Cleansing is the most important step in any skin care regime. Get it wrong and your skin will be playing catch up from that point on. Here I have outlined 5 signs that show your cleanser may not be the right one for you.
✩ Skin Feels Tight
If your skin feels tight after cleansing, then it's actually screaming out for moisture! When you strip your skin of its protective oils then you may experience breakout-prone, oily, dehydrated and dull looking skin. Harsh foaming cleansers are the main culprits and will latch onto oils and strip moisture from the skin. The skin is smart and will begin to self regulate by producing more oils in an attempt to rebuild a healthy barrier and microbiome.
✩ Redness
Cleansing skin prone to irritation is a juggling act. Sensitive skin should be nurtured with protective oils and cushiony feeling cleansers with low friction, which means no exfoliating grains or drying agents. The cleanser should have a neutral pH, or can be slightly acidic to repair the skin’s regulating acid mantle. Any prolonged redness, aka inflammation, means your cleanser is a definite no-go.
✩ Small Bumps
This will depend on what the bumps are caused from, however it is possible your current cleanser may be too abrasive, and regular exfoliating can encourage overstimulation that may lead to breakouts. The constant removal of the skin’s protective barrier means breakout causing bacteria may be introduced to the skin also.
✩ Dehydration
Cleansing can contribute greatly to skin becoming dehydrated. If your cleanser is stripping natural oils or is too abrasive, then water from within the skin may evaporate. Hot showers and water are additionally dehydrating, so replenishing lost water in the skin after cleansing is vital when supporting the skin’s natural functions.
✩ Stinging or Irritation
Some cleansers are far more astringent, meaning they contain moisture drawing ingredients such as alcohol or benzyl peroxide! These ingredients are used in many acne treatments to treat breakouts, but over time they can be very damaging and will dry the skin and cause irritation and further.
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