How to clean your face effectively!

Cleansing your face is one of the most important steps in a skincare routine. However, it is often neglected or done incorrectly: if too aggressive, it damages the skin; if too superficial, it allows pollution, makeup residue, and sunscreen to clog the pores. In this article, I explain why and how to cleanse your face properly, what mistakes to avoid, and how to choose the best products for your skin type.

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Why is effective facial cleansing essential?

1. Reduce blackheads and pore size
   By removing excess sebum and impurities, a good cleanser reduces the formation of blackheads and refines skin texture.
2. Remove allergens and purify the skin surface
   Cleaning removes pollutants and allergens that cause irritation and skin rashes.
3. Prevent the appearance of blemishes
   Regular and appropriate cleansing limits the accumulation of bacteria, which causes pimples and other skin problems.
4. Fighting premature aging
   By ridding the skin of pollution and free radicals, effective cleansing prevents the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

«Cleansing is an essential step in any beauty routine» — BeautyDecoded

Understanding the skin barrier to better protect it

Our skin has two protective barriers main:

• Sebum, an oily film on the surface that protects against external aggressions.
• The stratum corneum, composed of dead cells called corneocytes, bound together by a lipid matrix (ceramides, cholesterol, and free fatty acids).

Purpose of cleaning:

• Remove excess sebum, pollution, and makeup or sunscreen residue,
• Without destroying the precious inter-epidermal lipid barrier, essential for healthy skin.

How do I clean my skin?

How should you clean your face in the morning?

Is it necessary to wash your face when you wake up?

It depends on your skin type and your evening routine.

• Option 1: Rinse your face with water only
  • For very dry or sensitive skin, simply rinsing with lukewarm water may be sufficient.
  • This method removes oxidized residues from treatments applied the day before, limiting the risk of microcysts or acne.
• Option 2: Use a mild cleaner
  • Recommended if you have oily or normal to dry skin, especially if you apply many active ingredients in the evening (retinol, acids, etc.).
  • Be careful when choosing a cleaner non-aggressive to prevent dryness and irritation first thing in the morning.

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How should you clean your face in the evening?

Double cleansing

• Step 1: Cleansing oil or balm
  • Apply to dry skin, then massage gently to dissolve makeup (including waterproof), sunscreen, and pollution particles.
  • Rinse with water, as these formulas contain water-soluble emulsifiers.
• Step 2: Gentle cleanser
  • To remove any remaining impurities and oil residue.
  • This method reduces the risk of blackheads and pimples without damaging the skin.

Advantage of double cleaning: Instead of using a single product that is too harsh, two gentle and complementary cleaning processes are carried out.

Choose your cleanser according to your skin type

Dry skin

• Imperative: gentleness above all else
  • Opt for a cleansing oil or balm, cleansing milk, or a very gentle gel.
  • If you feel any tightness, it is a sign that the product is too strong.

Combination skin

• Adaptation according to zones
  • For drier areas: opt for a gentle cleanser.
  • On the T-zone (oilier): a light foaming gel or purifying treatment (which may contain salicylic acid to treat excess sebum and blackheads).

Oily skin

• Purifying cleanser without stripping
  • Foaming gels are suitable, but avoid formulas that are too harsh.
  • To reduce imperfections, then use a gentle exfoliation (salicylic acid) or targeted treatments (retinol, niacinamide, etc.) instead of scrubbing the skin with a cleanser that is too harsh.

Budget advice There's no need to spend a fortune on cleansers, especially if you practice double cleansing (using two products). Save your budget for longer-lasting skincare products (serums, treatment creams).

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Common mistakes to avoid

1. Using a cleaner that is too harsh or a basic soap
   • Conventional soaps (even organic ones) have a pH too alkaline, throwing the skin (which has a slightly acidic pH) out of balance.
   • Cleansers that are too strong strip away sebum. and essential lipids in the stratum corneum, weakening the skin barrier.
2. Opt for a neutral pH at all costs
   • A neutral pH (≈7) may seem appealing, but a pH slightly acidic (4.5–5.5) is more compatible with the skin, especially if it is already sensitive.
3. Abusing alcohol or essential oils
   • Alcohol denatures protective lipids and dries out the skin.
   • Essential oils are allergenic for some people and do not provide any major benefits in a product that is quickly rinsed off.
4. Using irritating surfactants (SLS, etc.)
   • Sulfates such as Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) are very foamy and inexpensive, but damage the skin barrier, as confirmed by several recent studies.
   • Choose formulas without SLS or overly detergent ingredients.
5. Feeling tightness after cleansing
   • Signs of a damaged skin barrier: the skin becomes permeable and reactive (redness, discomfort, dryness). You may then find it difficult to tolerate active ingredients such as retinol or vitamin C.
6. Not cleansing your face enough
   • Conversely, a cleanser that is too mild can leave behind makeup or sunscreen residue. The result: clogged pores, dull complexion, and blemishes.

Remember that there is no such thing as a universal cleanser: every skin type is unique. Test and adjust!

Cosmetics to include in your beauty routine

Cleansing oils:

Cleansing balms

Cleaning Gels

Salicylic acid cleanser

Natural Cleansing Foam

Micellar water

As for micellar water, which is a face-care classic, you need to rinse it off after use. Even if the bottle of a micellar water says you don't need to rinse it off, I strongly recommend that you do, to eliminate the surfactants present. Micellar waters are practical but should be used sparingly, so try to use balms or make-up-removing oils instead.

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