SQUEAKY CLEAN - CLEANSING {BACK2BASICS}

Facial Cleansing is a part of our daily hygiene routine whether its using a bar of supermarket soap in the shower or sitting at your dressing table and using the most expensive cleansing milk..it has to be done twice a day so as to remove the daily dirt,grime and the pollutants from the surface of the skin.

I'm definitely not an advocate of using just "any old soap on your skin" unless you want to end up with "any old skin"...so if your budget only allows for an inexpensive soap then try and choose a facial soap rather than a general all purpose bath soap.

There are so many different types of cleansers out there to choose from, so how do you know which one is right for you?

Firstly you need to establish what skin type you have and if you don't already know then pop along to cosmetic counter in a department store or ask the beauty consultant in a pharmacy. A good consultant will not only ask you lots of questions about your present beauty regime but she will also, unbeknown to you visually analysing your skin as you talk. 

Only then, can she advise on the appropriate cleanser, that will not only be the most suitable for your skin type but one that will also suit your lifestyle.Remember that your skin type or condition could alter with the change of seasons,medication and age! This will require you to have regular skin assessments.

The array of facial cleansing products out there is vast but generally they are grouped into the categories below:

• Facial Cleansing Soaps: are ideal if you love that fresh feeling of soap and water on your skin. Specific Facial soaps should have the same ph as skin 5.5, so as not to disturb the acid mantle of the skin. Dry or very dry skins will require a Moisturising Cleansing soap.

• Cleansing Foams or Facial Washes: are popular as they are quick, clean and easy to use.They are generally recommended for combination to oily skins but many houses now have specialised washes for dry to very dry skins.

• Cleansing Milks or Cleansing Creams: are more suited to dry,very dry or dehydrated skins.They can be water soluble and can be rinsed off the skin or can be removed with dampened cotton wool or a soft facial tissue.  

If you wear make-up then you will need to possibly do a double cleanse in order to remove all the make-up which the first cleanse will do and then the second cleansing will ensure that all the make-up is removed and the skin is squeaky clean. This double cleansing also allows you to use a combination of the above types of cleansing products.

Once you skin is clean we can then proceed on to the next step..........

to be continued.