What if we told you that you're washing your face incorrectly?
That might sound silly or even weird. After all, washing your face is as simple as wetting your soap or cleanser and applying it to your skin, right?
Wrong.
If you want to avoid acne, blackheads, redness, dry skin, oily skin, or any other facial faux-pas, there are several things you need to keep in mind. Lucky for you, we've listed everything right here.
Here's our easy guide for how to wash your face correctly.
1. Finding the Right Product
The first and most important step of washing your face is to make sure you're using the right product.
Specifics on what the right product is vary based on your skin type. There is one common theme, though: gentleness. Whether your skin is oily, dry, acne-prone, sensitive, or some combination thereof, you want to make sure you're using gentle, yet effective products on your skin. To help determine your skin type its best to visit an experienced esthetician to help assess and make customized product recommendations for your skin care needs.
2. Face Wipes Aren't Enough
If you wear makeup, you'll probably want to use a makeup remover before washing your skin.
Because the ideal face wash is gentle, it might not be strong enough to wash away thick or highly-pigmented makeup. This also means that it won't penetrate that layer of makeup to get to your skin. That's where makeup removing wipes come in handy.
Your face washing routine doesn't end there, though. After you've wiped off your makeup, you need to continue with an actual face cleanser. Otherwise, the only thing you've achieved is removing your makeup.
3. Don't Use Hot Water
The cleanser you use isn't the only important factor in face washing. Several other elements impact how clean and healthy your skin can be.
The first of these factors is the temperature of the water you wash with. You should never use hot water on your skin. This is true whether you're just washing your face or you're dunking your whole body in the shower.
Instead, use a comfortable, luke-warm water temperature. If you want to get really specific, aim for about 100°F. Otherwise, just adjust the water temperature until it's warm enough to feel but not so hot that it's steaming.
After washing, you should switch to cold water and splash it on your skin. This will close your pores and prevent further dirt and bacteria from creeping in.
4. Clean Your Towels
If you use hand towels to wash your face, it's important that those towels are kept clean. Using the same towel over and over again can result in moldy, bacteria-ridden cloth that only makes your skin worse. Make sure you're swapping out the towel you use at least every 2 days.
You also need to make sure you're using clean towels for drying your skin. Although your drying towels don't get as moist as your washing towels, they're still absorbing water. They're also removing the last remnants of any dirt you removed from your skin.
The end goal is the same. No matter what kind of cloth or material you're using on your face, and no matter when you're using it, always make sure it's clean.
5. Moisturize, Moisturize, Moisturize!
Another important factor in face washing is your moisturizer.
Immediately after washing, you need to moisturize your skin. Even if your skin is naturally very oily and acne-prone, you run the risk of having your skin dry out after washing. This is true whether you use the gentlest cleanser on the market or one that is packed with anti-acne ingredients.
To combat this, you need to keep your skin moisturized. Just like the cleanser you use, there isn't a one-size-fits-all mentality for moisturizer. You'll have to customize it to fit your skin's unique needs.
For acne-prone skin, try a lightweight moisturizer with salicylic acid. For dry skin, try a thicker, richer moisturizer that promises multiple hours of hydration.
Always try a moisturizer out for at least 2 weeks before making any final decisions about whether or not it's right for your skin. Your face will need at least one week to adjust to any new product, and it'll take at least another week for you to start noticing any drastic changes.
6. Wash 1-2 Times Per Day
Finally, it's important to keep track of how often you're washing your face.
At a minimum, you should be washing once a day. Like brushing your teeth, you can wash your face at any time of day. Most dermatologists recommend doing it first thing when you wake up or right before you go to bed, though.
If you work out or have a job where you sweat a lot, you may also want to wash your face at certain intervals throughout the day to keep bacteria from building up. You can stick to face wipes for these washing sessions.
You can also wash your face too much. Every time you wash your face, you strip your skin of all the oils it naturally produces. In theory, this is exactly what you want, but some of those oils are vital for skin protection.
Even the most congested skin should never be washed more than 2 times daily.
More Advice on How to Wash Your Face Correctly and Other Skincare Questions
Hopefully, our advice on how to wash your face correctly has helped you out. Although there are a few universal tips and tricks for skincare, the overall process is unique to each individual. You'll need to tailor your process to your own needs and experiment with different products until you find the right cocktail for you.
In addition to an effective home care routine, customized professional facials are crucial to elevating your skin's health. These treatments can be customized to your specific skin type and concerns, and maintained by your daily home regimen.
Make an appointment for a facial to provide enhanced results and to receive professional home care advice from our highly skilled estheticians!
You can use our online scheduling system to book at your convenience or contact us via text or email.