Skincare 101: Cleansers
Why is cleanser important?
A great building block to any skincare routine is your cleanser. In this case, I should say cleanser(s) because you should most definitely use both an oil-based cleanser & a water-based cleanser. The reason why should have both types in your routine is to have a clean base that allows the rest of your products to penetrate better & much easier.
What’s the difference between a water-based & oil-based cleanser?
As their names suggest, one is oil-based & the other is water-based. It's important to use an oil-based cleanser first in order to unclog your pores by breaking down all of the makeup, pollutants, impurities, & excess sebum that accumulates & sits on your face throughout the day. You can use either use a true oil cleanser or one that comes in a balm form (even micellar water works!), which all comes down to personal preference. The one I use is the Sulwhasoo gentle cleansing oil makeup remover & I'm super impressed with how it effectively & easily removes all the gunk & grime off my face after a long day.
Next, you should go in with a water-based cleanser. Check out my 'Night Time Skincare Routine' IGTV here to see how I do this. Choosing your cleanser should be based on your specific skin needs. For me, I don't have issues with breakouts so I don't use cleansers that contain acne-fighting ingredients, such as salicylic or glycolic acid. Since I have combination-oily skin, I tend to use cleansers that are more hydrating for my skin so that my skin will produce less sebum & contain gentle exfoliants, such as AHAs or BHAs. Once you figure out what your skin needs, you can then choose a cleanser that'll be more targeted for that specific concern.
What’s the difference between gel, foam, & cream cleansers?
As I mentioned, I love using gel cleansers! They consist of a gel-like texture that suds mildly & cleanses your skin gently. The one I'm currently using is the Summer Fridays Super Amino gel cleanser, but I'm also enjoying Glow Recipe's Blueberry Bounce gentle cleanser because it contains antioxidants, HA, & gentle AHAs to keep my skin both hydrated & exfoliated. The Glow Recipe one can also act as both the first & second cleanse, which makes it such a great two-in-one product. I would recommend this cleanser type for those with all skin types.
Foaming cleansers, on the other hand, are known to be much more stripping compared to gel & cream cleansers. They create an intense foamy lather because they contain surfactants like sodium lauryl sulfate, much like your everyday shampoo. Although this cleanser type may be stripping to some people, others may not have the same experience. Everyone's skin reacts differently, so it's important to gauge your own personal experience with this one. If you're wondering who should use this type of cleanser, I would recommend it for normal, oily, & combination skin types.
Cream cleansers, on the other hand, consist of a creamy texture that gently cleanses your skin without leaving your skin tight or dry. This category of cleansers are meant to hydrate the skin & soothe redness/inflammation, so I highly recommend this one for dry, sensitive, & acne-prone skin types.
There are sooo many cleansers on the market noways with such different formulations & ingredients that it's definitely hard to narrow it down. I suggest going back to identifying what your skin type is, then figuring out what your skin concerns are. This will help guide your search for the perfect cleanser.
Do you have a favorite cleanser at the moment? Let us all know in the comment section! Enjoy your Monday & cheers to happy, glowing skin 💕
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