Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Picking Cleansers for Your Skin

When picking a cleanser for your skin, ask yourself "Is this gentle?" "Does it contain acids?" "What ingredients does it have?" By practicing this you'll be able to pick a more efficient product. Labels like "normal", "dry", "combination", and "oily" doesn't necessarily mean the cleanser will work for you based on skin type. Even if it's labeled "normal", "dry", "combination", and "oily" if you look at the ingredients, the cleanser still could contain drying agents that will be counter productive to your regimen. Read the labels carefully and research the individual ingredients. Double check with your aesthetician to see if the cleanser will work for your skin type.

Every skin type needs to be balanced in oil and water.  The way we achieve balance is by cleansing with a pH balanced, gentle cleanser to remove make-up every night. Skin needs oil removed, water/lipids added, or a little of both. One cleanser type does not fit all. That's why you will need two cleansers in your skin care regimen. You need one cleanser that's great for make-up removal and every day cleansing and another decongesting cleanser (even if you don't wear makeup). Your every day cleanser will cleanse your skin daily without removing excess oil. The other cleanser should be exfoliating to some degree and a decongestant. Just stay away from the eyelids when using the decongesting cleanser. Cleanse the eyelids with a gentle cleanser first. Never use a decongesting cleanser on your eyelids because the eyelids are usually dehydrated and easily irritated. If the cleanser has any acids then you know that's a no go because you have to be able to cleanse your eyelids and remove makeup without irritating your delicate eyelids.  Always apply moisturizer in the morning and at night if it wasn't your night to apply an exfoliant.

Your skin type is not always oily, always dry, or combination. Weather and activities play a huge part in the state your skin is in. Ever wonder why once a month your aesthetician may recommend a peel, different facial treatment, or perhaps add a new product to your regimen? That's because your skin can change month to month depending on your activities! Perhaps you flew to Napa Vally for a weekend. Flying at high altitudes dries your skin out. Your next visit your aesthetician may recommend a peel to revive the skin, restore it with a hydrating mask, and send you home with a more intense moisturizer to use a little more often and to take with you on your future travels.

Benefit Clean and Purity Clean are my two favorite pH balanced cleansers that are great for every skin type and balance every skin type. Yes, oily, combo, and dry skin are real terms. But when they are written on product bottles they are just marketing terms!
  • Benefit Clean: This cleanser is "free of irritating sodium laurel sulfate. Benefit Clean is an immensely beneficial facial cleanser that’s gentle enough for even the most sensitive skin types. Formulated with gluconolactone (polyhydroxy acid), this antioxidant cleanser eliminates impurities, hydrates the skin and helps improve the appearance of photo damage." Cleanse your skin at night to remove makeup and on the mornings you don't use purity clean or use plain water then cleanse with Benefit Clean again.
  • Purity Clean: This cleanser is a "concentrated, exfoliating cleanser infused with peppermint essential oil to cool the skin and stimulate circulation. This refreshing cleanser penetrates deep, eliminating cellular debris, decongesting pores and hydrating, to keep normal to oily skin healthy and glowing." Use Purity Clean in the morning, once a week only. Pay attention to how often you need the decongestant cleanser; overuse could irritate your skin. If you wear make up, it's useless to use an exfoliating cleanser unless used on clean skin. Benefit Clean is a much better makeup remover and is safe to cleanse eyelids. Use Purity Clean in the shower and enjoy the amazing aroma therapy!
Combine these two cleansers in your daily cleansing regimen and you are guaranteed more balanced, healthy skin!

-Amber

 

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