If you are anything like me, it always helps to know the WHY behind things. When I understand the reasoning behind what I do on a daily basis, and how it truly does help, I stick with it much easier on those days when I am just too darn tired.
For many years I skipped skincare altogether. I slept in my makeup, put new makeup over old without a second thought and used eye makeup long after I should have said goodbye to it. I was a hot mess and my skin definitely reflected my choices. Every time I looked in the mirror I saw dull, blotchy skin with a side of redness that just could not be tamed. Anyone else?! 🙋🏻♀️🙋🏻♀️🙋🏻♀️
Those days my routine consisted of makeup, makeup and more makeup to cover up what I called "bad genes". Turns out jumping in the shower and letting water wash off some of my makeup did not count as "cleansing" my face.
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Who knew?! 😂😂😂
Today we launch a series looking into the steps of skincare. We will look at why each step matters, how to complete each step and how to choose what is best for YOUR skin. We start with step 1... CLEANSING! I know what you are thinking... How DEEP can we really dive into washing your face?!
STEP ONE:
Wash your Face...
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Shortest blog E V E R...
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And I would have said the same thing not too long ago, I did not understand the importance of this step and how much it effects every step thereafter. Without further ado... let's DIVE in 🏊🏻🏊🏻♂️🏊🏻♀️
Why CLEANSING is the most important skincare step?
Would you ever walk outside, grab a handful of dirt and rub it into your face then walk back inside and slap on your face cream?
No you say???
Well, if you are not cleansing your face before you apply all your other skincare products this is essentially what you are doing. I know what you are thinking...my face looks pretty clean, my makeup has work off. I have wiped my face during the day and makeup came off... I am sure it is fine.
All of the makeup that you applied, the dirt and oils from your hands as you touch your face randomly through the day and even just environmental crap we walk through that lands on our skin that we cannot see most often with the naked eye... it is all BLOCKING that skincare from actually penetrating your skin and doing it's job. Even worse, you could be causing clogged pores, breakouts and many of the other skin issues you are looking to help by using those products.
Could you imagine Van Gogh taking mud and ick and slathering it all over his canvas and then trying to paint The Starry Night over it? Yeah, No. That would have changed the end result of that work of art. He would grab a clean canvas and get to work.
Your skincare needs a clean canvas to perform how it is meant to. Moisturizer cannot hydrate your skin if there is a slimy layer of gunk acting like a mask. That eye cream that is supposed to help those dark circles... yeah, sitting on top of dirt means it will help those dark circles like 0%! Not only are you not helping your skin, you are throwing all the money you spent away, and that precious time you were trying to save by skipping a step, TIME WASTED! Not very efficient at all.
It is time to stop skipping over the most important step: CLEANSING.
Ready to get the results you desire?! Let's look at what to use to cleanse.
Soap or Cleanser?
Is soap not good to use on my face?
Just like so many other things when we talk about health, QUALITY MATTERS.
To be honest, you can use either soap or cleanser, the thing that matters is what the soap and cleanser is made of. A typical bar soap, mass produced at any retail store is filled with chemicals. Those chemicals can strip the skin of natural oils which dries out the skin. This can lead to lead to irritation that compromises the skin barrier and leads to redness, breakouts and more.
So how do you know what soap to buy? You want to look for soaps that are FREE of Sulfates, Parabens, Phthalates and Fragrances. Why do you want to avoid these types of ingredients? Well these ingredients are the ones that cause dryness and irritation. This can lead to worsening acne, skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis and inflammation. Ain't nobody got time for that!
Now that we know what to avoid let's look at some options that nourish your skin.
Look for soaps made with the following:
- Donkey Soap Base: Donkey soap has a pH very close to human skin. Strong cell regenerating properties. Moisturizing and naturally antibacterial, donkey milk fights skin issues like acne, eczema and psoriasis as well as helping to address dark spots. Good for the entire body, not just your face. Gentle enough for all skin types. Find our favorite HERE!
- Goat Soap Base: Goat Soap is easily absorbed by our skin. Comprised of medium chain fatty acids, it gets deep into the skins layers to soothe irritated skin beyond just surface level healing. Goat soap is one of the least likely soaps to cause allergic reactions. It is exfoliating yet provides anti-itch, anti-aging and gentle cleansing properties. HERE is our favorite Goat Soap Bar perfect for all over body care in the shower or a perfect cleanser for your face.
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Kaolin Clay, : Perfect for oily skin, this clay works like a magnet to draw impurities out of the skin. This especially helps to keep pores clear while also soothing sensitive, irritated skin prone to acne. It has also been shown to even out skin tone. Gentle. Effective. You can find Kaolin Clay products here, Here and HERE. Look through our SOAP section and you will find many that include Clay.
- Essential oils: While we all love a good scent, it is important to be careful when you see the word fragrance. Many synthetic fragrances are created with chemicals. The FDA does not require companies to list the ingredients they use to fragrance their product so you have no idea what they used to concoct such a smell. Believe me, google what they use to create synthetic fragrance and you would be surprised!!!! In fact, some of these chemicals can cause irritation to skin (such as rashes and redness), respiratory problems (and like I experienced quite often before I researched) MAJOR HEADACHES! I cannot even walk down the laundry soap aisle of the grocery store. So when looking at ingredients be wary of the word FRAGRANCE and look for NATURAL fragrance or essential oils. If they do not list what they use specifically to scent their product it is best to stay away.
To wrap it up, soap is not inherently bad to use to wash your face... it just depends on what ingredients are in the soap. if you know for you a bar is preferred to a cleanser for washing your face, COOL! Just look for one that will gently cleanse, nourish the layers of your skin and keep irritation at bay!
If you are unsure of which you prefer, and you need more info on cleansers, we are here for you! Read on to dig into cleansers and how they may differ from soap.
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Should I choose a cleanser rather than soap to wash my face?
In our opinion, you can use either. It comes down to preference. Above we talked of the importance of choosing the right soap, same rules when it comes to cleanser.
What to look for in a cleanser:
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A gentle cleansing agent: Our favorite? Grass Fed Tallow. It has a low comedogenic score (meaning it will not clog pores), tallow hydrates on a cellular level, vitamins naturally occurring in GRASS FED Tallow (yes there is a difference between grass fed and conventional tallow) are healing for acne, scarring, eczema, psoriasis and more. To learn more specifics see our BLOG on grass fed tallow HERE! See our Tallow line HERE!
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Sea Buckthorn Oil: So many benefits but our favorites are: protection from premature aging, healing acne, scars and wrinkles, brightens skin and provides deep moisturization. Find our favorite Sea Buckthorn cleanser HERE. This is great for any skin type!
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Lavender Essential Oil: Not only is this oil great for relaxation, it fights acne, reduces inflammation and redness and has antiseptic properties. it soothes dry, irritated skin and helps to prevent wrinkles. You can use this oil anywhere on your body to help heal cuts and wounds of all kinds. Here is our favorite cleanser including lavender essential oil for SUPER ANTI- AGING benefits. Perfect for advanced skin care needs.
In short, the same guidelines to picking out a soap applies to cleansers. Gentle cleansing, natural fragrance or essential oils and no harsh chemicals. You have got this girl, go fill your cart, make your order and get ready to cleanse away! Perhaps grab a soap and a cleanser (choose blue or purple clay cleanser) just to have options.
If you are a firsttimebuyer use code to save 15%!
Free shipping over $100. (automatic savings, no code needed!)
And Buy 3 soaps get a free Soap Saver! <<<adds to order automatically when you purchase 3 soaps!
Now, let's look at how often we should cleanse our faces. Almost done... stay with me! 👇👇👇
How often should I wash my face?
One of the myths I believed not so long ago was that I did not have to wash my face in the morning. If I washed my face at night, and all I did was sleep, my face was still clean. Anyone else think this?
Well, if you put anything on your face after cleansing, NOT CLEAN.
If you slept on a pillow (with or without a pillowcase), NOT CLEAN.
If you touched your face during the night, NOT CLEAN.
Allowed your skincare to work, NOT CLEAN.
Are you seeing the pattern?
I know it is so easy to skip that morning wash and move straight to skincare and makeup, but hear me out. We may feel clean and still hydrated when we wake up BUT that does not mean we do not have dead skin cell build up, excess oils and even dirt accumulating overnight.
Furthermore, some nighttime skin care products are not great for having on your face in sunlight. Just like we talked about for washing your face before your nighttime skincare routine, we need a fresh canvas for your daytime skincare to work. This applies no matter what type of skin you have. Dry, oily, normal... all the same. Again, make sure you are using gentle cleansers and quality products without heavy chemicals and fragrances.
Cleansed and moisturized skin helps your makeup to sit well on your skin. It even allows you to feel super comfortable without makeup! Let's take a look at what else cleansing your skin can help with...
What does washing your face prevent?
This is one of my favorite parts: LET'S TALK BENEFITS of cleansing your face!
- helps reduce pore size. One area bigger is NOT better!
- helps prevent acne.
- removes bacteria to keep skin healthy.
- removes dead skin cells helping skin appear smooth.
- helps skincare to absorb and do it's job the way it is intended.
- helps maintain proper skin hydration.
Ummm, YES PLEASE! I do not know about you but I can definitely use ALL THOSE BENEFITS!
IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: IT IS NOT ALL ABOUT YOUNGER LOOKING SKIN
The only downside to cleansing is if you use harsh cleansers and soaps. Harsh chemical laden soaps and cleansers will strip the natural oils and irritate skin. PLEASE choose gentle cleansers and soaps that NOURISH and HEAL. This is not only important for looks but also SKIN HEALTH. Bacteria is not something we want inside our bodies. Harsh cleansers can open the skin barrier allowing bacteria in. Choose gentle to keep that skin barrier IN TACT! Be mindful. Choose wisely.
Now that you know what to look for, why it is important AND the benefits of cleansing, let's look at the HOW! 👇👇👇
How to wash your face correctly.
I do not know about you but this is NOT how I look when I wash my face...
in fact, that would end up with a puddle all over my floor and I DEFINITELY do not want to deal with that mess!
BUT...
Step 1 of cleansing is splashing your face with warm, NOT HOT, water.
It has been said that warm water opens your pores to allow the cleanser or soap to get in and clean out those pores.
HOT WATER is NOT GOOD! Hot water strips away your natural oils and can actually burn your skin causing irritation and even open wounds. Never a good thing.
If needed, take off excess makeup. Our Tallow Facial Cleansers (Blue for all skin types, Purple for Advanced Anti-Aging Needs) work great to remove excess makeup, as well as achieving a deep, yet gentle, cleansing of your skin. (Side note: A little of this cleanser or soap goes a long way. A pea sized amount is all that should be needed) Use your fingers (or a skincare implement) to work the cleanser or soap into your skin working in small circular motions. Leave cleanser or soap on for a few minutes to allow it to do its work. 2 to 5 minutes is great.
At this time, grab a clean wash cloth and wet it with warm water, AGAIN, NOT HOT WATER. Squeeze out excess water and start to wipe off cleanser or soap off your face with gentle swipes. Wash out washcloth as needed and continue to remove excess cleanser or soap. Continue this process until all makeup, cleanser and or soap is removed. Grab a small towel or dry washcloth and pat your face dry.
And that is a WRAP!
You have successfully prepared your canvas to continue with the rest of your skincare routine. A little reminder of the steps 👇👇👇
Be sure to stay tuned for the next blog in our skin care series... To Tone or Not to Tone.