When to Clean Your Face?

Skin must be cleansed frequently enough or infrequently enough, depending on its needs. It really does not matter when you clean it: most people do this as the first thing in the morning and the last thing at night, simple because these times are convenient. Scientifically, going to bed in your make up really will do your skin no harm, but it certainly won’t do your bed linen any good. And since it is much easier to remove make up from the face than from the linen, it would seem wiser to cleanse your face before going to bed. In the morning, cleansing the skin is very refreshing. Also, if you have to apply make-up would get a better finish on the just cleansed skin.

How Often Must We Clean Our Face?

Most of the people do this 2-3 times a day; this is adequate for normal skins. But if your skin is oily or if you are exposed to a lot of grime and dirt during the course of the day, a more frequent cleaning is very essential – even 4-5 times a day may be necessary, using either soap or some kind of cleansing agent. If, on the other hand, your skin is dry, too frequent cleaning may harm it, especially if you use very hot water.

With this skin type it is best to avoid too frequent washing and you may even have to use a suitable oil-based cosmetic cleanser instead of soap, which has a drying effect. How you clean your face is equally important. If at the end of the day cleansing involves removing make up as well as grime and dirt that have accumulated during the day, then it should definitely be a thorough job.

Ordinary soap is often dismissed as useless and harmful by many people. This is absolutely untrue. The purpose of any cleansing operation (a term favored by some skin care people for a process most of us know as washing) is to remove dirt and grease. Ordinary soaps do this effectively (and sometimes even too thoroughly!). Soaps contain fats which work effectively as cleansers of grease and grime. Soaps will also remove some cosmetics and the water proof eye make-up products are not easily removed with soaps – for these, a cosmetic cleanser is usually required.

You must always rinse the skin thoroughly with water after using soaps. Soaps, if allowed to remain on the skin, attract dirt; it can also cause irritation of the skin. In areas where the water is hard, soap residue if left on the skin can combine with the calcium and magnesium salts in the hard water form a scum, and this is really very difficult. One unfortunate effect of soaps is that they remove some natural oils from the skin, making it dry. A related action is that, being alkaline; soaps neutralize the natural acidic film on the skin. Though these effects are temporary, they can cause problem in people with dry skin, during cold weather and in conditions of low humidity.

The dryness, however, is easily countered by using a moisturizing cream after washing with soap. If your skin is dry, use soap and water for one cleansing and at other times use a suitable cosmetic cleanser. However, in hot weather even a dry skin may tolerate several washings with soap and water. If you have a normal skin, then 2 to 3 washes with soap will not do your skin any harm, while an oily skin will benefit from an even more frequent cleansing with soap and water.

In an attempt to corner profitable sections of the soap buying market, manufacturers produce a variety of special soaps and advertise those making tall claims. Each one of us has wondered, at some time or the other, about which soap to buy. Here is a checklist to help you, when you next go soap hunting.

Medicated Soaps:

These are often favored by people who have spots. The medication usually added is an antiseptic (natural or synthetic). Actually, ordinary soap does a fairly good job of removing the bacteria from the surface of the skin. Medicated soaps do not further enhance the effects because they are in contact with the skin for a very, very short period. As a matter of fact, these soaps can, these soaps can at times, cause allergic reactions (to the medication added) and are best avoided, unless your doctor specifically advises you to use them.

PH Soaps:

Soaps and detergents generally have an alkaline pH If, because of its formulation, the pH of a soap falls near enough to neutral so as not to disturb the pH of the skin, then these soaps are called ‘pH-controlled’ soaps. The exact pH is sometimes stated on the label. Since the skin has a tremendous reserve, the pH skin has a tremendous reserve, the pH altered by ordinary soaps are only marginally superior to ordinary soaps.

Moisturizing Soaps:

These do not have any advantage over other soaps because the rinsing, after the washing, removes the moisturizing ingredients.

Super Fatted Soaps:

These contains fatty materials (which are not saponified) to prevent excessive stripping of surface oils. They also deposit an emollient film to replace some of the natural oils removed in the cleansing process – these soaps can be used on dry skins.

Liquid Soaps:

These are nothing but a dent in your pocket, because they offer no advantage over other soaps except being aesthetically appealing and less messy to use.

There are several alternatives to soap and water cleansing – creams, milks, lotions, foams, oils, gels and liquids. All these are rather closely related – much more than you can imagine. All are basically a mixture of oil, wax and water but manufacturers modify the formula to suit different skin types – those for dry skins remove less oil form the skin, and many even add some, whilst cleansers for oily skins are designed to remove more oil and add none to the skin.

It is also possible to clean your face equally efficiently with baby oil, liquid paraffin or vegetable oils. All of these remove make-up and dirt. But they are not pleasant smelling. A cotton pad dipped in fresh milk is a cheap but equally effective cleanser. If you do use any of these, and especially if you have an oily skin, it is necessary to wash the residue off with soap and water and to dab your face well with an astringent.

Right Way to Use a Cleanser:

Gently is the right way. Do not stretch, drag or pull your skin. It is important to remember that it is the cleanser which removes the make-up and not you; you only remove the cleanser, so do not be too vigorous in your attempts to either rub it in or to remove it. With the cleanser in your hand, let your fingers glide over your skin, or use light patting movements with the pads of your fingers.

Upward and outward movements have frequently been suggested as the right way to apply all kinds of creams to the face – this is thought to prevent or delay the eventual loss of muscle tone and the resultant sagging of the skin. Leave the cleanser on for a minute or two so as to loosen the dirt and make-up. Then gently remove it either with cotton wool or with tissue paper, again using upward and outward movements. Wipe over the face again with a damp cotton wool ball, and if it does not come away clean, repeat the cleansing process. Finally rinse with water.

A recent concept in skin cleansing is epidermabrasion this is literally, mechanically rubbing off the dead cells from the skin surface. Various substances are available among the most familiar one are a variety of granules (sand, sawdust, silica and pumice) and slowly soluble abrasive materials (like sodium tetra borate decahydrate). These granules can also be incorporated into soaps and creams and form the basis of some of the peeling face masks available in the market. Other materials for epidermabrasion are sand paper, hemp cloth, cellulose of the luffa plant, sea sponges and manmade sponges of cellulose and polyurethane.

Woven webs can also be used for epidermabrasion, the best known being the ubiquitous wash cloth, which provides a very delicate level of epidermabrasion. The most recent development in epidermabrasion technology is the use of non – woven polyester webs. Most skins tolerate this treatment well, though it should definitely be avoided on the very dry skins. Moisturizers are cosmetic products which to some extent provide a practical answer to problems of water loss from the skin. Though water is the missing ingredient, in dry skins, application of water alone is not the solution as this has only a temporary effect because it evaporates too fast! Though oil equally essential (it serves to hold water on to the skin surface), it alone also can’t moisturize the skin.

Moisturizers therefore combine both water and oil. This not only replaces some of the water lost from the skin, but more importantly prevents its loss to the surroundings. There are several moisturizing products available in the market. They all fall, basically, in to 2 main types: oil-in-water emulsions and water-in-oil emulsions. The oil-in-water moisturizers sometimes also contain substances called humectants which attract water from the surroundings, but this may have its own disadvantage because humectants may sometimes absorb too much water from the skin itself, thereby increasing its dryness.

Commonly used humectants are glycerin. Newer ingredients have been added to increase the efficacy of this group of moisturizers. Urea (which is an excellent fertilizer for soil) improves the efficiency of glycerin as a moisturizer. A good household moisturizer can be prepared by dissolving 2 level teaspoons full of urea (can be procured from a garden shop) in 10 teaspoons of tap water and adding 10 teaspoons of glycerin. The second category of moisturizers comprises the newer water-in-oil emulsions. They are marketed generally as creams or lotions. Being oil-based products, these trap moisture in the skin by forming an occlusive film on the skin surface; this forms a barrier retarding water loss. Many of these products are also called anti-dehydrating creams.

Choosing the moisturizer to best suit your skin type is very important. The proportion of oil varies according to the type of skin for which the product is formulated. The label on the product generally states this – so do read the instructions carefully. Generally speaking, products meant for well balanced normal skins are water based, containing a little oil. Those designed for dry skins make up for the lack of oil in the skin, by adding oil to the skin. Humectants like glycerin and lactic acid are also added to retain moisture; sensitive skins also need moisturizers having high oil content.

Yes! Regular use of suitable moisturizers does benefit your skin, by guarding against the excessive loss of water; these agents protect the skin against the drying influences of the environment – the effects of sun, cold and heat. A moisturizer is particularly helpful for naturally dry skins, but whatever be your skin type, a moisturizer is particularly helpful for naturally dry skins, but whatever be your skin type, a moisturizer does compensate for the deficiencies in the natural oil-film and keeps the skin lubricated making it soft, smooth and looking more youthful.

Further, moisturizers give a smooth finish to make up. Putting on a light moisturizers effectively combat skin dryness and make the skin soft and supple. But eh role of special ingredients, like vitamins, proteins, collagen, and hormones, in many of the expensive creams is quite doubtful. In fact, it is only the simple lubricating action of the ingredients in the creams that do any good. So using exotic oils instead of ordinary oils will not make the moisturizer any more effective, though it will add enormously to the cost. However, certain natural and synthetic substances, humectants like urea, lactic acid and phospholipids, might improve the efficacy of moisturizers as they increase the hydration of the skin.

Moisturizers are generally no to be used on oily skins, because they can cause spots. But today safe synthetic chemicals are available these oil free moisturizers do not contain any mineral oils, vegetable oils or animal fat, bur contain either modified or other synthetic ingredients. So now you can enjoy luxury of using such products, even if you have an oily skin. Use them on patches of dryness caused by excessive use of anti – pimple remedies. Don’t use them too often or too liberally.

Massages:

Done by experienced hands, a massage can help ease tension, soothe tight muscles and relieve pain. Remember, a massage should not be done on an inflamed skin and it should not be done without the use of oils or a light dusting of talc or baby powder to make the skin more malleable. How often? You can give yourself a facial massage at least once a month. It is important that you relax and enjoy the total experience the calmer you feel; the better will be the result. The massage should last about 10 minutes; anything longer will be too tiring. What to use? Always use a cream or oil suited to your skin type. An oil free cream or baby powder is best for those with a greasy skin. A few drops of warm almond oil is a treat for dry skin.

Steps of the Massage:

1. Tie your hair back, away from the face
2. Apply the cream over the face and neck. Use powder for oily skins.
3. With your hands facing inward, start at the base of the neck and run your fingers lightly up, onto and over the face. Let the fingers of one hand follow those of the other, to the centre of the face.
4. Using your index and middle fingers only, tap lightly all over the face.
5. With the thumb and index finger, gently knead the chin around the mouth and the fleshy part of the cheeks. Don’t pull or pinch at the skin, but the keep the movements firm, steady and even.
6. Smooth and soothe the forehead by ironing over the fine lines. Hold the skin firm between the index and the middle fingers of one hand, and using the index finger of the other hand, massage the skin with inward and outward movements. Do this over the whole forehead.
7. Using the same 2 fingers massage the cheeks in circular movements
8. Now for the eyes: with the middle finger of each hand, gently smooth over the brow bone to the fingers below the eyes and back to the centre. With the little fingers, press around the outside of the eye especially where fine lines are present, and release immediately.
9. Repeat all the steps thrice
10. Finally close your eyes, and relax for a few minutes
11. Remove the whole cream.