31 Aug How To Properly Wash Your Face: Dr. David Bank Shares His Tips
Ladies, taking the daily grime off your face is an art, believe it or not. Dr. David Bank, President of the New York State Society for Dermatology and Dermatologic Surgery shares his tips with us.
Step One: Find the Right Cleanser for your Skin Type
- ACNE-PRONE: Look for cleansers with salicylic acid, glycolic acid, benzoyl peroxide or sulfur. These ingredients will gently exfoliate skin while removing bacteria and dirt that can clog pores and form acne.
- ANTI-AGING: Look for cleansers with alpha-hydroxyl acid, vitamins A, B, C and E, and green tea extract. They will exfoliate skin, removing dead skin cells and help new cell growth while repairing skin damage due to environmental assaults.
- SENSITIVE SKIN: Cleansers that contain lactic acid, glycerin or hyaluronic acid will work to clean the skin without provoking irritation.
- DRY SKIN: Ingredients like vitamin A, C and F and hyaluronic acid work best for dry skin as they help hydrate the skin by holding moisture and drawing it deep into the skin.
- REDNESS: Aloe vera, soy and chamomile are ingredients that are gentle and moisturizing enough to the skin so irritation will not occur while cleansing.
Step Two: Tips to Take the Day Off and REALLY Wash Your Face
- Start with Clean Hands: Keep bacteria and dirt from hands at bay by washing hands and then be sure to rinse ALL of the soap off before moving on so that chemicals from the hand soap do not react with the sensitive skin on your face.
- Start with a warm water flush to open pores and loosen dirt. Caution: Water that is too hot can shock skin and cause broken capillaries. Use this guide to learn about facial steamers – they open pores and scrape the grime under the skin’s layers very gently!
- Remove all make up: Gently remove all make-up with make-up remover towelettes or a cotton pad soaked with olive oil. Removing make-up first allows for a more thorough cleaning.
- Lukewarm Water: Start with a warm water flush to open pores and loosen dirt. Caution: Water that is too hot can shock skin and cause broken capillaries.
- Activate the cleanser: Apply face wash onto fingertips of one hand. Rub hands together to form lather; this helps to activate the cleanser.
- Clean: Work fingertips in a circular motion along the face and neck. It is important to be gentle so that skin does not get irritated. By rubbing in a circular motion you massage the face, stimulating the blood and oxygen.
- Rinse: Rinse cleanser off by splashing lukewarm water on the face. Do not rub face as this can cause irritation.
- Pat face dry with a clean towel: Cotton towels work best because they have less of an abrasive nature. Also, if you can, wash towels after each use as bacteria clings to washcloths and towels.
How do you normally wash your face? Will you do this routine differently now that you’ve been enlightened? Share your tips with us, below.
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Billy Kolber
Posted at 01:44h, 01 SeptemberGreat tips, but for really superior cleaning, try the Clarisonic and Nutrisonic sonic cleansers I’ve written about on billyknowsbest.com
maribel
Posted at 03:35h, 01 SeptemberI normally first pull back all my hair from my face. I than remove my eye makeup first using Neutrogena eye makeup remover. I follow by using my face wash. I use different ones. I use circular motion to apply my face wash without using to much pressure. When my face is clean I either apply a mask or just use a toner followed by a night face and eye cream. Not forgetting my neck of course. These are great tips. Thanks
Charu
Posted at 15:14h, 03 SeptemberWow, you are so thorough— of late I have completely skipped the toner. Do you find the toner helpful? I’ve always had the toner dry out my skin so I stopped it. I do use the mask twice weekly though.
Dawn
Posted at 02:39h, 03 NovemberCharu,
I think toner is useful especially if you are prone to breakouts. A soap will remove dirt and grime but a toner is meant to gently exfoliate the skin and take off any excess oil, dead skin or other pore-clogging gunk that even a good cleanser can leave behind and you can use it every day, unlike a mask. I find that using a toner does mean my skin dries out more, but I have a range of moisturizers from the lightweight Origins Zero Oil to a more hydrating oatmeal moisturizer (Aveeno) to fill my skin’s hydration needs. There are also alcohol-free toners available (Neutrogena has one) that are less drying to the skin if you tend toward dryness already.
Anyway, if you are washing your face you should also be moisturizing, because any cleanser no matter how gentle does strip the skin of the oil and water balance that makes it look and feel healthy. A good moisturizer will contain a little of bot and work to restore and maintain that healthy moisture barrier so your skin is protected from the aging effects of weather and pollution.
I wash my face in a manner similar to what’s suggested and I have noticed that since I started this routine my breakouts have become less frequent and smaller and my skin appears healthier overall. It’s definitely worth the money I spend on my favorite cleanser and toner!
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