What is in a Good Cleanser?

Choosing your cleanser with care is very important, as this will lay the foundation of how well your skin will respond to the rest of you beauty routine. A too oily/greasy cleanser can leave you skin with clogged pores and leave a film of product behind that will stay on the skin, which will then prevent the skin from absorbing the rest of the products. A cleanser that dries out the skin too much will result in the skin feeling dry, tight and uncomfortable. It may also cause flaking skin that may be difficult to correct without using a multitude of products.

If you do a little homework before you buy a cleanser, you may find it is actually very easy to get it right. First, establish what your skin type is. Please read our article “Facial Skin Types ” to help with this. Your current skin conditions will also play a role in which cleanser will work best for you. There are three types of cleansers available that will fit into one of these categories:

Water soluble cleansers described as Cleansing Milk, Creamy Milk, Mousse Cleanser, Lotion Cleanser or Liquid Cleanser. 
This is a cleanser that you can remove with a couple of splashes of water. It should wash you make-up off leaving the skin comfortable and fresh looking and should not contain any irritants, i.e. abrasives and harsh chemicals. These cleansers are the best option if you have a normal to combination skin and if you prefer water on your skin, but do not wish to use a soapy cleanser.

Salon products that I can recommend:
Vitaderm :Mild Gel Cleanser
TheraVine: Gentle Cleansing Cream

Wipe- Off Cleansers described as Cold Cream, Cleansing Cream or Cleansing Milk.
These have a thicker consistency than the milk and can be removed by wiping it off. This is a very good choice for dry and dehydrated skins but be sure to use either damp cotton wool or a very soft washcloth to remove it.

Salon products that I can recommend:
Vitaderm: Gentle Cream Cleanser, Nourishing Cream Cleanser
Anesi: Radiance Cleansing Milk Vitality or Makeup Remover Emulsion

Soaps: 
This comes in a variety of forms and strengths. It can be a bar of soap, a mousse, a gel or a liquid soap that either foams or not. This can be very useful for acne and oily skins however, please be very careful when you use these types of cleansers as they often contain sodium lauryl sulphate which can be very harsh on your skin.

Salon products that I can recommend:
Vitaderm: Purifying Gel Cleanser
TheraVine: Gentle Foaming Cleanser

Make-up Remover: 
This is a product formulated specifically for the eye area and can either be a liquid or a thicker, milky lotion. If you use water proof mascara make sure that the one you choose can cope with this very difficult-to-remove make-up product. Be very, very gentle when cleansing the eye area as it is very easy to stretch the skin. If you cannot be gentle please rather use a water-soluble cleanser that can wash it away!

Salon products that I can recommend:
Vitaderm: Gentle Eye Make-up Remover

Please note that a cleanser should do exactly that and no more! Do not use a cleanser on a daily basis that contains grainy particles, Alpha Hydroxy Acids, Beta Hydroxy Acids or any anti-bacterial ingredients. There are absolutely nothing wrong with these ingredients and in the proper product they will do wonders for your skin. However, using it on a daily basis will be a waste of a good ingredient as you will just wash it off and they will not do your skin any good that way! Using a granular cleanser daily will strip away far too mush natural oils and will over-exfoliate your skin.

Please read our articles “The importance of cleansing your skin” and “Toners, etc.” to further help you to correctly cleanse your skin.

If you need any further information on how to choose your home care products, please contact us at 082 398 9817 for an appointment or if you want to know more about the products that we stock in the salon, please visit our website @ http://www.agbeautysalon.co.za/