Types of cleansers

Generally, there are 6 different types of cleansers:
- Cleansing Oil
- Cleansing Cream
- Cleansing Milk
- Cleansing Gel
- Cleansing Foam
- Cleansing soap (traditional bar soap)

The different types of cleansers are usually for a different degree of cleansing, for different skin type and condition. *DISCLAIMER: What i am going to mention is the general content and its function. I do not speak for any brands and their function as with technology, many brands may claim that their items achieve a different results. You got to try to know whether it is suitable for your face!*

Cleansing Oil, usually used for make up removing. This type of cleanser is very necessary if you put on any form of make up or foundation. The oil-base will help dissolve your make up so that they do not clot your pores. However, cleansing oil itself is not enough to keep your face clean.

Cleansing Cream is very rich compared to the other types of cleansers. Recommended for dry skin. If oily skin type people use this, might cause congestion or even outbreak.

Cleansing Milk is usually used after cleansing oil, to help remove both the make up and the oil. Recommended for sensitive skin type and dehydrated skin condition.

Cleansing Gel is for people with oily skin type and dehydrated skin condition. It cleanses deeply and remove the oil but yet it is not too drying.

Cleansing Foam. Foaming cleansers are often the most drying to the skin. Recommended for very oily skin and problem skin with uneven skin tone.

Cleansing bar soap are considered similar to foaming cleansers due to the foaming reaction as it interacts with water before putting onto the face.

Some people like the moist feeling from the cream and the milk cleansers, while some prefer the clean feeling from the gel and the foam cleansers. No matter which type of cleanser suit you best, you should not be feeling dry or tight after cleansing your face. Tightness and dryness shows the lack of hydration in your skin and prolonged usage can cause fine lines and eventually (over long period) will form wrinkles.

After cleansing, whats next?

Cleanse or not cleanse?

In my previous post on understanding your skin, today we are going to talk about the good and the bad about cleansing your face.

First of all, we need to understand this thing called the Acid Mantle.

Acid Mantle is the thin, slightly acidic film on the surface of our skin. It is made up of our oil + sebum. it's purpose is to act as a barrier to bacteria, viruses and other potential contaminants that tries to penetrate our skin. Due to its slight acidity, this Acid Mantle helps to neutralise the chemical effects of these contaminants as they are primarily alkaline.

This is why babies to infants and even to children are not advised to use special cleansers to clean their faces. Many times the reason we give is because they are still young. But really, we need to know that we are created in a very amazing way where this Acid Mantle is like a God given protection for our skin.

Then what happens when we enter our puberty years? The food we eat, the stress in school, hormonal changes and imbalance causes this Acid Mantle to be imbalance due to the unequal amount of oil and sebum being produced at different parts of our faces. Very often you hear people will say T-zone oily. That is because our T-zone have got more oil glands compared to our cheeks and neck area.

When you cleanse your face,

you are literally removing this layer of Acid Mantle together with the impurities you feel on your skin. Meaning, your skin will be left 'bare'... unprotected... Therefore, if you wash your face with a good cleanser and do not apply any toner or moisturiser, then i would say that your skin is are a worse or dangerous state. Then it would have been better that you did not wash your face at all.

How harmful are the dirt on your face (When you have your Acid Mantle)? Less harmful than the contaminants that can penetrate your face when the Acid Mantle is being removed.

How long does it take for the new layer Acid Mantle to build up? It takes 4 hours before this natural defence is being built up again.

What is the purpose of a moisturiser? Moisturisers are meant to 'act-as' an Acid Mantle to your skin immediately after you wash your face. To protect your skin from bacteria, viruses and other potential contaminants that tries to penetrate our skin.

What about the different kind of moisturisers? I will explain that in my future post on moisturisers so stay tune. :)

In conclusion, cleanse or not cleanse? If you will be diligent to apply moisturisers, YES please cleanse you face with a good cleanser that suits your skin! But if you are too lazy to apply moisturisers or do not have a moisturiser that is suitable for your skin, then it is better for you to have not cleanse your face.

My next post will be on what are the different kinds of cleansers and how to identify which is for you. :)

Understanding Your Skin

First of all, we need to understand our skin, in order to know what is the problem we are having and how different products actually helps, or make our current skin conditions worse.

After finding for quite some time, i manage to find a easier to understand image of our skin (above).

Basically in simple terms, 

Epidermis is our skin. 

Dermis is where our capillaries and nerves endings are.

Hypodermis is our main blood vessels, fats tissues and muscles are located.

Our Epidermis, the skin, is further divided into 5 different kinds of layers.

Many people think that our surrounding and whats happening externally is causing our skin problems. But actually what is happening from the inside is as bad as what is going on  on the outside of our skin.

before i go on explaining more about how these layers works and how they plan an important role. we need to understand our skin type vs our skin condition.

Skin type refers to the oil level of our skin:

- Oily (usually appears to have uneven skin tone and excess oil)

- Normal (perfect skin condition)

- Dry (also known as matured skin. Usually starts as we loss the radiance on our skin and slowly fine lines will begin to appear)

Skin condition refers to the water level of our skin:

- Hydrated

- Dehydrated (Most people are having problems with dehydrated skin from a young age due to wrong diagnosing and misunderstanding of skin type and skin conditions)

The most common problems i see among the youths are, very oily skin type and dehydrated skin condition. Many people mix up skin type and skin condition thinking that, if their skin is oily they need to use products that are very drying so that their skin will not be oily.

This result in worsening the condition as the skin continue to produce excessive oil but the skin got even more dehydrated, causing the excessive oil to be stuck under the thick layers of Stratum Corneum. Resulting in very congested skin with bumps, acne and constant outbreak due to hormonal changes or stress.

This is lesson #1 on understanding our skin. After you identify your skin type and skin condition, next week i will talk more about the kind of cleansers you should be using.

Is it important to cleanse your face? Find out why do some people say that "it's better not to cleanse your face"?

On SKIN

I am very particular when it comes to skincare! Because what goes on your skin do not just stays on top of your skin! They are being absorbed into the different layers of your skin underneath. What then appears on your skin, is a result of that which went under some time ago.

I will never buy skincare products of the malls, departmental stores or product counters. Reason is simple, most of these staff are paid by commission and they are mostly more concern with getting a sale done, then to get you what you really need. Without proper training and understanding of your skin type and condition, most of the time, it is not just what you see on the outside.

So where should you get your skincare products? Find a beautician or aesthetician whom you can trust. Someone whom you know that has your interest at heart! Do not buy different items from different brand or range because the chemical content of each brand can be very different and by adding on other products from various brands will only make it harder for your beautician or aesthetician to know which item is not suitable for your skin, in the event of complication arises.

Below is the product i am using!

You may or may not find these products overseas, but these are my secret to my skin!
Dermafloral Make Up Removal is a must have if you are always on make up. It helps to remove all waterproof make up without leaving any stains and then wash off with the Milky Lotion that contains minerals and natural plant extracts, the hypoallergenic milky lotion effectively cleanse and dissolve stubborn grime and impurities from my skin.

Days without make up, i will use the Active Cleanser Gel which has a calming and gentle non-irritant cleanser that deeply cleanses my skin. The natural plant extracts leave the skin feeling renewed, refresh and revitalized! Always followed up by the Active Soothing Toner, specially formulated anti-oxidants and purifying ingredients help to refresh and hydrate both sensitive and reactive skin to achieve a healthy and radiant complexion. However, these are not the secret yet.

The secret behind it all, is the Active Anti-Oxidant Serum with it's unique formulation helps to stimulate better blood circulation. The anti-oxidant lotion contain powerful protecting, moisturizing and healing properties to repair damaged skin tissue, it also helps to disinfect acne and pimples, reduces blackheads, ease pore congestion, prevent aging, repair damaged cells, improve fine lines and moisture to the skin, balancing pH level of the skin! After the super powerful serum, i will end of with the Active Protective Repair Cream uniquely designed and created to provide high UV protection. The sunscreen concentrates meet the most stringent requirements of product safety and non-toxicity standard. It also helps to fight against free radical, reduce fine lines and pigmentation!

It may sound like there's a lot of steps to follow, but stay tuned for more beauty tips as i explain why each and every step is very important to our skin! Because knowledge is power!