It’s no secret that washing your face has been a no-brainer since rubber duckies were a part of bath time. It’s also safe to say that your morning and nighttime face cleansing skin care routine has changed a bit (ok, a lot) since then. So, you’ll want to make sure you know how to wash your face the right way. Let’s review.
The Basics of Washing Your Face
What are the steps on how to clean your face? We’ll break it down for you.
1. Remove makeup before you wash your face.
2. Dampen your fingers with lukewarm water (it’s the optimum temp) and apply a dime size of cleanser to face.
3. Use soft circular motions to massage the cleanser all over, right up to hairline and side of nose; no harsh scrubbing needed, the product will do the work.
4. Give your cleanser time to kick in, so leave it on for at least 30 seconds unless the instructions say otherwise.
5. Rinse off any cleanser completely; pat and dry with a clean towel.
6. Apply moisturizer within a minute of cleansing to lock in moisture.
7. Get glowing!
Keep in mind that these are the basics of a face cleansing routine. Not all cleansers are created equal for all skin types. Oily skin may benefit from a cleanser with acne-fighting salicylic acid like our Acne Control Tea Tree cleanser. And dry skin demands more hydration, which you’ll find in our Hydrating Watermelon Cleanser.
The Great Debate of Day vs. Night Face Cleansing Routine
If you’re wondering how you’re probably also wondering when is the best time of day to do it.
The optimum time is both morning and night, to be honest. In the morning, you’ll want to wash away excess oil that gathers while you’re sleeping (yes, this actually happens). But at night you need to wash off all of the grime of the day. And, we get it, nighttime washing can be a chore, after all who wants to interrupt binge-watching their favorite show; however, cleansing before bed is uber important because as you sleep the body repairs any skin cell damage that has occurred during the day.
Can Water Alone Clean Your Face?
Washing face with water only doesn’t really get the job done as well as it could. Like we said earlier, your skin goes through a lot during the day—sweat, makeup build-up, kisses from your mom (aww)—so you really need to get those impurities off your face.
The Cold Truth about Cold Water
Cold water has the natural ability to tighten pores, especially around any puffy-looking areas (hint: around the eyes). Splashing some on your face feels downright refreshing and is a good way to wake up after a night of cramming for exams. That said, though, you’ll want to try to avoid cleansing your skin with cold water on the daily as it can ultimately lead to symptoms associated with dry skin.
And that’s you’re 101 on how to wash your face right day and night!
There are so many “a-peeling” things about physical exfoliation, and we love the power it has to make your skin feel refreshed. Our St. Ives Board-Certified Dermatologist partner, Dr. Claire Wolinsky loves the benefits of physical exfoliation as much as we do, so we asked her to share the advantages of this important step in your skincare routine, all year round!
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Fact: Working out is a great way to burn off stress and boost your mood. That’s because exercise has been shown to lower cortisol levels (aka the body’s stress hormone) and release endorphins (the body’s happy hormone). And when you do it in a park, the woods, a beach or any natured-filled space, you get the added benefits of nature!
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How do you deal with stress? If you opt for exercise, meditation, yoga, or journaling you’re on the right track. But do these activities out in nature, and their stress-lowering benefits go to the next level. In fact, just 15 minutes with nature is proven to have a serious de-stress effect!
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Curious to know why we love nature so much? Because it has serious benefits and is seriously fun! From lowering stress levels to boosting your mood, keeping you healthier to helping you focus, it’s the cure-all we all need to tap into more.
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