Stop overcleansing

Chances are you grew up learning that you should clean  your face morning and night.  And most likely the cleansers you used left your face feeling tight and dry and maybe even a little red.  But this means that you are cleaning your face thoroughly right? The science of what a beneficial cleanser should be has drastically changed over the years. Instead of those alcohol filled-exfoliant rich cleansers that we all used to use, a gentle, mild cleanser is what is recommended.

The type of cleansing that leaves your skin red and dry can cause some real damage to your skin especially if done multiple times throughout the day.  Majority of the cleansers out there are actually stripping away the good oil that our skin creates.  This oil is a natural barrier from the environmental  pollutants we all encounter every single day and is vital to keep in tact.  When we use these harsh cleansers, this barrier is destroyed and leaves our skin vulnerable to all these pollutants, which can cause inflammation and acne.  

Cleansers are definitely one of those products that is preference based.  With all the different formulations out there it can be quite daunting to figure out which one fits your needs best.  Should I use an oil cleanser?  What about a foam or cream based one?  How do I fit in an exfoliator and what is the deal with double cleansing? The infinite options can make it hard to switch to one that will actually protect your skin.  Below are all the answers to your questions on what type of cleanser should I be using and how often is it recommended.

How often should I cleanse my face?

Like stated before, we used to always be told to clean our face morning and night.  This actually might not be the best option.  Our skin works very hard at night to repair itself and create that natural oil barrier to get us through the day.  Cleansing in the morning starts your day off without that defense.  In the mornings washing your face with just warm water is sufficient enough in most cases.  This helps get any impurities that are sitting on the face washed away without compromising the oil barrier your skin created.  And then using your preferred cleanser at night will get rid of all the bacteria and pollution you faced throughout the day.  

What type of cleanser would be best for me?

This question is more difficult to answer.  There are a lot of questions you need to ask yourself to make the best choice.  Do you live in a drier or more humid climate?  Are you staying hydrated throughout the day?  Are you experiencing some inflammation that is causing acne?  And even after you have all the answers to those questions, it really is just preference.  Personally, I live in a pretty dry climate and know that I don’t drink enough water each day so an oil cleanser is a great option for me as it is gentle and helps hydrate my skin. 

My recommendation would be to make sure that your cleanser is gentle and has a low ph.  If you find one that leaves your skin smooth and soft without feeling dry and tight, then that is the one for you!

How often should I be exfoliating?

Majority of us don’t need to exfoliate everyday.  It is recommended that it is only done 1-2 times a week.  You will be able to notice if you are over exfoliating if your skin is dehydrated and flaky.  When over exfoliation happens it actually stops your skin’s ability to absorb moisture.  So all of your skincare products that you put on top of over exfoliated skin actually aren’t able to be absorbed and are a waste. Less is more. 

We launched a new face mask at KHUS + KHUS called GLOW face mask.  This clay based mask is a great exfoliant that is very gentle.  It contains turmeric and Himalayan sea salt which are high in antioxidants and are antibacterial. This combined with rose petals and calendula flowers make for a lovely masking experience that helps exfoliate the skin in a less abrasive way.  

Here at KHUS + KHUS we spent about 2 years formulating our cleanser.  THE GOLDEN MILK cleanser has the appearance of a cream cleanser but in actuality is mostly oils.  This cleanser goes onto the skin dry, is massaged into the face, and once water is applied the formula turns into a milky texture with a bit of sudsing.  One amazing aspect of our cleanser is it is actually the pH of the skin. Why would this be important?  If a cleanser has too high of a pH, this is what causes drying and stripping of the skin.  And if used long enough, can compromise the acid mantle and your skin barrier which leads to acne and dehydration.  

If there is one takeaway from this blog it’s do less.  Sometimes we think that if we do more or use extra products we will see the results we want faster.  This is definitely not the case.  Our skin knows what it’s doing and sometimes we need to step back for a moment and let our skin do its magic.  Our bodies have been created to heal and protect itself and that also applies to cleansing.  So maybe next time you wake up and get ready to start your day with a harsh cleanser that leaves your face red and parched, take a step back and see how your skin reacts without it.  You may be pleasantly surprised that our body knows exactly what to do.