For folks new to the wonderful, complicated, and enormous world of professional-level skin care products, having three different cleansers may sound exorbitant. And, certainly, one doesn’t need to buy all three at once. But, as I write this, we are in a very dry season as winter ends. We have been indoors in artificial heat for months. Our air here in New Mexico is often lacking in any significant humidity. Most of my facial patients’ skin in the last two weeks has been very dry. It is now, in times of seasonal transitions, that we get to change up our skin care / self-care products. Skin is ever-changing. So, now is the time to honor our exploratory feline spirit animal and try some new products and techniques to achieve the best skin of our lives.
You may ask yourself, “What kind of cleanser do I need?” In Albuquerque, New Mexico, my answer to you would be, in most cases, “One creamy cleanser, a soapy or gel-based cleanser, and an exfoliating cleanser.” There may be two exceptions to this, being excessively dry or excessively oily or acneic skin types, which can sometimes be perfectly happy with a gel based exfoliating cleanser for both morning and evening cleansing. But even then, eventually, when your skin and barrier function become balanced after regular facials and treatments at Oasis Med Spa, you will want the magic three.
The first type of cleanser all skin types need is a creamy cleanser for over the sink use. This is true for a couple reasons. One, it is so much easier to remove a creamy cleanser with the preferred splash method over the sink. Instead of fighting with the suds of a soapy cleanser or the grit of an exfoliant, your creamy cleanser is easily and completely removed with about eight splashes. The second reason is that your skin loves the moisture presented in a creamy cleanser. Thirdly, and most importantly, creamy cleansers are typically more pH friendly and test closer to the skin’s happy place of 5.5 pH than soapy cleansers. But don’t think you can skip your toner just because! Toning refreshes the skin, controls pH levels and gets your pore receptors activated and exercising.
The second type of cleanser you need is a soapy or gel cleanser. Leave this one in the shower to get that squeaky clean sensation. Use small circular finger motions and hang out on problem T-Zone spots like the nose and its creases, as well as your chin for an extra five or ten seconds each. This circular technique, and those few extra seconds of love, will help dissolve any small blackheads that everyone with a pore is prone to. Use this when you are not using your exfoliating cleanser. Look for gel or soapy cleansers that contain a natural soaping ingredient like Soapwort (Saponaria Officinalis) instead of SLS (Sodium Lauryl Sulfate) or SLES (Sodium Laureth Sulfate) and are considered “dirty” ingredients by the EWG (Environmental Working Group). Pevonia Phyto-Gel and Clean Refresh cleansers are examples of green cleansers that we carry at Oasis Med Spa in Albuquerque that are clean and green and rinse off beautifully. Soapy cleansers have a bit higher pH and are often more alkaline than creamy cleansers. So, don’t forget your alcohol-free facial toner or sometimes called “facial lotion.”
The third type of cleanser you should have in your skin care arsenal is an exfoliating cleanser. Exfoliating is one of the best things you can do for your skin. It promotes constant and a quicker rate of skin renewal by means of cellular turnover. However, the cheap drug store type of seedy exfoliants can become problematic as these can lead to micro-scars and sensitivities. Invest in yourself with a high-quality facial exfoliating wash that contains Jojoba granules or a similarly pliable granular bead as the exfoliating ingredient. What we call Jojoba “oil” is 98% a wax, although it can be expressed as an oil. Jojoba granules glide nicely on the skin, warm up to the skin and if they don’t start out in a circular shape, by the time you get finished with your cleanse, reason has it that they become more spherical as they warm up. This adds up to a beautiful exfoliation without the potential for micro-scarring like the scrubs made from seeds. Use this type of cleanser from 3 to 5 times per week. Some are gentle enough for every day, but for best results, follow what your skin tells you. Variety in your skin care regimen is key. Being able to treat your skin as the ever-changing organ it is will help you attain your best skin.
So, I hope this helps you discover new ways to take care of your skin, improves your skin’s function and helps your skin stay youthfully radiant throughout all your years!
