Cleansing is the first step of every skincare routine and perhaps the most important one. It clears dirt, oil, impurities, and makeup residues that settle on the skin and thus creates a base for other skincare products. But it’s not just about cleaning the facial skin, it is also about learning how to shortlist and use a face cleanser properly.

A face cleanser (a face wash or face scrub) helps purify, hydrate, and soothe the facial skin. One may need to spend a lot of time selecting the right one. But the best way to make a smarter choice is to pay attention to its constituting ingredients and to learn how to use it after you have shortlisted one. And that’s what we’ll take a closer look at today!

Compatibility is the key

While flashy packages and celebrity endorsements might be alluring, they are not always a good indicator of a product’s suitability or safety. You should always pick the skincare products that suit your skin’s type, tone, and texture and help you resolve its issues.

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This is why opting for safe and gentle skincare products makes so much sense, especially if they are made of toxin-free ingredients.

If you have dry skin, dermatologists recommend using a cleanser with the goodness of hyaluronic acid. It would help your skin retain moisture for longer, and thus help your skin stay more radiant. The experts recommend using a salicylic acid face wash. It would help deep clean the skin pores to prevent clogging, thus reducing acne and pimples.

It might get tricky or even challenging for people with combination skin. The best recourse in such a case is to opt for a Vitamin E-enriched, soap-free cleanser. It would help regulate the skin’s sebum production and allantoin, and thus hydrate the skin. This would also keep the skin away from drying. 

Pick your type

Before moving on to how to use the cleanser, let’s look at the distinct types of cleansers and their benefits. 

  • Gel cleansers: Oily skin’s best friend, gel-based cleansers help tighten the epidermis and deep cleanse pores. They help remove excess sebum and impurities. They are also easy to spread across the skin without overstimulating it. 

Our Vitamin C foaming face wash is a gel-based cleanser that brightens the skin and promotes an even skin tone. It features Vitamin C, Turmeric, and Aloe Vera that help provide antimicrobial and gentle cleansing properties.

  • Foam cleansers: The makeup removal expert foaming cleansers lather into the skin, deep cleansing and removing makeup residue. They also remove dust and grime from the skin pores.
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You may opt for our Ubtan Foaming Face Wash or Vitamin C Face Wash for the best results. 

Did you know?

The gentle bristles in Mamaearth’s Micellar Cleaner help remove impurities without disrupting the skin’s pH balance. It is an excellent product for those people who often apply extensive makeup every day.
  • Cream cleansers: Thicker in consistency, cream-based cleansers help cleanse and moisturize the skin. They also clear the skin of excess oil and pollutants without stripping away any essential natural oils. This keeps the skin away from drying or becoming stretchy.

It may be worthwhile to opt for our Ubtan Face Wash that features the goodness of Turmeric and Saffron. They help cleanse the skin and provide a  natural glow.

  • Oil cleansers: Oil-based cleansers may not top the list for those with oily skin, but the truth is that they can help prevent excess oil production. These skincare products effectively remove dirt, makeup, and other impurities, thus making the skin clear and healthy. And they come recommended over alcohol-based cleansers any day. 

You may opt for our Tea Tree Face Wash that helps remove excess oil from the facial skin. This toxin-free skincare product works best for people with sensitive and acne-prone skin. 

  • Clay cleansers: Clay-based cleansers draw out excess oils and toxins, purifying the skin. They also have moisture-retaining properties that make them a good fit for people with combination skin.

We recommend you opt for our Charcoal Face Wash & Charcoal face mask that features Activated Charcoal, Clay, Coffee, and Tea Tree Oil. It helps control excess oil, unclogs skin pores, and detoxifies the skin. The best thing is that it comes with a Pollution Defense Formula that effectively removes pollutants and impurities.

How to use Cleansers?

Learning how to use a face cleanser is just as important as picking the right one to get the best results. So let’s get to it. 

  1. Keep your hair away from your face. This would prevent them from getting wet or getting in the way of your cleanser.
  2. Wash your hands. It’s essential to keep any dirt or impurities from your hands from transferring to your face.
  3. Wet your face with lukewarm water. 
  4. Apply cleanser all over the face, right up to the hairline, jaw, and neck. Be gentle around the eye area.
  5. Massage your face and neck using the cleanser. Be sure to do so in small, circular motions for better reach.
  6. Rinse thoroughly so that no trace of the cleanser is left behind.
  7. Pat your skin dry.
  8. Spritz on some face toner to lock in the moisturizing properties, and wait for your skin to soak in the toner completely before you move to the next step in skincare. 
  9. You can follow up with a moisturizer, serum, or any other skin care product after you have cleansed your skin. 

Different types of skincare products 

Facial cleanser use is an essential part of your skincare routine. Here are some other products you can use to keep your skin healthy.

1. Face cream: Face creams are a valuable part of a skincare routine. They help return moisture to the skin and slow the appearance of premature signs of aging like wrinkles and fine lines. When choosing a face cream, you should stay away from products containing parabens, sulfates, and silicones. 

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Beyond that, the cream you choose should be compatible with your skin type. If you have oily skin, you should opt for lightweight and non-greasy formulations easily absorbed into the skin. Those with dry skin should lean toward creams with gentle, hydrating ingredients that could provide deep moisturization. 

Speaking of hydrating ingredients, no face cream is complete without humectants like hyaluronic acid and glycerin. Emollients like oils and fatty acids are essential as they help protect the skin barrier and aid membrane fluidity. Specialists recommend vitamins C and E, retinoids, and peptides. They improve the skin’s natural texture and offer anti-aging benefits.

Recommendation: Check out Mamaearth Vitamin C Face Cream for illuminating skin and reduced signs of aging

2. Face gel: Rich creams can sometimes make the skin feel heavy and suffocated, especially if you have oily or combination skin. That's where lightweight, water-based gels come in. The formulations are often watery and bouncy and are easily absorbed into the skin. 

The best face gels contain skin barrier-strengthening ingredients like hyaluronic acid, ceramides, niacinamide, retinoids, glycerin, and vitamin E. The ingredients you do not want in your face gel are parabens, sulfates, and silicones. They can potentially dry out and damage the skin.

A good face gel should protect the skin from the damage caused by free radicals and soothe inflammation. That's why antioxidants play a crucial role in several formulations. It should also help hydrate and nourish the skin. Some gels have skin-lightening properties that improve skin tone, texture, and hyperpigmentation. 

Face gels are often created to be compatible with even the most sensitive skin but usually work with all skin types.

Trivia

3. Face scrub: A face scrub is an excellent way to slough the dead skin cells, product residue, and other impurities from the skin. However, they should always be used with caution, and unless recommended by a dermatologist or dealing with skin conditions, they should not be used more than once a week. 

When choosing a face scrub, rule one is to avoid substances like parabens, sulfates, silicones, and mineral oil. You should also avoid scrubs with excessively coarse grains, even if they are compatible with your skin. Salicylic acid and lactic acid are among the ingredients to look for in a good scrub. 

Power exfoliants that turn into a creamy paste are gentle on the skin and often recommended for people with sensitive skin. Walnuts, caffeine, pink salt, volcanic sand, and Fuller's Earth are among the ingredients to look for in an efficient scrub. They help cleanse and rejuvenate the skin. 

4. Face wash: Choose a gentle face wash that is non-comedogenic, paraben-free, and sulfate-free. A facewash must be mild and be able to remove excess oil and dirt without drying out the skin. It should refresh and rejuvenate. 

Formulas can vary from gels, creams, oils, or even balms. The ones to look for offer a deep cleanse, preventing pores from clogging and refreshing the skin. Skin experts recommend sticking to oil-free formulations.

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  • If you have dry skin, opt for thicker, creamier formulations, while those battling oily skin should choose foaming formulations. If you must choose, look for hydrating ingredients that include hyaluronic acid and glycerin. These ingredients boost moisture content in the skin cells during the cleansing process. 
  • For oily skin, you will need antibacterial ingredients. Ingredients like neem, turmeric, charcoal, clays, apple cider vinegar, and tea tree reduce the oiliness while maintaining the skin's pH balance. 
  • For normal and combination skin types, ensure that the face wash has ingredients like vitamins A, B5, and C, green tea, and honey. 

We always recommend doing a patch test before committing to a face wash.

5. Face mask: Face mask are an excellent way to pamper the skin. Let your skin relax and soak in a face mask's nourishing ingredients to help restore the skin barrier. It can also heal the damage caused by environmental stressors and harmful UV rays that you may be exposed to. 

They remove dirt and excess oil without drying out the skin. And there are several formulations to choose from, like overnight gel masks, the ever-popular clay masks, peel-off masks, and more. You can also avail different masks for different purposes like brightening, clarifying, hydrating or anti-aging. When choosing a mask, your skin type, and the concerns you want to address are essential factors. 

A hydrating formula is recommended for sensitive skin, while a pore-cleansing mask is suitable for battling breakouts. The key is to choose oil-free, non-comedogenic masks that come without parabens and sulfates. Good ingredients include AHAs, walnut, red algae, charcoal, lactic acid, vitamins A and C, rice enzymes, and green tea.

6. Face toner: Toners are essential to your skincare routine as they help prime the skin for the rest of your daily products. Applied post-cleansing toners remove all residual traces of impurities and products from the skin. Several toner formulations target the loss of collagen and excess oiliness that can lead to breakouts. 

Toners that hydrate and smooth fine lines usually contain antioxidants, amino acids, and hyaluronic acid. Similarly, toners that treat acne-prone skin often include salicylic acid, lactic acid, or glycolic acid, which helps even out skin tone and treats hyperpigmentation. Other ingredients to watch for include Niacinamide, Vitamin C, and Aloe Vera. 

You might want to avoid certain harmful chemicals like parabens, sulfates, silicones, and alcohol. They tend to dry out the skin and potentially cause damage in the long run. You also want your toner to be synthetic fragrance-free, especially if you have sensitive skin.

Tip: Mamaearth Bye Bye Blemishes Pigmentation Cream helps in reducing blemishes, dark spots, and even your skin tone.

7. Face moisturizer: A face moisturizer is a crucial skincare ingredient for all skin types - even oily skin. Look for one that is lightweight and quickly absorbs into the skin. Be wary of moisturizers that contain mineral oil, parabens, sulfates, or silicone. 

Your skin type will determine your choice, with gels winning with oily and combination skin and creams being regarded as suitable for dry skin. Moisturizers come in gel and cream formulations. They give the skin the hydration it needs to restore the skin barrier that protects it from free radical damage and prevents triggering the sebaceous glands to produce more oil. 

Hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and glycerin are critical players in any good moisturizer. Oils and fatty acids are also essential as they help protect the skin barrier. Specialists highly recommend opting for products featuring vitamins C and E, retinoids, and peptides. They should thus be the main ingredients in natural cleansers meant for daily use.

The takeaway

Cleansing your face the right way is essential to your skincare routine. As always, the process starts with understanding your skin type and choosing the right product to suit your needs. 

Caution:

You should pay attention to when and how to use cleanser. Because overdoing it or using it haphazardly, or using toxin-based products can do more damage than good. 

FAQs

  1. Can we use cleansers daily?

    Use a cleanser daily regardless of whether you use makeup or don't use it. Experts recommend the daily use of cleansers and that it should be done twice a day. However, it would be best not to over-cleanse, as it can dry out the skin or even make it inflamed. How you are using it is thus an important aspect to pay attention to.

  2. What is the use of face cleanser?

    Face cleanser use is an essential part of a skincare routine. It removes dirt and impurities, cleanses pores, and hydrates and purifies the skin. 

  3. Do you wash off a cleanser?

    How to use a cleanser is just as important as choosing the right one. It would help if you washed it off, as leaving residue can lead to dryness and clogged pores. It may also make the skin vulnerable to acne and other common skincare issues. 

  4. Do I need to wash my face after using cleanser?

    How to use a cleanser is an essential part of the process. Rising your face thoroughly after applying a cleanser is necessary to prevent skin problems like dryness and acne. 

  5. What ingredients should I look for in a natural cleanser for daily use?

    Turmeric, chickpea powder, milk, cucumber, honey, oatmeal, coconut oil, yogurt, and lemon are among the ingredients to look for in a natural cleanser. 

  6. How long do I leave the cleanser on my face?

    After applying the cleanser, gently massage the face for at least 60 seconds before rinsing. 

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