As a general rule, every morning when you wake up and before you go to bed you should wash your face. Not only does it get rid of daily grime and dirt, but also it removes makeup and impurities – if they’re not removed properly, they’ll hang out on your skin! Cleansers have long been sophisticated: pH balanced, exfoliating and full of moisturising properties, but now they can also deliver skin-enhancing benefits into the skin before being washed off.
Associate Professor Dr Greg Goodman from Dermatology Institute of Victoria gives us his top cleansing tips.
- Cleansers should always be non-comedogenic (non-pore clogging) especially if you have acne-prone skin.
- Your cleanser shouldn’t feel dry and tight when you finish using it and it shouldn’t sting or make you break out.
- If you have dry skin, look for cream or milk formulas that contain zinc, lactic acid and botanicals like lavender and tea tree oil, which will soothe and put moisture back into the skin.
- Oily and combination skins suit foaming cleansers with glycolic, salicylic and lactic acids, zinc and niacinamide to help clear up excess oil and pimples.
- If your skin is normal, lucky you, any cleanser will suit your skin.
The best one to suit you…
If you have acne prone skin: Neutrogena Acne Stress Control Wash, $14.99. With powerful micro-clear technology and skin calming green tea and cucumber it gives a deep clean, and makes skin softer and more healthy-looking.
If you have dull skin: Neutrogena Deep Clean Radiance Boosting Mulberry Foam Cleanser, $13.99. Deep cleanses boosts clarity and evens skin tone with mulberry extract and vitamins C and B3.
If you have pigmentation: Neutrogena Deep Clean Revitalising Pink Grapefruit Foam Cleanser, $13.99. Gently cleans and helps to stimulate cell renewal with pink grapefruit extract with alpha-hydroxy acid.
If you have open pores: Neutrogena Deep Clean Cream Cleanser, $13.99. Contains salicylic acid to deep clean pores, dead skin cells and improve texture, tone and skin clarity.
If you have sensitive, dry skin: Neutrogena Extra Gentle Cleanser, $12.99. This soap-free cleanser gently cleanses the skin and retains moisture. With glycerine, soothing chamomile and geranium it’s good for sensitive skin types.
If you like using natural products: Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Facial Cleanser, $14.99. Made from 90 per cent naturally derived ingredients it washes away impurities and detoxifies the skin with willow bark and a natural salicylic acid.
How to apply them…
With a sponge: For intensifying the pore-clearing process, squeeze a small amount onto a sponge and lightly rub over your face in a circular motion. Your skin will get a slight exfoliation at the same time.
Cotton pad: Cream and milk cleansers love the old cotton pad. Simply squeeze your cleanser on it and sweep over your face. Keep doing it until your pad is clean.
Muslin: Cloths are an effective exfoliator to lift dirt and brighten the skin, especially when using balm cleansers.
Brush: The newest kid on the block, an electric cleansing brush is a gentle way of giving your skin a deeper cleanse. The combination of a rotating, vibrating brush with your everyday cleanser gently breaks up surface impurities and makeup residue leaving the skin deeply cleansed.
This is a sponsored post by Neutrogena. All opinions expressed by the author are authentic and written in their own words.
