Cleansers are the all important first step in any good skincare routine. They work to wash away all the dirt and build up that accumulates on our faces throughout the day and night, clogging out pores and blocking our way to beautiful skin.
There are a variety of cleansers available to choose from, including gel, cream, foam, oil, micellar and clay cleansers. While each of these have their uses, selecting a natural facial cleanser, like the Phytofuse Renew Camellia Oil Cleanser, will produce much gentler, more effective results, as the ingredients they contain offer a variety of benefits, such as hydration, tightening and a gentle cleanse.
What is a cleanser? What does it do?
Cleansers work to nourish the skin and cleanse impurities, without causing damage or irritation. Some options for selecting a natural cleanser are: - Exfoliating cleansers: Offer a deep cleanse by exfoliating and removing dead skin cells and bacteria, leaving clear and bright skin. This is a great option for oily or acne prone skin, as it helps flush out pores.
- Oil cleansers: Perfect for dry and sensitive skin, they use natural oils to break down the impurities, leaving the skin feeling rich and hydrated.
- Gel cleansers: These provide a mild cleanse, ideal for combination or normal skin types, as it leaves your skin clean and hydrated.
- Cream cleansers: Milky products offering a mild cleanse, good for those with more sensitive skin types, using natural oils to clean the skin whilst soothing any irritation or redness.
How often should you cleanse?
Neglecting to cleanse your face in the mornings and evenings can seriously impact how your skin looks and feels, as it promotes the build-up of dirt and pollutants throughout the day. Leaving all of this grime to sit on your skin for hours upon hours leads to problems like acne and blocked pores. Alternatively, over washing your face can do just as much damage to your skin, as it can irritate your skin, cause redness, and ultimately dry it out. This lends to the recommendation of washing twice a day, once in the morning, to remove any oil and sweat from overnight, and once in the evening, to strip away any oil and dirt that has collected during the day.
How to use cleanser - Step by step
Step 1. Pull hair back
The first thing to do is to make sure that your hair is pulled back out of your face. Ensuring that your hair is securely tucked away will prevent any stray strands falling into your face and eyes, causing irritation and transferring unwanted oils or debris to your face.
Step 2. Wash hands
Hand washing is an essential step in any skincare routine. This prevents you from transferring germs and bacteria from your hands to your face.
Step 3. Dampen skin & hands
Use lukewarm water to lightly dampen your skin and hands to ensure that the cleanser is applied smoothly and evenly across your skin. Using hot water can be too harsh on your skin and drying it, where cold water is often not robust enough to effectively remove some types of dirt and make up, so make sure you have the temperature right.
Step 4. Apply cleanser
After you have selected the best natural face cleanser for you, take a small amount in your hands (using the recommendations to determine volume required) and gently rub it between your fingers before applying to your face, keeping an even distribution across your skin.
Step 5. Gently massage
Gently massage your face in a circular motion for approximately 30 seconds to one minute. This encourages the blood flow in the area, while providing a pleasant, relaxing sensation to your facial area. It is also important to make sure that the product you are using has enough to time to work, so be sure to read the recommendations of the product to maximise its effect. Be careful to avoid your eyes and rubbing too hard during this step, as it can lead to irritation and the potential of damaging or irritating the areas on your face.
Step 6. Rinse properly
After cleansing for the recommended time, gently rinse your face with lukewarm water. Again, be sure to have the temperature at a comfortable level as using water that is too hot can lead to dry and irritated skin.
Step 7. Towel dry
With a clean, dry towel, gently pat your skin dry. Be careful to avoid rubbing or tugging at your skin with the towel as this can affect the moisture levels in your skin, leaving it dry and uncomfortable.
Step 8. Follow up with skincare routine
To get the best out of your natural skincare routine, it is recommended to follow your cleanser with a natural serum and natural moisturizer to lock in the good nutrients, as well as leaving your skin feeling fresh and hydrated.
Look after your skin with INIKA’s natural skincare
Our team at INIKA are devoted to using only the best natural face cleanser ingredients to develop our skincare lines, leaving all our products free of any silicones, chemicals or nasties. With our wealth of knowledge and experience, we have ensured that each natural cleanser we offer has the potential to nourish your skin from the outside in. As such, any of our natural facial cleansers would be an effective and welcome addition to any natural skincare routine.