Are You Cleansing Your Face Properly?
Have you ever wondered if you're actually washing your face the right way? We're going to uncover some common mistakes and questions that you may have. And we'll also go over what happens on a molecular level when you use a cleansing balm or a cleansing oil.
Common Mistake #1: Not using the right cleanser for your skin type
This is the most common mistake. If you have oily skin, opt for a foam-based or gel-based cleanser. These cleansers can cut through the oils and cleanse thoroughly, but be careful not to strip your skin too much of its natural sebum. If this happens, your skin will produce more sebum causing more breakouts. Another option is to choose a cleansing balm or oil cleanser. Balms and cleansers do wonders as a cleasnser, and they replenish your pores with oils so that your skin is not dry.
If you have dry skin, choose a cleanser that is alcohol-free and hydrating. Dry skin needs to be replenished of hydration, and keep its pH balance within 4.5-5.0.
If you have normal skin, choose a gentle cleanser that keeps it balanced. Something that doesn't cause your skin to breakout, nor does it cause it to feel overly dry.
Common Mistake #2: Rubbing too hard
The intuitive feeling of needing scrub harder to clean it well is not how we want to treat our skin. Scrubbing too hard or using devices like rotating brushes may cause your skin to become irritated. You can cause damage to your skin barrier, and agitate it such that breakouts may occur. A gentle, massaging, circular motion is sufficient, because we want to allow the cleanser or product to do its job.
Common Mistake #3: Using very hot water
Hot water does open up your pores, and you definitely want this action to occur in order to remove makeup, spf, dirt, and grime from your pores. However, if you use very hot water, you risk dehydrating your skin which requires your skin to produce more sebum, which can lead to blemishes. Tepid water, lukewarm, and warm water are all great choices.
Common Mistake #4: Ignoring your jawline and neck
Be sure to wash your jawline and neck with your facial cleanser. Body washes might be too harsh for those sensitive areas, and so a facial cleanser is the perfect choice. Sometimes, we forget about those areas altogether. Your jawline tends to have build-up of dirt, sweat, makeup, and spf, so we definitely want to make sure we are cleansing those areas well.
What is a Cleansing Balm or Cleansing Oil?
At Fyve Beauty, we're huge fans of using a cleansing balm or a cleansing oil, especially for removing makeup, spf, sweat, dirt, grime, and anything else your skin comes into contact throughout the day.
It is a great way to cleanse while also replenishing your skin with healthy, good-for-your-skin botanical oils that keep your skin well balanced.
A cleansing balm is a solid, soft, balmy texture that goes onto your dry skin, rubbing it in gentle, circular motions. Then you add a bit of water to your face, and the product emulsifies into a milky creamy cleanser. Finally, rinsing off everything will remove all the bad stuff, leaving only a clean, well hydrated, plump and happy skin.
A cleansing oil works in a similar process. The product itself is a thick (or thin) oil, that you pump out onto the palm of your hand. It is generally also applied to dry skin, massaged in, then you add water to emulsify, and finally wash off. Some oil cleansers have no cleansing agent, and if that is the case, you would physically remove the product off with a warm wash cloth.
How Do Cleansing Balms and Cleansing Oils Work on a Molecular Level?
When you gently massage the product onto dry skin, oil is attracted by oil. Therefore, the oil-based product begins to collect all the makeup, spf, dirt, and grime out from your pores.
When add water to your skin, small spherical lipid structures, called micelles form. A micelle collects the oils and is removed by the water.
Wiping off product with a warm wash cloth also removes the oil that has lifted from your pores. The result is clean, unclogged, happy, hydrated skin.
If you've never tried a cleansing balm or cleanisng oil, definitely give it a try. Here is a link to all of our cleansers that we currently offer.