Cleansers are an essential part of your skin care regimen. It is believed that humans have been using cleansing techniques to care for their skin for thousands of years. We use cleansers to remove environmental and cosmetic impurities that build up on our skin throughout the day. Cleansers can also remove excess sebum from the skin’s surface and can help to maintain a healthy skin barrier.
Not all cleansers are created equal, and it is important to know what kind of cleanser is best suited to your skin. Using a gentle cleansing formulation that will not disrupt your skin’s pH is imperative to maintaining well-functioning skin.
Foaming cleansers often contain surfactants which can disrupt the skin barrier by stripping it of its natural oils and disrupting lipid placement and distribution. This impedes the skins permeability and water retaining qualities which causes dryness, irritation and inflammation.
On the other hand, cream cleansers are less aggressive to the skin barrier and provide gentle and efficient cleansing of the skin. Cream based cleansers usually have a neutral pH, are less irritating to the skin and do not form a lather. They help balance oil content and distribution across the skins surface and help maintain hydration. Don’t be fooled by the lack of lather with cream-based lotions! Although they may not feel as ‘squeaky clean’ as a foaming cleanser, as long as you are double cleansing, your skin will be left clean and balanced. At Skindepth we love to use Rationale’s #4 The Cleanser on dry to normal skin for its gentle cleansing benefits. We also love the Gentle Cleansing Lotion from Avene, which is especially good for sensitive skin.
Recent gel cleansers have been formulated with larger molecular structures, which can cleanse the skin with out over stripping the surface of its natural oils. These formulations will benefit oily skin types. The Purifying Cleansing Gel from Biretix is our pick for a great cleanser for oily skin.
If you are unsure of what products are best for you, book in for a consultation and we can help find the best skincare for you.
