The first and most important step of any good skincare routine is cleansing and it’s a step that should never be overlooked. It’s the foundation of any beauty ritual, not only do cleansers whip away impurities, they also impact the subsequent skincare steps. After all no moisturiser or serum can fully work to its maximum potential if it’s being applied to skin with clogged pores or remnants of grime. Cleansing is an integral part of our skincare routine because it helps to remove oil, dirt and make-up, as well as pollution, debris and dead skin cells. Cleansers come in many different forms to suit a huge variety of different skin types and some of the most effective and most nourishing cleansers for winter skin are Oil, Gel, Foam and Cream cleansers.
Oil Cleansing is undoubtedly the secret to fully removing pollutants, make-up or excess grime. Sebum, our skin’s natural oil, is lipid (oil) soluble therefore sebum (the oil in our skin and pores that can get clogged up and lead to acne) is best removed with a lipid-soluble cleanser. Oil cleansers are generally in the form of a paste, balm or melt and when you massage the product into your skin the action of massage alone triggers lymphatic drainage – Bonus! So because oil dissolves oil an oil cleanser is an ideal cleansing choice this winter season for those who wear make-up.
Ingredients to look for in oil cleanser products include Vitamin E or oils high in tocopherols like organic Raspberry Oil. Olive Squalane deeply conditions and protects skin, organic Prickly Pear Seed Oil and Safflower oil are fabulous for skin prone to breakouts. Try also looking for products containing Jojoba oil and Moringa oil for more combination skin types.
Look out for these INCI names on the list of ingredients for the product you’re interested in – INCI is the International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients which is the internationally used names for each ingredient usually made up of Latin, botanical and chemical words. Basically the unpronounceable Latin names you’ll find on the ingredients label;
English Name INCI name
Raspberry Oil Rubus Idaeus Seed Oil
Olive Squalane Olive Squalane
Vitamin E Tocopherol
Prickly Pear Oil Opuntia ficus-indica Seed Oil.
Safflower Oil Carthamus tinctorius Seed Oil
Jojoba Oil Simmondsia chinensis Seed Oil
Moringa Oil Moringa Orbignya Oleifera
Gel and cream cleansers are also packed with nutrients or high-performance ingredients that penetrate deep into the skin to decongest clogged pores and remove excess oils without stripping the skin. Gel cleansers are ideal for deep cleaning without over-stripping. However a note of caution, your face should never feel tight and squeaky after using a cleanser, if it does the cleanser could be too powerful for your skin type.
Ingredients to look for in cream or gel cleanser products include Vitamin C, provitamin B5 such as Panthenol, Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA), Glycolic Acid and antibacterial ingredients such as Tea Tree Oil or Witch Hazel.
English Name INCI name
Vitamin C Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate
Provitamin B5 D-Panthenol
Glycolic Acid / (AHA) Glycolic Acid
Tea Tree Oil Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Witch Hazel Hamamelis Virginiana Extract
Join me in my next post with a step by step guide on how to oil cleanse and the wonders of The Double Cleanse Method using the new Body Pure Cleansing Balm due for launch Dec 2018.
