Skincare Products : Cleanser

Detergent

To build your beauty routine, we start with a solid foundation, which is cleansing.

An extremely important but overlooked step, and especially risky, because it’s the one that can damage our Skin the most, compromising the hydrolipidic film that protects it and causing dryness and irritation.

In cosmetic terms, a cleanser is used to remove impurities, excess sebum, and dead skin cells, to prepare the Skin for subsequent treatments and keep it healthy.

The main "cleansing" ingredients are surfactants, which have a hydrophilic head that loves water and hates fats, and a hydrophobic tail that, conversely, hates water and loves fats: through the hydrophobic component, surfactants trap the dirt on the face, then wash it away with water using the hydrophilic component.

Types of detergent

There are two types of cleanser:

Foaming Cleanser: This is the most common type, and the substance responsible for its cleansing action is surfactant. Some examples include solid soaps, liquid cleansers, mousse cleansers, Micellar Water, cleansing wipes, and scrub cleansers. It works wonderfully for oily, combination, normal skin types, and for double cleansing routines.
Oil-Based Cleanser: Here, the active cleansing ingredient is a lipid — meaning an oil or blend of oils — that acts as a solvent to break down the fats in which dirt is trapped. Examples include cleansing balms, butters, pure oils, and cleansing milk. It is ideal for dry and sensitive skin.

Mistakes to Avoid

Here are 5 mistakes that are unfortunately very common when it comes to cleansing:

Using hand soap: it has a basic pH of 8, which contrasts with our Skin’s much lower pH, making it overly aggressive.
Using makeup remover wipes: they are saturated with a small amount of product, sometimes contain alcohol, and cause irritation from mechanical rubbing.
Skipping makeup removal if you are wearing makeup: over time, your Skin will be affected and may develop impurities.
Not using a moisturizer after cleansing: it is essential to always provide your Skin with the proper amount of hydration
Using the wrong cleanser for your Skin: if, after cleansing, your Skin feels overly tight, you may be using a cleanser that is too harsh.

Useful tip

Be sure to read the label carefully. Some cleansers are enriched with active ingredients such as salicylic acid for acne-prone skin, or hyaluronic acid or panthenol for dehydrated skin. Before purchasing, make sure that ingredient is suitable for you.

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