Cleanser, or, the Skincare Step I Used to Get Horribly Wrong

     Ok, so any skincare routine needs to start with a cleanser. This is pretty intuitive. I mean, come on. First you need to wash all the dirt, sweat, oil, makeup, toxins, and life gunk off your face before you can do anything else. I'd say most people wash their face with something, even if you're one of those people that just uses the soap in your shower, or God forbid, shampoo run-off. So, starting with the premise that most people have one, it's also my opinion that most people have the wrong one. Even if you're spending good money on it and it came recommended from an upscale department store beauty counter, it's still probably wrong. Don't take offense, just keep reading. It gets better. Honestly!
   
     I have oily skin. It used to be extremely oily and I thought that the purpose of a cleanser was to remove every last trace of oil on my skin. I would use incredibly harsh cleansers, sometimes even Dawn dish soap. I would wash my face up to three times a day trying to strip all the oil my skin was making away. Guess what? That does pretty much the opposite. Your skin makes oil to protect itself. If you have oily skin, it makes a bit too much, and if you have dry skin it makes a bit too little. But when you strip all the oil away with harsh detergents you completely dry out the top layers of your skin and this signals your skin to crank out more oil to correct the dryness. This means that if you already have oily skin you're going to make it even oilier. If you have dry skin, your skin is already in a deficit and taking away the little oil it is making is going to exacerbate the dryness. Clear as mud? The take away is that a cleanser should dissolve surface oils, makeup, and sweat so it can be washed away with water. A cleanser that includes a harsh detergent will do much more than that, leading to excess oiliness or dryness, depending on what your skin's default setting is.

     The best way to shop for any skin care product, including cleanser, is to read the ingredient list. I know, sounds easy, until you start tripping over all the 25+ letter long chemical names. That's about as helpful as reading the ingredient list in French. So here's a few tips:

• Stay away from cleansers that contain the following: sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, ammonium lauryl sulfate, and ammonium lauryl sulfate. Also SD alcohol, denatured alcohol, or just straight alcohol (cetyl or stearyl alcohol are ok.)
• If the product foams, it's probably too harsh. In general, stay away from foaming face washes.
• Don't use a face scrub as your daily face cleanser. Most scrubs are bad for your skin anyways, and constant physical exfoliation can irritate your skin. If you feel as if you need to use a scrub, just use a warm wet washcloth and gently massage your face to remove your cleanser.
• Balms, creamy cleansers, and cleansing oils are going to be your safest bet, but still check the ingredients.

     A couple of my favorites include the Paula's Choice Optimal Results Hydrating Cleanser, Clinique Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm, Neutrogena Extra Gentle Cleanser, Yes to Cucumbers Gentle Milk Cleanser, and Cerave Hydrating Cleanser.

     

     If you're worried that using a creamier cleanser will clog your pores and lead to breakouts, you're probably right. That's why it is imperative to follow your cleansing with a chemical exfoliant if you have problematic skin. Used in conjunction, your skin will stay hydrated without excessive oiliness and your clogged pores will be kept to a minimum.