can actually create little microscopic cuts all over your face that will in time be really nasty.
What’s this you say about over cleansing?? Yes, it’s true darlings! Like most good things in life, it IS possible to have too much of a good thing when it comes to cleansing! Truth be told, unless you have SUPER oily skin, your face really only needs to be washed once a day. At night before you go to bed, to remove the dirt and oil from the day. When you sleep, your pores open up and your face produces natural oils. You don’t want the day’s grime to get mixed in with that and sucked into your open pores— breakout city! But cleansing your skin TOO much can be damaging as well. Especially since most people use some form of exfoliating cleanser. Over cleansing will dry your skin, and one of two things will happen; Either your skin will look dull and dry, or it will freak out and go into over time oil production, leading to breakouts. We suggest that, unless you are super oily by nature, if you cleanse your skin at night, in the morning you simply rinse your face with some water. Let your face hold on to all those yummy natural oils it produced overnight. As for cleansing throughout the day, before the gym (YES, you need to cleanse your face BEFORE you work out. Your pores open up when you sweat and they will suck in all that nastiness from the day), before getting ready to go out, etc, we suggest keeping a super gentle cleanser on hand. Something aloe based or hydrating. (TRS Laid Back Cleanser is my personal favorite. It’s gentle, and it feels really cooling and calming on my skin) Gentle cleansers are also the solution for anyone with really sensitive skin.
If you were to take a look in my bathroom cabinets, it would seem that I have an obsession with cleansers. Seriously, I have like 7 of them. Exfoliating, gentle, foaming, not foaming, etc. I don’t think it’s necessary to go to THAT extreme (I think I have a problem, is there a Cleansers Anonymous?) but we would definitely suggest that every person have at LEAST one gentle cleanser on hand for the additional face cleanses of the day.
Homework assignment for this entry: Go through your beauty products and take a look at your cleansers. Do you know what category they fall into? If not, hit us up in the comments, and we’ll help you figure it out.
Till next time Skin Students!
T&T