SKIN SAVVY - The Cleansing Edit
Let’s get skin savvy, me and you, together. In fact, not just skin savvy but proper knowledgeable, the kind of real common sense knowledge that allows you to make good choices in the skincare industry. We have had enough of outlandish claims and fluffy language. We have had enough of feeling like a bag of mince and thinking it’s because we don’t have the right stuff on our faces. We have had enough of celebrity skincare, shiny faced influencers and sell sell sell social media adverts. So what we gonna do about it? We are going to explore new thoughts and change this conversation and we are going to get real maaaannn.
Please, enjoy this skin savvy edit all about CLEANSING and how to survive in a world that makes you feel like a mingin leper if you never double cleansed and god forbid went to bed with your make up on…………..
1. Rule number 1 - you think your skin listens to rules - Pah
You bought the book, you read the rules, you bought the balm cleanser and the water based cleanser, you do a single cleanse in the AM and a double cleanse in the PM, you use your facecloth and tepid water, you pat your skin dry, yet your skin is sore or spotty or irritated or dehydrated or whatever. Your mate down the road goes to bed every night without a drop of anything removing anything from her face, her skin is clear, bright and healthy. Whyyyyyyyy? Because your skin is not interested in made up industry cleansing rules. Your skin is made up of cells that don’t care for smells, textures, pretty packaging, price, endorsements or trending products. So, ditch the rules and work out what your cells do care about and how you can make the right cleansing choice for your individual skin needs. Ok. So How?………….
2. Know your skin
Seems simple but so many visitors to our Skin Pod are more concerned with the end result (due to nonsense marketing claims) than considering the starting point. An example of this - you want clear skin - you don’t know why your skin isn’t clear - you buy a cleanser called “Clear Skin” - it doesn’t clear your skin. This is because you were tempted by the desirable words on the packaging rather than knowing your skin type/condition and accepting the product limitations. Helping you to work out your skins tolerance to products is a whole other post but in the meantime here is a brief overview of where your starting point might be - bear in mind this is not to pigeon hole you into a specific category because in my experience almost every skin I’ve ever treated is a combination but this guide will help you understand the basis of skin
There are only 3 possible genetic skin “types” - BALANCED (small pore size, no major break outs, not overly greasy to touch, not overly tight after cleansing) - OILY (enlarged pores, wet to touch, prone to break outs and blackheads) - DRY (very small pores, rough to touch, can feel tight, can be flaky ) and, of course, you may be a COMBINATION of any above type (how awkward of you)
If you are prone to redness, blotches, flushing, heat in the skin, you may have the added consideration of SENSITIVITY
Then there are all the skin conditions to consider which are completely different from skin type - some of these are, ROSACEA - ACNE - ECZEMA - PSORIASIS - DERMATITIS - KERATOSIS PILARIS and many more - these conditions need treated with so much care that if you relate to any of the above you absolutely must be extremely considered about what you put on your face
We will chat more about skin type, skin condition and skin health in future posts but at this stage if you can relate to one of the descriptions above you are at least equipped to……………
3. Make an informed prediction
Accepting that every skincare product you choose is a prediction of something that might work rather than a certainty of something that will work frees you from utter devastation when it doesn’t do what you want it to. Whether the product was recommended by a friend, influenced on social media, chosen by yourself or prescribed by a skin therapist/GP/dermatologist there is absolutely no way of knowing for sure what that product will do to your individual skin cells
This is when information and knowledge about what the different types of cleansers and ingredients do will massively help you - again there are no “rules” here - my 88 year old grandmother has used a foam cleanser for years with zero negative impact - so if your skin is comfortable with what you’re using even if it contradicts the big skincare “experts” then happy days, you carry on. If you’re stuck choosing a cleanser because your skin is uncomfortable here are some tips
Oil cleansers tend to be gentle enough to use on all skin types and conditions - they support the skin barrier and are not a terrible choice for oily skin as was previously believed
Bar soaps might not be a good idea for troubled skin as they can disrupt the pH balance of your skin as the majority of soaps are alkaline and can cause further discomfort - anybody every used Imperial Leather on their fizzog? Instant face lift
If your skin feels extremely tight after cleansing you are at risk of impairing the barrier, causing discomfort, dryness and potential break outs - switch to an oil, cream or milk if this is happening to you
Cleanser is applied for a short time then rinsed/wiped off, so do not fall for gimmicky ingredient claims in a cleanser - cleanser will unlikely improve pigmentation, will rarely have any anti ageing benefits and will not cure any chronic skin condition - it is a means to remove surface debris so choose a gentle fella
The exception to the above are cleansers with exfoliating acids in them - they can have an impact even in the short time that are on the skin - be careful of these if your skin is sensitive, prone to irritation and redness - also please stop using cleansers with scrubby beads in them. These are utterly horrendous for your skin. No debate for me on this one
4. Cleansing tools??????
Now, we occasionally use cleansing tools in the skin pod because we are doing a skin treatment for you, a sensorial experience, we have to use tools that feel nice and we have spent years learning how to create effective treatments. You visit us, at most, once a month and you enjoy this experience. Cleansing tools at home are unnecessary, a waste of money, gathering bacteria and in some cases they are ruining your skin barrier. Nuff said
If you have any questions about the cleanser you are currently using and the impact it is having on your skin please join the chat and speak to me 😃
5. Final Words
It isn’t as complicated as the big skincare industry makes it - in the years I’ve been treating skin and made hundreds of mistakes on my own skin here are my top tips for you
Oil is the best formula for every skin
Double cleansing is not necessary and can sometimes be detrimental
Cool water is better than hot
Facecloths are nice but so is rinsing with water
You can cleanse in the shower, before or after brushing your teeth and before or after washing your hair
Stop following ridiculous trends on social media, be kind to your skin by choosing a gentle cleanser that doesn’t make your skin feel tight and once you’ve found one that works STICK WITH IT