Cleansers I have known and loved.

When I was in beauty school, (Miss Marty's School of Beauty in downtown San Francisco... thank you very much) I can still recall when my instructor "Miss Maria" said to us, "Whatever you think you know about skin care, please disregard that information." At the time, I thought to myself, "Well, I have been taking care of my skin my whole life, so this will not be anything new to me", and I was so wrong. Just short of applying nail polish remover to my face, (and I am pretty sure that I came very close to doing that in times of desperation), I had been abusing my poor face since early teen hood. The next thing that she emphatically expressed was "Absolutely no self-surgery". This meant that under no circumstance should you try and pop your own blemishes. I was an offender. So where would she start this re-eduction of Miss Erin? I had to unlearn all that I had learned. She started with cleansers.

Rule #1. All cleansers are not created equal, under God, indivisible.
In this case, it is all about your chemistry folks. Understanding what your ingredients are telling you is the name of the game. That being said, if the list of ingredients contains more terms that are unrecognizable than actual familiar terms, this is a sign that you might want to switch cleansers. (Note to self: include a glossary of terms later on in this blog.)

Rule #2. Do not be afraid of oil.
This is imperative. So many people think, "If there is oil in my cleanser, then it will just make my face dirty, or break out". This is a lie, and does not make any sort of scientific sense. The goal of washing your face is to break down surface particulates, and remove dead skin and dirt and or debris. You do this so that your skin has a chance to repair itself, rather than constantly having to fight off bacteria. The idea that you have to use a harsh cleanser to remove dirt is a myth. I am not telling you that you can just dump any old oil on your face in order to clean it either, but I am telling you that it does a fine job of breaking down waxy make-up and also of removing surface dirt. How does it do this? Science! Oil dissolves oil. What does this mean? Oil is a good solvent for non polar molecules. This means that it will dissolve many organic compounds because they are non-polar. It will not dissolve ionic compounds, like water.
You cannot rely on just any oil to clean your face. Refined, natural oils are better suited for the job. "Baby Oil" is actually made from mineral oil ( petroleum), and will do nothing for your face but sit on your skin and clog your pores. Vaseline, same thing. These are petro-chemicals and should be kept far away from your body in general, especially your face. Give your body, and the environment a break, and do not use these products, or any products containing them. They are ineffective and can cause long term negative reactions to your skin.
Refined body oils work well in skin care products because they are composed of molecules that are small enough to penetrate into areas of your skin where dirt can be hiding. If you use a regular olive oil and compare it to a refined jojoba oil, you will find the olive oil to be much thicker than the jojoba. Similar to the way that acids and enzymes help you to digest food, the acids on the surface of your skin metabolize (break down) things that lay on the surface. If you are using products that have molecules that are too large to break down, you will end up with a large amount of unabsorbed product that just sort of sits on your skin, attracting bacteria and clogging pores. This also disrupts the pH of your skin too, and could lead to future break outs. An example of a refined oil that would be good to use is Jojoba. The pH of jojoba extract is similar to that of the of of your skin, and if used correctly, would not disrupt the natural pH balance of your skin. Refined forms of sunflower seed oil, apricot seed oil and avocado seed oil are all very mild and effective oils that contain a large amount of vitamin e, and are easily absorbed by your skin. Look for cleansers that include these products.


Rule #3. It is really important to wash your face before you go to bed.
I can't stress this enough. I cannot believe it when people tell me that they never wash their face, and then complain that they have acne. While dirt and make-up alone don't always cause break-outs, the bacteria that you spread all over your face from touching it, eating, and wiping your nose is enough to cause other problems. The surface of your face is home to three very important parts of your body that serve many functions. All the air you breath goes in and out of your nose and mouth, all the food you eat goes in your mouth, all of the smells you encounter go through your nose, and your vision is reliant upon your eyes. Why wouldn't you want to keep this area clean? Your face is constantly having to produce oil as a protective measure to carry away toxins and bacteria from these extremely important areas. Your body repairs itself on it's own every day, but the time that it can do this is at night, when your other functions are not taking up all of your energy, so do your face a favor and wash it at night so that it can properly repair itself!

Rule #4. Make your routine enjoyable!
Taking care of your face is such an important job, but before you scrub away all of those oils and pollutants, you should understand how delicate the skin on your face is. The top layer of the face's skin, has fewer cell layers than any other part of the body except the genitalia. This thinner layer makes the skin more easily irritated. Also, because the face moves so much and has so many nerve endings, it's easier to notice tightness there. This combination means the skin has the potential to get irritated. Your routine care should be gentle, and above all else, enjoyable. Choose a light and creamy or non-foaming gel cleanser that is made from quality ingredients, and as few chemicals and preservatives as possible. Be sure that if there is an aroma, that is is pleasant to you. If you wear a lot of make-up, and you use a gentle cream cleanser, you will not need to use an additional eye make-up remover. Always splash your face with warm water and pat it dry. Your face should always feel comfortable and fresh after washing, with no signs of tightness or itching. It is important to use water to rinse away any left over residue.

My top ten favorite facial cleansers:
I am basing this list not only cleansers that I have used and love, but also have used in treatments for clients over the years. I am an Aveda trained esthetician. Now that I have admitted that, you will see that this blog will be peppered with Aveda products from time to time. I have also been trained to use Dermalogica, and Pevonia, so you will find nods to these lines as well. I am against using petroleum products (mineral oil) and parabens, so all of these products should be free of them (unless formulations have changed... always check your ingredient list!)

#1.) Suki "Moisture Rich Cleansing Lotion"
I am currently using this product, and have used it off and on for about five years. It has a pleasant aroma, is light and creamy, and really does a great job of gently removing make-up and whatever else that needs to be rinsed away. This line of product is amazing, and I wold love to open up a "suki spa" someday. (Suki, if you ever read this... look me up, I will develop a spa line with you!) I give this cleanser 5 stars, and would recommend it to just about anyone with any skin type. It is gentle, moisturizing, and effective. For people who find this cleanser too moisture rich, I would simply tell them to skip using a moisturizer. Folks with oily skin love this because usually they have been using harsh products that strip their poor little faces of oil. This cleanser has an amazing ability to restore ones natural moisture balance. It is a miracle in a glass jar. Love it!

#2) Aveda "All-Sensitive Cleanser"
This is a fragrance free cream cleanser that is perfect for all skin types. I look at it as a blank canvas for whatever type of skin you have. You can add your own botanics to it, you can use it to soothe irritated skin, you can use it on a baby. It is a work horse of a cleanser. The only thing that could make this product any better for me would be that it was packaged on a glass container, rather than a plastic one, but even that is made form recycled milk cartons, so you have to give it to Aveda for really taking a moment to think about their products, and the environment.

#3.) Aveda "Botanical Kinetics Purifying Creme Cleanser"
Ok, so I am rating another Aveda cleanser. Aveda makes several cleansers, and these are my two faves. This luxurious creme cleanser had an amazing aroma, is light, very moisturizing, and even comes in a glass jar. It is easily one of my personal favorites for the past 15 years. The only draw back it that it is heavy on the moisturizing part, and I often feel that I can only use this in the winter time. For folks with year round oil problems, I would only use this when you skin is on the dryer side. It is best for mature, dry and normal skin.

#4.) Dermalogica "Special Cleansing Gel"
Some people just cant get past the desire to have a soapy foam on their face when they wash it. They say, "It just doesn't feel clean unless I get all soapy". Well, for those of you who feel this way, I urge you to use this cleanser. It has artificial aroma, it is a light gel, and it lathers up! It also does this without stripping your face of essential oils, and leaves you feeling clean and smooth, without the tightness of most gel cleansers. While I prefer a creamier cleanser personally, I had many happy clients using this for years. It too has the flexibility of being a blank canvas, so that you can tailor it to your skin care needs by adding more soothing botanics, or moisturizing oils. It is a unique gel cleanser that is suitable for all skin types.

#5.) Caudalie "Instant Foaming Cleanser"
While I am not a huge fan of the gel cleanser, I have found that there are a number of foam cleansers out there that are gentle enough for everyday use. On a trip Paris, I found myself running into this product often enough in skin care stores that I decided to give it a try. It had a wonderful plant aroma and velvety foam. Light, easy to rinse off, and leaving a hint of moisture, I was amazed at the ease and effectiveness of this product. If you are a person with less than 30 seconds to wash your face, this is the product for you. One pump of the foam and a quick swipe over your face, and you are ready to rinse. After I ran out of this cleanser, I was resigned to return to Paris just get more, but alas, they sell it at Sephora! While I always need an excuse to return to Paris, my trip to Sephora was much cheaper. This product it gentle enough for all skin types, but if you are on the itchy and dry side, or dislike aromas, then this is not the product for you.

more reviews coming soon.