There are so many different products out there to help with your skin goals – serums, moisturisers, oils, toners…the list goes on!
But arguably the most important step in any skin-care regime is the CLEANSER!
Why?
Say you spent lots of money on multiple serums and moisturisers that promise they will be the thing to give you the best ever skin…but you’re still using that same old cheap cleanser off the supermarket shelf…or even worse, soap and water…or the worst yet, not cleansing at all!! (gasp, shock, horror). Not cleansing with the right cleanser for your individual skin (or not cleansing at all) means you aren’t providing an optimal environment for those gorgeous products to penetrate the skin, and even worse you could be damaging your skin barrier.
Cleansing should remove necessary impurities while still leaving your skin barrier intact and functioning correctly (vital to good skin!). A compromised skin barrier can lead to Trans Epidermal Water Loss (think dehydrated skin) and can allow infection to get in, and can cause a multitude of issues like breakouts, redness, itchiness, flakiness, wrinkles, rough texture, tightness and rashes.
When to cleanse?
Night time cleansing is absolutely essential, even if you aren’t wearing makeup. Throughout the day particles of dirt and dead skin cells build up on the face. Think about the toxic pollutants in the air and how they will be settling on your skin even though you can’t see them! So cleansing at night is a must to remove these before your skin goes into nightly repair mode.
A morning cleanse is recommended but not always essential, it really depends on your skin type. Those with oily skin will probably want to cleanse in the morning, however if you have dry skin cleansing with lukewarm water might be enough for you…it is important to remember though that as we mentioned above if you are using serums etc with active ingredients, applying them onto cleansed skin is going to help with better product penetration. Ultimately if you are using the right cleanser for your skin type, cleansing in the morning shouldn’t be too much for your skin.
If you are unsure of your skin type book a free skin consultation at Puhoi Beauty & Spa!
What’s the deal with double-cleansing?
Double-cleansing is exactly what it sounds like – cleansing the face 2 times, often with 2 different types of cleansers. Usually an oil-based cleanser is used for the first cleanse to help dissolve dirt, makeup, and other heavy products (we recommend Medik8 Lipid-Balance Cleansing Oil). Then a second cleanse with a cleanser that has some active ingredients that target your specific skin needs. There are no hard and fast rules though so if you just want to stick to one product you can always do a double-cleanse with the same cleanser. I would recommend trying a double-cleanse at night if you wear makeup – the first cleanse will remove the makeup and impurities and the second cleanse will cleanse the actual skin.
What cleanser is right for me?
What cleanser you use depends on what your skin type is and if you have any specific skin goals – are you oily? Dry? Is your skin dehydrated? Are you acneic? Do you have sensitivity? Hyperpigmentation? Is rosacea an issue? There are so many different factors to take into consideration so it is always best to seek expert advice before purchasing – Book a free skin consult at Puhoi Beauty & Spa and we can take the hard work out of choosing the right cleanser for your skin. Our cosmeceutical skincare range Medik8 has cleansers specifically designed to target an array of different skin issues.