Favorite Five Friday – Face Wash Edition

The cornerstone of every good beauty regimen starts with a clean, fresh face.  You need cleansers that are strong enough to remove dirt, impurities, and dead skin, but gentle enough that they won’t irritate your face.  Easier said than done.  As much as I love cosmetics, my biggest beauty addiction is the routine: cleanse, treat and moisturize.  I have tried them all, and will continue to do so.  For today’s favorite five, I’ll highlight the five cleansers that I keep coming back to over the years.

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser: My mom suggested I try this after a particularly rough experiment with glycolic acid.  My skin was a red, irritated mess and I wanted to hide forever.  She gave me cetaphil to try, and I was in love.  This is just one of those classic products that has the perfect balance.  Your skin feels clean, but oh so soft.  No more redness, no more dry patches.  Magic!  I will love this and keep buying it forever.  Added bonus: My dermatologist suggested I use it for my son to help his eczema, and it was wonderful for that too.

Clarins Gentle Foaming Cleanser with Shea Butter: This cream cleanser smells and feels heavenly.  I just enjoy washing my face with this.  It’s so smooth that it really relaxes the skin, but still manages to leave it sparkly clean.  I never get that taut or dry feeling after washing with this.

St Ives Blemish and Black Head Control Apricot Scrub: I know this is technically an exfoliator, but I use it as face wash one to three times a week.  I have tried so many other exfoliating washes, and nothing compares to this.  I’ve had a constant supply of this since I was 14.

Chantecaille Rice and Geranium Foaming Cleanser: This is my go-to product when I need a particularly deep clean (ie. after applying heavy make-up) and regular wash just won’t do the trick.  This will get your skin clean, exfoliate and nourish.  There is no way to really describe just how clean this gets your skin.  It almost feels as if you have a new face – but in a good way.

Mustela 2 in 1 Hair and Body Wash: I discovered this by chance.  I ran out of face wash and used a product I had bought for my son.  I figured that if it’s gentle enough for a baby it’s gentle enough for my face.  Well, my experiment paid off.  It’s super gentle, smells amazing and it leaves skin feeling soft and clean.

My rule of thumb is that gentle is better when it comes to cleansers.  I feel like you can always wash longer and use toner if you really need it.  There is no reason to irritate and possible damage your skin with harsh cleansers.  If you have problem areas, treat them specifically after you cleanse, you’ll get better results and your skin will look healthier.

XO,

Ana