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Facial Cleansing: The foundation of your skincare routine
Posted by Heidi Hepperle on
Facial cleansing is the first and one of the most important steps in your skincare routine . Your skin can do a lot on its own, but it needs your help with some things. And there are a few things to keep in mind, especially when it comes to cleansing.
Facial cleansing is the most important step in the skincare routine .
For skin-friendly cleansing, only mild surfactants should be used in the cleanser. You should avoid harsh surfactants such as sodium laureth sulfate. Deep pore cleansing can damage your skin.
Look for a skin-friendly pH value between 5 and 6. Soaps have a pH value of 8-9 and also contain very aggressive surfactants.
You might find it difficult to choose the right cleansing product, as there are so many different types, such as soaps , cleansing foams, gels, milks, micellar water, makeup remover wipes, and cleansing oils. It's not always obvious which are mild or harsh. Perhaps you also want to consider a specific skin condition or skin disease. Do you have acne, rosacea , or sensitive skin? And how often should you actually cleanse your face?
This article will tell you what to look out for when cleansing your face and which type of cleansing is best for you. Or you can listen to our podcast episode on the topic of cleansing .
Contents
Why cleanse your face?
Why should I even cleanse my face? Ideally, our skin wouldn't need cleansing. However, we live in a different environment today than in the past, and we're also living longer. Our modern environment exposes our skin to daily external stressors. We wear sunscreen to protect ourselves from sunburn and skin cancer, which often only becomes apparent later in life. Additionally, sweat and dirt accumulate on the skin throughout the day. While these aren't visible to the naked eye, they can stress the skin and cause blemishes. To counteract this, it's very beneficial for your skin to cleanse it in the evening. Makeup should also be removed at night to keep your skin healthy.
Never go to sleep with makeup on.
One rule you've probably heard before is: never go to bed with your makeup on . For the sake of your skin, you should take the time to properly remove your makeup after a long day (or night ;)). We can reassure you in advance that the myth that makeup itself causes breakouts isn't true, provided you've found the right makeup for your skin. However, it can cause blemishes if it isn't removed thoroughly.
As you can see, facial cleansing is important even if you don't wear makeup. To protect your skin from skin cancer and premature aging, you should ideally apply sunscreen daily. After it has done its job during the day, it should be thoroughly removed in the evening.
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What cleaning products are available?
You have a wide range of cleansers to choose from. Besides the minimalist approach of cleaning with water, the market offers a variety of products. These can be surfactant- or oil-based, and there are also several cleansing tools available. The cleaning products vary in mildness or aggression. Therefore, some research is necessary to find a skin-friendly cleanser. Below you will find an overview of the different cleaning products:
Cleaning with surfactants
What are surfactants?
You've come into contact with surfactants frequently in everyday life: whether hand soap, shower gel, shampoo, or cleaning products – all these products contain surfactants. These are substances that have a water-attracting (hydrophilic) side and a grease-attracting (lipophilic) side. This allows the surfactants to bind grease and dirt, making them easy to remove.
The oldest and probably best-known cleaning product is soap . It is made by saponifying fats with sodium hydroxide. This process creates aggressive surfactants. Furthermore, its pH value is 9 or higher, which attacks our skin's protective acid mantle and microbiome. Therefore, soap is not a skin-friendly cleaning product.
Other surfactant-based products come in a wide variety of textures and consistencies: cleansing foam, gel, lotion, solid bars, or cleansing milk – but how skin-friendly are these products? It depends on the ingredients. Generally, we recommend using mild sugar or coconut surfactants for skin-friendly cleansing. Avoid harsh surfactants, as they can damage your skin barrier.
Mild surfactants
- Coco Glucoside
- Lauryl Glucoside
- Decyl Glucoside
- Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate
- Cocoamidopropyl Betaine
- Sucrose Laurate
- Sucrose Stearate
- Sucrose Palmitate
Aggressive surfactants
- Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
- Sodium Laureth Sulfate
- Sodium Coco-Sulfate
- Sodium Cocoate
- Sodium Tallowate
- Sodium Palmate
What are the advantages of sugar surfactants? They are mild and also provide moisture. As a result, the skin dries out even less.
And what about fragrances? Since the cleanser is only on your skin for a short time, fragrances wouldn't necessarily be a problem. However, if you have sensitive skin, it would be advisable to avoid fragrances and essential oils even when cleansing your face.
Makeup remover wipes seem like a practical invention: they cleanse quickly and you don't have to expose your face to water. (Why is too frequent contact with water bad for your skin? See below. ) Sounds too good to be true, right? In fact, makeup remover wipes aren't the best choice for skin-friendly facial cleansing. Makeup remover wipes don't clean very well. They only remove dirt and makeup superficially. Residual dirt and surfactants from the wipes remain on your face and are simply pushed around. Furthermore, the friction from makeup remover wipes acts like a mechanical exfoliant , which can irritate and inflame the skin.
What are oil cleaners?
Oil cleansing? Sounds strange and will probably make many people skeptical at first. But the principle of oil cleansing is actually quite simple. It works on the principle of "like dissolves like." Similar to surfactants, dirt, makeup, and sunscreen dissolve in the oil. However, to ensure the cleansing oil can be easily rinsed off, it should still contain surfactants.
Types of cleaners compared
Cleaning tools
In addition to cleaning products, there are also a number of cleaning tools that you can use. However, there are a few things to keep in mind here as well.
Microfiber cloths work similarly to surfactants. The microfibers bind to dirt and thus remove it from the skin. They are advertised as an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional cotton pads . Unfortunately, they release microplastics in the washing machine – which isn't particularly sustainable. The cloths act like a mechanical exfoliant. Therefore, make sure you use a very soft microfiber cloth for facial cleansing (if you intend to use it), as the exfoliating effect can otherwise be too irritating for the skin in the long run.
The good old cotton washcloth is a step ahead of the microfiber cloth in terms of sustainability, however, it is too rough for the face and offers the perfect breeding ground for bacteria.
Cleansing brushes are similar in this respect. The bristles create friction on your face. Furthermore, it's difficult to control the pressure and therefore the intensity of the exfoliation with brushes.
Cleansing sponges come in various designs. It's worth taking a closer look. You've probably heard of the konjac sponge. While it's sustainable and vegan, it's unfortunately not particularly gentle on the skin. Our Naturally Naked plant fiber sponge is different. It's very soft and won't leave any micro-tears on your skin. It's also sustainable, vegan, and hygienic, as you can simply wash it in the washing machine at 60°C.
Forms of facial cleansing
And how do I clean my face? There are various methods. The most common is washing with water. It's quick, easy, and requires no other products. However, water alone is usually not enough. Even if you don't wear makeup or sunscreen every day, dirt, fine particles from exhaust fumes, and sweat accumulate on your skin throughout the day. Water alone leaves residues on your skin, which can irritate it. The same applies to makeup and sunscreen. A better alternative is simple facial cleansing with a skin-friendly cleanser of your choice. Surfactants or oils dissolve makeup and any remaining skincare products, freeing your skin from the residues of your daily routine.
Double Cleansing
Double cleansing takes this a step further. It requires two cleansing products, applied one after the other. Double cleansing also comes in two variations:
Option 1
In the first method, the first product is applied and washed off, then the same procedure is carried out with the second product.
Option 2
A supposedly skin-friendly alternative is Double Cleansing Light . With this method, the two cleansing products are applied one after the other and then rinsed off. The skin only comes into contact with water once.
What are the disadvantages of frequent contact with water?
The more often your skin comes into contact with water, the greater the risk of it drying out. The skin's protective acid mantle is also attacked each time by the water's high pH value, which is around 7.
The idea behind double cleansing is: better to cleanse gently twice than aggressively once. However, this assumption isn't entirely accurate. During double cleansing, the cleansing products remain on the skin longer, and the longer the skin is exposed to surfactants and emulsifiers, the worse it is for it. Whether double cleansing is right for you is a personal decision. It's not necessary, as a single product can often cleanse your skin sufficiently, thoroughly, and gently.
Oil Cleansing Method
And then there's the Oil Cleansing Method . As the name suggests, this method uses oils for facial cleansing.
Some people are referring only to pure oils. Others also include ready-made cleansing oils, which contain emulsifiers in addition to the oil. These are applied to dry skin and can then be easily washed off with water thanks to the emulsifiers.
However, cleansing with pure oil is problematic for the skin. Because it doesn't contain emulsifiers, it can't be completely removed. This would only be possible with double cleansing. Oil cleansers with emulsifiers are therefore better tolerated by the skin.
Would you like to know more about oils?
We've written several articles about facial oils . In our opinion, knowledge about oils is key to good skincare: you can do a lot of harm by using the wrong oils for your skin. But you can also achieve a lot by using the right oils for your skin.
Facial oils for combination and blemished skin: Which one is suitable?
Natural Glow: What other cosmetic brands don't tell you
Facial oils not working for you? This new oil might be the answer.
Linoleic acid in skincare: How to use it correctly
Deep pore cleaning
You've probably come across the promise of deep pore cleansing . But you should probably steer clear of that. Healthy skin isn't squeaky clean or pores-deep clean. The sebum in your pores acts like a natural cream. Your skin works hard to care for itself, and healthy skin always has a light film of oil.
Removing eye makeup
And what about eye makeup? To avoid over-stressing the delicate skin in this area and preventing your eyelashes from breaking, you should also remove makeup around your eyes gently. Since the eyes are neutral to alkaline (pH 7.3-9.7), while our skin has a slightly acidic pH (pH 5-6), it would be advisable to use a separate cleansing product for the eye area that either has no pH value or is around 7, so that it doesn't irritate either the eyes or the skin too much.
Which cleansing product is right for my skin?
Before you rush out to buy a cleanser, let's briefly talk about skin types and skin conditions. Your cleanser should suit your skin and support its needs. Not every product is suitable for every skin type.
The different textures are not fundamentally dependent on skin type. However, they do offer clues to narrow down the options and make it easier for you to find the perfect cleanser.
Cleansing foams often contain harsh surfactants such as sodium laureth sulfate (SLS) or a significantly higher concentration of surfactants. This means that , if anything, a foam is only suitable for oily and robust skin . It wouldn't be moisturizing enough for dry skin, and sensitive skin could react with irritation and stress from the surfactants.
Cleansing milk cleanses gently and is usually more nourishing – making it ideal for combination to dry skin . Dry skin can also benefit from a cleansing balm .
If you have oily skin , you might be happy with a skin-friendly cleansing gel . Prefer an oil-based cleanser but have concerns? Don't worry! You can also use cleansing oils with oily skin ; they won't make your skin oilier or more prone to breakouts. At least not as long as you don't use pure oils. Here you can learn more about which oils are suitable for "blemished" or oily skin .
If you want to try out different textures, ask yourself the following questions: Which texture do you like best? What does your skin like? Observe it carefully and listen to it, then you will find the perfect cleanser for you!
Depending on our life circumstances, our skin experiences different states. Perhaps your skin is currently in a condition you don't like and perceive as a problem, or you have a skin condition. Especially then, it's important not to be frustrated or angry with your skin. Be kind to it and kind to yourself, and try to respond to your skin's needs.
Facial cleansing for men and women
There are skincare products on the market for men and for women. Most people shop according to this categorization. However, it's important to note that this division has neither a medical nor a biological basis. It's true that men's skin is often somewhat more robust than women's skin. However, these differences are so minor that separate skincare lines are unnecessary. Gender-specific products are primarily offered for marketing purposes. This also applies to cleansers. These usually differ only in packaging and fragrance.
At Xeno , we believe that skincare is for everyone! Whether man or woman – every skin type benefits from skin-friendly care products. That's why all our products are unisex.
Facial cleansing for sensitive skin
Sensitive skin likes to be left alone. Make sure to use cleansers with mild surfactants and no fragrances. Refer to the overview of mild surfactants above. Also, you shouldn't cleanse your sensitive skin too often, but only when necessary.
Tips for sensitive skin
- Use cleaners with mild surfactants or an oil-based cleaner.
- Excessive foaming is often a sign of aggressive surfactants.
- Do not clean too often
- Tags: Hautpflege, Oel, Reinigung
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