Here's How to Tell You Might Be Over-Cleansing Your Face

Cleansing your face is unarguably the most basic yet critical step of the skincare routine. But how much is too much when it comes to this radiant skin-creating step? 

People might wonder, how hard could it be? splashing some water on the face, rubbing in cleanser, and rinse, that's all. Well, yes, it can be that straightaway for some people, but figuring out how to gently treat your delicate skin, actually takes a little more effort than that. 

In fact, a surprising number of people don't understand how to properly cleanse their face — whether that takes the form of over-cleansing, using the wrong products, or just not cleansing at all. A well-cleansed skin is more able to absorb vital nutrients, thus boosting the efficacy of every other product you apply onto your face.

Now, let’s tackle over-cleansing and find out the key to make the face washing step more enjoyable (for you and your face!) 

What’s the Deal With pH?

Before cleansing your face, make sure you got the right product for the face. 

The concept is that if the cleanser is close to the skin’s naturally acidic pH (5.5), it will be more gentle on your skin and preserves the acid mantle (the slightly acidic layer made up of sebum, dead skin cells and sweat). The acid mantle is what maintains skin health and wards off bacterial infections.

Unfortunately, many standard cleanser options, like soap and sulfate-based formulas, can skew high on the pH scale (soap is generally between pH 9 and 10) and strip down the acid mantle. 

Whereas, an ideal cleanser can help remove dirt, pollutants and some dead skin cells as well as unclogging pores and prepare the skin for the next step in your skincare routine in a comfortable way. 

Know more the gentle formula cleanser: Know More Clarity Cleanser

The amount of cleanser you need are less than you think

Check the 3 options below, which would be the one that you are familiar with when it comes to your facial cleanser amount per use?

Surprisingly, we found that most people's amount per use would look like option A or B. The truth is, these might be already more than what you actually need for cleansing your entire face. 

Now, we'd like to invite you to try a experiment: half the amount of your gentle facial cleanser tonight, and see what would happen. 

You might find that your skin feels dewy and moisturized after washing. Remember, this is all your face needs for cleansing! 

3 Face-cleansing reminders for a dewy, hydrated skin

Reminder 1: what are the symptoms of over-cleansing?

If your skin feels taut, tight, dry, or having this "squeaky clean" sensation, it means the cleansing ingredients or the cleansing mechanism was too strong, as in addition to cleansing, the surfactant has broken down a significant number of bonds in your skin that form the lipid barrier for protection. 

Know more about:Unnecessary Ingredient List

Remember, your skin is naturally acidic, so that a cleanser that is slightly alkaloid can help remove the impurities. However, if using too much, it might strip skin of its essential oils and cause redness or even dry skin patches. 

This is why, we would like to invite you to practice halving the amount of facial cleanser that is also gentle and kind on your skin, as it will help leaving your moisture barrier intact every time you wash your face.  

Tip: If you like that squeaky clean feeling after cleansing your face, use a gently wash cloth when you are rinsing your cleanser. This will help make the skin feel squeaky clean without exhausting its water level.

Reminder 2: Steer clear of cleansing in the shower

It makes sense to wash our face while in shower, however, water in the shower is usually much hotter than we'd like on our face, which might dehydrate the skin. 

Next time, try to cleanser and rinse with tepid water before you hop in, so that your skin can stay calm and not get irritated. 

Reminder 3: Finally, don't wait to moisturize your skin! 

As soon as you’ve cleansed, start your skincare regimen to keep the skin hydrated and your skin will be able to absorb the nutrients faster too. More so the winter, when there is low humidity, water acts like a magnet, it will attract water out from the deep layers of skin and evaporate into the dry air, causing tighter and tauter skin.

After cleansing, when your skin is still damp, apply your product whether it's toner, serum or moisturizer, so that your skin can stay moist and hydrated. 

The best toner to use in the winter is Know More Awakening Toner, as it help soothes irritation and dryness, and keep the skin rebalanced. Also, there's tips for choosing the most suitable hydrating serum to improve dehydrated skin 

How to wash your face? Now you know, and the minimal dosage will help have your cleansing routine sorted and ready for even more radiant skin!