Before you wage chemical warfare on your face in an attempt to clean it, there’s something you should remember. Almost 80 million bacteria live on the oilier parts of our skin (like the face), but that doesn’t mean you should get rid of them when you wash your face. After all, there are good bacteria too.
If you want to know how to wash your face without damaging the precious ecology that preserves the health of your skin, then read on.
Step One: The Basics
Before we get started learning how to wash your face, we need to set the stage. You don’t want to rub dirt and grime into your skin and block all of your pores, so you need to consider how to cleanse your face.
There are special cleaners designed for this task, products that can make removing all that excess oil and daily grime easy. The issue is that you need to consider your skin sensitivity before going forward.
What we’re about to say is going to become a theme. If you use a product containing harsh chemicals in a scorched-earth approach to skin cleansing, you risk causing damage.
This isn’t too severe, it won’t cause anything like scarring, but it could strip the essential natural oils from your skin. That will make your skin more likely to break out in acne or rashes, which is the opposite of what we want.
A typical bar of soap used for handwashing is a good example of a product that is far too harsh for use on your face. Do some research on cleansers that are nice and gentle with your skin.
If you can’t get your hands on a quality cleanser right now, then move on to the next step after you’ve ordered some. If you’re only going to use water, keep in mind that you should only use lukewarm water!
Water that is too hot or cold can have the same harsh effect on your skin as some products.
A Side Note on Water Temperature and Skin Oil
If you’re using water and are considering discarding our comment regarding the temperature, don’t be so quick to write it off as unimportant.
We mentioned how important it is to preserve the oils on your skin, and hot water will strip them quicker than you can blink. If you suffer from dry skin already, this is a nightmare scenario. The more significant mistake is thinking that it’s any better if you have oily skin.
There’s an argument that it could be even worse if you have oily skin. You might think that getting rid of it will help you, but it exacerbates the problem. The body will respond to the depletion of a natural resource by making MORE of it.
Cold water has benefits, and it’s not a bad idea to give your face a quick splash in the morning to give yourself a more lively look. It doesn’t work for a cleanse, however. That coldness causes all of your pores to shrink and tighten and will trap dirt and bacteria.
Step Two: Wash Your Face With a Cleanser
Whether using cleanser or water, you have everything you need already. Don’t reach for any washcloths or scrubbing brushes.
Your face isn’t the bottom of the sink or a toilet bowl. You don’t need to scrub at it with a hard-bristled brush until there’s nothing left.
The best way to wash your face is to use your fingertips and massage the water or cleanser around your face. Particular places on your face might need extra attention, like the nose, which often harbors the most oil. Remember that even with your fingers, you want to avoid any scrubbing.
This is a quick cleanse and rinse to get the dirt off your skin as gently as possible.
How Often Should You Wash Your Face?
Unless you’ve managed to get yourself into a real mess, you should limit your face washing to twice a day. You can feel free to give yourself a splash of cold water to freshen up, but don’t go into a full-blown skin care routine too often.
Step Three: Drying Your Skin
You don’t need to blast yourself in the face with a hair dryer or rub frantically at your face to make it bone dry. Take a towel and pat everything dry. Not to beat the same old drum again, but any rubbing or extreme temperature changes will once again dry your skin out and cause issues further down the line.
Dermatologists suggest that leaving a bit of dampness on your skin is good. That extra dampness helps to moisturize your skin naturally, and it isn’t going to get in the way of applying any additional skincare products.
Step Four: Apply Products
When paired with careful technique and conservative application of products, you can turn the health of your skin around. This is the stage you want to consider those products once you’ve already laid the foundations of clean skin.
Everyone has different products that they like to use, but it’s less about the product and more about how you use it. You can learn more about how to use skincare products, and you’ll have the advantage of not undoing the work you did with your careful cleaning.
Take Care of Yourself
No matter how severe your skin issues are on your face, we almost guarantee that learning how to wash correctly will help. Do your best to take good care of yourself, wash your face, and keep that youthful, healthy look.
Read more of our blog if you’d like to preserve your looks and add a dash of style. Our regular articles on fashion and health will keep you looking sharp.
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