Oops… I recently stumbled across that little nugget of information and was stunned. One whole minute?!? Really? Timed generously, my oil-cleansing step takes about 15secs: briskly apply oil all over, massage it in for about three seconds, lather up and rinse it off. (I ususally double-cleanse with a micellar water, though, so I don’t feel that dirty after reading the info above.) But what IS a proper face wash routine?!
I started to investigate. There’s even the #60secondsrule. I’ve been living under a rock, guys.
A healthy skin barrier
When I started dabbling in skincare, one of the most important things I learned early on was that I was doing it wrong: I had used SOAP (shock, horror) and I guess that a lot of my early skin problems stemmed from using harsh everything: harsh cleansers, harsh exfoliators, and basically nothing to combat that. Not only can harsh surfactants (the stuff that degreases and foams) be responsible for a compromised skin barrier, but also products with the wrong pH.
pH? Please remind me…
Skin has a pH that’s around 5 and that is important for skin’s natural bacteria to thrive (that’s the buzzy ‘microbiome’ thing you’ve heard in skincare news). The skin’s natural acidic mantle protects and keeps it healthy.
Repeatedly disturbing skin’s pH to a strong degree can lead to or worsen many problems, including common skin disorders and that dry, tight feeling from washing with bar or liquid soaps (most soaps are alkaline). (…) That’s why daily use of products whose pH is too high or too low visibly and progressively damages skin.
Paula’s Choice Beautypedia
(Paula’s Choice cleansers are notoriously alkaline, hovering mostly around 7, btw.)
A healthy skin barrier can be compromised by over-cleansing and over-exfoliation easily, and the consequences are redness, dry patches, outbreaks and an uneven skintone, i.e. ANGRY SKIN.
A proper face wash routine
I have developed a deep distaste for stripping, foaming cleansers, but there’s something to them: that squeaky-clean feeling that people crave. Give those people a cleansing milk, or cleansing oil, and they will very likely claim that the product doesn’t clean properly.
And that’s because they (i.e., me) don’t use the product properly. A gentle product WILL work, though, if you gently massage it in for about one minute, because then it gets the chance to gently dissolve and lift dirt and oil from your skin.
Listen to your skin
If you realise your skin burning, prickling or feeling tight after a prolonged cleansing session, stop. Try either a gentler cleanser (cleansing balms or milks are especially gentle) or go back to a shorter cleansing time. I, for one, will try a 60secs wash for a little bit longer and see if there’re any long-term results.
What longer cleansing won’t do
Maybe, if you’ve got oily or outbreak-prone skin, you’re using a face wash that includes salicylic acid or other actives. For that to work properly, you should even take more time: recommended are two minutes. Otherwise your skin can’t benefit from active ingredients, because they stay on the skin’s surface for a minimal amount of time.
And all other skintypes? If you’ve got acne, washing your face longer won’t change neither hormones nor DNA. But it WILL make sure you don’t get clogged pores because you leave traces of sunscreen or makeup on your face.
And, bonus point: massaging your face will also give you improved circulation: hello, glow!
4 Comments