When it comes to washing your face, are you making sure you’re doing everything the right way? Learn how to properly wash your face so that your skin can maintain its youthful glow by following these steps.
Although some articles and social media influencers may lead you to believe that the only way to make your skin glow is to use a large number of different skincare products, the fundamental rule is that keeping things as simple as possible is essential. I don’t care if you’ve never tried to take care of your skin before or if you’re an expert who knows everything there is to know about the latest and greatest skincare routines (vampire facials, Korean skincare, etc.), I’m here to tell you that it’s not hard at all! The first thing you need to do is ensure that you wash your face properly. You got that right! When it comes to washing their faces, a surprising number of people get it completely wrong. You might be surprised at how many people do this.
If you’re reading this, you’ve probably heard of AHA, BHA, niacinamide, retinol, and other skincare jargon. Face washing is the most fundamental of all the skincare practices, so let’s go over how to do it properly.
How to wash your face?
The following is a list of things that you should do and not do when washing your face:
- Use water that is lukewarm rather than boiling since hot water can remove the protective lipids from the skin, leaving it dry and itchy.
- Always wipe your face with a fresh towel that is designed specifically for that purpose; the majority of us are guilty of utilizing the common hand towel that is kept in the bathroom.
- You should only wash your face twice every day. An excessive amount of cleansing can irritate the skin and cause damage to its protective barrier. If you are only going to wash your face once, you should do it at the end of the day to remove all of the sweat, grime, and makeup that accumulated throughout the day.
- A cleanser should have a contact time of between 30 and 60 seconds at the very least.
How to choose face wash?
Following are some guidelines to follow when choosing a face wash appropriate for your skin type:
For acne-prone/oily skin
- Foaming or salicylic acid (BHA) based cleanser.
- No need for a special moisturizer if the cleanser already incorporates a moisturizer (eg – LHA, alpha lipoic, glycerine), or uses a gel/light non-comedogenic moisturizing lotion. This is especially helpful when one is using an acne treatment that dries out and irritates the skin (such as tretinoin, adapalene, and benzoyl peroxide)
- Use gel-based sunscreen, as acne medication (both tablets and creams) causes photo-sensitivity. Sunscreen also helps in preventing pigmentation from acne marks, for which SPF 30 is sufficient.
or combination skin
- Non-foaming, non-comedogenic, wash-off liquid cleanser.
- Use a light moisturizing or cream-based lotion. This is helpful if using other skincare actives or acne treatments dry out your skin.
- Use gel or gel cream-based sunscreen.
For dry/sensitive skin
- Non-foaming, cream or liquid moisturizing face wash that leaves a surface film.
- Use a cream-based moisturizer.
- Use a cream-based sunscreen.
Double cleansing
Is it necessary for EVERYONE to perform a double cleanse? NO. Double scrubbing your face every single day isn’t necessary if your skin isn’t typically oily and you only apply makeup on occasion. Simple, good-old-fashioned cleansing is all that’s required in these cases.
