Skin cleansers are easily the “forgotten Heros” when it comes to steps to achieving healthy skin. We quickly rush to lotions, serums, masks etc. in our quest, but what most us  don’t realize is that even though all these are essential, without a clean and well prepared canvas these products might not really achieve much.

Face cleansers help to prepare our skins and keep them in a clean and comfortable state to easily accept the goodies we layer on them afterwards.

If the skin is stripped, dry , tight, irritated or inflamed, as a result of using a harsh cleanser or rough handling the skin during washing, then the serums, lotions etc. applied after wards will not be absorbed effectively into the skin.

For a long time, way into my 20s, I clearly remember washing my face with the same “bar” soap that I used for the rest of my body on my face. And even though I used a “mild” cold process bar soap, it was not definitely “gentle  enough”, especially for a dry sensitive skin.

My face would feel so dry, rough and tight soon after a wash that about the only thought in my mind was… a moisturizer immediately.

As I got older, my face was becoming even drier and more irritated by just using soap to wash until I transitioned to a liquid based soap for my face, but that did not help either.

 

Here are some reasons why these soaps didn’t work for me..

Cold process soaps

They are highly alkaline and this  strips the skin of its natural moisturization factor. The temporary disruption of the natural “Acid Mantle” of the  cause the skin to loose more moisture from it s surface leading to an increased “trans- Epidermal water loss.

So the skin gets a “double whammy” of having its natural oils striped as well as having its barrier structure compromised, so I end up with dry, itchy, irritated and possibly inflamed skin after every wash. Not a very good state for my skin, if you consider that I have to wash it, as least twice every single day.

Next are the liquid soaps which can be potassium hydroxide based as in “castile soap” or surfactant based. So, I found the surfactant based soaps just a little milder than the Potassium hydroxide based ones (which equally had a high ph.), simply because the surfactant based ones had a more neutral Ph, however, the combination of surfactants, the lack of emollient  and skin conditioning ingredients and most time the presence of synthetic fragrances, didn’t make them a better alternative.

What then do you look for in good face cleanser

  1.  They must be able to effectively eliminate dirt and melt away make up and grime without leaving any residue
  2. It has to be formulated at a ph, as close to the skin’s natural ph as possible to preserve the natural acid covering of the skin as well to protect the natural micro flora of the skin, which are important for adequate functioning of the skin.
  3. I personally, prefer, surfactant based cleansers for foamy washes, because their ph can be adjusted to suit the skin’s natural ph without affecting performance, unlike the cold process or potassium hydroxide based soaps.
  4. They need to contain moisturizing and skin conditioning agents that can help to replace any moisture that might be lost during washing.

If you are like me and in need for a good face cleanser that ticks all the boxes above as well as giving a very gentle exfoliation to your face while at it, leaving you with a fresh, supple, glowy complexion that turns an everyday chore into a twice-daily treat, then simply click the link below for BSN Deep Cleansing Face Wash.

A pocket- friendly daily cleanser that makes all the difference..

 

https://bareskinnaturals.com/item/deep-cleansing-face-wash/

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