Why Do You Need To Use a Facial Cleanser?
The simple answer is: because good skin maintenance starts with clean skin. To better understand why, it’s important to examine how your skin works and why cleansing twice a day is integral to any skincare routine.
In this guide, we’ll dive deep beneath the surface of skincare to examine what is a cleanser and why facial cleansers are so important to your routine. Since every skin type can benefit from a unique cleanser, we’ll examine the different kinds of cleansers available and determine what product is best for your skin type.
What’s happening on your skin?
It may not be obvious to the human eye, but there’s a lot of microscopic activity happening on the surface of your skin. Tiny particles from your environment, including everything from dead skin cells to pollutants, can end up on your face. If you happen to wear makeup and sunscreen daily, these products can form even more buildup on your skin.
In addition, you also have the natural oils your body produces throughout the day and night, like sebum.
What is sebum?
Sebum is a waxy oil produced by glands under your skin. It travels up the tiny follicles covering your face to form a protective barrier between you and your environment.
For many reasons, your skin may produce an excess amount of sebum, which is very common. This may be why your skin feels oily to the touch – even if you suffer from dry skin.
Buildup on the surface of your skin
When natural oils combine with environmental pollutants, makeup, sunscreen and sweat, a considerable amount of buildup can congest your skin.
How can cleansers help balance your skin?
Cleansers are products that gently remove impurities from the surface of your skin. They’re formulated to attract dirt, while keeping the natural pH of your skin intact.
What are the benefits of cleansing twice a day?
Regularly cleansing your skin of dirt both morning and night can help prevent pore blockages (which may cause breakouts and enlarged pores,) and make your skin more receptive to the hydrating steps in your skincare routine (like applying moisturizers and face oils.)
Since environmental pollutants can also accelerate the aging process, cleansing your skin of impurities can help stimulate good skin function.
What’s the difference between a face wash and a face cleanser?
You may have seen bottles of both face wash and facecleanser lining store shelves—and while they may look the same, they actually have different purposes.
Facecleansers usually have a creamy, jelly, or watery texture. They’re made to hydrate and soothe, while simultaneously cleaning your skin.
Face washes on the other hand, are designed to give your pores a more in-depth cleaning. The consistence of a face wash will turn foamy, and lather quite a bit when massaged into your skin.
Types of cleansers
When choosing a cleanser, it’s important to take your skin type into consideration. Listening to what your body is asking for will make your journey to balanced, healthy skin easier.
Cleansers for sensitive skin
If you notice that you have dry skin that’s prone to irritation, looking for cleansers that are gentle and ultra-hydrating will give your skin exactly what it requires. No need to reach for harsh exfoliators or face washes – the softer approach is best.
Cleansers for combination skin
Maybe you see a little excess oil on your face, some dryness, perhaps congested pores. If you notice these issues, you may have combination skin. With this skin type, you want to be careful to not over exfoliate the dry areas or exacerbate oily T-zone areas (forehead, nose, and chin. The best approach is choosing a mild, hydrating cleanser that works to balance skin and protect the natural pH.
Cleansers for oily skin
If you notice excess oil not just on your T-zone, but on your cheeks as well, you probably have oily skin. A deeper cleansing routine that incorporates exfoliation may be exactly what your skin is asking for. But keep in mind that a common mistake of those with oily skin is to use cleansers that are too harsh. If you strip your skin of the natural oils it needs without hydrating and moisturizing, your glands will actually produce even more oil. With that in mind, it’s important to find a cleanser that has both purifying and hydrating properties.
The cleanser for any skin type
The new Yves Rocher3 in 1 Makeup Removing Marine Jelly cleanser from the Pure Algue line delivers benefits that can help sensitive, combination, and oily skin.
An oxygenating cleanser
This unique cleanser is formulated using Tetraselmis micro-algae, selected by Yves Rocher Botanical Beauty Researchers for its oxygenating and antioxidant properties.
Within the ocean, these microscopic organisms float on the surface of the water, producing oxygen. Within a cleanser, they work to help detoxify skin while soothing and hydrating.
Soothing gel cleanser
For the full at-home spa experience, this gel cleanser has an ultra-fresh jelly texture that feels soothing to the touch. When massaged into the skin, the tiny micro-droplets in the formula turn into a light foam that gently lifts dirt and debris away from skin, without stripping away natural oils.
A combination makeup remover and cleansing gel
Instead of relying on a double-cleansing routine that breaks all three benefits into separate steps requiring different products, get the benefits all at once with the 3 in 1 Makeup Removing Marine Jelly.
While melting makeup away, it also cleanses and detoxifies skin. With three major skincare perks in one cleanser, no matter how little time you have, or how tired you are, a 60-second face wash is always within reach. After all—skincare is about consistency.
The cleanser for oily skin
Offering both cleansing and mattifying , the Pure Menthe Purifying Cleansing Gel gently purifies, removing excess oil without drying out skin.
An eco-friendly, vegan cleanser
Made with peppermint harvested from Brittany, France, and 98% ingredients with natural origins, this cleanser is also free of sulfates, parabens, silicones, minerals, and harsh colorants that cause irritation. It’s also completely vegan-friendly.
The cleanser for sensitive skin
A mild, yet effective cleanser for sensitive skin is the Pure Camomille Soothing Makeup Removing and Toning Milk.
The creamy formula gently removes debris while hydrating. Filled with organic wild chamomile grown in Brittany, France, this cleanser delivers major calming benefits to easily irritated skin.
Free of sulfates and parabens
Made of ingredients with 94% natural origins, this cleanser is also free of sulfates, soap, alcohol, fragrance, parabens, and silicones. Plus, it’s also vegan-friendly.
Facial cleanser: the cornerstone of your skincare routine
To rid your face of impurities that regularly pile up, using a gentle facecleanser twice a day is essential to any skin routine, with our ultimate guide to double cleansing. Not only are you getting rid of unwanted dirt and bacteria, you’re prepping your skin to better absorb the toners, serums, or moisturizers in your skincare routine.
Turns out, the path to happy skin may be as simple as washing your face. For more skin type and product choices, discover all the new cleansers by Yves Rocher.
Discover our guide to double cleansing as well as all the new facial cleansers by Yves Rocher.