Although it's not what I most often get asked about, it's what I think everyone should know about. Cleansing is really the base of your makeup; but also the better your skin the less foundation you'll need to wear to look healthy and fresh. With proper cleansing you'll reduce the number of breakouts you get and improve the overall quality of your skin. Here's my top tips for correct cleansing.
How often should I cleanse?
Everyone should be cleaning their face morning and night. You might think “but there’s nothing to wash off in the morning as I washed my makeup off the night before” but you’d be wrong. When we sleep, our bodies release all manner of toxins and impurities through our pores. This is often why you’ll wake up to a breakout or changes in your skin. You need to deeply cleanse these away after your beauty rest. Then at night we cleanse to remove the buildup of oil, dirt and environmental aggressors we’ve accumulated throughout the day.
Does a makeup wipe count?
Makeup wipes are great for on the go and travel but they do not count as cleansing. Unfortunately removing your makeup and cleansing are two completely different steps; so if you don’t wear makeup then great news for you as you have one less thing to do; but for most of us we first need to remove makeup with makeup remover or coconut oil and then cleanse.
So how do I cleanse?
In the morning I cleanse in the shower and apply 1-2 pumps of my cleanser to my face and move it around in circular motions, taking extra care around my eyes but still cleansing over them. I then wash it off just with water but if you’re using an oil based cleaner or a thick cream you’ll need a face cloth and water. At night, after removing makeup I cleanse first with an oil based cleanser and use a facecloth to remove that, and then I cleanse again with my regular cleanser. This ‘Double Cleanse’ (coined by dermalogica) ensures that you cleanse deep down into the pores instead of just the very surface. I swear by it.
What should I look for in a cleanser? Ideally your cleanser should be mild and gentle but still capable of removing dirt and impurities. It should never leave your skin feeling tight or tingly and it shouldn’t sting. I’m not really a fan of foaming cleansers myself and instead prefer a cleansing milk or cream formula as I find them gentler and more nourishing.
How often should I exfoliate?
You should exfoliate after cleansing approximately once a week if you have dry to normal skin and twice a week if you have normal to oil skin. I cleanse, exfoliate and then cleanse again. Once you’ve exalted your skin will be better able to absorb the goodness of any serums or moisturisers you normally apply, so smooth thee on top for added benefit.
What’s the point of a masque?
As an avid fan of the facial masque I highly recommend a regular masque treatment. They contain a higher concentration of active ingredients (which is why you usually wash them off) and there are different masques which target all sorts of skin care concerns like dryness, oiliness, sensitivity, redness, acne and open pores. Or if you’re up for it you can even make your own. Apply your desired masque after cleansing and exfoliating and leave on usually for 10-20 mins depending on the masque. Cleanse away to reveal beautiful glowing skin
If you have any questions about cleansing I didn't answer, comment below!