Cleanse, Cleanse, Cleanse!

Don’t you just hate how your skin feels unnecessarily sticky and "clogged” in the warmer months? By midday, you can almost smell the dirt and sweat that’s piled up on your face. As Summer is almost here, this is probably the right time of the year to brush up on your face cleansing skills – your extravagantly priced antioxidant serum won’t do wonders on your complexion unless you correctly cleanse your precious skin mornings and nights… Here are a few pointers: --

-- Double cleanse at night. Use a light cold cream or oil to wipe off the makeup before you truly cleanse your skin.

-- Do not wet your face with hot water as the skin might get agitated. Use lukewarm water instead.

-- Do not rub your skin when cleansing. Imagine giving a massage to a newborn – be delicate and do not put pressure on your fingers.

-- Starting at your chin, always cleanse your face upwards and outwards in a gentle circular motion.

-- Choose your cleanser wisely. Only because your friend is flabbergasted with a product does not mean it is suitable for you. A good cleanser should make your skin feel clean and moist, not taut or stripped. I highly recommend Olivella Liquid Virgin Olive Oil Soap for normal to dry skin. Essential Wholesale Breakout Buster Cleanser is great for oily and acne prone skin.

-- Try to find a product with a label that says, “pH balanced”.

-- After rinsing the face with water, do not dry your face with a towel – that is unless you are willing to wash yours at 140 degrees Fahrenheit each time you use it! Instead, use a clean tissue to soak up the excess water from your skin -- it is more sanitary and gentle.

-- Before your cleansed skin "over-dries" (you'd feel the tightness), pat a cotton pad soaked with chilled tonic lotion on your face (it will help in “tightening” your pores and removing cleanser residue). Make sure to avoid the eye area as it might sting. If you have sensitive skin, use pure rose water or a toner not containing alcohol. If you have oily skin, I’d advise on using an astringent with a natural alcohol content (up to 35%) such as Dickinson’s Witch Hazel (It does not contain synthetic alcohol).