What is Face Cleansing?

Women spend a fortune on beauty products but still feel unappealing to others. The secret to have a bright face is actually very simple. Just follow a “Beauty Regimen”. Beauty regimen includes removing make up, washing face, exfoliating, moisturizing and cleansing at night. The most important part of daily beauty routine is “Face cleansing”.

Face cleansing is a process of removing dead skin cells, oil, dirt and other pollutants on the surface of the facial skin. Most of us take washing the face very lightly and do not invest ample time to do this regularly. Cleansing is the primary step to a glowing skin and maintaining it for a longer time.

Face Cleansing Steps

Washing: Make sure you remove your makeup before starting face cleansing steps. Plain coconut oil is a great natural makeup remover. Always wash your face twice a day, morning and at night. Use mild soaps or raw milk to wash your face. Washing removes dirt, sweat and pollutants on the surface of the skin. If you have dry skin, use coconut oil or olive oil to wash your face. Rinse with warm water and don’t use hot water as it can make the skin, even more, drier. If you have oily skin, use gel or foam cleansers instead of soap to wash your face.

Steaming: Steaming removes clogged pores and helps to loosen the dead skin layer over the skin. The steam hydrates the deeper and outer layers of the facial skin and reduces the size of the pores. Place your face over some boiled water or a steamer for 5 minutes.

Exfoliating: Exfoliation is the process of removing dead cells from the skin. Gently apply a scrub cream in circular motion on the face. After massaging for 2 minutes, rinse well using warm water. Pat dry with a clean towel. If you have dry skin, oil can be used for exfoliation. Don’t use a loofah or a scrub brush on your skin. For oily skin, lemon juice acts as a good exfoliator.

Face Mask: Choose a face mask based on your skin type. Face mask deep cleanses and removes impurities from the skin. It will also tighten pores and hydrate your skin. Rub the mask onto your skin, avoiding the eyes. Let the mask sit for 10-15 minutes. Remove the mask with warm water and pat dry with a soft cloth. People with dry skin can use mask mixed with yogurt or milk while oily skin people can use rose water or lemon juice to mix the mask.

Toning: The main purpose of toner is to lower the skin's pH and eradicate any dirt and oil that regular cleansing failed to remove. This skin care step is only recommended for people with oily skin. Cucumber juice, green tea, etc act as a natural toner. An alcohol-based astringent with salicylic acid is best for people with oily skin.

Moisturizing: Moisturizers help to restore moisture on the skin. It also improves skin texture and mask imperfections. Facial moisturizers play an important role in fighting dryness and sun damage. Apply a light moisturizer and eye cream. Choose oil-rich moisturizers especially with a 15-30 SPF (sun protection factor). Gently use your finger tips to massage the moisturizer on your face and neck.

Moisturizing is important for people with dry skin. Look for a moisturizer that contains shea butter, coco butter, or another rich ingredient that will protect your skin from drying out.

4 Ways to Make Natural Face Cleansers

Get a parlor like clean-up at home by preparing these natural cleansers with ingredients already available on your kitchen shelves.

Fruit Cleanser: Fruits help to cleanse the top layer of skin, allow emollient oils to resurface and help moisturize and relieve dryness. For oily skin, peel and cut fresh apple into thin slices; blend these along with 2 tbsp of honey to make a smooth paste and apply it on your face. Leave on for 15-20 minutes and rinse with lukewarm water. For dry skin, mix avocado pulp with olive oil and make a paste. Apply it on the face and rinse off after 20 minutes.

Vegetable Cleanser: A vegetable cleanser clarifies, soothes, moisturizes and helps improve skin's smoothness and elasticity. For dry skin, make cucumber pieces and yogurt into a paste and apply it on the face. Leave for 15 minutes and rinse with warm water. For oily skin, mix one ripe tomato, two tablespoons of milk and two tablespoons of lemon juice into a paste. Use this paste to clean-up.

Honey: Honey is a versatile cleanser that suits all skin types. Just rub about ½ teaspoon of raw honey in a circular motion on the face. After 20 minutes, wash it off using warm water.

Oatmeal: Powder half a tablespoon of oats, 1 tablespoon almonds in a mixer. Add two tablespoons of milk and make into a paste. Apply this paste as a mask on your face and rinse off using lukewarm water after drying.