Skincare 101: The Right Way to Wash Your Face

This may sound a little silly to some, but you will be shocked to hear just how many of us are still not washing our faces properly. With the market drowning in options of products, tools and methods there will most certainly be a routine that works for you and your skin. So here we answer some questions about the right way to wash your face.

How to properly wash your face

Let us strip it back to basics and share the best way to wash your face using a formulated wash and your hands. This is the most simple way of keeping your routine delivering the optimal results and maintaining good clarity for your skin.

Here is how to wash your face properly:

1. Wet your face with warm water

Using hot and cold water is too extreme for the skin and can be too abrasive, warm water is able to gently open the pores and won’t cause any irritation to the skin. How you wet your face is up to you by either splashing the face with water or wetting a flannel or towel to dampen the skin. No matter which way you decided, making the skin wet first will make it easier for the cleanser to move around the face and lather up removing all the impurities and traces of makeup.

2. Apply your cleanser of choice

Once you have your chosen cleanser apply a 10p size amount to the wet skin and work it around the face with your fingertips using circular motions. The benefit of using your fingers is that you are able to work the product into every part of the face, such as the nooks around your nose and up towards your hairline. Don’t be afraid to work the cleanser really well into the skin and try not to rush, it has been proven that cleansing the skin for 60 seconds is the ideal time to get the skin fully cleansed resulting in the pores becoming unclogged and impurities, such as bacteria, dirt and debris are lifted away from the skin.

Avoid using any soap or wash that has not been formulated for the skin on your face as these are usually too harsh and can strip the skin of its vital natural oils and causing an imbalance in the pH level. There is also your skin type to consider when using a face wash, especially oily skin types as many foaming face washes have a tendency to contain many harsh chemicals that dry out the skin causing overproduction in sebum making the skin more oily.

3. Rinse and pat dry

Using warm water again, rinse the cleanser completely away from the skin with your hands or flannel, then use a soft towel to pat the face dry. Try not to rub the skin as this can cause irritation and signs of ageing, such as fine lines and wrinkles.

4. The next steps

The next steps boil down to your regime so can alter from person to person. You can follow with a toner, serum or moisturiser but the fact you have gone to the effort of cleaning your skin properly you will find these products will work better and penetrate deep down into the lower layers of the skins.

There you have the very basic steps of washing your face correctly, this is a great starting point for your skincare routine and something that can be expanded and changed as time goes on and you build more confidence.

What is the best tool to wash your face?

Once you have mastered how to correctly wash your face you may be interested in the next step to upping your skincare game by looking into cleansing tools. Here are some of the most popular tools available at the moment.

• Cleansing pads- usually made of silicone with tiny bristles that work product into the skin reaching further down than your fingers could
• Cleansing brushes- these brushes can spin or vibrant and buff away dead skin cells and bacteria in no time at all. These tools can be quite abrasive so if you have sensitive skin, its best to give them a miss
• Konjac cleansing sponge- this sponge may look like a rock, it is, in fact, a root found in Asian countries, such as Japan and Korea. Its fibrous composition absorbs debris and impurities. It's best not to use with a scrub as the konjac sponge is naturally exfoliating and so works best in conjunction with a cleanser and face wash.
• Flannel or muslin cloth- there’s no denying that the ol’ faithful flannel is still considered a great tool to use when washing your face. Not only is it more gentle, but it also has the added factor of sustainability and can be washed and used over and over again. Muslin cloths vary slightly in the fact they are a little rougher giving them the added benefit of exfoliating and cleansing the skin simultaneously.

These tools are currently the most effective in the market, but with the rapid speed of how the beauty industry evolves and changes every year, there could be another skin-changing product just around the corner!

When should you wash your face?

Washing your face twice a day is an opinion that is continuously up for debate. Many believe that just one cleanse daily will maintain a healthy and fully functioning skin barrier, though some feel morning and evening cleanse is the most effective routine.

This is really up to you, but what I would suggest is ensuring you clean the skin in the evenings. Our skin encounters a number of environmental aggressors, such as pollution every day and if you choose to wear makeup you can also cause damage to the skin if you don’t remove it properly before bed. Sleeping in your makeup can clog the pores causing breakouts and blemishes whilst also prematurely ageing the skin. By cleansing the skin properly in the evenings and following it with a collection of serums and facial oils enriched with skin-soothing and rejuvenating ingredients you are helping your skin restore itself and regenerate skin cells whilst you sleep.

For those who believe in the morning face wash try choosing a product that will help the skin become bright and vibrant looking, vitamin C and glycolic acids are potent ingredients that can add luminosity to the skin and get you ready for the day ahead.

Can you just use water to wash your face?

There is nothing stopping you from using water to wash your face, however, if you are wanting to help your skin remain healthy and looking as flawless as possible it is best to use a face wash that will penetrate deep into the lower layers of the skin clearing away impurities that can lead to spots, blackhead, fine lines and dull-looking skin. This is something that unfortunately water just can’t do, here are some skin benefitting ingredients to look out for in face washes.

• Glycolic acid
• Vitamin C
• Hyaluronic acid
• Salicylic acid
• Lactic acid

There you have a brief skincare 101 on the right way to wash your face. Sometimes when it comes to skincare its best to go back to basics with your routine and build from there, you’ll be amazed at the results you’ll see and the confidence you will feel in your skin.