Washing your face might seem like a no brainer so why even explain how to do it?  Just splash some water on your face, add cleanser, rub it around, and rinse.  Nothing to it.  Actually while properly cleansing your face isn't difficult there are a few things to keep in mind so that you get all the benefits you need from this basic skin care step.  Having the right technique down helps your cleanser do its job properly. 

 

• If you hair is long or if you have bangs pull your hair back so that it is entirely off your face.  Not only does this mean that your whole face will be ready for cleansing, but it also ensures that no hair products will transfer from your hair to your face.

• Gently splash your face with room temperature water.  Resist the urge to use hot water since that will just dry your skin out.

• Place your cleanser in your wet hands.  According to Dr. Shamban the amount of cleanser you need is between 14 mm to 18 mm or the size of a medium or large pearl.  Rub your hands together in order to make sure the cleanser will be applied evenly to your face.  Now gently massage the cleanser all over your face except for your eye area.  Don't concentrate just on one area of your face. Make sure your cleanser reaches all the way to your hairline, to your ears, under your chin, and even the back of your neck (this last step is best done in the shower or things can get messy in the bathroom).  I recommend counting to 30 in order to make sure that you have really cleaned your face properly. 

• Rinse your face thoroughly.  You could use a wet, clean washcloth or a soft, wet cloth to remove the cleanser instead of just water.

• Pat your face dry with a towel.  Don't rub your face with a towel; that is too aggressive for any type of skin.  I always recommend having a separate, cotton towel just for your face.  If you have acne this separate towel isn't choice but a must.  Our facial skin has different needs from the skin on the rest of our body so it is important to have a separate towel just for your face in order to ensure that your face stays clean after washing especially, as already mentioned, if you have acne.  Try to wash your facial towel frequently in order to make sure you do not transfer dirt from your towel to your face.

 

Some people like to use facial cleansing brushes like the Clarisonic or the Olay Pro-X brush to cleanse their faces.  These brushes can be particularly helpful if you wear a lot of make-up during the day, but just make sure you don't press too hard when using a brush like this.  Even helpful tools such as sonic cleansing brushes can become a detriment to your skin if you over-do it. And speaking of over-doing it: you never want to have a squeaky-clean feeling on your skin after cleansing.  Why?  That squeaky clean feeling so many people love means you have gone overboard with your cleansing.  When your face feels that way you've stripped your skin of all its needed moisture and have damaged your skin barrier which can take time to rehab.  Over cleansing can lead to a host of other issues from chronically dry skin to red, irritated skin.  So take it easy when it comes to cleansing your skin.

 

 

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