THE BASICS - CLEANSING

 

This week we will be focusing on anything cleansing, starting with "The Basics of Cleansing". Be sure to leave your questions, suggestions,... in the comment section below!

Proper cleansing of your skin twice a day is the foundation of your skincare-routine and should be done every day, with no exceptions, no matter what your skin-type is like. It is also the part of skincare, where the very old, yet stubborn skincare-myths stick the most. So forget, what you have been told since you were a teen and started to cleanse your face, because it is probably wrong and weakening your skin. With a few simple adjustments in your cleansing routine though, I can promise you will never look back.

Most people are WAY to harsh on their skin, especially if they suffer from break-outs/acne/..., so first of all: BE GENTLE! Treat your skin like the delicate thing it is, don't drag it, pinch it, steam it, ice it (oh the horror…), soak it in bubbly-cleanser, torture it with devices… be gentle. Irritation (even if you cannot see it) will cause you problems in the future if it hasn't already. You know that feeling, when you just washed your face and it feels weirdly tight after a few seconds? BAD THING, reallyreally bad thing - means your cleanser is too harsh, put it down and don't use it again. Use it to wash your make-up brushes,… Also don't waste your money here, people, go cheap, as you wash anything potentially helpful (and expensive) down the drain anyways (think up to €30) and go simple: a short ingredient list is a good starting point. Don't focus on buying a cleanser fitting your skin-type, rather go gentle regardless of your skin-type and buy based on the ingredient-list!

THE ROUTINE:

What you will need:

• an oil-based cleanser (non-irritating - see below)
• a water-soluble cleanser (non-irritating - see below)
• a washcloth/flannel/muslin-cloth

What to do: 

as pointed out in my previous post, the routine for morning/evening differs a little, as we simply have to remove more stubborn stuff (e.g. sunscreen, make-up,…) off our faces in the evening:

AM

1) wash your hands

2) massage a blob of your water soluble cleanser with dry hands onto dry skin

3) remove with a medium hot, wet washcloth until you feel it has done the job

PM

1) wash your hands

2) 1st cleanse: massage a blob of oil-based cleanser with dry hands onto dry skin, as well as onto the eyes, lips,… to remove any make-up there

3) remove with a medium hot, wet washcloth (a little residue is fine, as you second-cleanse anyways)

2) 2nd cleanse: massage a blob of your water soluble cleanser with dry hands onto dry skin

3) remove with a medium hot, wet washcloth until you feel it has done the job

A more closeup look: 

THE OIL BASED CLEANSER:

This can be a cleansing oil, cleansing balm, or - my personal absolute favorite - any non-fragrant plant oil, as olive-oil, almond-oil, coconut-oil, jojoba-oil,… you get the idea. Using a non-fragrant plant oil is not only very gentle, it also is cheap, effective and great for ALL skin types (yes, my beloved friends with oily/break-out-prone skin, for you too!). It involves a little trial-and-error as some oils tend to clog pores on SOME people, so if you are break-out-prone, try to stay away from those (e.g. coconut-oil, jojoba-oil,...) .

As long as the oil-based cleanser is non-irritating (see below), you can put this over your eyes, therefore you don't have to use an extra make-up-remover, unless you feel, you really need it! This is a good time to give yourself a relaxing face-massage, your skin will thank you!

To my Bioderma/Micellarwater-loving people out there: in my opinion this counts as the first cleanse!

THE WATER BASED CLEANSER: 

Anything that starts with "aqua". The reason is quite simple, it dissolves in water and can therefore be washed off. You can do that splashing-water-on-your skin-thing if you really want, but I like to stick to my flannel. Key is to be AS GENTLE AS POSSIBLE. Ideally at a pH of about 5.5 (the skin's natural pH) or at least under 7! Most cleansers are too alkaline (their pH is too high) and destroy your skins protective acid barrier. As a result "good" bacteria are dying, the bad bacteria move in and with them inflammation, acne,... .

THE FLANNEL/WASHCLOTH: 

Use a new one EVERY DAY. You can use one in the morning and reuse it at night, but that's it (please let it dry properly in between). You do not need a fancy-shmancy special muslin-cloth, just the good old, cheap flannel will do. It exfoliates your skin mildly, helping it to get rid of old skin-cells, but again: be gentle, don't rub your skin. Don't let your sink fill up, wet the flannel under running, hand hot water instead, wipe over skin gently, rinse the flannel and repeat as often as necessary. Wash your flannels with a higher temperature (60°+) at least once a month, to be sure they do not host any bacteria.

What to avoid: 

As claims on products can be ignored (because mostly not true) a little guideline on what to better avoid ingredient-wise:

• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (better stay away from Sodium Laureth Sulfate as well although it is at least less irritating than it's brother)
• Alcohol (as in: Alcohol, SD Alcohol, Alcohol Denat., Ethanol, Methanol, Isopropyl Alcohol, Benzyl Alcohol)
• Too much Fragrance/Parfum (especially if you want to put it around your eyes: stay clear!) Some can't handle them at all, others are fine, the science is not quite clear - so use fragrance-free if possible or at least check that fragrances are towards the end of the ingredient-list! Be aware, that "natural" does not mean non-irritating: Limonene, Linalool,… are fragrant and potentially irritating as well!
• Anything "menthol", "minty", "camphor",… those are freakishly often found in products for oily skin even though they irritate skin badly!
• Anything "scrubby" (beads, shells, plastic,…) 
• Anything in "bar" form 
• foaming cleansers
• Skin-care-devices of ANY brand - simply because not necessary and rather damaging. If you love yours so much, you won't lose it, limit usage to once, max. twice a week. Your skin says thank you!

A word on cleansing-wipes: unless you are stuck on a deserted island or somewhere else, where you have no access to fresh water this is no way to cleanse your face. You wipe around the dirt on your face - gross. Don't be lazy, wash yourself.

This is it for today, I am looking forward to an interesting week, be sure to leave any questions or suggestions in the comment-section below, stay tuned for my next posts, have fun, be gentle, love yourself, love your skin!

N.

* all products mentioned in this post have been purchased by myself!