Ask - Face

cleanse, cleanse, cleanse

March 9, 2010

You wouldn’t eat off a dirty plate, so why put makeup on a dirty face?

It’s one of the most simple steps in any skincare routine yet when it’s done wrong it sets the skin up for all sorts of problems.

Over cleaning, or using a cleanser that is too drying for your skin type, causes irritation, dry patches and redness; but not cleaning the skin properly leads to clogged pores and therefore blemishes. If the cleanser leaves a residue on the skin, it will prevent moisturizers and serums from penetrating properly and can also lead to clogged pores. So you’ve got to hit the balance right - clean thoroughly but also gently and usually this means using a water-soluble product.

Generally speaking there are three types of cleansers: wipe-off cleansers (cloths, cold creams and milky formulas), soaps (including bar cleansers), and water-soluble cleansers (creamy or a lotion).

Water soluble cleansers are gentle and efficient - everything is done at the sink (or in the shower if you’re like me and do everything at once). The best water soluble cleansers will remove eye makeup too - however with mascaras being made to stick, you still need to tend to the eye area separately too. No one wants to sleep looking like a panda.

If you use a cleanser that has AHAs or BHAs be careful about how and where you apply this to the face as the active ingredients will irritate eyes.

One of the most common water soluble cleansers is Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser, which can be bought from the chemist and is usually around $30 for a massive pump bottle - it’s excellent for those with dry or sensitive skin, however it won’t remove long lasting makeup.

When buying a cleanser you must seriously consider your skin type and what products you will use after it.

Cleansers formulated for dry skins often contain oils and leave a greasy residue. If someone with a dry skin uses a dry cleanser and then a super hydrating moisturizer, too many emollients can build up, making the skin look dull and preventing the top layer of dead cells from shedding.

But, cleansers designed for normal to oily skin can contain one or more standard detergent agents, like sodium lauryl sulfate, and these can be overly drying and irritating for the skin. This dries the skin out and then creates a need for a more moisturizing moisturizer, which will just add layers of grease.

It’s this cycle of stripping the skin or adding too many emollients that cause most of the skin problems - more so than any other part of daily skin care routine.

If you have dry skin - use a gentle cleanser and use serums or a moisturizer to tend to that problem. If you have oily skin, do the same. The simplest you can keep the cleansing part of your routine, the better your skin will be equipped to handle the products you put on after.

I’ve had the luxury of trying out some great cleansers lately.

Estee Lauder Take it Away Gentle Cleansing Oil, $62

Despite the description ‘oil’ in the name, this lotion is truly fantastic. It’s non irritating and doesn’t leave a residue on skin. It removes eye makeup although I do also use an eye makeup remover to get rid of mascara. I use this in the shower without a washcloth and I’m happy with the results.

Juice Beauty Green Apple Cleansing Gel, $49

This has a really fresh feeling - not a tingle, but a definite wake up call as it removes makeup. It smells divine and doesn’t leave a residue. I am particularly taken with the fact that it has organic ingredients although I do note from the ingredient’s list that it is not completely natural. There are some scientific names there but they’re not the parabens or bad ones (like SLS).

L’Oreal Revitalift Rejuvenating Cleansing Rich Makeup Removing Milk, $

This product is designed for mature skin that needs help in all areas. It’s got vitamin c to refresh skin and ‘glycoliss’ a powerful exfoliating ingredient. I like it because it smells great and I like the creamy formula. However, it does leave my skin feeling as though I’ve moisturized as well and as I don’t have dry skin I probably shouldn’t use it. Having said that, it hasn’t done any harm to my skin either and I do prefer my skin to feel hydrated than tight or dry.

Olay Regenerist Cream Cleanser, $

It’s got that gorgeous Olay fragrance and tiny micro beads that gently exfoliate the skin. The beads are too small to cause any damage and do a great job of sweeping away long lasting foundation formulas. Definitely not one for removing eye makeup, but great for those who are time poor and have the tendency to be sporadic with exfoliating.

Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel, $72 for 250ml

A really great cleanser that removes makeup but doesn’t leave a residue or make skin feel dry or tight. Really liked using it.

I  know there are millions of others out there on the market - what are you using and why do you like it?

Tamsin xo