Cleansing – Why do we do it anyway?

The average woman cleanses her face twice per day. We’re told that it’s something we ‘should do’, so we do as we’re told. But do any of us actually know why we do it? Let’s find out.

Why is cleansing so important and what does it do?  

Cleansing is the most important part of looking after your skin. Why? Because the world is dirty and your skin is basically covered in its dirt! This ‘dirt’ is comprised of bacteria, pollutants, makeup, oil and dust and along with all this your skin is covered in a layer of dead skin cells which you have shed at the rate of 50 million every day!

If you don’t regularly wash your face, guess what happens? That dirty layer of the world we just referred to… That will continue to build up and who wants that? Eww.

Cleansing rids the skin of toxins (antigens), makeup, sun screen, pollution and the day to day grime we collect on our skin from the air, but it also really importantly balances the acid mantle or surface of the skin. Cleansing is the first and most important step in your daily skincare routine. Get this wrong, and everything else you do won’t work very well, and in some cases, will even be pointless.

How do you know which cleanser to use?

There are so many different skin cleansers out there! So, how do you know which one is right for you?

It’s basically impossible to pick up a cleanser and know right away whether it’s right for you. So, come and get a professional skin diagnosis with a woods lamp and you’ll never use the wrong skin care product again.

Remember, as we age our skin changes, so you need to check your skin regularly and adjust your skin care produces accordingly.

Here’s some things to look out for:

• Irritated - If your skin becomes red, flushed, congested, irritated and/or breaks out in a rash, then you know this is definitely not the right cleanser for you.

• Drying - If your skin feels dry and tight following a cleanse, it’s very wrong.  

• Oily - If your skin is oily and your cleansers make your skin oilier, then this isn’t the right cleanser for you either. Continuing to use this one will only congest and block up your skin further.

• Sensitive - People often think that if their face goes red when cleansing their skin must be sensitive. This is sometimes the case, but not always. It can be a sign that the acid mantle is imbalanced – A good cleanser can help balance it again.

So, how do you know whether your skin is sensitive or simply imbalanced? Book an appointment with your beauty therapist to find out.

The right cleanser will leave your skin feeling clean, comfortable and soft!

How do you cleanse?

When cleansing, the product needs to be on your skin for a few minutes to work – Simply putting it on and off, does nothing for your skin.

Massage your cleaner in gently all over your skin, so it can soften up the dust and dirt in your pores and lift it off. Then, remove with a sponge or micro fibre cloth. Don’t use cotton wool pads as they will leave a residue and face washers can harbour bacteria, whilst synthetic sponges and micro fibres cloths don’t.

Do we need to double cleanse at night?

At night we need to double cleanse. Why? Because most of us have been wearing makeup or at the very least, been out in the ‘thick of it’ all day. So, the first cleanse is to remove your makeup and any excess oil, grease, grime and free radicals and the second cleanse is to really clean your skin, soften it and balance it. Particularly, when using cleansers with active ingredients, clean skin is a must in order to get the best results.

Too tired at night? Commit to doing your double cleanse as soon as you walk in the door or at a time of the night when you’ll be doing something else in the bathroom anyway, such as showering or brushing your teeth and remember, it only takes a few minutes!

If you want to get the best results for your skin, then it’s important to remember that cleansing is number one for a clean slate for your skin.

According to scientists, it takes 21 days for an action to become a habit, so get started now and it’ll become a habit in no time – your face will thank you for it!

If you’re not a regular cleanser yet and need a little more advice to get you started, contact me today about a skin diagnosis.

Or better yet, one of the best ways to try a product is to have a facial – we diagnose, cleanse, exfoliate, massage and mask – a great way for you to get a feel for all the products.

Right now, the Hydramemory Complete Facial is on SPECIAL! - You can discover and enjoy our deeply hydrating antioxidant treatment for the face, neck and decollete, for just $99 (valued at $130) - This offer is only available in December and January so get in quick!!