Have you maximised your cleansing routine?

I’ve met so many girls who has concerns of rough, bumpy, uneven skins. One of the major cause for this is due to improper cleansing routine. When the skin is not properly cleansed and exfoliated, sebum underneath the skin’s surface would build up over time, causing enlarged pores and uneven skin texture. It is only when the skin is properly cleansed and exfoliated that the nutrients from the skincare could be absorbed and deliver its action. So the next time you think of complaining about a product that everyone loves but “does nothing” to your skin (of course there are products that really do nothing), maybe you should ask yourself, “Am I cleansing my skin correctly?”

Over the years, I have established a cleansing routine that works very well for my own skin, and in this post I’ll tell you all about it.

Makeup Removal

Makeup removal should be the most important step of your skincare routine. If you wear sunscreen only and thinking you could skip this step, you are not cleansing your face properly. Pigments in makeup and sunscreen will set into the skin if not cleansed off properly, causing hyper-pigmentation or spots. Therefore, it is so important that you remove your makeup thoroughly before bed each night.

With makeup removal, I recommend using an oil based cleanser, because “oil dissolves oil” the best. Oil based cleanser works by dissolving the makeup, sunscreen and sebum (which are all oil based) from your pores and removing them when the cleanser is washed off. They are the most effective, and least abrasive on the skin.

People with oily skin should not be weary about oil based cleanser, they clean your pores much better than any other cleansers could offer.

When choosing oil cleanser, I generally stay away from mineral oil based products. And you would not believe how many of them out there are mineral oil based. Always check the ingredients list before purchasing.

Heimish All Clean Balm is a plant oil based cleanser that I’ve been enjoying so much using. It comes in a solid form, melts into an oil with the temperature of your palm. Upon application to the face, it dissolves waterproof makeup and sebum. With the addition of a little water, it emulsifies to a milky liquid, and washes off completely with water. It leaves the skin feeling soft, moisturised and clean. The most amazing thing the Heimish All Clean Balm does is it removes whiteheads and blackheads, which are so stubborn and hard to get rid of.

Double Cleansing

After removing makeup, it is time to clean your face. This is referred to as “double cleansing”. I am a firm believer of “double cleansing”. Although the Heimish All Clean Balm does not leave so much of a residue after being washed off, I still like to make sure I cleanse everything off my face before applying skincare. Because we’re “double cleansing”, it is crucial that we use a cleanser that is non-drying and gentle. We want a cleanser that does not “strip off” the natural barrier of our skin, but cleanses the pores.

With cleanser, I prefer soap cleansers. Switching to soap is the best decision I’ve ever made in my skincare routine. Compared with commercial gel or foam cleansers, a good quality facial soap contains much less chemical surfactants, therefore is much less drying and less harsh on the skin.

A good quality facial soap should be easily lathered, but not too much bubbles. The bubbles should be small, dense, bouncy and soft. This way, the bubbles work into the skin, taking away the sebum without abrasion against the skin. My holy grail soap is the Sulwhasoo Herbal Soap. It leaves the skin feeling cleansed, moisturised, soft and strengthened. A bar of this soap would easily last 3-4 months.

Exfoliation

The purpose of exfoliation is to remove the dead skin cells built up on the surface. This allows the impurities below the skin’s surface to exit the pores and the skincare products to enter. Exfoliation should be carried out carefully. It is important to choose an exfoliator that is not abrasive on the skin. For a scrub, the beads should be rounded rather than angular, as angular beads would cause micro damage to the skin. The beads should have some cushioning, so that when it’s pressed against the skin, it deforms a little, without cutting into the skin.

The frequency of exfoliation should be controlled at around 1-2 times per week. Areas that are more delicate, such as the under eye and top of cheek should be avoided as the skins on those areas are already very thin and do not require exfoliation.

If the physical exfoliation of a scrub is too harsh for your skin, you could try a chemical peel. Chemical peel is usually acid based and works by chemically “eating” away the dead skin cells on the surface of the skin without the motion of “scrubbing”. The strength and frequency of chemical peel should also be controlled so that you do not over-exfoliate.

I’ve tried quite a number of good exfoliators including Too Cool For School McGirly Rice Scrub and Innisfree Wine Peeling Jelly Scrub.

Clarisonic

It would be incomplete to talk about cleansing and exfoliating without mentioning Clarisonic. Clarisonic is a facial cleansing brush that vibrates and cleanses the pores using the scrubbing motion and the sonic wave. I’ve been using Clarisonic for over 6 years and have recommended to loads of people and I personally cannot live without it. It keeps my skin so clean. Whenever I don’t use it for a few days, I could feel the sebum building up on my skin, my skin feels thick, rough, and uneven. I produce a lot more oil and clogging the pores even more. I feel my skin is suffocating. It is serious.

I’ve had the Clarisonic Mia (discontinued) for over 6 years and it is still going strong. So if you’re hesitating because it is an expensive piece of equipment, I assure you it’s worth every cent. Plus, Clarisonic is currently having 20% off on their website.

Clay Mask

Last but not least is clay masks. I regard clay masks as an essential part of my cleansing routine. At 3 times a week, the clay mask draws out the impurities within my pore and removes them. It also helps with soothing my skin and reducing oil and sebum production. The clay mask that I would recommend is the Nature Republic’s Hawaiian Fresh Clay Pack. The texture of this clay mask is so smooth and hydrating, that it does not dry even after 20 minutes of application. It is most effective with removing whiteheads.

So how do you think? Are you cleansing your face correctly and have you maximised your cleansing routine? If not, give some of the above a try and you should see improvements to your skin texture, radiance and moisture level.