Facial Cleansers
Cleansing is always the first step in every face care routine. You can use foam cleansers or carrier oils. Cleansing your face gets rid of impurities that can make your skin look tired and dull. As they say, every artist needs a clean, blank canvas to paint a masterpiece. Treat your face like a masterpiece with the best products.
Cleansing your face sounds easy. But, are you doing it right? You might think that the squeaky clean feeling means your skin is cleansed well. However, it could be a sign that your skin is dry. Your skin should always have a soft and velvety texture. The way you wash your face makes a difference in how it feels.
To keep your skin feeling soft and smooth, make sure that you are using a suitable facial cleanser. Consider how you cleanse your face too. There are many ways to cleanse face and not just with a foam cleanser. Here, you will learn the various types of facial cleansers and how to use them properly.
What Are Facial Cleansers
Facial cleansers are the first product you use in your skin care routine. They remove makeup, excess oil, dirt, and dead skin cells from skin’s surface. These cleansers unclog pores and prevent buildup of impurities. In a sense, cleansing your skin means letting it breathe. You remove impurities that build up on skin’s surface. This can stimulate skin cell renewal to reveal bright and fresh skin underneath.
There are different types and forms of facial cleansers. You should look for the right type and form of facial cleanser that suits your skin type.
Different Types of Facial Cleanser
Facial cleansers have various types and forms. You can find cleansers that produce foam and cleansers that you don’t need to rinse off skin. Each product is designed to provide maximum cleansing action without damaging skin. Most of these cleansers are suitable for specific skin types. Find out what makes these facial cleansers different and their benefits.
Foaming Cleansers
Foaming cleansers produce foam that cleanses skin. This is the most popular type of facial cleanser because it lasts long. A small amount of this cleanser creates a lot of foam that can cover entire skin. These cleansers produce foam when you mix them with water. Foaming cleansers may have various forms like the ones below:
- Creams – Cream cleansers have thick consistency. A small amount can create thick lather that you can apply on face to cleanse. Cream cleansers produce creamy thick lather that works well for oily and combination skin.
- Gels – Gel cleansers are thick and clear. These cleansers mix well with water to produce foam. It works well for normal and oily skin. The foam produced by gel cleansers may feel light compared to the thickness of cream cleansers.
- Bar Soaps – Bar soap has a solid form that makes it easier to use and apply on skin. Most bar soaps you can buy today contain sodium lauryl sulfate or SLS. This ingredient can remove excess moisture from skin, leaving it dry and prone to irritation.
Non-Foaming Cleansers
Non-foaming cleansers often do not contain surfactants. They vary in form and may not need water to be activated at all. Foaming cleansers are mixed with water to produce lather. Lather is what cleanses skin. However, there are surfactants in foam cleansers that can dry skin. Here are different forms of non-foaming cleansers:
- Cleansing Balms – Balms are not only for your lips. They can cleanse your face too! However, these are no ordinary balms. These cleansing balms contain oils and produce little to no foam. You can use cleansing balms on oily, dry, and sensitive skin types. They help remove makeup easily and hydrate skin at the same time.
- Cream or Milk Cleansers – Cream cleansers produce very little or no lather at all. They come in thick creamy formulas that cleanse skin. This type of cleanser is more suitable for dry and sensitive skin to prevent irritation. Cream cleanser is very hydrating and soothing on skin too.
- Clay Cleansers – Clay cleansers contain mud deposits that help remove dirt, dead skin cells, and excess oil from skin. Some types of clay cleansers are too thick to apply directly on skin. You can mix them with a small amount of water.
- Micellar Water – Micellar water is a type of cleanser often used to remove makeup and excess oil from face. It is gentle on skin and doesn’t need to be washed off. Micellar water contains purified water, mild surfactants, and hydrating ingredients. This cleanser attracts dirt and oil that may clog pores. It is non-drying and leaves your skin moisturized.
- Powder Cleansers – Powder cleansers are just as you imagined. They come in powder forms like baby powder. You mix them with water to produce a creamy texture. You can control the mixture’s thickness. This can affect the texture as well as its potency. With a thicker mixture, this cleanser can exfoliate skin much better.
- Oil Cleansers – Oil cleansers are perfect for all skin types, especially dry skin. It removes impurities from skin and unclogs pores. Oil cleansers are effective because they dissolve hardened sebum, dirt, dead skin cells, and makeup on skin. It draws out dirt from deep within pores and hydrates skin. Using oil cleansers leave your face soft and radiant.
Exfoliating Cleanser
Exfoliating cleansers remove stubborn impurities and dead skin cells from your face. There are dirt, hardened sebum, and dead skin cells that regular foaming cleansers cannot remove. Exfoliating cleansers contain ingredients that give formula an abrasive texture. They may contain small particles of organic ingredients or chemical beads. These particles may come from seed, bark, salt, and other small ingredients with gentle abrasive texture.
Some exfoliators use mild forms of acid cleansers that help remove dead skin cells without damaging skin. These acid cleansers get rid of dead cells on skin’s outermost layer. They help stimulate cell renewal to make skin look more radiant. Most acid cleansers fall into the following categories:
- BHA – BHAs or beta-hydroxy acids dissolve in water and oil, giving it the ability to seep through skin. These acids can reach the pores and unclog impurities. This is why BHA cleansers are perfect for oily and acne-prone skin. They are gentle on sensitive skin as well.
- AHA – AHAs or alpha hydroxy acids, on the other hand, exfoliate dead cells on skin’s outermost layer. They help stimulate collagen production to give skin a softer and smoother texture. AHA does not penetrate skin as BHA does. AHA cleansers work best on dry and mature skin.
Soap-Free Cleansers
Soap is a mixture of natural oils or fats and alkaline solutions. This mixture produces great lather but may prove to be too drying on face. Soap is considered a surfactant used on body cleansers. However, since skin on your face is more sensitive, it is important to avoid face cleansers that contain soap. Soap-free cleansers use other types of surfactants. Soap-free cleansers work best on skin with water-oil imbalance.
Facial Cleanser for All Skin Types
Your face needs a suitable formula that can cleanse skin without causing dryness. Each skin type has different characteristics and needs. You need a product that addresses these needs to achieve the skin you wanted. Below are the best facial cleansers for your skin type and how they help.
Normal Skin
Normal skin has little to no imperfection. It is common to experience oiliness at the T-zone. However, other than mild oiliness, having normal skin is great. Still, this doesn’t mean you should just use any cleanser. The best facial cleansers for normal skin are gentle foam cleansers and micellar water.
Gentle foam cleansers are perfect for everyday face wash. They help remove dirt and excess oil from skin. Micellar water helps cleanse skin without rinsing. It is perfect for removing makeup to prevent dryness and irritation.
Dry Skin
To avoid excessive dryness, use hydrating or moisturizing cleansers. Non-foaming cleansers such as cleansing balms, cream cleansers, and oil cleansers are perfect for dry skin. They remove makeup, dirt, and dead skin cells without getting rid of necessary moisture. Soap-free cleansers are good for your skin as well.
Oily Skin
Oily skin produces more sebum when you remove necessary moisture. This is why you should avoid harsh cleansers. Instead, use gentle non-drying cleansers like cleansing balms, micellar water, and soap-free cleansers. Oily skin can become prone to acne as well. This happens when sebum, dirt, and dead skin cells on pores harden. For oily, acne-prone skin, use oil cleansers and exfoliating cleansers weekly. Clay cleanser and powder cleanser can help regulate oil production as well.
Sensitive Skin
Sensitive skin reacts easily to ingredients in face products. It can become red, irritated, inflamed, or develop rashes. The best way to avoid this is cleansers that contain harsh chemicals. Gentle, non-foaming cleansers especially milk cleanser is great on sensitive skin. Oil cleansers may help soothe red and irritated skin as well. However, make sure not to use too thick or strong oils.
Combination Skin
If you have combination skin, you have to choose cleansers that do not trigger skin reaction. Opt for gentle foaming cleansers that do not contain harsh surfactants. You can use soap-free facial cleansers that have a mild formula. Combination skin type tends to have water-oil imbalance. This means that your skin may lack either of the two. This affects the ability of your skin to produce oil or retain hydration.
Mature Skin
Mature skin is prone to damage. Using harsh facial cleansers can speed up skin aging. To prevent this, use facial cleansers that provide hydration such as oil cleansers and milk cleansers. Exfoliating cleansers, especially AHA cleanser can help stimulate skin cell renewal and collagen production. AHA cleansers remove impurities and make skin look younger. For more tips on how to prevent skin aging, visit the page below.
Finding the Right Facial Cleanser
The first step when you build a proper face care routine is to find the perfect cleanser. Cleansers affect your skin more than you realize. It can cause damage, remove necessary moisture, trigger excessive oil production, or speed up skin aging. These are skin concerns you can avoid with a suitable facial cleanser. Get ready to fall in love with softer, smoother, and suppler skin. Find the perfect cleanser for your skin with these steps:
Right Way to Cleanse Skin
The way you cleanse your face can make a big difference in how your skin feels and looks. There is a proper way to wash your face. Cleanse your face the right way to get the best results. Below are the general steps to daily face cleanse:
Now that you know the various types of facial cleansers, you can find the right one for your skin type. Gentle facial cleansers leave your skin radiant and supple. Look fresh and young-looking with the best facial cleanser.