Master the Art of Cleansing with Blue Labelle

In the quest for a glowing, healthy complexion, the foundation of any effective skincare routine is proper facial cleansing, aka washing your face. Understanding how to wash your face properly can significantly improve your skin’s health and appearance, preventing common issues like acne and premature ageing. In this Info Hub article we’ll explore the art of facial cleansing, outlining essential steps and tips to enhance your daily skincare regime. Whether you’re a skincare novice or a seasoned enthusiast, mastering these techniques will ensure your skin reaps the maximum benefits. Can you tell that we love washing our faces yet? Hopefully you will too by the end of this article!

What Does Facial Cleansing Do?

Facial cleansing is the first and most important step in any skincare routine. It removes dirt, oil, sunscreen, makeup, and pollutants from your skin, which helps to prevent pore clogging and skin issues. Regular cleansing also helps to maintain healthy skin cell turnover, encourages proper skin hydration, and prevents the production of excess oils. A clean face also allows for better absorption of products like moisturisers and serums, enhancing their efficacy and benefiting overall skin health.

Types of Cleansers

Gel Cleansers: Best for oily and acne-prone skin, gel cleansers reduce excess oil while providing deep pore cleansing.
Cream Cleansers: Ideal for dry or sensitive skin, these are hydrating and soothing, gently removing impurities without stripping the skin of its natural oils.
Foam / Lathering Cleansers: Offering lightweight formulation, foam cleansers are perfect for combination skin, providing thorough cleansing without over-drying. We wouldn’t recommend all of the foam cleansers on the market as some are too stripping of natural skin oils.
Oil Cleansers / Cleansing Balms: Excellent for all skin types, especially for removing makeup and deeply cleansing skin. Oil cleansers can clean without disrupting the skin’s natural barrier.
Micellar Water: Suitable for all skin types, particularly sensitive or acne-prone skin, micellar water removes makeup without rinsing and is great for a gentle, hydrating cleanse. We wouldn’t recommend a micellar water as your only cleanser, but if you want to remove makeup with one before following up with a ‘proper’ cleanser after then go ahead.

7 Steps to Wash Your Face Properly

Choose the Right Cleanser: Based on your skin type, choose a cleanser that suits your specific needs.
Warm Water Prep: Use lukewarm water to wet your face, unless you are using a cleansing oil or balm which are applied to a dry face then removed with water (and a flannel). Hot water can strip your skin of essential oils, while cold water won’t work as well to help lift off the dirt and grime.
Apply Cleanser: Use a small amount of cleanser and gently apply it using circular motions with your fingertips. Cover all areas of your face, including your jawline, neck, and under the chin. If the cleanser allows it use across the eyes too if removing eye makeup but also just to clean the lashes and eye area.
Thorough Cleansing: Spend about a minute massaging the cleanser into skin to ensure it is properly interacting with the dirt and oil on your face.
Remove Thoroughly: Use lukewarm water to remove all traces of cleanser from your face, use a flannel to remove a cleansing oil or balm soaked then wrung out of the warm water. Make sure no residue is left.
Pat Skin Almost Dry: Gently pat your skin with a soft towel, don’t do it until the skin is bone dry just leave it a little damp still. Avoid rubbing your face as it can cause irritation and premature ageing. Make sure you regularly change your face towels especially if you are prone to spots. If this is the case definitely have a towel just for your face and change it regularly.
Follow Up with Skincare: After cleansing, apply toner, serum, and moisturiser to keep your skin hydrated and protected, they will glide and absorb better applied to your clean and slightly damp skin. The simplest of routines would just use a moisturiser after cleansing, or a sunscreen during the day. Water can dry the skin out so it is important to use a moisturiser after you’ve cleansed skin to nourish skin and seal hydration in.

ahhhh your face is lovely and clean now…. revel in this luscious feeling!

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Best Practices for Nighttime Cleansing

Cleansing your face at night is crucial because it removes the impurities that accumulate throughout the day, the sunscreen you are of course wearing, and any makeup too. For an effective night cleanse, always remove makeup first, follow the steps above for cleansing, and consider double-cleansing if you’ve worn heavy makeup or sunscreen. The classic double cleanse is an oil or balm cleanser first followed by a lighter lathering cleanse second, but you can just use the first cleanser twice. Double cleansing ensures that you go to bed with completely clean skin, which is essential for cell regeneration and repair.

Not only is facial cleansing an easy-to-do self-care treat, skin just feels so fresh and rejuvenated after doing it, and you are pretty much guaranteed to have improved skin from cleansing it every day.

How to Cleanse Skin in the Morning

There is some debate about morning facial cleansing and how much you should be doing, some people say only cleanse in the evening, but I personally saw a big improvement in my skin when I started cleansing in the morning too. This won’t be as deep or proper a cleanse as your evening one, it can just a wipe of a soaked then wrung out flannel, or a massage with a konjac sponge. If you’re up for it why not try a gentle lathering facial wash. Not only will you be removing the sweat and grime from a night of your face being on the pillow, you’ll also clean the pores ready to receive your lovely skincare for the day which will now absorb better and deeper because your face is clean.

How to Stick at Washing Your Face Every Day

Once you see improvements in your skin we’re pretty sure you’ll look forward to cleansing your skin every day, but until then there are little tricks to help you stick at building up a daily cleansing routine:

Leave enough time for it. If this means getting up 3 minutes earlier (yes it can be this quick!) then do it. Go to bed 5 minutes earlier so you have that extra time to take off your makeup / sunscreen / daily dirt before getting into bed.
Get everything out ready. It’s no use if your flannels are in the towels drawer, your cleanser is out of reach on a high shelf, your cotton pads are in the medicine cabinet, it makes it a faff and you’re more likely to not bother. Do yourself a little favour and, if possible with your bathroom layout, put everything out together that you will need. So that when it comes to face cleansing time the cleanser is there, the flannel is there, ready to go, ready to get your face clean!
Reward yourself. Ok having a clean face that looks and behaves better is reward enough, but why not also add a little treat to reward yourself – if you cleanse your face properly twice a day for 7 days you can have that (your choice of treat) that you’ve been after!

Why You Should Stick to Your Daily Face Washing Routine

Skipping out on washing your face can really throw your skin out of balance. Think about all the stuff your face is exposed to every day like dirt, oils, and pollution. If you don’t wash these off regularly, they can clog your pores, leading to breakouts and a dull-looking complexion. Plus, letting this grime build up can make your skin age faster due to the oxidising pollutants, and simply lose its bounce.

Making face washing a non-negotiable part of your day can do wonders. It keeps your skin fresh, controls oiliness, and gives your face a clean slate for applying your favorite products, allowing them to work better. You’ll notice your skin feels smoother and looks clearer and more vibrant. So, keep up with cleansing every day — it’s a simple step that packs a major punch for your skin’s health!

Conclusion

Understanding the art of facial cleansing and integrating it into your daily routine is fundamental for maintaining healthy, glowing skin. By choosing the right products and following the outlined steps, you can protect your skin from common issues and ensure optimal conditions for other skincare products to work effectively, and you get a lovely clean face too! Remember, consistency is key to seeing lasting results, so try these steps for a month and we are sure you’ll see a big difference in your skin.

Do you love to cleanse your face? Or perhaps you’re new to it and will now make an effort to do it every day after reading this article? Let me know in the comments below!

Until the next time, hope you found this helpful!
Pascale