Lets go back to basics today with the topic of cleansing. Proper cleansing is often overlooked when it comes to our skin routine, BUT its the first step and one of the most important steps in my opinion. Proper cleansing will determine how well your other products work, and as simple as it may seem, its often not done properly.
Choosing the Right Cleanser
With so many cleansers on the market, it can be difficult and overwhelming to find the right one for you. Some of the more common cleansers out there are; Oil Cleansers, Gel Cleansers, and Creme Cleansers.
Oil Cleansers: Oil cleansers are a great way to remove makeup in the evening. The oil breaks up the makeup and allows for easier removal. I love the Living Libations Best Skin Ever oil products to use to remove my makeup (they can always be used as a gua sha oil, so its really a win-win. Don’t worry, oil cleansers won’t clog your pores. It actually does the opposite, oil removes oil, so if you have a build up of oil and dirt, start with an oil cleanser in the evening first before following with your second cleanse.
Gel Cleansers: Gel cleansers are the most popular type of cleanser that all of my clients use. They are great for any skin type and remove and cleanse the skin of dirt and oil buildup. It is important to use a cleanser that does not contain stripping ingredients such as alcohol, as they can give your skin that dry, tight, “squeaky clean” feel that we don’t want. Cleansing Complex from iS Clinical is always my go-to for an everyday gel cleanser. This cleanser deep cleans the skin WITHOUT stripping the skin of our natural oils AND balances the pH level of the skin (tones the skin).
Creme Cleansers: Creme cleansers are great for dry, sensitive skin types. I love Cream Cleanser from iS Clinical because this lightweight, moisturizing cleansing cream is powerful, yet gentle enough to be used on dry, hypersensitive skin. Cream cleanser combines bio-nutrients, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory ingredients that work to thoroughly cleanse the surface and pores of the skin while soothing dry, irritated areas.
Morning Cleansing:
Your morning skin routine shouldn’t be super complicated. As long as you have a good cleanser, antioxidants, hydration, and SPF you should be good to go. In the morning, I always say to go for Cleansing Complex for ANYONE. Again, this cleanser is deep cleansing but NOT STRIPPING, and its going to balance your skins pH level, preparing your skin for the next step in your routine. Take a dime size amount of cleanser and rub it in your hands until it lathers up, then apply to the skin, gently massaging and going in up and out motions. Use this time to give yourself a facial massage to get that blood circulation flowing and drain lymph (don’t forget to massage out and down your neck so the lymph has somewhere to go). You will want to cleanse for about one minute or longer if you are giving yourself a facial massage. A common mistake I see is people only cleansing for 10-15 seconds. You really want to let that product get into the skin and do its job, so by only giving your skin a 15 second cleanse, its not going to do much good. After you have rubbed that product in and cleansed, you will want to take A CLEAN towel, cloth, or paper towel to gently pat the skin dry. Avoid rubbing the skin and pulling it. Again, towels are breeding grounds for bacteria… SO MAKE SURE ITS CLEAN, haha. After this, you are ready to apply your serums, moisturizer, and SPF.
Evening Cleanse:
Evening cleanse is a bit more complex, but don’t worry- its nothing crazy! So evening is when its a great idea to DOUBLE CLEANSE. Throughout the day, we get dirt and oil buildups and makeup clogging the pores, so its important to cleanse a bit more throughly than in the morning. If you are double cleansing, make sure you’re using the proper products for your skin type!! If you double cleanse with Clean & Clear, I promise your skin will feel WAY to dry and tight. So make sure to double cleanse with the right products. Below I will break it down for you:
Cleansing with makeup on:
Start with an oil-based cleanser to break up the makeup. Living Libations Seabuckthorn, Eminence Stone Crop Oil Cleanser are great options.
Then go in with Cleansing Complex to neutralize the skin, and get any dirt that the oil cleanser may have missed.
Cleansing For Normal/Oily Skin:
If you have oily skin, and no makeup on. Start with Cleansing Complex to deep cleanse and neutralize the skin. Then for your doubled cleanse, I love Warming Honey Cleanser especially for oily/acne prone skin. This cleanser is made of 40 percent PURE HONEY which is a fanstasic antibacterial product. Warming Honey Cleanser feels just like honey and leaves your skin feeling velvety smooth. Trust me, its my fave double cleansing product. You can also leave on Warming Honey Cleanser as a masque for five minutes before rinsing.
Cleansing for Normal/ Dry Skin:
If you have more dry skin, start with Cleansing Complex as your first cleanse, and then go in with Cream Cleanser for your second cleanse. Cream cleanser contains coconut oil, safflower seed which supports the skins protective barrier while gently removing oil and dirt, and squalane which is a nutrient to protect the skin barrier.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
- Only use a dime/quarter size amount of cleanser
- Gently massage cleanser into skin for about 60 seconds
- Oil cleansers are great for removing makeup
- Only double cleanse in the evening
- Stay away from cleansers that contain alcohol or artificial fragrance
- When in doubt, cleansing complex ALWAYS
- Pat the skin dry after cleansing, don’t wipe or drag the skin
- ALWAYS use a CLEAN towel or cloth when patting the skin dry
- You can still use cleansing complex to remove makeup, but if its very heavy makeup, it may be easier to use an oil cleanser to break it down
As always, if you have any questions, send me a message ❤
Until next time,
Your fave local estie ❤
PS: WEAR YOUR SPF 🙂
Lifestyle Beauty by Kate 