To follow up with yesterday's post on sunscreen, I thought naturally the next guide would have to be on cleansing, specifically cleansing properly. A lot of people tend to complain that sunscreen and occasionally makeup breaks them out. However, most of the time it's actually the fact that they weren't removing it properly that broke them out. So let me introduce you to your new best friend: double cleansing.
That's right. You should be cleansing twice, not just once. The first time to remove makeup & sunscreen, and the second time to actually cleanse the skin itself. I promise, you will notice a huge difference in your skin once you implement this method.
There are two exceptions for when you don't need to double cleanse: mornings and days when you don't wear any makeup and/or sunscreen. Now, before we move on to what kind of cleansers you should be using, let's first quickly go over what you shouldn't be using.
The no-no's when it comes to cleansing your face: face wipes and foaming cleansers. The ingredients in face wipes are really not something you want to be putting on your face. They're drying and all you do is move around the dirt on your face with it. I know they seem like the best option for lazy evenings, but do your skin a favour: get off the couch and go cleanse it properly!
Foaming cleansers are the ultimate nightmare for your skin. They work by stripping your skin completely, including the natural oils that actually protect your skin, and thus leave it feeling like a desert. They also really mess with your skin's ph levels, which will in turn make your other products work inefficiently, as well as make your skin very sensitive. Your skin is not meant to feel squeaky clean and tight after you cleanse, or so dry that you bolt for your moisturizer. Funny enough, you don't actually end up squeaky clean because foaming cleansers use a surfactant which turns your skin into alkaline and alkaline skin is a magnet for bacteria. Oh the irony...
If anything, a good cleanser should make your skin feel nourished. So if you ever come across a cleanser that says foaming, drop the product and run. I mean, you wouldn't use a bar of soap on your face right? Well, then same goes for foaming cleansers.
Now, on to the right sort of cleansers: oil, balm, and milk. Nothing breaks down makeup (especially waterproof) and sunscreen better than oils. Seriously, there's a reason why stage actors will use things like olive oil to remove their heavy costume makeup. It works! They also do an amazing job of picking up dirt and thus make it easier to wash it off. And the best part: they leave your skin feeling softer and moisturized, rather than stripped. And don't worry, oil cleansers are suitable for ALL skin types, INCLUDING oily/combination (which I happen to be).
- (all recommendations are linked. $ stands for cheap, $$ stands for very affordable, $$$ stands for pricy, $$$$ stands for expensive)
So let's wrap things up with a few recommendations. For your 1st cleanse (i.e. for removing makeup & SPF): The Body Shop Camomile Cleansing Oil ($), Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Oil (or balm if you prefer)($$), Ole Henriksen Melting Cleanser ($$$), Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel ($$$), Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm ($$$$)
And here are some recommendations for your 2nd cleanse:The Body Shop Nutriganics Softening Cleansing Gel ($), Soap and Glory Ultimelt ($$), First Aid Beauty Milk Oil Conditioning Cleanser ($$), Ole Henriksen Melting Cleanser ($$$), Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel ($$$), Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm ($$$$)
Next time on the Skincare Guide: Toners
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