All of these same rules apply to your face.
1.) Do not let the hot water from the shower hit you directly on the face. This is too stimulating, and will exacerbate acne or dry skin, making it red and irritable, and also disrupting the natural balance of oils.
2.) Do not use harsh cleansers. I cannot stress this enough. Your cleanser should be doing one thing, and that is removing dirt or make-up from your face. it should leave your face feeling comfortable and soft, never dry, tight, or itchy.
3.) Washcloths and water are not the same as using a cleanser. While water is a natural solvent, it does not always breakdown waxy make-up residue, or some of the things that can clog your pores and cause blemishes. Scrubbing with a washcloth is also too stimulating for most faces, and unless your face is extremely dirty, then I would just avoid using a washcloth on your face. Soaping up and then splashing your face with warm water should be all you need to do to remove a gentle cleanser.
Washing your face, as I have said before, should be the corner stone of your beauty routine. Once you have found a gentle and effective product for cleansing you should also think about finding an exfoliation product to compliment your routine. While scrubs are great for the heels of your feet, or rough elbows, please keep them away from your face! Again, would you use a scrub on your baby?
Choosing an exfoliant: There are so many schools of thought about this. For those people who feel the need to sub categorize skin types, this is a difficult decision. After years of evaluating skin, I would separate skin types into the following categories.
1.) Sensitive: This is for anyone that experiences regular breakouts, redness, dryness, oil, and sensitivity to the sun. You can be any age, and have sensitive skin. Whether or not you have really dry skin, really oily skin, or a combination, you need to treat your face with products for sensitive skin. When using an exfoliant, consider only using a liquid exfoliant containing Beta Hydoxy acids (salicylic acid) or using a gentle aloe based mask to remove impurities. Avoid: Scrubs, glycolic acid, or fruit enzyme peels. While they may claim to be gentle enough for sensitive skin, they are too stimulating, and could cause more redness to occur. A mild, salicylic based liquid that you apply with a cotton ball is ideal, and can be used daily if needed. Be sure to wear sunscreen if this is the case, as salicylic acid (willow bark extract) will make you photo sensitive.
2.) Normal: Normal skin tends to not experience break-outs very often, is not overly oily or dry (except maybe during certain seasons) and is generally less demanding in terms of exfoliation. People who have normal skin may experience different types of sensitivity throughout their lives, but generally maintain this type of skin until they hit their 50's. I would say that using a mild exfoliant once a week is appropriate. Try finding an enzymatic fruit mask to apply once a week to remove surface impurities, and brighten your complexion. An alpha-hydroxy (or fruit acid) can also be used, but in a mild formula.
3.) Mature: Mature skin can be normal or sensitive, but also have additional needs. The desire to maintain a youthful appearance, and to diminish surface lines and wrinkles usually occurs after a certain age. A regular exfoliation and mask regimen can greatly aid in the elimination of dead skin on the surface of your face. Using a chemical exfoliant once or twice a week to remove the surface layer of skin to promote the regeneration of smoother, younger looking skin is ideal. Make sure that any home chemical peels or chemical exfoliants, contain one or more acids, such as AHA (alpha hydroxy) or BHA (beta hydroxy, or salicylic). Remember that regular use of products containing these acids will make you photosensitive, so always use sunscreen!
Using a gentle clay mask once a week is ideal as well, and the minerals will soften dead skin, clean pores, and minimize the appearance of fine lines and tighten pores.
Despite beauty industry claims to the contrary, no amount of products can reverse time. Genetics and lifestyle will dictate how your appear to age. That being said, it is never too late to change your lifestyle. Regular exercise, a nutrient rich diet, and plenty of rest will do amazing things for your skin. Protection from the sun not only reduces the amount of surface lines and pigmentation, but also decreases the chance of skin cancer for obvious reasons. Your skin is an organ, and should be treated with much care. As we age, the amount of new skin that we create slows down, and so we shed less dead skin as a result. This means that mature skin may require more stimulation and exfoliation in order to maintain a youthful appearance. Your body creates collagen and elastin on it's own, but as we age, this also slows down. Some people have collagen injected into areas of the face to smooth over areas that have begun to sag or wrinkle. Eventually, the collagen breaks down, and the skin will return to it's original state, but sometimes it will have scar tissue as a result of multiple injections over an area. Cosmetic surgery is also a popular but costly option to remove unwanted sagging skin or re-sculpt portions of the face.
If you desire to try more natural methods for the battle against time, the contours of your face are actually shaped by the muscles and adipose tissue underneath your skin. Regular massage of these muscles not only encourages more blood flow to this tissue, encouraging it to be more nourished, but also stimulates blood flow to the skin itself. The benefits of regular massage to the face are a huge factor in maintaining a youthful glow throughout your whole life, and it is something you can do to yourself for free! Most of us only really massage our faces when we are washing them, and this is for about 30 seconds total a day! Try to spend a few minutes when you wake up in the morning gently massaging your whole face. Notice how different your skin looks instantly! Regular facials are not only a relaxing treat, but also a wonderful way for you to get a deep exfoliation, and massage together. Investing in a monthly treatment would also be a nice way to compliment your routine.
Some favorite products of mine are:
Aveda's Botanical Kinetics : "Exfoliant"
$19.00 for 5oz.
(contains salicylic acid/everyday use is good for sensitive/normal skin)
http://www.aveda.com/templates/products2/spp.tmpl?CATEGORY_ID=CATEGORY10610&PRODUCT_ID=PROD6142
Dermalogica Gentle Cream Exfoliant.
Prices vary-2.5 oz.
(contains AHAS/ good for normal/mature skin)
http://www.dermalogica.com/us/products.html#/products/gentle-cream-exfoliant
Pevonia Enzymo-Sphérides® Peeling Cream
$40.00 for 1.7 oz
(contains strong AHA"s and is good for light use with normal/ frequent use mature skin)
http://www.pevonia.com/product.aspx?pid=380
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