Are You Washing Your Face the Right Way?

Women know that daily cleansing contributes to the overall health and beauty of their skin. After a long day at work or a weekend of partying, it’s imperative that you wash your face to remove dirt, makeup, and impurities lurking below the surface. Sometimes it might feel like a full-time effort to keep your face clean. You are, after all, continuously exposed to an incredible number of toxins and pollutants. Because of this, it’s crucial to maintain a proper skincare regimen. To keep your skin as healthy and youthful looking as possible with soap dispensers and  the advantages of using a foamy face wash.

However, I was surprised to discover that many women I know aren’t washing their face the correct way! You might believe it’s a common sense procedure, but there are quite a few mistakes some women make when cleansing.

Keep reading to find out the right way to wash your face and which cleansers you should use based on your skin type; one size does not fit all when it comes to face wash!

Cleansing

I’ll admit it — I’ve been guilty a time or two (or three…) of “forgetting” to wash my face after a particularly long day. While it may seem okay to skip a day or two, it’s very important to make washing your face a daily habit for the health of your skin.

We all know we shouldn’t sleep with makeup on, but many women assume their cleanser takes care of that. While on the surface you may be removing the majority of your makeup, eye makeup tends to stick around even after a vigorous scrub; it would be in your best interest to use a quality makeup remover before cleansing your face.

Once that’s taken care of, it’s time to wash! Choose a cleanser that’s appropriate for your skin type (I’ll show you how later in this article) and use about a dime size amount of product. With clean hands, work the cleanser into your face and neck with gentle circular motions. Concentrate on cleansing the area for about 20 or 30 seconds, then rinse with lukewarm (not hot or cold) water.

While it’s important to keep skin clean, it’s imperative that you aren’t over-washing your face either. Once a day before bedtime should do it.

Choosing a Cleanser

Now that you know the proper technique to keep your skin clean, it’s just as important to ensure you’re using the right type of face wash for your skin type.

Your skin will undoubtedly fall into one of these categories:

• Normal/Combination — If you have medium-sized pores and dryness on the cheeks, and an oily t-zone (forehead, nose, chin), you have normal/combination skin.
• Oily — Tightness, shine, and blackheads or acne are “trademarks” of oily skin.
• Sensitive — If you have sensitive skin, you probably break out in rashes often. You have very fine pores, and a lot of products tend to irritate your skin excessively.
• Dry — Dry skin will often feel very tight and flaky. You may also notice patches of red on your skin.

Determine which category you fall into and choose a cleanser labeled for your skin type. The type of cleanser (e.g., liquid, foam, gel, bar, etc.) you choose will be a matter of personal preference for the most part, but it’s still imperative to make a selection that will work for your skin. Avoid chemicals, dyes, and fragrances if you have sensitive skin; dry skin should look for moisturizing ingredients; normal/combination and oily skin should look for a cleanser that will inhibit excess oil production.

Washing your face sounds like something that should be a common sense practice, but are you doing it the right way? If not, you are now armed with the proper knowledge to ensure you are not only using the right techniques, but also able to choose the appropriate face wash for your skin type.

Now that’s something to smile about!