It's time to come clean

Did you know that without cleansing your skin properly did you know there is little point in applying any other products?

You wouldn’t mop a dirty floor without first hoovering or sweeping away the dirt. The same for your face. You shouldn’t apply a moisturiser without cleaning your skin first.

Cleansing is the first step in your skincare routine and the most important - it’s essential for maintaining healthy skin. Without proper cleansing, dirt and pollution accumulate on the surface of your skin which can contribute to ageing, congestion and dehydration. Insufficient hydration can leave the skin with redness, dryness and irritation (Dehydrated skin can look wrinkled and aged)Facial cleansing helps the skin maintain a proper level of moisture, it manages pH levels enabling sufficient water and product retention for proper skin hydration.

Our skin produces sebum. Sebum is in fact beneficial to our skin but if it stays around for too long without being washed off it can cause a blockage of the skin follicles, allowing bacteria to penetrate which leads to a dull complexion that can also cause inflammation and acne.

A day doesn’t go by without our skin ageing and environmental toxins accelerate the ageing process. Cleansing is such a simple process and without it your complexion is layered with grime and dirt, which means if you apply other skincare products the active ingredients won’t be able to penetrate into the skin, they would just sit on the surface.

Cleansing doesn’t mean a quick wash and go. If you are exposed to city living or if you wear make up then my advice is to double cleanse. The first cleanse removes make up and grime and the second cleanse will work deeper to remove anything left and to cleanse the pores. I love to use a cleansing balm which I massage into the skin and then remove with a warm cloth, followed by a cleansing facial bar packed with nourishing oils and butters which leaves my skin super clean. Don’t wash your face in hot water. It will strip your skin of essential oils and make it very unhappy. Use lukewarm water to wash and a good couple of splashes of cold water to wake up and firm and the skin.

It’s important to cleanse but don’t over do it - over cleansing can strip the skin of its natural oils and its protective barrier which then can lead to sensitivity and irritation which makes everything worse! A double cleanse isn’t always necessary. It depends on your lifestyle. Its worth it at night to remove the nasties but in the morning a light cleanse is all that’s needed unless you were naughty and didn’t cleanse the night before! and this leads me onto say never go to bed with your make up on (it’s one of the worst things that you can do to your skin) Take the time whatever the hour to remove your make up. 2 mins to clean your teeth, the same to cleanse. Make that a promise to yourself.

There are a variety of cleansers to choose from: cream cleansers, balms and oils are ideal for all skin types, especially drier and mature complexions whilst oily or young skin loves a foaming cleanser. It also depends on how much make up that you wear and the environment that you work or live in.

Try and use a gentle non abrasive cleanser that contains no alcohol and one that is free from synthetic fragrance. Wipes might seem a quick option but they contain many chemicals that can irritate the skin. Always check the ingredients list and if in doubt just get in touch with me.

Regular cleansing helps keep the skin youthful and provides radiance. Its an effective way to achieve a brighter, clearer and happy complexion.