Three Natural Cleansers
Cleansing. It’s is the first step in your skin care routine. Cleansing your skin prepares it for all of the luscious products that follow. Your cleansing routine needs to be effective and gentle. When choosing a cleanser it is important to choose a product that cleanses the face without disrupting the acid mantle. The acid mantle is a mixture of sweat, sebum and a few other compounds. It acts as a shield against bacteria, fungi and viruses that could penetrate the skin. Disrupting the acid mantle also affects the pH of your skin, which can lead to dryness, redness, flakiness, and potentially create a perfect environment for acne to thrive. The following three ingredients/products will cleanse your skin while supporting the acid mantle .
With that said, let’s get to it.
#1 Cleansing Oils: There are a lot of choices out there, but the ingredient you want to look for is Organic Jojoba Oil. (It should be listed within the first three ingredients on the label of your cleansing oil product). Jojoba oil, technically a liquid wax, mimics our own natural sebum which allows it to seamlessly mix with our own sebum to loosen dirt and impurities on our skin. And like most botanical oils, it is naturally pH balanced to our skin’s pH. BONUS: It also does double duty as a makeup remover.
How I use it: I typically do my oil cleansing as a part of my evening routine. I like to apply it to my skin when it is dry, especially if I am using it as a makeup remover, but you can also apply it to a damp face as well. I massage about a teaspoon amount into my skin from my forehead down to my decollete (chest area). I enjoy the ritual of it and take my time to gently massage the oil into my face and chest. Then I remove it with a damp warm washcloth. If I am removing my makeup first, I will do a double cleanse; cleansing once to remove my makeup and a second time for posterity. Then I follow up with a serum or moisturizer.
#2 Hydrolats: Hydrolats, sometimes called hydrosols, are very versatile in natural skin care. They are a secondary product created as a part of the essential oil steam distillation process. I love them because they are pH balanced to our own skin’s pH, highly effective and gentle. There are a variety of choices, but I my favorites are rose, orange and frankincense hydrolats. They contain natural anti-bacterial, analgesic, and anti-inflammatory properties, making them a perfect option for cleansing.
How I use it: I use hydrolats as my morning cleanser. They are light, refreshing and simple to use. Before applying, I gently remove any impurities that may have accumulated over the evening with a damp warm washcloth. Then I liberally apply the hydrosol to my skin from my forehead to decollete (chest area) and then gently massage or pat the hydrosol into my skin until it feels refreshed and hydrated. And that’s it! I’m out the door and heading off to the gym. Otherwise, I follow it up with serum and moisturizer. Yep, it’s a leave on cleanser, bet you haven’t experienced that before! Quick and easy.
#3 Clay: I only use Rhassoul clay, but any clay will work (with the exception of kaolin clay - That’s another story for another time). I like Rhassoul clay because it doesn’t absorb, it adsorbs. Rhassoul works by adsorbing non-ionic organic compounds like sebum, oil based makeup, dirt and grime, without leaving the skin feeling overly tight and stripped of moisture. Plus it delivers minerals such as silica and magnesium to the skin, which may reduce dryness and flakiness while improving skin texture, elasticity and clarity. BOOM!
How I use it: This is my go to cleanser during the hot and humid summer months, when my skin just feels like it needs a deeper cleansing. BUT my clients who have an oily skin type, use this as their daily cleanser. I make my cleanser by creating a slurry using water and clay. You can mix the water and clay in a small bowl, but I’m lazy, so I just mix it in my hands. I simply cup my hand, fill it with water, add a dusting of clay to the water and mix it in the palms of my hand. I use approximately 1/16 - 1/8 of a teaspoon of clay to a tablespoon of water. Since I mix it in my hands I always experience some clumping, but that is normal. What is important is the “glide” of the mixture in my hand. Once I feel that glide, I gently apply it to my skin in smooth circular motions and then rinse with water. I remove any excess cleanser with a warm damp washcloth. And that’s it. *** There is a caveat to this, I personally use tap water, nothing fancy. But if you want a perfectly pH balanced clay cleanser, mix the clay with a hydrolat. My hydrolats are a little on the expensive side so I tend to forego that step. But as they say- You do you.
Well, I dropped some serious natural skin care pearls of wisdom here, so I hope you liked it. As always, if you have any questions or comments feel free to ask on any of my platforms.
That’s all I’ve got for now. Until next time XOXO! 💋