CLEANSING & TONING
CLEANSING & TONING
It's amazing how often the skin problems I see are partly, if not entirely, down to incorrect cleansing.
The biggest culprits are face washes or foaming gels. These harsh, detergent products are the worst thing you can do to your skin on a daily basis. The foaming agents strip natural oils from your face, leading to tight, dry skin and eventually to a compromised skin barrier. This then leaves your skin open to irritants and damage from the outside.
Even if your skin is oily these products are no good for you because they will strip water from your skin but have no effect on oil production as this is something that is genetically pre-determined.
Facial cleansing wipes are another no-no in my book. While some are worse than others, they all leave a film on the surface of the skin which can irritate and prevent your treatment serum or cream from being absorbed. You can use cotton pads if you like but always use them wet, dry will drag your skin.
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So, what should you do? I recommend using a cream, lotion or oil-based cleanser that is free from fragrance, sulphates or colourings. Apply a small amount to dry skin, massage in, emulsify with water then rinse off with a muslin cloth or facecloth. There is no need for toner as all good cleansers are formulated to be water soluble and rinse clean away with water. Toner was traditionally used to remove traces of heavy cleansing creams. If you are still using these then you may use an alcohol free toner after cleansing if you like the feel of it but why not just get a better cleanser?
Of course, the most important thing about your cleanser is to use it every night. It won't do any good in the bottle!
Who would have thought that there were so many options for removing your cleanser? Some like to use cotton wool, some like tissues. Me, I’m a warm cloth fan all the way.
There are several types of cloth that you will find on sale for removing cleanser, I will have a look at the pros and cons of each here to help you choose the one for you.
Good old-fashioned facecloth. This will do a good job of removing a light to medium makeup and can be used with any cleanser type. Make sure that the cloths you use are soft, a centuries-old hard as nails cloth will be too harsh on your skin. Buy cheap cloths and replace them often.
Muslin cloths. These are beloved of the beauty world but for the life of me I don’t know why. I find them too scratchy on my skin and as they are so thin and lose heat very quickly. I have to rinse and repeat several times to remove makeup, adding to the scratchiness. Best used with thick balm-type cleansers.
Microfiber facecloths. These are my favourite as they give a deep cleanse and polish without abrasion and one swipe is enough to take off the heaviest makeup. They also stay soft through a lot of wash cycles. I have heard people say that they find that these cloths make their skin feel tight or dry but that is not my experience and I have a dry skin type. Use with any cleanser.
There is no right or wrong as to which type of cleansing cloth you use, do what feels right on your skin but here are some general guidelines whichever you choose:
-Use a clean cloth every day (microfiber are good for 2-3 days as long as they dry
completely between uses).
-Use warm water, never hot, never cold.
-Don’t use fabric conditioner on your cleansing cloth, it will irritate your skin.
-You can use a cloth with any cleanser, it doesn’t have to be a special formula.