How to cleanse the skin properly?

The glands located in the skin produce sebum and sweat. In order for the skin to function properly, the resulting layer of sebum, which additionally accumulates pollutants and bacteria from the environment, should be regularly cleansed. How to properly cleanse the face and why should it be done? What cosmetics are meant for facial cleansing and what are the at-home methods for cleansing facial skin?

Why should you cleanse your face?

Regular cleansing of the facial skin is important because:

• it allows you to unclog pores in the skin,
• it makes it possible to maintain the proper pH of the skin,
• it ensures proper functioning of the hydro-lipid layer,
• it improves the regenerative capacity of the skin,
• it prepares the skin for further care treatments.

How to cleanse the face skin properly? 

Healthy facial skin needs to be cleaned twice a day: in the morning and in the evening. The choice of cosmetics and methods should be adapted to the type of skin. The treatment of proper facial skin cleansing should be carried out according to the scheme: makeup removal – cleansing – toning.

• Makeup removal
  First of all, you must get rid of the cosmetics you’ve been wearing all day long from the face, eyelids, eyelashes, and lips. In order to speed up this process, it is a good idea to press a cotton pad soaked in a micellar water against the area of your skin you wish to remove the makeup from. This way, the skin will be cleansed quickly and safely without the risk of getting irritated or damaging eyelashes.
• Cleansing
  Makeup removal prepares the skin for the next step in skin care, that is cleansing. For this purpose, you can use a cleansing foam or a face wash gel.
• Toning
  This step requires the use of a toner and is aimed at restoring the skin’s proper pH level.

Face cleansing cosmetics

When choosing the right cleansing products, you should be guided by the type of your complexion. If your skin is sensitive, delicate and mature, lipid-rich substances will work best. A good solution will be a cleansing milk, which does not require rinsing with water. In order to cleanse oily, combination and acne and blackhead-prone skin, it is worth reaching for a gel, a foam or other preparation with a light and clear consistency. In the case of normal skin, gentle preparations with a light formula will be helpful; too heavy cosmetics intended for sensitive skin or dedicated to the seborrhoeic skin may worsen the condition of normal skin.

Facial cleansing cosmetics should contain emollients, substances that are intended to protect the hydro-lipid coat of the skin and prevent excessive loss of moisture. Damage to the hydrolipid layer is manifested by a feeling of tightness and burning of the skin after cleansing. You can add babassu oil (Attalea speciosa) to some cleansing gels, which, due to the content of saturated fatty acids, supports the hydro-lipid layer of the skin.

A facial brush

For proper face cleansing, it is worth using a gentle cleaning brush; some cosmetics have it built into the packaging. The best face brushes are made of mild silicone materials. The face cleansing brush allows thorough skin cleansing which cannot be compared to washing with just the fingertips alone.

The face cleaning brush not only makes cleansing more effective but also:

• gives it a form of peeling, thanks to which it improves the microcirculation of the skin,
• cleanses pores and removes impurities from all skin hollows,
• smoothes out the skin surface.

What not to use for face cleansing?

Facial skin should not be cleansed with the use of inappropriate cosmetics containing the following ingredients:

• soap,
• alcohol,
• excessive amounts of detergents,
• moisturizing substances that leave a sticky film on the skin surface.

Soap, alcohol, and detergents have a negative effect on the hydro-lipid layer of the skin. However, oily substances that remain on the skin may contribute to pore-clogging. Moreover, they lower the effectiveness of other beauty treatments by preventing the conditioning ingredients from penetrating the skin.

Homemade ways of skin cleansing 

Although the cosmetics market offers a wide range of products, there are still plenty of supporters of proven homemade methods. Their greatest asset is a fully natural composition. Homemade facial cleansing products include mainly peelings and masks.

Homemade ways to cleanse your face – recipes

• Recipe for a homemade coffee scrub
  Homemade coffee scrub stimulates circulation as well as smoothes and evens out the skin surface. To prepare it, just mix 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 teaspoons of brewed coffee and a teaspoon of honey and ground cinnamon.
• Recipe for a homemade cleansing mask with apple
  Homemade apple cleansing mask refreshes cleanses pores and strengthens the skin capillaries. To prepare it, just mix together a large grated sour apple, a tablespoon of olive oil and a teaspoon of cottage cheese. The mask should be applied to the cleansed face, and after 15 minutes, wash it down with lukewarm water.