Facial Cleanser
Discover the benefits of using a natural facial cleanser
There are so many beauty products to keep your skin clean and healthy, and many of these are specifically designed for the delicate skin of your face. To find the best facial cleanser for you, first determine your skin type—dry, oily, sensitive, blemished or combination. The next step is to find a product that will respect your skin's sensitivity and maintain the fine balance of natural oils that keep you looking fresh and healthy.
Features of Facial Cleansers
Facial skin care relies largely on the products you use every day, not the potent facial mask or powerful facial scrub you use once a month. Your choice of daily facial cleanser should be guided by how much oil and dirt your skin builds up in a given day. For instance, if you wear minimal makeup and have a relatively clear complexion, you might find that a simple (and inexpensive) oil-free liquid cleanser does a great job. Look for a product that is fragrance-free to keep sensitive skin happy.
On the other hand, if you are constantly combating excess oil and acne, you might want to consider a glycolic acid facial cleanser, which uses an alpha hydroxy acid to exfoliate and deeply clean the skin. Although the skin-sloughing properties of glycolic acid can restore health and beauty to oily skin, it is not recommended for sensitive skin or for skin that suffers from a disorder, such as rosacea.
Natural Facial Cleanser
For those of you who are wary of the irritating or astringent chemicals found in some face wash, look to the gentle touch of a natural facial cleanser to remove dirt and makeup. Many store-bought natural cleansers use a mixture of fruit juices and vegetable oils to clean and moisturize—recipes that are actually rather easy to duplicate at home with a few simple ingredients. Indeed, a concoction of olive oil, water and honey will give dry skin the moisture it needs, while the citric acid in lemons will help to remove excess oil from the skin.
Some facial scrubs tend to over-exfoliate the skin, leaving it red and sore. You can avoid this discomfort by making your own scrub out of yogurt, oatmeal and cornmeal; rub it gently into your skin with a circular motion to get rid of dead skin while you restore hydration.
