February 22, 2020
Cleaning as a first step
Your cleanser may be the first step in your skin care routine, but it’s probably the last one you think about. While serums, masks and moisturizers get all the credit, face wash tends to be forgotten as soon as it’s washed down the drain.
Face washing is actually more important than most of us realize. When you’re washing your face, your pores are open and at their most permeable. Washing your face is an opportunity to not only cleanse and detoxify the skin, but to flood it with vital nutrients, antioxidants, oils and enzymes.
As far as those treatment products that get all the glory? All of the expensive serums and creams can’t give you the glowing skin they promise if you’re not working on a properly cleansed, fresh canvas.
Why focus on face wash?
Cleansers felt like the ‘forgotten’ category, even most of us wash our faces multiple times a day. Cleanser is a truly non-negotiable step, so we are looking at that as an opportunity to prove how a quality cleanser can actually simplify the rest of your routine. Formulas with antioxidants, vitamins, non-fragrant plant oils and extracts, and cell-communicating ingredients make cleansing a step toward healthier skin, not just a chore.
No matter which wash you choose, the dermatologists advise spending one to two minutes cleansing your face in order to let the ingredients sink in. It takes 60 seconds to emulsify and whisk off surface grime and makeup, 30 seconds to dislodge dirt and break up sebum, then another 30 seconds for the ingredients to penetrate.