Facial Cleansing: Treatment, Effect & Risks

Many external factors have an impact on the skin. Especially the facial skin is thereby exposed to environmental influences, as it has to do without a covering for most of the year. Not only the sun or dust particles from the air attack the skin, but also the daily make-up should be removed from the facial skin at night. There are a few things to keep in mind when cleaning the face.

Why is the cleaning of the face so important?

To prepare the face well for care, facial cleansing should be part of the daily routine. Because the skin on the face is thinner than on the rest of the body, environmental stimuli can affect and damage skin cells more quickly. Excess sebum, cosmetic as well as make-up residues should be removed thoroughly and gently first of all. Thus, you decrease the number of bacteria that promote acne and skin irritations. Facial cleansing is the essential basis for good skin care, which should always follow. Because only on cleansed skin can care products work optimally.

What is meant by proper facial cleansing?

At first, you would think that you should wash your face with water only. And in fact, dermatologists advocate cleansing with water especially for young skin, as the natural protective film is still intact. For demanding mature skin, as well as skin with residues of day cream or makeup, cleansing with water is no longer sufficient. Facial cleansing is divided into two phases – cleansing and clarifying. In this phase, water or a cleansing product is used to cleanse the surface of the facial skin and try to remove dirt. After that, you perform the post-cleaning, or clarifying, and now remove the residues left by the cleansing product or water (e.g. lime). Clarifying can be done with the help of a facial water. This increases surface tension and blood flow to the skin. Cleansing:

  • All residues of makeup with the appropriate products (eg, cosmetic wipes, eye makeup remover, etc.) runternehmen.
  • Apply the cleansing product carefully, gently and with circular movements on the face.
  • Then rinse the cleansing product with lukewarm water. The water should not be too hot, as this could dry out the skin again.
  • Then dry the face with a clean towel.

Clarify:

  • The toner is applied to a cotton pad
  • Massage the toner onto the face and neck with light to normal pressure
  • The eye area is left out
  • The toner is not rinsed off with water. It can simply dry on the skin.
  • Then the care products can be applied

What is the best way and when to clean the face?

Facial cleansing is best in the morning and evening. Then it is optimally prepared for makeup in the morning and in the evening you get all the residues down again, so that the skin can regenerate during the night. How to use the individual cleansing products, they can see the application tips on the product or contact the respective manufacturer directly.

What to consider for different skin types?

There are numerous recipes for face masks and face packs that you can make yourself. However, there is no universal mask that is suitable for every skin. 1. facial cleansing for sensitive skin: do not use products containing alcohol, such as aggressive cleansers or peelings. Mild micellar water is good for the skin and works similarly to facial toner, but it is even milder to skin and does not stress it unnecessarily. Cleansing wipes with the note “sensitive skin” are also an alternative. 2. facial cleansing for impure and oily skin: Be especially thorough when cleansing here, as the skin tends to produce more sebum. This can lead to the appearance of unpleasant pimples and blackheads. A wash gel specifically labeled “anti-pimple” could help here. To refine the pores and give the face a more even face, peelings that mattify the skin and remove loose skin cells help. Another alternative for impure skin are face masks.The ingredients can act better on the skin and can thus better rid the skin of excess sebum. 3. facial cleansing for dry skin: dry skin requires particularly intensive care, because here the supply of the skin with moisture is most important. When cleaning with water, you should not use normal soap. Special washing gels, washing oils or cleansing lotions for dry skin are more suitable for removing impurities. These products are not drying and moisturizing. Rather, let your skin air dry. Rubbing too vigorously while drying your face will further dry out your skin. 4. facial cleansing for combination skin: Combination skin is divided into the slightly oilier T-zone area and its surrounding drier areas. The cleansing products should be tuned to this and clarify the T-zone and provide the dry areas with more moisture. Mild toners or gentle cleansing wipes are suitable to solve this problem.

The variety of products for facial care

In order to properly care for the skin, it is not only important to deal with different care products and options, but also to adapt them to your own skin. For facial cleansing, you can choose between washing gels, washing emulsions or cleansing milk. You can get the toner either alcohol-based or alcohol-free. Every skin type requires something different. If you have questions, consult a dermatologist who can determine type and needs. He or she can help choose the right product. Since the skin has a protective lipid-replenishing film that can be broken by cleansing, you should use mildness when cleansing. In particular, conventional soap should be avoided when cleansing, as it is most likely to dissolve the fats on the skin, making the skin’s waterproof barrier more permeable. The protective fats from the callus are the skin’s natural defense system. If the skin is more permeable, bacteria or other germs are more likely to enter and damage the skin. Use mild washing lotions with a pH value of around 5.5 so that the skin’s natural acid mantle is preserved. With care products you should pay attention to refatting as well as moisturizing substances.

Facial cleansing for men

The first thing to remember is: do not use women’s products! Men’s skin needs its own products, because the nature of men’s skin is different from that of women. The skin is much thicker and the pores produce more sebum, so a greasy cream from women will do the opposite than men want to achieve with cleansing. The way of cleansing is not fundamentally different. In men, too, excessive production of sebum can clog pores. Wax gels and toners are used to cleanse and clarify men’s skin, thus refining its appearance. To increase the performance of cleansing, so-called facial cleansing brushes are suitable for men. These distribute the soap-free active ingredients of the washing gels particularly well and remove everyday dirt from the skin. Men should also use pH-friendly products, otherwise the skin can dry out too quickly.