Face Cleansing: What is it, Its Benefits, and How to Do it Right!

Not everyone is born with beautiful skin—it takes some measures to get your skin to look effortlessly healthy and radiant. This is where facial cleanser comes in. Cleansing your face regularly is the first place to start. Cleansing rids the pores of dirt, oil, makeup, and any other buildup. That’s important for preventing breakouts. Cleansing can also help even out your skin tone, especially if you have combination skin with patches of dryness and oiliness. Find out more about why cleansing your face is important, the benefits to look forward to, and how to make sure you’re doing it correctly.

What Are the Types of Face Cleansers?

There are many types of facial cleansers available on the market. Here are the ones you might look for:

• Cream cleanser. These are effective at removing makeup, dirt, and oil while also moisturizing your skin. And the cream texture is comforting and soothing on the skin. Some cream cleansers also include hyaluronic acid or benzoyl peroxide to target dryness.
• Foaming cleaners. These go on like a cream, but then foam once you’ve added water. Foaming cleansers are lightweight, and they’re great for those with oily skin as the foam helps remove excess oil and dirt without stripping your skin of its natural moisture. And the best part is your skin will stay matte for a longer time after cleansing.
• Gel cleansers. These cleansers are also good for those with oily skin. They’re lightweight, often clear in color, and are great at deep cleansing. They go deeper into the pores and can help remove the excess oil and bacteria that leads to acne. Some gel cleansers include hyaluronic acid or salicylic acid to gently exfoliate the skin.
• Oil-based cleansers. This may sound counterintuitive, but oil-based cleansers are great for all skin types, including oily skin. Oil-based cleansers are great at clinging to makeup and dirt. But you’ll want to use a water-based cleanser to finish your cleansing routine.
• Micellar water. This isn’t just regular water—it's water that cleanses and is good for soothing sensitive skin. Micellar water is made with purified water and other ingredients like glycerin and surfactants, which help along the cleansing process. Micellar water is suitable for all skin types, and it’s effective on removing makeup, dirt, and oil by unclogging the pores. A plus side with micellar water is that you don’t need to rinse with regular water after cleansing.
• Cleansing bar. This isn’t like a regular bar of soap, instead it’s formulated to gently cleanse your skin. It’s a great option for those with dry to very dry skin because it doesn’t strip the natural oils from the skin. Cleansing bars often lack harsh agents and other ingredients that might dry out the skin, so it’s a gentler way of cleansing that’s great for sensitive skin, too.
• Cleansing wipes. These are biodegradable wipes that contain cleansing liquid, and work much the same as the cleansers mentioned above except you don’t need to add water. You may still want to rinse your face after using a wipe.

What are the Benefits of Face Cleansing?

Using a face cleanser has many benefits. Here’s a list of just some of the things you can look forward to when using a facial cleanser on a regular basis:

• Removes makeup, dirt, oil, pollution, and any buildup. Your skin can hold onto all kinds of things like bacteria, pollutants, viruses, dirt, and more. Cleansing removes all these unwanted things that can clog your pores. Micellar water is especially effective at going deep into the pores to remove buildup.
• Boosts skin’s hydration. Using a cleanser can help maintain a good level of moisture in the skin of your face. Cleansing helps maintain good pH levels and can keep your skin from drying out.
• Exfoliates and removes dead skin. You might not know this, but dead skin cells can create an uneven appearance on your face. You might see them as bumps and blemishes. Using a face cleanser regularly can help rid your skin of dead skin cells and even out the appearance of your skin, leaving it feeling smooth and soft.
• Helps maintain clear skin. The glands under your skin produce a substance called sebum, which forms a natural protection to guard your skin from pollution, dirt, and bacteria However, dirt buildup can block sebum, leaving your skin susceptible to bacteria penetrating the pores, which can cause inflammation, leading to acne breakouts. Cleansing can help prevent this from happening.
• Offers anti-aging benefits. Using cleansers daily and properly, that is, massaging it into your skin, can reap many benefits for anti-aging, such as reducing the signs of wrinkles and fine lines. Cleansing is just one way you can rejuvenate your skin’s elasticity and improve its appearance.
• Helps treat skincare issues. Cleansing your face regularly can help alleviate or prevent many skincare issues like blackheads, whiteheads, acne, dark spots, inflammation, redness, and dryness. It can even help reduce the appearance of scars and rosacea.

How to Properly Use Face Cleansers

Here are the steps you can follow for using facial cleanser properly:

1. Wash your hands to make sure you’re not transferring any dirt or bacteria to your face. Use a mild soap and wash your hands thoroughly before cleansing.
2. Wet your face first to make the cleanser more effective. Use lukewarm water on your face. You can’t really apply cleanser effectively to a dry face.
3. Apply the cleanser by squeezing a dime-sized amount into your pam. Spread it everywhere including your forehead, nose, cheeks, jawline, hairline, and even down your neck.
4. Massage the cleanser into your skin. Using small, circular motions, massage the cleanser into your pores, and especially into the crevices of your skin, like either side of your nose. Do this for at least 30 seconds. This is an important step you shouldn’t skip.
5. Rinse your face with lukewarm water and make sure you get all the cleanser off as it can irritate your skin or lead to a breakout if you leave it on the skin.
6. Pat your face dry with a clean towel, but do not rub or pull on the skin of your face.

Frequently Asked Questions about Face Wash

• What is the importance of face cleanser?
  Using a facial cleanser regularly has many benefits, such as cleansing the pores of your skin, removing dead skin cells from the surface of your skin, improving the appearance of your skin, reducing the skin’s inflammation, and it can even help increase the efficacy of other skincare products that you apply after cleansing, like serums and moisturizers.
• Is it OK to cleanse your face every day?
  Yes, it’s OK to cleanse your face every day. At least once per day but no more than twice, for example, in the morning and at night. However, if you’ve just come from the gym, or another rigorous activity, you might like to cleanse a third time.
• For how long should you cleanse your face?
  It’s recommended that you cleanse your face anywhere from 30 seconds up to 2 minutes. Cleansing for too long can interrupt your skin’s natural sebum production and lead to irritated or inflamed skin.
• Is it better to cleanse your face at night or morning?
  Dermatologist recommend cleaning your face at night, because this removes the dirt and oil that has accumulated throughout the day. If you must skip a second cleansing for any reason, skip your morning cleansing.