Why is regular facial cleansing so important?
It is recommended to cleanse your face both in the morning and in the evening. In the morning, it is important to wash away excess sebum, sweat, dead skin cells, and product residue that have accumulated overnight. In the evening, a thorough facial cleansing is essential, as we are exposed to environmental influences every day that also affect our skin.
Therefore, it is important to "wash away the day" and not only get rid of dust, dirt, bacteria, and make-up, but also to leave stress behind with the facial cleansing ritual. So, if you have difficulty consistently following the daily facial cleansing ritual, you might be able to convince yourself with this thought. You not only give your skin the necessary attention, but you also do something good for yourself! Incidentally, when thoroughly cleansed of dirt and old skin cells, the skin is also optimally prepared for the absorption of nourishing ingredients, so that the subsequent serums, masks, and creams can truly unfold their full effect.
No-gos: Facial cleansing yes, but done right! Please don't make these mistakes (anymore):
Misconception: water provides moisture - although wet itself, water actually dehydrates the skin. Especially if the water used is very hot, e.g., in the bath or shower. Therefore, it is essential to then provide the skin with the necessary care to rebuild the acid mantle and restore lost moisture.
Going to bed without removing make-up – an absolute no-go!
Our skin regenerates during sleep. If make-up and other products remain on the skin overnight, sweat and sebum, which are produced during sleep, cannot "drain away" properly, and the vital cell renewal is inhibited. The consequence: clogged pores, which can quickly lead to impurities and pimples, and the disturbed regeneration phase can also lead to premature wrinkle formation. Anyone who thinks, "I don't wear make-up, so I don't need to," is mistaken. Throughout the day, the skin is exposed to harmful environmental influences, dust, and bacteria, which must also be washed off in the evening so that pores do not clog and wrinkles do not even form in the first place.
Conclusion: Evening facial cleansing is essential for clear, healthy skin!
Cleansing your face with unwashed hands
Before **facial cleansing**, your hands are next. First, thoroughly remove dirt and bacteria from your hands before washing your face. Otherwise, you transfer hygienic impurities from your hands to your face, which would be the perfect breeding ground for the development of impurities, blackheads, and pimples.
So the motto is: First wash your hands, then your face.
Using water that is too warm or too cold
If the water is too warm, the skin swells and the protective skin barriers are destroyed. The skin dries out faster and wrinkles form more quickly. Water that is too cold for facial cleansing is also not ideal, as it can lead to skin irritation and damage the skin. Furthermore, pores close with water that is too cold, which makes it more difficult for nourishing active ingredients to be absorbed later.
Therefore, lukewarm water is ideal for facial cleansing.
What is special about Korean facial cleansing:
We wouldn't be LoveMyCosmetic if we didn't also emphasize the benefits of the Korean skincare ritual in terms of facial cleansing. For those who don't know, South Korea is a world leader in innovative cosmetics; new, sometimes quirky ingredients such as bee venom or snail slime were discovered there and first incorporated into creams and serums. The well-known BB cream was also invented in Korea and copied internationally by all renowned cosmetic manufacturers. Korean cosmetics is a serious industry that has taken a pioneering role worldwide in terms of beauty and skincare. Koreans themselves, both male and female, pay a lot of attention to their appearance. The highly praised 10-step Korean Skin Care Routine, which is natural for Koreans, leads to success. It includes 4 cleansing steps which, when performed daily (except for peeling), help to refine the complexion and create a more radiant appearance. We learn from them what the secret behind the flawless porcelain skin of many Asians is and why their true age is often barely discernible.
The 4 cleansing steps in the Korean Skin Care Routine:
1. Cleansing oils as a preparatory cleansing step
Even the first step in Korean facial cleansing differs from the facial cleansing most Europeans are familiar with and is also a particularly effective step. The cleansing oil is gently massaged into dry facial skin, gently dissolving make-up and dirt, while simultaneously nourishing the skin with important ingredients. It is thus perfectly prepared for the next cleansing step, which is also recommended after using a facial oil: the cleansing foam or gel.
Bestseller in the category of facial cleansing oils:
Klairs Gentle Black Deep Cleansing Oil
2. Application of cleansing foam, soap or gel
In the K-Beauty industry, the English term "cleanser" constantly appears. Here, Korean skincare products differentiate between a cleansing foam or cleansing gel. As a rule of thumb, for those with drier skin, a cleanser in the form of a cleansing foam best helps to cleanse the skin gently and without tightness. Those with oilier or blemish-prone skin are better served with a cleansing gel or soap to achieve a deep-cleansed result. For blemish-prone skin, for example, a cleanser with tea tree oil or charcoal is recommended. Additionally, it is important that the cleanser has a pH value of 5.0-6.0, as this pH value is closest to the skin's natural value.
Especially for dry skin, the cleansing foam
Klairs Rich Moist Foaming Cleanser is recommended.
For oily or blemish-prone skin, a classic soap like KLAIRS Gentle Black Sugar Charcoal Soap or the bestseller among cleansing gels, Cosrx Low Ph Good Morning Cleanser.
3. Exfoliator/Peeling
Peelings & Exfoliation should only be used twice a week to avoid irritating the skin too much. However, they definitely help to remove dead skin cells and lay the foundation for a radiant, even complexion. In Korean cosmetics, there are different peeling variations, depending on the skin type and willingness to invest time. In addition to the classic scrub-peelings common here, which mechanically cleanse the facial skin, there are deep-acting fruit acid peelings based on BHA and AHA. In addition, Korean cosmetics also offer so-called duo-functional peeling products. For example, wash-off masks, e.g. Sweet Therapy Scrub Mask or Body Scrubs, can be used both as a nourishing mask and for the peeling step. Even the time-savers among us are catered for; with the soaked Clearing Pads, you can treat your skin easily, practically and quickly with BHA fruit acid peeling without a guilty conscience.
For blemish-prone or oily skin, a mechanical sugar-based scrub peeling, such as the
KLAIRS Gentle Black Sugar Facial Polish, is recommended.
The Cosrx BHA Blackhead Power Liquid is based on fruit acid and is intended, in addition to its cleansing effect, to minimize pores and remove dead skin cells (blackheads) deep within the pores. When using fruit acid peels, it is advisable to apply sunscreen, otherwise the freshly revealed skin will not be damaged by harmful UVA & UVB rays.
4. Toner
The facial cleansing concludes, and simultaneously transitions to the nourishing steps, with the toning of the facial skin using a toner/tonic. It serves to restore the skin's natural pH value and moisture balance, has clarifying and skin-calming properties, and in some products, also contains nourishing ingredients like Hyaluronic Acid or Collagen, e.g.,
Klairs Supple Preparation Facial Toner. It is also important that a toner does not contain alcohol, as this dries out the skin. In general, Korean cosmetics do not use parabens, silicones, and alcohol in their products, and they are not tested on animals (cruelty-free).
