Expert Tips for Perfect Face Washing from an Esthetician
Why should I wash my face?
Washing your face daily with a gentle cleanser prevents the buildup of oil and debris that leads to breakouts, more prominent pores and inflammation. Through the day, pollution, oil, sweat and bacteria all settle on your skin. Clearing that off at the end of the day is the single most important thing you can do for it. Overnight, oil and bacteria transfer from your pillowcase onto your skin, which is why a morning cleanse suits a lot of people too.
Should I wash my face morning and night?
Whatever your skin type, wash your face at least once a day, at night. And removing your makeup is not the same as washing your face. Take the makeup off first, then cleanse.
Whether to cleanse again in the morning is genuinely debated. Cleansing twice a day clears the pollutants and irritants skin is exposed to around the clock. If your skin is very dry, a morning cleanse can tip it over the edge, so rinsing with water and going straight to your serums, moisturizer and sunscreen may serve you better. Listen to your skin rather than to a rule.
What cleanser is best for my skin?
Removing every trace of dirt, sweat and makeup lets the skin repair and renew overnight. A properly clean surface also helps everything you apply afterward absorb and work as intended. As the first step in your routine, it is worth getting right before you think about serums and anti-aging creams.
With so many options, each claiming something different, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. Knowing the categories makes the hunt much easier. If your skin is normal, you have latitude to try most types, as long as your skin tolerates it.
1. Gel cleansers
Gel cleansers are clear, with a gel-like consistency. Generally designed for deep cleansing, they are effective at decongesting clogged pores and removing excess oil, and many have antibacterial and mildly exfoliating properties.
Ideal for: oily and combination skin
2. Cream cleansers
Cream cleansers are thick and creamy and contain moisturizing ingredients such as botanical oils. They cleanse gently without stripping the skin's natural oils. You will also see them sold as “milk” or “lotion” cleansers.
Ideal for: dry and sensitive skin
3. Foam cleansers
Foam cleansers are lightweight, starting as a cream or gel and bursting into a rich lather. They remove excess oil about as effectively as a gel cleanser.
Ideal for: oily and combination skin
4. Oil cleansers
Washing your skin with oil may sound like a recipe for breakouts, especially if you are oily, but it works. An oil cleanser is a gentle way of removing pore-clogging debris, including waterproof makeup, without drying your skin.
Ideal for: most skin types
5. Clay cleansers
Known for their absorbing power, clay cleansers draw excess oil and debris out of the pores.
Ideal for: oily and combination skin
6. Micellar cleansers
Originating in France, micellar waters use micelles, tiny oil molecules suspended in soft water, to attract oil, dirt and makeup. Another advantage: you do not have to rinse them off.
Ideal for: dry and sensitive skin
7. Powder cleansers
Powder cleansers are nothing new, but they are having a moment. Powdery soft when dry, they turn creamy on contact with water, cleansing the skin while providing gentle exfoliation. Unlike beads and scrubs, they glide rather than scratch, so they can be used daily even on sensitive skin.
Ideal for: oily and sensitive skin
8. Bar cleansers
After years out of the spotlight, bars are creeping back. Modern cleansing bars, some with very little soap and some with none at all, can be just as skin-friendly as their liquid counterparts, with gentler pH levels and moisturizing ingredients such as glycerin. They are also a greener choice, since paper and cardboard packaging breaks down more easily than plastic.
Ideal for: oily and combination skin
9. Cleansing cloths, mitts and sponges
There are cleansing wipes, and then there are cleansing cloths, mitts and sponges. These use special fibers, some plant-derived, to remove impurities while sloughing off dead skin cells, often without a traditional cleanser at all. Muslin cloths, kassa mitts and konjac sponges are the ones worth knowing.
Ideal for: oily and combination skin
What is the right way to cleanse my skin?
My advice is to listen to your skin. Some skin types do well on a twice-daily routine that keeps oil and shine in check, while the same routine leaves others tight and dry. The general rule: wash your face at night, and never sleep in your makeup. Here is the step-by-step.
Step 1: remove your makeup.
Pick your method. Some people prefer a traditional oil-based remover, others a cleansing oil, a micellar water or a wipe. This step matters most if you wear waterproof makeup.
Step 2: wash your face.
Put a small amount of cleanser in your hands and emulsify with lukewarm water. Massage it in using circular motions for at least 30 seconds. Cover the areas everyone misses: the hairline, below the ears, the front and back of the neck, and the décolletage.
Step 3: rinse and pat dry.
Rinse with warm water, not hot. Pat, rather than rub, with a clean, dry towel.
If you have been cleansing correctly for months and your skin is still congested, dull or reactive, it is time to bring in something stronger. A facial or a chemical peel does what a cleanser cannot, and a skin care consultation will tell you which one your skin needs.
