What’s the most important step in taking care of your skin?
Of course the answer would be cleansing. Cleansing is the most essential part of taking care of your skin so make sure you know how to cleanse your face properly instead of only washing it with water. If that what you've been doing until now (washing only with water), you've been doing it wrong! Here I'll be sharing few tips regarding cleansing your face that I've made few researches on and based on my own experiences.
1. Cleansing your face
I bet most of us already know cleansing is important but have you been cleansing your face properly and know what is double/triple cleanse and other cleansing techniques out there?
Double/Triple cleanse - Use cleansing cream/cleansing oil if you wear make-up and if you have oily/combination skin, go for cleansing cream instead of cleansing oil. cleansing creams moisturize your skin while gently melting off the make-up. However, most cleansing creams won’t melt off all your make-up completely so you still need to use a Make-up Remover especially if you’re wearing heavy make-ups (such as mascara, eyeliner, lip tint etc). Then follow up your cleansing routine with washing your face with your usual facial cleanser. Choosing the right facial cleanser is important too. Find the most suitable cleanser base on your skin type and make sure it doesn’t leave you the tight & squeaky clean feeling as if you feel it that way, it means the cleanser is stripping your natural oil which mean it’s not good. If it’s stripping your natural oil, it will make our largest organ (skin lol) trying to repair itself by replacing the oil stripped away. This leaves us in a cycle of being tight and dry followed by the inevitable oil slick. Each time we strip the oil away, our skin over-compensates for the lack of moisture by creating more oil, that’s why getting on the idea that oily skin doesn’t need to use moisturizer/emulsion is wrong. Moisturizers/emulsions are important despite any skin types. On top of the drying effects, some cleansers are highly-scented too. Fragrance is one of the top skin irritants and strangely enough, even the so-called “unscented” products usually contain fragrance, so see for yourself, do check the labels. If the cleanser starts breaking you off, stop using it and switch to a new cleanser.
{ How To Choose A Cleanser } It's better to choose a facial Cleanser that does “not” include alcohol, fragrance or parabens. Looking toward the natural as nature provides an assortment of herbs and essential oils might be better too. These elements can protect your complexion from winter harshness or even the summer sun. Look for a daily facial cleanser that will thoroughly cleanse your face without drying or damaging delicate facial skin. Preferably with active, natural ingredients such as witch hazel, lichen, limonoid glucosides, bio-flavanoids and oxygenated water as well as floral water along with sun ripened grain vinegar to soften the skin and lemon essential oil to aid the skin illuminate (if you're not allergic to any of the ingredients listed). Don't forget to consider your skin type too.When choosing your cleanser it is also important to see how fast your cleanser rinses away without leaving any soapy residue on the skin which may attract dirt. Also your cleanser should not rob you off your moisture (feels squeaky clean & tight after cleansing) but should make your skin feel faintly taut right after you use it. This slight tightness will tell you the cleanser has removed the surface oils that collect dirt. But if the tautness lasts more than 10 to 15 minutes (this mean it get rids of your natural oil), switch to a gentler, milder cleanser.
{ The Right Way To Use A Cleanser } Gently is the right way. Do not stretch, drag or pull your skin. With the cleanser in your hand, let your fingers glide over your skin, or use light patting movements with the pads of your fingers. Upwards and outwards movements have frequently been suggested as the right way to apply all kinds of cream to the face - this is thought to prevent or delay the eventual loss of muscle tone and the reultant sagging of the skin. Leave the cleanser on for a minute or two so as to loosen dirt and make-up. Then gently remove it either with a cotton wool or with a tissue paper, again using upward and outward strokes. Wipe over the face again with a damp cotton wool ball, and if it does not come away clean, repeat the cleaning process. Finally rinse with water. The cotton wool or tissue paper part is not really necessarily but if you can do it, why not?
Not necessary but if you can ;
1. Try get a net sponge (I’m not sure what it’s called, I think it’s net sponge). When cleansing face, you’ll need to be as gentle as possible. Foam is the most gentle way to cleanse your face. Why your cleansing foam namely cleansing ‘foam’ ? It’s because you need to foam it. Albeit, you still can foam your cleanser without using sponge, just put your cleanser on your palm then rub your hands together until foam is created. Anyway, this is how the sponge I’m talking about looks like ;
Actually any sponges will do the work but I like this type better as imo it absorb the product less. Btw, use this sponge only to create foam! not use it to scrub your face D:
2. Add Konjac Sponge/clarisonic something (any type of sponge that are meant to be use for your face) as the last step for your cleansing routine. I prefer Konjac Sponge as imo it’s more gentle & delicate on eye area.
3. Use more than 1 type of facial cleanser. For example, for oily/combination skin, at daytime use a Foam type of a cleanser and at night time use a Bubble type of cleanser or at daytime use a cleanser that is meant for oily skin but at night use a moisturizing cleanser
4. Yes, after use cleanser, you’ll need to wash your face with water. But usually most of us only take like few seconds to wash face with water. If following Suzy Miss A’s way, last step of her cleansing routine is wash her face with water for around 4 minutes. Here’s Suzy’s cleansing routine ;
Honestly speaking now that I think of it again 10 minutes of cleansing face is a bit too much and it can actually make your skin becomes dry. Imo, 2 minutes of using cleansing oil/makeup remover (when you’re using makeups) or until your makeups are gone are enough then follow by a foam cleanser and wash throughly using water until your face is clean is enough. There’s no need to wash with water until 4 minutes.
TIPS ~ ☆ After finish all your cleansing routine, don’t towel dry your face because it’ll absorb the moisture too much. Instead use your clean hand to tap/pat the excess water until your face dry. If you’re in hurry and don’t have the time to tap or pat all that, you can use cotton pad to dry your face as it won’t absorb too much moisture like towel does. Downwards motion is preferred when using cotton pad to dry your skin.
There are many types of cleanser available out there too. If you’re still new to the whole skin care things, you’ll need to know about this. Different types of cleansers have been developed for people with different skin types. Active cleansers are more suitable for oily skins to prevent breakouts. But they may overdry and irritate dry skin, this may make the skin appear and feel worse. Very dry skin may require a creamy lotion-type cleanser. These are normally too gentle to be effective on oily or even normal skin, but dry skin requires much less cleansing power. It may be a good idea to select a cleanser that is alcohol-free for use on dry, sensitive, or dehydrated skin. Some cleansers may incorporate fragrance or essential oils. However, for some people, these cleansers may irritate the skin and often provoke allergic responses. People with such sensitivity should find cleansers that are pH-balanced cosmetic balanced, contain fewer irritants, suit many variating skin types, and do not make the skin feel dehydrated directly after cleansing. Tight, uncomfortable skin is often dehydrated and may appear shiny after cleansing, even when no sebum is present. This is due to the taughtening and 'stripping’ effect some cleaners can have on the skin. One should discontinue use of a cleanser that upsets the balance of the skin; cleansers should work with the skin not against it. Finding the right cleanser can involve some trial-and-error.
Cleansing foam are available for all skin type and the most important thing you need in your cleansing routine. The texture is creamy and you’ll be able to foam it easily. Little amount of product should be sufficient for your need. Usually cleansing foam available in this kind of tube.
Cleansers from this line were my favorite cleansers (I'm not sure if they're discontinued by Etude House now). I have tried #1, #3 and #5. This was recommendation foam type of cleanser by me. This Happy Cleansing line from Etude House offered 5 different types suitable for your need.
- I think they're now replaced by Etude House Every Month Cleansing Foam which offers impressively 12 types of cleanser!
- Cleansing Cream
Just like its name, it’s a cream type. Usually it will feel oily on your skin and some feel sticky on skin. You can either use a tissue or your hand to use this cleansing cream. For people with oily skin or combination, should go for cleansing cream instead of cleansing oil. This is to remove lighter to medium make-up. For cleansing cream, I would recommend this one. It contains mineral-rich Brazilian black sugar that will leaves your skin moist after washing and also gently removes the dense make-up. Before I forget, you should have a dry face & hands before using cleansing cream.
This is for those who doesn’t like the oily feeling on their face. Just like its name, the texture is watery. So far I’ve only owned one Cleansing Water and it works OMG SUPER well on removing make-up! Another bonus is you don’t need to wash your face with water again after using this cleansing water! But, for those who already get used with double/triple cleansing won’t consider it as bonus if you get what I mean. This is to remove medium to heavy make-up. If you want to try cleansing water, give this etude’s baby a try :D It’s natural, pure, organic and most importantly 7 FREE! Suitable for sensitive skin too!
- Cleansing Tissue
Another easy way to remove your make-up is by using a cleansing tissue. If you’re in a rush and want hassle-free way of removing make-up, this one definitely for you. So far I’ve no favorite cleansing tissue yet so I can’t really recommend one. If you haven’t seen one, here’s how the cleansing tissue looks like. This is to remove medium to heavy make-up.
- Cleansing Gel
I don’t really want to recommend use a cleansing gel as I find it’s not really effective and you’ll need large amount of product as well as a really dry face and hands. Easy said, it’s hard to remove your make-up by using cleansing gel. Usually they comes in pump type or in a tube. This is to remove lighter make-up.
- Cleansing Milk
- Cleansing Oil
- Cleansing Powder
I'll say cleansing powder is a little bit rare and harder to find than most cleansers. I've tried only one cleansing powder which is Baking Powder Pore Cleansing Powder Wash from Etude House so I honestly can't say much about it. It cleanses quite well and it doesn't bubble much as cleansing foam does but it on the cleansing purpose, it almost up to par with cleansing foam.
- Bubble Foam / Mousse type
Good for all skin type and also sensitive skin (do check ingredients list first tho). The most gentle way to cleanse your face! I like bubble foam/mousse type of cleanser the most. Not only because they’re gentle on skin, they’re able to deep cleanse your face too.
- Soap
I find soaps are too mainstream. enough said, lol. Imho, if you can pick, better go for a cleansing foam rather than a soap.
- ETC
STEP by STEP >>
1. Cleansing Cream/Cleansing Oil/Cleansing Water/Cleansing Milk/Cleansing Gel/ETC (Make-up Remover (if use any make-up))2. Facial Cleanser
3. Water
4. Pat it dry / use cotton pad ( Don’t use towel as it absorbs the moisture too much )
Other tips ~ ✿
- Start cleansing from behind the ears and the jawline, and once the cleanser is warmed up, move towards the center of your face.
- Breakouts can be treated naturally by washing affected areas with salted lukewarm water to sanitize the area and prevent it from worsening.
- You can try wash your face using milk, this is one of Song Hye Go’s secret.
- To make her face smaller, Song Hye Go massages her face with ice cubes.
- Change your bedsheet / pillow sheet often. If you want to be a hardcore, put a facial towel on your pillow & sleep on it. Change it everyday.
- Brush your teeth bro. Good hygiene always important.
- Other than cleansing, there’s exfoliating. Exfoliating is important too, I will talk bout it more later.
- Other than exfoliating, there’s massaging. I’ll talk more bout it later too.
