17 Feb How Often Do You (Really) Need To Cleanse Your Face?

At this point, washing your face comes as more of an inherent instinct than a suggested habit for many of us skincare enthusiasts. And with skincare now gaining a newer and broader audience over social media, just about everyone and their kids are subscribing to the good old cleanse, tone, and moisturise routine. Which of course, is always a good thing! Cleansing your face properly helps ensure that your pores are free from dirt, detritus, and pollution.

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But while we espouse the benefits of cleansing your skin daily, one question still remains, despite its seemingly obvious answer: when should you wash your face? At this point, you’re probably looking at us with absolute incredulity before saying ‘as often as you need to!’. And to some extent, you’re right! But there are a few things to bear in mind where the frequency of your cleansing habit is concerned.

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How many times you wash your face matters.

Washing your face twice a day is commonly agreed to be the  magic number. Once in the morning to freshen up your skin, and a thorough cleanse before bed to rid your pores of impurities, makeup and dirt.

However, if you’re the type of person who washes their face at the slightest indication of greasiness along your t-zone, beware. Common cleansing products are designed to be as gentle as they can be on your skin. Despite that, using them repeatedly over the course of a day could lead to you inadvertently stripping away your skin’s barrier.

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What happens when my skin barrier is compromised?

In simple terms, your skin is made up of a variety of different layers. And at the very top of these layers is your skin barrier, made up of skin cells called corneocytes bound by lipids that keep your skin supple.

Designed to naturally protect more vulnerable layers from environmental toxins and UV-exposure, as well as from losing essential moisture, having a healthy skin barrier is essential. But cleansing and over-exfoliating are sure-fire ways to compromise it, stripping away much-needed protection from your face.

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In the event of your skin barrier becoming compromised, you could experience a medley of issues including:

• Flaky skin
• Dry/dehydrated skin
• Itchiness
• Discoloured patches
• Rough patches
• Inflammation
• Fungal infection

Your best bet, should you feel greasiness on your face throughout the day, is to use blotting sheets that can help absorb any excess sebum. It is also a good idea to pack a misting spray in your bag for moisture on the go.

But most crucially, pick a cleanser that’s gentle on your skin. Avoid cleansers that contain any harsh sulfates such as Sodium laureth sulfate (SLS). Instead, select skin loving formulations such as Beaute Library’s lightweight Milk Lotion cleanser for a thorough yet nourishing wash.

Containing squalene-rich olive oils & a refreshing combination of cucumber extract as well as aloe vera leaf juice, this cleanser effectively lifts away makeup debris, sebum, & dirt without damaging your moisture barrier. Here’s a breakdown of what each ingredient does:

1. Squalene: Simulates the natural lipids found in your skin barrier to protect from moisture loss.
2. Aloe vera leaf juice: Reduces redness & irritation in the skin.
3. Cucumber extract: Contains cooling properties that soothe & calms skin inflammation.

Suitable for dry & combination skin, learn more about this little marvel here. For more skincare facts & hacks, connect with us on IG here.

Also read: One Key Hormone May Be The Reason Behind Bad Lockdown Skin