The Truth About Best Body Cleanser and Face Washing

Experts advise against over scrubbing and over cleansing, especially with new facial cleansers boasting mild compositions that won’t dry out the skin. 

Although washing your face appears to be a straightforward task, physicians and beauty companies believe there is still potential for improvement. 

Experts advise consumers to keep things simple, as a new generation of facial cleansers offers gentle ingredients that won’t dry out their skin. Deep-cleaning claims are made with new gadgets, but with a gentler touch. Some dermatologists even recommend that persons with healthy skin only wash their faces once a day, at night.

Consumers who are used to powerful formulae that make skin feel tight and squeaky clean may find it difficult to accept. Many individuals mistake this sensation for one of effectiveness, when it is actually an indication of over drying or damage.

Most people still believe that cleaning harder would solve any skin problem, whether it’s dull skin, acne, or age spots.  That is everyone’s response “Susan Taylor, MD, of Philadelphia’s Society Hill Dermatology and a spokesman for Johnson & Johnson’s Neutrogena and Clean & Clear skin-care products, agrees.

Most individuals still assume that scrubbing harder would address any skin issue, including dullness, acne, and age spots. That is how everyone reacts.” Susan Taylor, MD, of Society Hill Dermatology in Philadelphia and a spokesperson for Johnson & Johnson’s Neutrogena and Clean & Clear skin-care lines, concurs.

Surfactants, a chemical or natural ingredient that helps break down the skin’s surface tension, are found in most washing products. According to Menas Kizoulis, scientific engagement leader on Johnson & Johnson Consumer Cos.’ R&D team, the cleanser absorbs dirt and oil and eliminates it after rinsing.

The surfactant interacts with the stratum corneum, the skin’s outermost layer and protective barrier, while eliminating debris and oil, and this is where issues occur. Mr. Kizoulis claims that the surfactant might strip the skin of its natural oils, resulting in overdrying. It can also stick to the stratum corneum, aggravating irritation.

According to Patricia Farris, a dermatologist in Metairie, Louisiana, and a fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology, stinging, burning, and irritation are “really an indication of dangerous skin stripping.” A weakened skin barrier renders a person more vulnerable to illness as well as environmental toxins like pollution. “We don’t want to be feeling squeaky clean. It’s far too assertive “Dr. Farris agrees. “I get the squeaky clean feeling,” Stephanie Samuel, a 28-year-old Chicago attorney, told her dermatologist. In response, the doctor said, “No way! There will be no squeaking!” Ms. Samuel now uses a gentle morning cleanser and an exfoliating evening cleanser.

According to Euromonitor International, facial washing has been a growth potential for the skin-care business in recent years, with sales of cleansing liquids, creams, bars, and wipes reaching $1.8 billion last year, up about 4% from the previous year and more than 7% from 2010.

There weren’t many backers when Clarisonic’s inventors set out to produce their first face-cleansing device.  People dislike having to do it “Robb Akridge, a co-founder of Clarisonic, an unit of L’Oréal, and the company’s worldwide general manager, was told by one dermatologist.

According to several dermatologists, the resulting device, a motorised oscillating brush, has reignited consumer interest in the cleansing category.

According to Dr. Akridge, the bristles move rapidly back and forth by roughly a millimetre, which “wiggles” the dirt out of the pores.

The device may be operated with just a gentle touch. However, Clarisonic anticipated that some people would “want to push vigorously, like they were scrubbing the floor,” according to Dr. Akridge. As a result, it included a safety feature: if too much pressure is applied, the motor will continue to run but the bristles will cease moving.

Pre-moistened face towelettes or wipes are another source of growth. Consumers prefer the convenience, according to Ido Leffler, co-founder of Yes to Inc., a line of natural skin-care products. They may be used at the gym or at bedtime for a quick cleanse. Wipes are kept on their bedside tables, according to friends.

Mr. Leffler explained, “They return home after a little bit of a hard night, a little bit weary and a little bit inebriated, and use the towelette to remove their makeup.” Yes to product development manager Amy Hart says the towelettes have a different texture than washing with water but provide the same level of cleanliness.

Dermatologists advise that you cleanse your face at night. It eliminates makeup as well as debris, filth, and pollutants that have accumulated on the skin over the day. Some dermatologists believe that people who don’t have a serious skin problem, such as acne, can skip the soap and simply rinse in the morning. Over best body cleanser causes dry skin, which is an issue for people as they get older, she explains.

For guys, the most important aspect of face cleaning is the product they use—or don’t use. According to Rob Candelino, vice president of marketing for skin care at Unilever, which owns the Dove Men+Care brand, about half of men only wash their faces with water. Many men use a bar of ordinary body soap, shampoo, or anything else they may find in the shower as a cleaner. To make matters worse, guys don’t moisturise or use sunscreen on a daily basis, making them more prone to dryness and sun damage, according to Mr. Candelino. He also notes that alcohol-based cosmetics like aftershave might irritate the skin.

Dr. Gerstner recommends that men wash their faces in the evening with a cleanser to remove grime and oil. The early cleanse, which often overlaps with the morning shave, is optional, she says, especially if the skin is dry. To make shaving easier, men should soften their skin and beard with a warm, damp towel before shaving.

Cleansers that froth or produce suds are preferred by many Americans, particularly teenagers. “They like the sensation,” says Cindy Kee, senior brand manager at Galderma Laboratories’ Cetaphil line of gentle skin-care products, both foaming and nonfoaming. People also believe that foam cleans better, which is untrue.

Scrubbing becomes a habit as a teenager, when the skin produces more oil and breakouts are typical. “Teens really seek that deep-down-to-the-pores type clean,” says Katie Decker, Johnson & Johnson’s group brand director. The first breakout occurs at an average age of 13 years old. According to Ms. Decker, girls aged 13 to 17 spend an average of 34 minutes per day on skin care, which is 11 minutes more than the national average for all women.

Acne patients are prone to over cleansing, either with harsh treatments or by scrubbing their skin hard. “You can’t wash your pimples off your face,” says Katie Rodan, a dermatologist and co-founder of Guthy Renker’s Proactiv three-step treatment. Many acne cleansers leave a therapeutic ingredient like benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid on the skin to kill bacteria and absorb oil.

Exfoliators, which include particles that remove dead cells from the skin’s surface, are also becoming more mild. The Pro-X Microdermabrasion Plus Advance Cleansing System, from Procter & Gamble Co.’s Olay brand, promises a gentler experience with a gadget that includes a motorised spinning brush, a foam head, and a one-minute timer.

According to Laura Goodman, a senior scientist at P&G, many exfoliators contain sharp, jagged crystals made from apricot pits or nuts that can cut into the skin, causing irritation and inflammation. The Pro-X recipe contains small, spherical sodium bicarbonate crystals (commonly known as baking soda) that dissolve during washing.

Courtesy: Best Body Cleanser