Makeup removal and cleansing often feels like mammoth task. But I can't express how important it is to cleanse. If you don’t remove your makeup thoroughly, it can lead to congested skin, resulting spots and blackheads. In fact, it doesn’t matter how good your skincare routine is, or how clean your brushes are, if you don’t remove your makeup properly, you skin will suffer.
I’m sorry to say, but a makeup wipe and a splash of water just won’t do! There are hundreds of cleansing and makeup removal products on the market from lotions, milks, foaming mousses, oils, gels and wipes, so it can be a little daunting when choosing the right product for you. But in all honesty, you only need a couple of products and some of the best out there are easy to get hold of and relatively cheap. Just make sure you choose a cleanser for you, depending on your type of skin, not necessarily the cleanser everyone is taking about, or recommending. You can choose skincare products that do not contain oil (oil-free), won’t block pores (non-comedogenic), won’t cause acne, or make it worse (non-acnegenic) and will not irritate (hypoallergenic).
There is often a debate about how often you should cleanse. If I’m honest just use your common sense, if you’ve been out all night and worn a foundation like Estée Lauder Double Wear you need to double cleanse, whereas if you’ve been all day and not worn any makeup, you won’t need to double cleanse. Simples. And don’t tell me you don’t have the time, even on nights out with the girls, when I arrive home a little tipsy at 3am, I still accomplish a basic cleanse (don’t ask me how, but I do!). So ladies, no excuses.
When I cleanse, the first thing I like to do is wash my hands and tie up my hair (basic, but necessary). Now, cleansing is a two step process, take the easy stuff off first, then wash your face. For my pre-cleanse I like to use Garnier Micellar Water and then if I’m wearing waterproof eye makeup I will minimise irritation and go in with something pacifically for the eyes, like Nivea’s Double Effect Eye Makeup Remover. I take two cotton pads (cotton balls leave fibres behind) soak them and then hold them over my eyes for 10 seconds - don’t rub, you loose lashes.
Next I take my cleanser. I’m currently using a mix between my Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm which is an oil based cleanser, which is great at breaking down any makeup and Cetaphil which is a creamy and simple cleanser without any nasty stuff. I always apply my cleanser to dry skin, careless of what the label tells me to do (rebel!). I massage the product all over my face, along my hair line, eyebrows, front of my ears, sides of my nose and I don’t rush to rinse. Massaging the product is really beneficial to your skin and once a week I like to use my Magnitone Pulsar. But don’t scrub, as it can make skin conditions like acne far worse. Next, I leave the product for about 30 seconds to let it dissolve all my makeup. Then I take a warm flannel (acts as a mild exfoliator) and gently wipe the product away. I like to use a warm flannel as I have quite pink skin and hot water can exacerbate redness and I don’t fancy looking like a beetroot! Also, don’t be don’t be filling a sink, as you’ll be splashing dirty water back onto your face (I’ll admit now, that I did that for years! Oops!). Finally if you wore lipstick that has stained or was richly pigmented, exfoliate your lips with a toothbrush or a lip sugar scrub.
There you have it, my go to guide for cleansing!
Do you enjoy a good cleanse?
