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How To Choose A Suitable Facial Cleanser For Your Skin Type
Washing your face is perhaps the most fundamental and most important step of your skincare routine. A good facial cleanser should be designed to clean the skin and to draw our dirt, oil and grime that are lodged deeply in the pores. In addition, it should also get rid of excess sebum without stripping the essential lipids and minerals to keep your skin healthy.
Although it may seem like a very simple step that can be achieved with any soap, doctors will tell you that the key for a clear, glowing complexion is to use the right cleanser.
Whether your skin is normal, dry, acne-prone, oily, sensitive or somewhere in between, you need to find the most suitable facial cleanser for your skin type so that you yield the best possible results. We understand that the choices can seem overwhelming. We have compiled the following information to help you understand the different types of cleansers suitable for each skin type.
Gel Cleansers
Gel cleansers for face wash tends to have a gel-like consistency which is very effective for reducing surface oil and getting rid of acne bacteria. It has the texture and colour of a hair gel and it melts into the skin on contact with water.
Gel cleansers are great for unclogging pores and removing any excess oil, debris and dirt from the skin’s surface. If you are susceptible to acne and occasional pimples, it is perfect for eliminating acne bacteria as well.
In general, a gel-based cleanser helps to provide hydration while minimizing excess oil production on the skin.
BEST FOR: Sensitive skin, oily skin or acne-prone skin
Oil Cleansers
As an oil-based cleanser, these are generally gentle on the skin and very effective in removing makeup, especially waterproof ones. They are definitely not drying for the skin. In fact, it nourishes the skin while removing all final traces of makeup, dirt and grime from the skin.
However, these are not great as a cleanser for deep cleansing. So make sure after rinsing off your oil cleanser, use a regular cleanser that provides deep cleansing to clear out the gunk in the skin.
BEST FOR: Dry skin, normal skin and combination skin
Micellar cleansing solutions
Micellar cleansing water is the lightest form of facial cleansers in the market. They look like a facial toner or even plain water! But in fact, these are made with micelles, tiny oil particles suspended in a cleansing solution that can effectively remove dirt from the skin.
Micellar cleansing water is usually applied with cotton pads and don’t require any rinsing. In some cases, people even use it as a makeup remover or facial toner, all in one!
BEST FOR: Dry skin, oily skin, sensitive skin, normal skin
Clay Cleansers
Among one of the most powerful type of cleansers for drawing out impurities from the skin, clay cleansers have a unique capability to stick and draw out dirt and excess sebum from the pores as compared to other types of cleansers.
Clay acts as a detoxifying agent that behaves like a magnet to draw out excess debris, toxins and impurities without drying out the skin or stripping the skin away of its essential minerals and lipids.
Use them with care because if you overuse them, it may potentially cause your skin to become too dry or irritated.
BEST FOR: Oily skin, acne-prone skin and combination skin
Cream Cleansers
People with dry, ageing skin are probably most familiar with the feeling of tightness after washing your face, and to be left with the feeling of dryness and itchiness all over your face for a period of time.
To avoid the tight and uncomfortable feeling post-cleansing, why not try to switch to a cream-based cleanser? Cream cleansers work to gently wash the skin and remove excess oils that build up on the skin surface without stripping the essential lipids.
Many of these cream cleansers are formulated with dry, ageing skin in mind. They contain nourishing oils and active ingredients that aim to restore and repair the skin barrier and replenish the lost moisture in the skin.
A gentle, yet effective cream-based cleanser is Radium’s Ageless Refresh Silky Cleanser, a definite crowd pleaser. It effectively clears our impurities and make up from the skin, but does not strip away the essential lipids which your skin needs to stay healthy and hydrated.
BEST FOR: Dry skin and sensitive skin
