Cleansing: all links so far

cleansing

• Advanced Steps for Cleansing

• AHAs in cleansers—why?

• “Cleaning” your face with water (only)—really?! (new!)

• Cleanse once? Twice? How often and why

• CLEANSERS 101: What IS a cleanser? What to look for and what NOT to use—updated (new!)

• Cleansing Cloths—Yay or nay? (new!)

• Cleansing Quick Tip

• Do I really need to clean my face?

• Here is a cleanser you DON’T want to use on your face!

• How much cleanser am I supposed to use?

• How to wash your face—things you may not know (new!)

• Is Cetaphil OK to use as my facial cleanser?

• Is it OK to use a washcloth on my face?

• MYTH: Soap is a good cleanser

• Oily skin and frequent cleansing: Good or bad?
  

• True or False: You only need to wash your face at night 

How to wash your face—things you may not know

Milky cleansers generally won’t suds-up like this.

How should I be washing my face?

Knowing how to wash your face may seem obvious. But year after year I have clients who really aren’t quite sure about this process. It is of course not a difficult process but it is the first in a series of important steps that will help keep your skin looking and feeling its best. Read on in order to clear up any confusion, then you can go forth and wash your face with confidence.

A few things first: I highly recommend using pH papers to test any and all of your skin care products, including your cleanser. Below is an article that gives you that information and coming soon will be a more detailed account of exactly what to do. Regardless, it is an easy process once you have the pH test papers. It is essential to know the pH of your skin care products, and many cleansers are unfortunately in the alkaline category. And no matter how much you may love a certain cleaner, if it is alkaline you do not want to use it.

Next, I am basically against the use of washcloths on your face. (See the link below to get a better understanding of why I feel this way.) It won’t be the end of the world if you use one, but using your hands to apply or remove products from your face is always my first choice.

Finally, what cleansing product to use is also a frequent question I get asked. There is a thorough explanation of what a cleanser is and what to look for in this essential product in the article linked below. Read up on what to use and what not to use to help you make a good decision when it’s time to purchase your cleansing products. 

 

How to wash your face:

• Put a reasonable amount of product in the palm of your hand. If you have a milk cleanser, use about the size of a quarter to a half-dollar. With foaming cleansers, you’ll only need half as much
• Put your palms together so the cleanser spreads evenly on both hands
• Gently go over your entire face and neck. You are not rubbing hard, your hands are merely gliding over your face
• Massage the cleanser onto your skin (this should only take 10 or 15 seconds)
• Remove the cleanser by splash-rinsing with tepid water. Never use hot or cold water on your face!
• Pat your skin dry with a towel (again, no rubbing), and you’re clean and ready for Step 2: Toning

Don’t forget to get the cleanser in that ridge between your earlobe and cheek as well as behind your ears. Dirt and debris tend to collect in these odd places, and you want to clean them daily, too.

Many skin care regimens get picky about exactly how to do each step, like “splash 15 times with water captured in your basin” or “only use counterclockwise circles when applying products.” Instead of focusing on which way your hands are moving across your face, my main concern is getting you in the habit of using your cleanser. As long as you don’t pull the skin, use circular motion or whatever feels most effective.

Should I wet my face first?

You may be wondering if you should add water to your cleanser or if you need to apply the cleanser to an already wet face. The effectiveness of the cleanser is not contingent on how wet or dry your skin is. In this instance, let your personal preference be your guide. Some people like to put cleanser on a wet face, either in the shower or at their sink. You may prefer to apply it to your dry skin. Personally, I choose to add a little water to my cleanser, which allows it to glide across my face.

No matter your preferences on how to use your cleaning products, do use them—at least morning and evening (and in between if you have produced significant sweat)—and then go on to your toning product (hopefully in a spray bottle) and then your pH balanced moisturizer. I recommend reading The Basics if you are unsure about these 3 key steps to proper skin care.

For more information, see:

• The Basics 1-2-3 Program for proper skin care
• Questions about pH and pH papers—this will give you information on how to test your products. Coming up there will be a more detailed article about using pH papers
• Is it OK to use a washcloth on my face?
• CLEANSERS 101: What IS a cleanser? What to look for and what NOT to use—updated 

For a little extra information on how much is too much, see:

• How much cleanser am I supposed to use?

CLEANSERS 101: What IS a cleanser? What to look for and what NOT to use—updated

What is a cleanser? 

A cleanser is a product that helps to remove oil and debris from the surface of your skin and to some degree from inside the pores. Cleansers usually contain wetting agents called surfactants. These agents enable the oil and water from your skin to mix together to be washed away as you rinse the product off. Facial cleansing products come in several different forms.

• Cleansing milks are primarily water with an oil or fat included in the ingredients, which renders them oil-in-water emulsions. 
• Cold creams, with their primary ingredient usually a form of mineral oil or a petroleum derivative, are termed water-in-oil emulsions. 
• Soaps come in bars and liquids and contain detergents and foaming agents—ingredients that get your skin squeaky clean. 

No matter what type of cleanser you choose, and there are numerous products to pick from, you always and only want to have a pH balanced, non-alkaline cleanser. How will you know? I highly recommend purchasing test papers so you can know the pH of your cleaner (or any product). The short reason is products that are acid on the pH scale are good and those that are alkaline (or not pH balanced) are “bad.” By doing a simple test you can at least be guaranteed that the product you are using to clean your skin with is not stripping it, which is what alkaline products do, causing problems down the road. All the ins and out of pH of products and how to do the test (and it's super easy to do) is explained in the article listed below.

What to look for in a cleanser

What you’re looking for in a cleanser is a product that first and foremost gets your skin clean without causing any other effect, such as dryness or irritation. If you experience any negative side effect from your cleansing product, I suggest shopping around for something else. Since you are using it at least two times a day—every day—you just can’t afford to use something that isn’t right for your skin.

You want to use a cleanser that gently removes surface oil and debris off your face. That’s it. You’re not looking for your cleanser to do more than that. Water-soluble cleansers are best. Water-soluble means it dissolves in water. Most milk cleansers and washes are water-soluble, but cold creams in general are not.

By the way, water-soluble cleansers generally do not lather. They don’t contain the harsh and drying ingredients of bar soap, so they may not foam up. If they’re acidic on the pH scale, which is what you’re looking for, they also won’t strip the skin. If you’re a soap user and not used to this non-lathering type of cleanser, give it time. You may have to go through an adjustment period before you feel these kinder, gentler, water-soluble cleansers are working, but they are.

Cleansers are not moisturizers 

Some cleansing products claim to leave your skin feeling “soft and moisturized.” Softening the skin is fine, but your moisturizing cream is what remains on the surface to hydrate your skin. A cleanser is applied and removed. It should not leave any type of film on the skin to moisturize. This remaining film could potentially clog the pores causing congestion problems in the future. Cleansers cleanse; they do not (or should not) remain on the skin.

Cleansers are also not exfoliators and only do a surface cleansing. They are important in keeping your skin clean and free from built-up debris and oil, but if you’re looking to remove dead cell buildup you’ll want to use a separate product called an exfoliator.

Cold creams tend to leave a film on the skin because the oils are not broken down by merely rinsing with water. In addition, cold creams are usually tissued off, which guarantees a coating of oil will be left on the skin. For people with drier skin types, this film usually won’t cause problems. But for those of you with normal to oily or problem skin, any product left on the surface could cause trouble.

I have to say, even the words cold cream seem antiquated. My grandmother (born in 1905) used cold cream—Pond’s as a matter of fact. These types of products are not really in the mainsteam anymore and therefore it is doubtful that you will see many in your searching, but it is even more dubious that you would actually buy this type of thick, highly (usually) perfumed cream cleanser. I would advise you to avoid thick cold creams and reach for a cleansing milk or gel wash instead.

Is soap OK to use on my skin?

She’s definitely using soap!

My answer to that question is a resounding No! I’m not a fan because soap is not a good product to use on your skin—at least not your face. Why not? Because soaps, in general, are alkaline; alkalinity basically dries out the surface skin. It does this by stripping all the oil and water off your face. This not only makes your skin feel dry after washing, it also sets up a situation where your oil glands may produce more oil to compensate for the loss from soap use. What this can mean for you is congestion (clogged pores) as well as dry, flaky skin (dehydration).

If you must use a hard-bar soap, try a brand called Aveeno®. Although this is a non-alkaline soap, it still may leave your skin feeling dried out. I recommend Aveeno to clients who have to use soap, teenagers who don’t have the resources to purchase more expensive cleansers, or clients with problem skin who sometimes feel milk cleansers are not getting their skin clean. I still prefer cleansing milks, but if you have to use soap, try Aveeno. It also comes in a liquid “oil-control formula.” Cetaphil® is another brand that makes a liquid “gentle skin cleanser.” Both of these liquid cleansers are non-alkaline (and inexpensive) and don’t seem to dry out the skin the way bar soaps do.

Here are a few final tips when using cleansers:

• No matter what type you use, you want to rinse the cleanser off with water (splash-rinse). Don’t wipe it off your face with tissue or some other technique. Even if a cleansing product instructs you to do just that, don’t! Using tissue simply doesn’t get all the product off your face.
• If you don’t already know this, you should cleanse both morning and evening for proper skin care. See The Basics article link below for this important information.

In the end, there are many cleansers to choose from. Test any you have been using or are planning to use with pH papers to make sure they are pH balanced. And if they pass the test and you like the way they feel, then use your cleanser night and day and know you’re doing your skin a lot of good.

For more information, see:

• HOW TO test the pH of your skin care products—DO THIS! (coming next week!)
• The Basics 1-2-3 Program Here you’ll read about the 3 basic steps for proper, daily skin care.  
• PLEASE—No Hot Water! Learn about the best way to rinse your cleanser off in this article.

Cleansing Cloths—Yay or nay?

These are not the cloths I’m talking about specifically in this post.

There are several companies that make daily facial cleansing cloths. These are meant to take the place of a liquid cleanser or even bar soap. My question is why? Do these cloths benefit the skin more than using a regular cleanser?

Below I have a review of some of these cleansing cloths I used and wrote about a few years ago. I apologize in advance for not having the exact company names who made them, but as with all products, ingredients are important and something you can (and should) look at before purchasing. Hopefully the information here will help you decide what to buy.

With any an all products I use on my face, first and foremost I test them with pH papers and I highly recommend you do that with any cleansing cloths you decide to try. If they are not acidic (meaning they test to be alkaline)—don’t use them. If they are pH balanced, like the type I experimented with below, they still may not be right for your skin. I leave this older piece as is because you can still glean important information when it comes to deciding what to use or not use on your skin.

On one company’s box of facial cloths I looked at suggests the cloth will “take the place of your normal cleansing routine, including bar soap, make-up remover, face wash, cleansing milk and toner.” Although forgoing both cleansing and toning by using this product would never fly with me, I wanted to try these facial cloths to see if they could be used as a substitute for cleansing with a milk cleanser or wash.

Initially I liked this product. Before using one of the cloths, I tested it with my pH papers, and it turned out to be acidic, which was a positive. Then, as instructed, I wet the cloth, rubbed it to make it lather, then used it to cleanse my face. One side of the cloth is smooth while the other side has a slight texture, enabling it to exfoliate. I liked this feature because it was not abrasive, yet I could tell I was getting some exfoliation benefits. I removed the residue by splash-rinsing instead of just using the cloth as instructed. Splash-rinsing ensures getting all the product off; using only the cloth may still leave a residue. I used my spray toner and moisturized.

While I was looking up the ingredients, I noticed my skin was beginning to feel taut and dry. I used my usual toner and moisturizer so I knew it was the cloth that was causing this result. The first two out of three ingredients are foaming agents, then a little further down on the list is a bad alcohol—benzyl alcohol, which is derived from pure alcohol. Just these ingredients alone could be what was causing my skin to feel dried out. Witch hazel is also listed and can be a drying ingredient.

By the time I had investigated all the ingredients, my skin felt dried out enough for me not to recommend these cloths for regular use. However, I think they can make a great addition to your workout bag or even something to take along with you camping. Because they come as dry cloths, you can stick them in your cosmetic bag (or even a sealed plastic bag) and take them with you rather than lug around your bottle of cleanser. I wouldn’t use facial cloths as your daily cleanser, but for unusual circumstances when you may not have access to a regular cleanser, I think they will come in handy.

As I mentioned, there are many companies making cleansing cloths—too many for me to try and talk about specifically here. You may find one (or more) that don’t cause the drying of your skin. Even so, I don’t recommend using these cloths daily or even that frequently, but instead recommend using regular milky cleansers to clean your skin. However as substitutes occasionally and in “emergency” situations I think these cloths are actually handy.

For more information, see:

• Alcohol in Products: The good and the bad
• Proper pH & your skin care products
• “Cleaning” your face with water (only)—really?!

“Cleaning” your face with water (only)—really?!

I read in a magazine that in order to save time in the morning, I can just splash my face with warm water. Is this true?

According to a skin care expert I saw quoted in a popular magazine, “...as long as you’ve cleansed thoroughly the night before, you can skip this [cleansing] step in the a.m. and simply splash your face with warm water for just 30 seconds.” I want to ask this person if she just uses water on a toothbrush in the morning, skipping the toothpaste altogether. Why not skip washing your body in the shower while you’re at it?

If you are going to spend 30 seconds splash-rinsing, why not put some cleanser on your face, massage it in for maybe 10 seconds, and then splash-rinse with tepid water, which would take another 10 seconds. Without doing the math, I think you can see my point.

Why not cleanse? What is the purpose in skipping this important step? It doesn’t really save you time according to this skin care expert’s advise. I suppose if you just skipped doing anything to your face, that would save the 30 seconds it would actually take you to clean your skin. But is saving less than a minute in the morning that important? So much so that you may cause problems for your skin down the road?

Plain water, by the way, will not break down the oil that has accumulated on the surface of your skin during the night. Only by using a proper cleanser will you be assured of getting a good, clean start for your skin each day.

And finally, are you going to put makeup on unclean skin? Wash your face—both morning and evening.

For more information, see:

• Is it OK to use a washcloth on my face?
• Cleanse once? Twice? How often and why
• CLEANSERS 101: What IS a cleanser? What to look for and what NOT to use—updated 

How much cleanser am I supposed to use?

Too much feels like too much!

How much cleanser am I supposed to use? Enough so my face is white and then massage it in until I can’t see it or just a small amount? Is it supposed to lather?

How much cleanser to use will depend on a few things. First, how big your face is and second, how much you prefer to use. Practically speaking, if you use too much, you’re just wasting product. Conversely, if you don’t use enough, you probably aren’t getting a good cleanse.

So what’s too much? Honestly, I think you will just know—it will probably feel like you are rubbing cleanser on cleanser rather than cleanser onto skin. If you use too much, it will just feel like you have too much product to work with. And using too little product?

• If you don’t use enough, you won’t be able to spread the product across your face, leaving many places unwashed.
• Using too little may cause the cleanser to almost absorb into the skin like a moisturizer.

A cleansing product is meant to remove surface debris from the skin, not to penetrate like a moisturizer. And you really don’t want to massage it in until you can’t see it. In fact, if you have massaged the product in too long or perhaps used too little, the cleanser may have gone into your skin. In this case, I would “bring it up” by adding a little water to it with your hands, then splash-rinse to remove.

I find that using about a half dollar-sized dollop of cleanser is enough, but you want to use an adequate amount in order to cover your entire face. The product I use has a pump, and I use about two to three pumps for each cleansing. If it doesn’t feel like enough once I’ve gotten it on my face, I’ll just add another pump or two. Sometimes just adding a little bit of water makes the cleanser go further. Just don’t water it down so much that it can’t clean your skin.

Experiment and see. The main thing is to use enough to enable you to spread the cleanser over your entire face and neck. To cleanse, simply apply the cleanser, massage for a few seconds, splash-rinse, and then towel dry.

Milk cleansers generally do not lather. Gel-type cleansers and most soaps will lather, depending on the sulfates in the ingredients. (Sulfates make soaps soapy.)

For more information, see:

• Cleanse once? Twice? How often and why
• Do I really need to clean my face?
• Advanced Steps for Cleansing

Oily skin and frequent cleansing: Good or bad?

My skin is so oily, I feel like I constantly need to wash my face during the day. Is this good or bad for my skin?

The answer to your question depends on what you are washing your face with and also why you feel the need to cleanse it throughout the day.

Washing your face in the morning gets the residue off your skin from the six to eight hours you were asleep. Even though all you were doing was essentially lying in bed all night, you were still eliminating sweat and toxins from the skin—albeit at a reduced rate compared to during the daytime. In order to start the day off right, you want to clean your face, just like you brush your teeth.

Regarding cleansing at night: you have a whole day’s worth of accumulated toxins—sweat, debris from the air, and possibly makeup. This has sunken into your pores throughout the day, and you definitely want to wash all of it off.

If in between your morning and evening cleansings you are washing again, you may indeed be washing too much. If you are washing with soap, more than likely it is alkaline, and it will actually strip your skin of all the oil and water, setting up the potential for more oil to be produced by your oil glands to compensate for the loss during cleansing. Can you see how this will immediately set up a vicious cycle? You wash (thinking it is a good thing) yet cause more oil to be produced; so you wash again to get rid of the oil, etc. One of the main things you want to be sure to use is a non-alkaline cleanser. Then hopefully you will not be experiencing the oiliness you are now.

If you have exercised during the day or for some other reason you have done something that has caused you to sweat, by all means wash your face. But if your skin just feels oily, consider changing your cleanser and continue reading to find out other things you can do to curb the oiliness. Sometimes constant washing, especially if you’re using the wrong type of cleanser (an alkaline one), you can set up a situation that makes your skin oilier.

Are you using too much moisturizer? Are you not using one at all? Either way, this can cause you to feel oily. If you use too much cream, obviously it is going to sit on your skin, then mix with your own oil from your face, which can cause you to feel greasy and look shiny or oily. If you didn’t put a moisturizer on at all, again, your oil glands may be overcompensating for the lack of oil on the surface of your skin and pumping out more oil to balance things out.

If you have true oily skin (not oil due to improper products causing oiliness), you want to use a light moisturizer formulated specifically for your skin type. In some cases, moisturizers for oilier skin can help inhibit oil production and even help to break down the oil sitting in your pores. This is especially true for products containing essential oils. They are natural lipid (oil) solvents and help to balance the oil being secreted by your sebaceous (oil) glands.

Finally, foundation can definitely make your skin look and feel oily by midday. If you do wear foundation, consider switching to powder—loose, not pressed powder. Mineral makeup (see link below) may be a good alternative to foundation as well.

To summarize, check the pH of your cleanser and make sure you are using something that is non-alkaline or acidic on the pH scale. Don’t use soap; this will simply increase the oiliness of your skin. Be sure to cleanse morning and night, and in between if you have sweated. Don’t use too much cream on your face, but do use some type of moisturizer to help keep your skin from becoming dehydrated. And consider not using foundation or switching to powder.

For more information, see:

• True or False: You only need to wash your face at night
• Here is a cleanser you DON’T want to use on your face!
• Mineral Makeup: a better alternative to foundation

Cleanse once? Twice? How often and why

You want to cleanse both morning and evening. Here’s why:

• Washing your face in the AM: Even though your body goes into a more regenerative (less active) mode overnight, you still want to wash your face in the morning. This way you’ll have a fresh, clean start to your day. You clean your teeth in the morning even though you brushed them the night before, and you should clean your skin too.

• Washing your face in the PM: The need to cleanse in the evening may seem a bit obvious if you’ve been wearing makeup all day. But even if you don’t wear makeup, you still have a buildup of debris, sweat, and oil as well as pollution from the environment that needs to be removed.

A big mistake makeup-wearers make is to not clean their skin thoroughly. It’s not enough to just remove the day’s makeup, you must also clean the skin underneath. If you wear makeup, you’ll want to cleanse twice at night. Once to get the makeup off, and the second time to get your skin clean.

And don’t get me started on those of you who don’t wash your makeup off at night. I won’t write much about this subject assuming you already know it’s bad to sleep with makeup on.

For more information, see:

• Is it OK to use a washcloth on my face?
• Removing eye makeup: Part I
• CLEANSERS 101: What IS a cleanser? What to look for and what NOT to use—updated 

Is it OK to use a washcloth on my face?

What I can say about washcloths is I’m just not a fan. They harbor bacteria and can put extra drag on the skin without you ever noticing. Although the rough terry cloth will exfoliate some dead cells off the surface of your skin, I recommend actively exfoliating with a product instead of relying on a washcloth to do this work. If you’re rubbing your skin hard enough with a washcloth to get any significant exfoliation, you are rubbing your face too hard. 

When you use your hands to cleanse and wash away products, you can tell by touch if everything is rinsed off your face. You also get a feel for your skin on a twice-daily basis. You can tell if there are any blemishes or unusual bumps that you wouldn’t be able to feel through a thick piece of cloth.

With that said, it certainly is not the end of the world if you use a washcloth to clean or remove products from your face. However, if you just can’t live without one, the best “kind” to use is a clean washcloth—every time you use one.

For my clients who just can’t give up washcloths, I recommend purchasing enough of them to get you through a week. This way you’ll never be without a clean cloth. If you use a washcloth twice a day, get a bundle of them. They usually come in packages of 5 or 10. If you don’t do laundry more than once a week, get two packages.

I was reading your blog and you mentioned that it's not good to use a washcloth. Do you just use your hands?

Using your hands is the best way to remove your cleanser. I have a lot of clients who love using a washcloth and if you’re one of those people who can’t live without—don’t worry about it. I’m more interested that people are cleaning their skin—no matter how they ultimately remove their cleanser. If you’re wondering how to wash your skin, see link below.

My last recommendation if you’re using a washcloth on your face: Don’t rub too hard!

For more information, see: 

• How to wash your face—things you may not know
• CLEANSERS 101: What IS a cleanser? What to look for and what NOT to use—updated 
• Exfoliation: Thoughts on BufPufs, Gommage, Washcloths and more!

Is Cetaphil OK to use as my facial cleanser?

If you are looking for an inexpensive product that does a good job of cleansing and is the correct pH for your skin, give Cetaphil a try. You can usually find it at any grocery or drug store in America. There is no guarantee that it will work for you, but it’s a good start. It is inactive (synthetic) and doesn’t cause reactions—for most people. That said, I have had several people contact me after trying Cetaphil and reacting to it.

If Cetaphil does not work for you, consider finding pH papers (see links below) so you can test any cleanser on the market to make sure it will be pH balanced at the very least. Cetaphil is certainly not the only cleanser, but it is easy to find and inexpensive, and that is why I continue to recommend it.

I know that you recommend cleansing with Cetaphil, but believe it or not it makes my skin rashy. You also talk about pH balance. Do you have a list of cleansers that you recommend? For some reason I cannot seem to find a cleanser that will get me back to the clear skin I have always had.

This client has heightened sensitivities, evidenced by her inability to use an inert (inactive) product like Cetaphil. Still, I have had several people tell me Cetaphil bothered their skin, and therefore they couldn’t use it. Perhaps in another publication I will indeed list popular and commonly found products, cleansers included, along with a pH test for each one. But for now, I highly recommend purchasing the test papers and finding cleansers you can use based on your own test results. This way you can buy products that are easy for you to find, that you like, and most importantly that are the proper pH. 

With that said, a cleanser is not going to “get you back to the clear skin you have always had.” Clear skin, if you are prone to problems, involves so much more than using an appropriate cleanser. Hormones rule the oil glands and are affected by stress, diet, and your skin care habits. Please read through this blog and if you have them, my books too, to get general as well as specific information about how to truly create healthy skin (—for a lifetime).

Cetaphil does contain sodium lauryl sulfate, which is a soap derivative found in many cleansing products. It is doubtful you will find it in higher-grade milk cleansers, for instance. Although there is nothing inherently wrong with sodium lauryl sulfate*, it is not the best ingredient for the face. If you find you have problems using Cetaphil, it may be this particular ingredient that your skin finds disagreeable. Still, if you are looking for an inexpensive cleanser, Cetaphil is a good choice.

*If you lookup sodium lauryl sulfate you can find alarmist arguments about why you shouldn’t use it. I am not in that camp, but perhaps some of you reading this article disagree with me. In life and especially in skin care, I choose my battles. The use of sodium lauryl sulfate simply is not one of them—for me.

I realize a lot of this article talks about some ill effects of Cetaphil, but in general I have found that most people can use it without issue. When I was writing Timeless Skin I used an entire bottle of Cetaphil, forgoing my normal (and favorite) Yonka cleanser. It took several months to get through the container, and I found Cetaphil to be good at surface cleaning without drying or otherwise adversely affecting my skin. This is why I feel free to recommend it. Give Cetaphil a try and see how it works for you.

For more information, see:

• CLEANSERS 101: What IS a cleanser? What to look for and what NOT to use—updated 
• HOW TO test the pH of your skin care products—DO THIS! (coming soon)
• Here is a cleanser you DON’T want to use on your face!

Here is a cleanser you DON’T want to use on your face!

In several articles on this blog (some of the links are listed below) I have discussed the need to know the pH of your skin care products in order to avoid using things that are alkaline on your face. Alkalinity, among other things, can cause dehydration—something that makes your skin feel dry even though it may not be true-dry. This can set up a reaction of using moisturizers that are too rich for your skin (unless it is an oil-dry skin type) to make up for the dry, tight feeling after using such products—the pH imbalanced kind. Another effect is the possibility of your oil glands producing more oil to compensate for the loss of oil from the alkaline cleanser getting your skin too clean.

The photo below shows a test I did with pH papers on a Neutrogena “natural” hard bar soap. As you can see on the label, it looks like it might be good: avocado and olive oils “gently” cleansing your skin. But no—there is nothing gentle about washing your face with an alkaline cleanser, whether it be a bar soap or a milky cleanser.

In case you’ve never used pH test papers, they are an orange color (like the “5” on the package in the photo). If a product tests acidic, it won’t really turn the paper any color, it just looks like the orange paper is wet. This is ultimately what you’re looking for. Any product that turns the paper light green to dark green (the above little test piece is dark green!) indicates alkalinity and means you don’t want to use whatever product you’re testing on your face.

As you can see, it is important to know the pH of any and all skin care products you are using so you can avoid using products like this natural soap on your skin. (Most bar soaps, by the way, tend to be alkaline, which is the main reason I don’t recommend them.)

For more information to help you understand why you want to test your products and what can happen if you use the wrong types of products, see:

• Proper pH & your skin care products
• Using dry skin products on oily skin—STOP THE INSANITY!
• CLEANSERS 101: What IS a cleanser? What to look for and what NOT to use—updated 

AHAs in cleansers—why?

I find it so interesting and curious when I see alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) in certain facial products. Why do manufacturers put AHAs into cleansers? Cleansers are on your skin only briefly, 10-20 seconds tops. A moisturizing product is on your skin for almost 24 hours per day. If you are using alpha hydroxy acids for their intended purpose (exfoliation), doesn’t it make more sense to use creams that contain AHAs rather than cleansers? If you are going to use a cleanser with AHAs (which isn’t necessarily a bad thing just superfluous, in my opinion), don’t spend more money for these special ingredients.

For more information, see:

• What are AHAs? Miracle ingredients or not?
• Do I really need to clean my face?
• CLEANSERS 101: What IS a cleanser? What to look for and what NOT to use—updated

Advanced Steps for Cleansing

If you want to have extra help when you’re cleansing (especially if you have breakout), try adding clay mask to your cleanser. You don’t need to do this, but I recommend experimenting with it and see if your face doesn’t feel a little cleaner after using this “advanced” technique. Truly there isn’t anything revolutionary or high-level about this, really, but I always commend those of you who choose to anything above and beyond your Basics routine.

In order to mix these two products together, I suggest these simple steps:

• Squirt or pump or squeeze your cleanser into the palm of your hand 
• Take your clay mask and mix some into the cleanser
• I would use two parts cleanser to one part clay. This will give you a little deeper cleanse, along with a slight exfoliating action. 

Due to clay’s earth nature, it does have a semi-granular texture. So if you have a lot of infection to your breakout, don’t use this or just be sure not to rub too hard. You never want to break open your blemishes, unless you are purposely extracting them.

Another recommendation is to add equal parts of a facial scrub with your cleanser. I typically use this mixture when I’m cleansing my face in the shower. I do this primarily for the circulatory benefits, but if you are sensitive to scrubs, try this suggestion. By adding some scrub of choice to your cleanser (only a liquid or milky kind), you can get a little bit of exfoliating without irritating your skin.

For more information, see:

• The Basics 1-2-3 Program
• CLEANSERS 101: What IS a cleanser? What to look for and what NOT to use—updated
• All About Exfoliation

Do I really need to clean my face?

Cleansing is the most important step in your daily program. If you don’t get your skin clean, everything else you do will be less effective. It’s like putting wax on your car without thoroughly washing it first. The skin needs to remain clean to maintain the integrity of the pores, and using a cleanser is the best way to achieve this.

If you don’t cleanse, you’re doing your skin a huge disservice. You could be setting up an environment for clogged and therefore enlarged pores as well as amassing a thick, dead skin buildup that can also contribute to congestion. Just imagine not brushing your teeth for a few days, and you’ll see what I mean. For more information on cleansing, see these articles:

• True or False: You only need to wash your face at night 
• CLEANSERS 101: What IS a cleanser? What to look for and what NOT to use—updated 
• MYTH: Soap is a good cleanser

MYTH: Soap is a good cleanser

I’m not a fan of soap as a general rule. The ingredients used to make it a hard bar are generally harsh and better kept off your face. You may feel soap really gets your skin clean—and you’re right. But soap gets it too clean. It may make your skin feel squeaky clean, but in reality, you’ve just stripped all the oil and all the water off the surface of your skin. This will give you a taught feeling (which you may associate with clean), but your skin is now stripped!

You don’t have to strip everything off in order to get a good, general cleanse. And when your skin is stripped, it is left vulnerable until the proper pH is restored. It’s as though you’re moving out of your house or apartment, and you not only take all your belongings and furniture, but you also pull up the carpet, take the wallpaper down, and peel the paint from the walls. Soap has a similar effect on your skin.

The best way to clean your skin is with a water-soluble, milky-type cleanser. Almost all companies include a cleansing milk, cream, or wash in their product line that is water-soluble.

For more information, see:

• CLEANSERS 101: What IS a cleanser? What to look for and what NOT to use—updated
• Is it OK to use a washcloth on my face?
• Proper pH and your skin care products

Cleansing Quick Tip

If you don’t have time or are too tired to cleanse your skin at night, before you put toothpaste on your toothbrush, put cleanser on your face. Brush your teeth and then you’ll have to take the cleanser off! Realistically, washing your face only takes a few seconds.

For more articles on cleaning your face, see:

• True or False: You only need to wash your face at night
• How to wash your face—things you may not know
• Advanced steps for cleansing

True or False: You only need to wash your face at night

FALSE! You should wash your face morning and evening. Why? You wash in the A.M. to clean off the film that has deposited on your skin during the time you were sleeping—similar to the film on your teeth in the morning. You want to wash your face in the evening to get rid of all the dirt, oil, and debris that has accumulated on your skin from the entire day—even if you never left the house! Not to mention any makeup you may have applied. Make washing your face a twice-daily habit. If you do, you will enjoy cleaner pores, which means healthier skin.

For more information, see:

• CLEANSERS 101: What IS a cleanser? What to look for and what NOT to use—updated
• Advanced Steps for Cleansing
• Cleansing Quick Tip