Cleansing is the first part of your three-stage skin-care regimen and should be done in the morning and again at night to remove both daily grime and deep-down dirt in the pores. Cleansers are also an essential factor in the battle against wrinkles; they help to make skin more receptive to moisturizers and anti-aging treatments. Don’t forget to cleanse your neck as well – the skin here needs just as much attention as your face and it is often the first area to show signs of aging.
Choosing a Cleanser
Normal shin – Creamy liquid or cream cleansers; water-soluble cleansers or gentle facial soap.
Dry skin – Cream cleansers or very rich liquid cleansers; moisturizing, nonperfumed soap, but rinse off thoroughly.
Combination or oily skin – Light lotions or milk cleansers; medicated liquid cleansers are sometimes necessary to treat severe outbreaks.
Sensitive shin – Hypoallergenic cleansers; avoid soaps.
1. Keep your hair off your face as much as possible: tie il back or wrap a towel around your head. Make sure that your neck is not covered up with clothing -another reason to cleanse first thing in the morning and last thing at night. To remove eye and lip makeup.
2. Choose a clcanscr to suit your skin and, with your fingertips, massage it all over your face and neck, using small circular movements to work out dirt and other impurities from the skin. Pay particular attention to the T-zone (across the forehead ind down the nose to the chin) and the hairline, the areas where most dirt builds up. Always work gently using a soft, light touch rather than a rough abrasive action, which may cause the skin to become red and sore, and can cause long-term damage.
3 If you are using a water-soluble cleanser, rinse your facc and neck with water; ideally it should be lukewarm. Warm water helps remove the shine from oily skin, but may irritate dry, sensitive skin; hot water can encourage broken veins.
4 If you arc using an oil-soluble cleanser, gently tissue off dirt and grime from the face and neck without dragging or pulling the skin. Change the tissue as soon as it becomes overloaded with dirt; otherwise, you will be working this back into the open pores.
3 Make sure that the cleanser has been thoroughly removed; if any residue is left behind, it will continue working and dry out the skin. Gently pat the face and neck dry using a clcan towel.
The Allergy Test
Before buying a cleanser, toner, or moisturizer, test the product. To do this, rub a little behind your ear and check that there is no reaction after 24 hours. If you are choosing products from different makers, test together in the same way.