Why is washing your face important?

Why is washing your face important? Read on to learn more.

It’s winter—a time when the harshness of the weather can leave our skin dry and sensitive. Ready to reverse the damage of winter on your skin?

The first step of any good facial care system is to use a nourishing cleanser for your skin’s specific need.

What is the purpose of a cleanser?

A cleanser is a facial and body care product that is used to remove make-up, dead skin cells, oil, dirt and other types of pollutants from the skin.  This helps to unclog pores and prevent skin conditions such as acne.

Now, let’s take a look at the scientific research behind WHY you should cleanse.  (Too much ‘sciencey’ talk?  Skip to the bottom to learn how you can keep your skin looking younger using toxin free products).

5 IMPORTANT REASONS YOU MUST CLEANSE YOUR FACE MORNING & NIGHT

1. Research shows cleansing before bed is essential to looking younger, longer.

Every day your skin is aging. And the very simple process of washing your face before bed is an excellent way to mitigate the external factors associated with aging and to stimulate the internal processes that fight aging.

Research has shown that certain physiological changes in the skin do occur overnight. Like many of our organs, our skin can tell night from day. Biological processes vary over 24 hours as a result of time-sensitive “clocks” within our cells, said Dr. David R. Weaver, a neurobiology professor at the U of Mass Medical School. Some evidence exists linking circadian clocks to cell cycle (cells dividing to replenish dead ones) and DNA repair, the natural process by which a cell regularly detoxifies itself.

Overnight, the skin needs oxygen to repair itself. And sleeping with your makeup on deprives your skin of this vital nutrient. “When makeup is left on, it blocks the natural exfoliating process, which can leave your skin looking dull”, says Dr. Robins Ashinoff, Director of Cosmetic Dermatology at Hackensack Medical Center in New Jersey.

2. Nighttime cleansing is essential for letting anti-aging ingredients work.

Nocturnal blood flow in the skin is higher. And when blood flow is increased, so is absorption and penetration of ingredients. So again, if you aren’t washing your face, you can’t apply actives that help fight aging, acne or whatever your skin condition might be.

Thus, if you’re not washing your face before bed, you’re missing an opportunity to do something great for your skin and to wake up with smoother, softer, clearer skin.

3. Forgoing nighttime cleansing regularly will give you larger pores.

First, consider that excess sebum (oil), dead skin cells, and pollution are sitting on your face. Not to mention makeup (non-foundation makeup counts, too!). A cleanser will emulsify all of these factors and remove them from the surface of your skin. According to Dr. Dennis Gross, M.D., when makeup is left on, it can seep deep down, clogging pores. He also says that once your collagen levels start to decline (due to aging), the pores do not snap back as easily once they become enlarged. And, leaving makeup on can lead to inflammation that can generate free radicals and collagen breakdown.

4. Nighttime cleansing prevents skin dehydration.

Skin temperature rises overnight which leads to trans-epidermal water loss (evaporation).

This in part causes the skin to lose a significant portion of water at night.  According to an article about Nocturnal Itch, by the Departments of Dermatology and Neurobiology & Anatomy at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) significantly increases at night, which is why our skin can sometimes feel more itchy at night. Thus, if you don’t wash your face, you can’t apply a moisturizer which will help hydrate your skin while you sleep.

5. Daytime cleansing prevents excess oil production.

I know what you’re thinking: So why then do I have to wash it again in the morning if I went to bed with it clean? As we just learned, overnight, your skin recovers. Which means in the morning, you have more dead skin cells to slough off. And more excess sebum to emulsify. These can’t be rinsed away with mere water. Here’s an analogy: I own 2 cats and I can tell you for certain that when my favorite sweater is full of cat hair I can shake it all I want, but that hair isn’t budging unless I take a lint roller to it. Same with dead skin cells and excess sebum…you need to dislodge them & then rinse them away. Water alone removes only about 65% of oil and debris from the surface of the skin. Think about what you’re leaving behind—yikes!

Now that you know about the why around washing your face, let’s talk about the how.

3 steps on how to keep your skin healthy and young looking:

1. CLEANSE!  Every morning and evening, cleanse your face using either a soap-based or lotion based cleanser.
2. TONE! Use a gentle toner to help balance the pH of the skin.
3. MOISTURIZE! Use a moisturizer that is right for you and your skin type. 

Check out our facial cleansers here.