Most of us if not all wash our face with some kind of facial cleanser at least once or twice a day. I am picking up a three times a day! That is way too much washing in one day even in our humid climate. There are some of us who only wash your face with water. Is that enough? What facial wash should I be using? There are literally hundreds of facial cleansers in the market to choose from and any consumers will have a hard time making a decision.
Let's start with how many times you should be washing your face.
When you wake up in the morning, you should wash your face with a gentle cleanser. You need to do so because your facial skin is coated with a cocktail of dead skin cells, sebum from your facial pores and scalp, mold, mildew, fungus, dust mites and mites’ feces. Ewwwwww…You get the gist. All of them are found on your pillow. (Pssst, you need to change the pillow covers at least once a week.)
No fret. Washing your face with water only cannot remove these cocktail of microorganisms. With the help of gentle facial cleansing products in the morning after you wake up, your skin is clean and you can continue with your usual skincare regime of toning, moisturising, sun protection and maybe makeup.
You go about your day commuting to work, school, volunteer work, shopping, doctor’s visits, etc. During the day, your skin starts to get coated with a layer of dust, pollen, air pollutants, smoke and sebum. At the end of the day, you will remove your makeup/sunscreen and follow through with a thorough cleansing.
Twice a day of facial cleansing, one in the morning and one when we get home/before bedtime are sufficient for daily cleansing. Washing your skin more than twice a day can put a lot of stress on the skin barrier as it is stripping away too much of the skin’s natural moisture i.e. disrupting the skin's acid mantle.
What type of cleansers is suitable for me? Let’s take a look at the common facial cleansers available to you. There are gel and foaming cleansers, cream cleansers, oil-based cleansers, clay, oleogel cleansers and also facial soap bars.
This is a general guideline on selecting facial cleansers for the common types of skin:
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Normal resistant skin
You are one of the lucky ones on this planet! You can use just about any type of facial cleansers that you like, as your skin is neither dry nor oily, and do not react to any cosmetic ingredients.
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Normal to dry/mature/aged/dehydrated and also sensitive skin
Cream cleansers, oil-based cleansers and oleogel cleansers will not leave your skin feeling like it has been stripped of it’s natural moisture. Since these type of cleansers usually include botanical oils, they have refatting properties that will leave your skin feeling moisturised after cleansing.
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Normal to oily/acne skin
Gel, foaming, clay cleansers and even oleogels (self-emulsifying oil cleansers) will be suitable for this skin type. Your skin is usually oily around the T-zone. These types of cleansers leave a refreshing sensation on your skin without feeling like it has been coated with a layer of oils. Make sure to look for gentle, pH balanced skin as you do not want to wash away too much of your skin’s natural moisture.
Natural facial soap bars are usually made with botanical oils, extracts and essential oils. The pH of the soap (pH 7-9) is usually higher than the skin’s natural pH (between 4-6). After cleansing your skin with a facial soap, it can leave your skin feeling tight. Using a moisturiser after cleansing will remove the tight skin feel. We do not recommend facial soaps for dry/mature/aged/dehydrated or even sensitive skin.
Now you know the importance of facial cleansing and how to select facial cleansers for your skin type.
Look out for our next post where we share our views about the latest trend of wearing makeup during exercise or Athleisure makeup.
We have gentle facial cleanser for your daily cleansing needs. Our Fruity Gelly Wash is pH-friendly and does not leave your skin feeling squeaky clean. Formulated with 100% organic Witch hazel hydrosol, it helps to reduce redness on your skin while giving your skin gentle enzymatic exfoliation from tropical fruits.
Disclaimer: The information provided is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
