‘What are you cleansing with?’ The first, and most important question I ask my facial clients. Cleansing is the foundation to our skincare routine, and the most important step in our beauty regimen. The perfect cleansing method could change the way you look at skincare altogether, so here are my top tips…
Always double cleanse
Your first cleanse is primarily for ‘taking off the day’; removing makeup, SPF, pollution and dust that sits on our skin and clogs our pores. Cleansing oils such as Natural Glow are great for this as the oil gently breaks down the makeup and any excess sebum and then transforms into a cleansing milk, so is still very gentle on the delicate eye area, ensuring all make up is removed preventing dryness.
The second cleanse penetrates the bare skin, meaning your product can really get to work and you can reap the benefits. There’s no need to change your cleanser, just one product will do. My top tip is to massage your product into the skin in upwards motions to give the complexion a natural lift and then remove with a hot cloth for a gentle exfoliation. Our skin sheds millions of cells per day, so it’s important to exfoliate your skin regularly to ensure it’s looking its best.
Choose your products wisely
If your cleanser leaves your skin feeling tight, this is because it is drying your skin by stripping natural oils and raising the pH. An ideal pH to the skin is 5.5, and it’s important to maintain balance to keep your skin in equilibrium. Choose your products wisely, and ensure that they don’t contain any harsh synthetic ingredients that will strip your skin, as this leads to the over-production of sebum, and build up can merge with dead skin cells and keratin, which block pores and form blemishes.
Avoid face wipes
Face wipes are popular as they’re simple and convenient, especially whilst we’re on the go. However I don’t personally recommend that anyone uses face wipes as part of a long-term skincare regime. They don’t typically contain high quality ingredients that can be found in other cleansers and can often strip the skin of it’s natural oils, leaving it dry and flaky, leading to premature ageing. If you’re always on the go and need a quick fix, my advice would be to use a micellar water. These beauty waters can be used with a cotton pad to remove makeup much the same as face wipes, but often contain better quality ingredients that are less harsh on the skin and help condition and hydrate rather than dry out.
Beauty flash
The final step to the perfect cleanse is to ensure that all product has been removed. Although cleansers have many benefits to the skin, they aren’t designed to be left on, so give your skin a final splash of cool water or go over with a cool, damp cloth to refresh after cleansing as a ‘beauty flash’. The contrast between the warm water from your cleanse and cool water of the beauty flash is revitalising and stimulates blood circulation, making for a glowing, even complexion. Give it a try!
Seek guidance
Identifying your skin type and condition can be tricky. If you don’t want to risk investing in your skincare routine without professional advice, ask a skincare expert for a consultation. A holistic approach that considers any hormonal imbalances, diet and health is best, as these can all have an impact on your skin.
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