By Theresa Pittman
Does you face feel tight, after using your regular cleanser? If it does, you are not using the right cleanser. Good cleansing removes the impurities, bacteria, and dead cells that accumulate on the surface of the epidermis, as well as any makeup residue, while leaving as much of the lubricating natural oil (or sebum) as possible. A cleanser should be gentle. Unless your face is covered with mechanic's grease or grease paint makeup, there's no benefit in scrubbing with detergents and water. Harsh detergent soaps and rubbing only strip the skin of vital oils and nutrients. Even if your skin is oily or acne-prone, harsh cleansers are not beneficial. They can even irritate and inflame acne-prone skin making the condition worse.
Many of the hand made lye soaps are very gentle and make good complexion bars. If you are purchasing bar soap for your face, stay away from commercial soaps. In hand made soaps, look for ingredients like olive oil, oatmeal, and chamomile. Shea is very good for your skin, unless you are allergic to it. Soap is not considered a cosmetic, and soapmakers are not required to list ingredients on the label; however, most responsible soapmaker do. If you are buying directly from the soapmaker (which I highly recommend), ask about the super-fatting percentage, it should be at least 6%. Higher is better for you skin, but makes a softer bar that doesn't last as long.
There are many fine cleansers available at grocery stores, drug stores, department stores, and the internet. When purchasing a non-soap or lotion-type cleanser, look for things like non-foaming or low-foaming. These types of cleansers use chemicals, called surfactants, to provide the cleansing action. Usually, the higher foaming surfactants are harsher than the low foaming ones. Sodium Lauryl Sulfoacetate and Disodium Laureth Sulfosuccinate are very gentle, low-foaming surfactants. They are approved for use in baby and childrens products. They are gentle enough for sensitive skin, and good for all other skin types. Look for these ingredients near the top of the ingredients listing. Cocoamidopropyl Betaine is usually used as a secondary surfactant. In lower proportions, it adds a gentle foaming action to the cleanser. On the ingredients listing, it should be at least the third ingredient for facial products.
Also check the label for additives. Good things to see are fruit extracts, oatmeal, aloe, allantoin, wheat, silk protein, and collagen. Cleansers, made for dry or mature skin, may also contain oils, like olive, wheat germ, borage, or meadowfoam seed. Vitamin E is always a good additive, so is Vitamin C. If the cleanser is made for acne control, it may contain Salicylic Acid; but this additive is also good for mature skin.
Oatmeal is a wonderful cleanser for all skin types. Yes, the oatmeal you buy in the grocery store. Buy the kind you cook, not the instant kind. Put a tablespoon of oatmeal in the center of a washcloth. Fold the washcloth over to hold the oatmeal. Thoroughly wet the washcloth with warm water, wash your face. Rinse well to remove the dirt and dead cells that are loosened by washing. Add honey to the oatmeal for mature or dry skin. Add fresh lemon juice for oily skin.
Put you best face forward. Beauty is only skin deep, but healthy skin is beautiful. Take the time to educate yourself about what you are using to cleanse your face. Be a label reader. You can get some great information at the FDA web site.
Nature's Treasures djdoodle Merchant Shoppe
Nature's Treasures Blog
Nature's Treasures Craft Booth 256
No comments:
Post a Comment