I want you to wash your face. And I want you to use a facial cleanser when you do it. No, not the bar soap out of the soap dish. Not the body wash sitting in the shower.
Why do I want you to wash your face? Because you’re wearing makeup. Makeup wipes dissolve makeup but they don’t cleanse skin. There’s a difference. Because you went swimming in a chlorinated pool, a lake, an ocean. You were playing/working in the dust/ dirt outdoors/indoors. Because you went to the gym/hot yoga/for a run and you got sweaty.
Otherwise, I don’t want you to wash your face. Sweat, dust, dirt, water, makeup are the only reasons to wash. Washing for the sake of washing is like taking clean dishes out of the cupboard and – washing them for the sake of washing.
Here’s why I don’t want you using the bar soap next to your bathroom sink. The very ingredients that make this a solid can upset sensitive skin and make acne prone skin breakout. The crazy rich lather is created by a known irritant. Its sole purpose in life is to create foam. It can cause sensitivity and breakout. True story. Last but not least, your face, chest, shoulders and back have more oil glands than any other part of the body. That bar soap doesn’t take this into consideration at all.
Now the body wash. That same ingredient that makes crazy foaming lather is in there. Sometimes when people have acne on back, shoulders and chest, simply getting rid of the body washes and bar soaps with sodium laurel sulfates can make a huge difference.
I also would prefer that you not fill up the sink. Unless you washed that sink right before you filled it up, it’s got a film of dirty hands being washed, toothpaste spit, etc. It’s not clean.
I’m not wild about your microfiber cloth either. I use microfiber cloths to dust. They pick up everything and – here’s the kicker – don’t let anything go. There are dead skin cells along with dirt, dust, sebum, fine hairs, etc hanging around in your microfiber cloth.
Even your facecloth is on my naughty list, unless it gets washed after every single use. Remember, that facecloth or that microfiber cloth also acts as a form of exfoliation. You might be exfoliating too much. But that’s another topic for another time.
Ideally, use your facial cleanser with your fingers and running water. Massage in gently for at least one minute. Splash with lukewarm water, not hot. Gently pat dry. Remember to treat your skin like an antique silk. It’s an organ and it deserves your respect.
Cherise, creator of Therapie Silk and Bamboo Pillowcase
