Rules to Clean Your Face the Right Way

Despite the amount of effort and money we devote to perfecting our skincare regimens, when it comes to the very first step, we don’t often give the same amount of care.

Washing your face helps remove build-up that accumulates throughout the day. Even if you don’t put any product on your skin, our body naturally produces oil and sweat that can build up over time. Our skin also sheds dead cells throughout the day and encounters bacteria, dust, and dirt. Washing your face is a way to remove these particles and keep your skin and acne causing clogged pores clean.

Here are few tips on how to cleanse your face properly:

• Use a make-up remover prior to your cleanser

Many makeup brands are smudge-proof or waterproof, so basic cleansers will not remove them
thoroughly. For this reason, it’s important to use a gentle makeup-removing wipe, micellar water, or oil-
based makeup remover before you wash—especially when removing long-wear makeup.

• Use the right cleanser

Your cleanser should be in accordance with your skin type or skin concerns. If a cleanser makes your skin
super stretched and dry after use, it isn’t right for you. You can also try using something like a cleansing
oil or balm, which tends to be more moisturizing than traditional cleansers and is able to cut through
thicker makeup and sunscreens.

• Use lukewarm water to wash your face

Using hot water may feel nice, but it’s not doing your skin any favors. Hot water is dehydrating—it strips
healthy, natural oils from your skin too quickly. Lukewarm water is warm enough to help loosen dirt and
sebum without stripping your skin.

• Duration of washing your face is also important

How long do you actually spend washing your face? If it's a quick 10 seconds, it's time to up your time
spent on skincare. It should take 20 to 30 seconds to wash your face each morning and night. Sometimes
it is recommended to have a slightly longer cleanse depending on your regimen, like using a gentle
exfoliating brush while cleansing, which usually takes around 60 seconds.

• Don’t forget your neck!

If you're not thinking of your neck as part of your routine, you're missing a crucial step. Since the neck
has oil glands just like the rest of the face, it’s also subject to breakouts and dirt accumulation. If you
don't cleanse your neck, it could result in acne or even dermatitis neglecta, where your neck becomes a
shade or two darker than your face.

• Always make sure your face towels are clean

It might seem like a pain to have to was your face towels regularly but experts say that reusing the same
face towel over and over again spreads more bacteria to your face, which can contribute to acne.

• Use your moisturizer as soon as you wash your face

The timing of your skin-care steps—especially moisturizing—can make a big difference in how effective
they are. Most moisturizers contain both humectant ingredients (which draw water into the skin) and
occlusive ingredients (which help seal that hydration into the skin). So, applying your moisturizer while
your skin is still a bit damp from cleansing—not fully wet—helps keep even more of that moisture in.

• Don’t over-exfoliate your skin

Using an exfoliating face wash can do wonders for your skin, helping fight off acne and making your
complexion silky smooth. Just don’t over exfoliate! When you use harsh ingredients on your face too
often, you'll damage your skin barrier and cause your skin to wind up worse—not better. That's why
dermats recommend starting with something gentle—like an exfoliating face wash—once a week to let
your skin get used to it before going all in.

• Wash your face in the morning and at night

It’s the skin advice as old as time: Wash your face morning and night. At night, our skin is tired from all
the accumulation of dust, dirt, sebum and not to forget – the weight of layers of products on it. Hence, a
thorough night time cleansing routine can rejuvenate the skin no other routine. Overnight, your skin
cells are hard at work, which means they’re secreting toxins and sebum. Wash your face in the morning
to remove all that waste and secure better performance from your daytime products.