Why facial cleansing is essential

Did you know that cleaning your face is essential for a beautiful complexion? Provided you do it with the right, non-aggressive products, at least. Do you ever skip this step? In a hurry in the morning, or tired as we are in the evening? Do not!

That's why facial cleansing

With the right facial cleansing you remove dirt, make-up and other impurities from your skin. If you don't do this, dirt can accumulate and clog your pores. This can cause impurities or inflammation.

Cleansing also helps remove dead skin cells. Which can otherwise accumulate on your skin surface. Which makes your skin look gray, dull and rough. If you remove the dead skin cells, you will get a brighter, smoother and more radiant skin in return.

Cleansed skin absorbs the care products you use after cleansing better. So that they can do their job better.

But don't exaggerate! Cleaning too much or cleaning with the wrong products can damage your skin's protective layer, which is not good for your skin.

Double or Single Cleansing?

With Double Cleansing, you basically first cleanse your skin with an oil-based cleanser. And then with a water-based cleaner.

An oil-based cleanser removes oil-soluble impurities or cosmetics such as excess sebum, sunscreen or waterproof make-up. If you have oily skin, this can be useful to first remove excess fat / sebum from your skin.

Water-based cleansers - like most foaming cleansers and many milks - remove water-soluble cosmetics and 'dirt' such as sweat or external pollution.

After the second cleaning, your skin is completely clean. Care products that you use afterwards are better absorbed by your skin.

Make sure that the cleansers you use do not contain ingredients that are harmful to your skin, such as SLS, SLES, Cocomidapropyl Betaine or hard alcohol. These damage your skin's protective layer or can irritate your skin.

Prefer Single Cleansing

However, Double Cleansing is not always recommended! If you have oily skin, if you use greasy sunscreen on your face, if you use waterproof make-up or a lot of make-up, then Double Cleansing will help you to have clean skin.

For most skin types, a thorough Single Cleansing with a skin-friendly cleanser is sufficient. No matter how pure a cleanser is, your skin can do a lot on its own. You can also clean too much. With dry skin, or super oily skin, damaged skin protection layer / skin barrier or irritation as a result. Which in turn can cause pimples or eczema.

Can you only clean with water?

Water does not dissolve fatty substances. Most external contamination, excess sebum or greasy cosmetics or make-up cannot be removed with water alone.

Cleaning with (much, warm) water is not recommended for drier skin, because hot water dries out your skin. As strange as this may sound. Water can damage the skin's protective layer, which consists largely of fatty substances. Which makes it easier for you to lose moisture. And your skin (further) dries out. Whether you stimulate sebaceous glands to overproduce (because you remove protective fat from your skin). Therefore, use lukewarm water when you rinse a wash off cleansing product off your face with water.

Is facial cleansing necessary in the morning?

Just go with a damp cotton pad over your face in the morning. Usually you see dirt coming off your face. Not surprising when you consider that your skin regenerates at night. Your skin produces oils to protect it and keep it healthy. This can mix with perspiration and / or dead skin cells, which can create a layer of dirt on your skin.

By cleaning your face in the morning, you also prepare your skin for the care products you use. These are better absorbed on clean skin.

How do you cleanse in the morning?

In principle, you can clean your skin in the morning with a mild cleansing product. Provided you have cleaned your skin well the night before. During your sleep, your skin is less exposed to polluting elements than during the day. And you don't use make up (at least most people don't ;-)).

Ice Facial or just a splash of cold water?

If you did a good double cleanse the night before and no acne, then according to skin expert Nicole Caroline you can suffice in the morning with just a splash of cold water. Cold water stimulates blood flow. Which promotes tighter, smoother facial skin. Not all skin experts agree with this. Do you like a splash of cold water and notice that it also makes your facial skin happier, you can also do this after you have first mildly cleaned.

Ice Facials - rolling your face in a bowl of water or with ice over your face - can give your face a boost, but are not suitable for every skin. If you have sensitive skin - and a large part of us have it - or skin with rosacea, don't get an Ice Facial. Your skin will probably feel redder, burning after that time.

How do you cleanse in the evening?

In the evening, more cleaning effort is often desired than in the morning. During the day, your skin is exposed to external pollution. Use your make-up, always remove it before going to sleep. A gentle eye cleanser for your eye make-up, a cleansing milk, balm and/or gel wash for your face are recommended.

Once a week you can use a mild scrub to remove your dead skin cells. Possibly 2 x a week for oily skin. If you have sensitive skin, exfoliate no more than once every 2 - 4 weeks. Always massage a scrub very gently on your skin! Otherwise you will damage it.

An ideal scrub is the Enzyme Peeling from Abloom . You apply it as a mask. Natural enzymes from papaya and pineapple ensure that your skin gets a soft natural peeling during the mask. Active scrubbing yourself is not necessary.

Extra tips from our beautician

• Many of our cleansers are rich in super caring ingredients for your skin. Massage them in and let them act for a few minutes. So that the caring ingredients can do their job to the maximum.
• Use a clay mask for a deep cleanse. The clay not only extracts dirt, but is also packed with minerals that nourish and care for your skin. Suitable clay types are Montmorrillonite/Bentonite (for oily skin/acne - not for dehydrated skin), Kaolin (for sensitive skin), Green clay (anti-inflammatory) or Rhassoul clay (cleansing, calming, anti-inflammatory). Remove the mask before the clay gets completely dry! Mixing with some oil instead of water prevents your clay mask from getting dry.

Which cleanser is best for my skin?

That depends on your skin type, skin condition and age. And your preference for a balm, milk or gel-like wash off product. For drier skin, choose a cleaner that requires less water, such as a balm or milk.

If you have dry skin and would still like to use a wash-off product, choose a rich, very mild wash-off cleaner with only skin-identical ingredients such as the Facial Cleanser from Dr Baumann SkinIdent. And wipe it off with as little lukewarm water as possible. No hot water.

Do you want to know which natural cleaner from our range suits you? Then do the Product Advice Test.