Skin Cleansing | Why Do Every Skin Type Needs a Gentle Cleanser?

 

Do you wish to practice effective skin cleansing with gentle cleansers to retain your skin health?

In skin care, one cannot stress enough the importance of a good cleansing habit — especially if you have oily to combination skin type. You’d think getting rid of the last trace of oil on your skin avoids acne and excess oil production. So did I. Hence, using strong cleansers seemed to be the ideal practice. And that has been the most misguided skincare philosophy I stuck with throughout my teenage and early twenties. 

I love gentle cleansers. From my experience, I can definitely vouch for the goodness of mild cleansers. Hopefully, this article will educate you about some of the most searched queries like:

• Gentle cleanser for oily skin

• Gentle cleanser for combination skin

• Gentle cleanser for acne

What Is a Gentle Cleanser?

Gentle cleansers contain hydrating and non-foaming formulas designed to be mild yet remove impurities. They have moisturising and soothing ingredients that come in either lotion/cream or gel consistency.

Pause and Think Before You Splurge on Harsh Cleansers

Our skin goes through a lot with the hassles of daily hustle, pollution and weather change. People in humid environments will understand the struggle of dealing with oily skin and the trail of skin issues that follows. Most people choose harsh cleansers over gentle formulas. While it is true that our skin needs to get rid of the toxic build-up, it requires nourishment. 

Before delving into cleansers, you should understand the function of proper oil regulation on your skin’s surface. 

The Truth About How Natural Oil Benefit Your Skin

To simplify the science, the oil present in our skin are actually lipids that act as a defence against the physical environment. Lipids aid our skin in healing. Linoleic acid is one of the good fatty acids on the skin that is also essential for healthy oil regulation and skin hydration. Its absence leads to excess sebum production that gradually clogs our skin. 

People with oily and acne-prone skin must understand that depriving your skin entirely of oil does not make acne disappear. It instead triggers a cycle of mass oil production that is more than required, making your skin oilier.

You Need to Strike a Balance

Healthy skin comprises a balanced pH. The pH numeric scale indicates the acidic and alkaline levels of substances. Likewise, our skin’s normal pH falls between 4.5 to 6. It means our skin is slightly acidic to keep bacteria at bay while retaining moisture. 

Our skin barrier just needs that right balance to avoid excess oiliness, dryness and skin conditions. This is where gentle cleansers do the job of not disturbing our skin’s pH balance. For this reason, many skincare brands gravitate towards products with balanced pH levels. 

Why Should You Stop Using Over-stripping Foaming Cleansers?

Coming to the point, oily skin does require natural skin lipids. Using harsh foamy cleansers only disturbs the cycle of oil regulation. Harsh cleansers trick our skin into producing more oil or sebum that clogs the pores, causing acne. I’ve learnt that squeaky-clean skin is actually a red flag in skin care. Rather than indicating clean and healthy skin, over-stripped skin signifies dehydration.  

Cleansing Mistakes to Avoid

Over-stripping

Avoid formulations with strong cleansing agents. These foaming face washes contain surfactants like Sodium lauryl sulphate and over-drying denatured alcohol (SD alcohol).

Excessive Rubbing  

Don’t over-rub products on the skin’s surface while cleansing. Gently massage in circular motions. 

Over Washing

Do not wash your face several times a day with cleansers. It makes your skin feel tighter and prone to irritation and itchiness. 

Scrubbing

Most importantly, avoid cleansers that contain scrubs or physical exfoliation beads. Face scrubs cause more harm in the long run, like barrier damage, hyperpigmentation and skin ageing. 

Why Should You Go Gentle?

The goal is simple — you need the dirt removed, not deprive your skin of nourishment. Yes, this applies to oily skin types, and all skin types actually. You should go gentle because you can still have oily skin even after using strong cleansers. What you think is oil-free skin is actually your skin’s surface getting dehydrated and that is harmful. It only maximises the cycle of excess pore-clogging sebum leading to breakouts. 

What to Look For in Gentle Cleansers

Gentle cleansers may contain oil-based or water-based formulations with very little to zero fragrance. I prefer zero-fragrance products.

The formulations usually have fatty alcohols like stearic alcohol and cetyl alcohol. Unlike SD alcohols, fatty alcohols cleanse effectively, while maintaining skin surface equilibrium. Common ingredients also include glycerin, ceramides, and aloe vera. 

Always check the ingredients list before you purchase any product. Further, the additional presence of linoleic acid, niacinamide and zinc in some formulations are great for oily skin types. 

How My Gentle Cleanser Helped Clear My Acne

I replaced my over-stripping facewash containing sulphates and drying alcohols upon my dermatologist’s recommendation. At the time, I was struggling with hormonal acne on my cheeks and little did I know that harsh cleansers and scrubs aggravated my breakouts. 

Along with oral medication and a topical ointment, gentle cleansers became a part of my skincare routine thereon. As my acne took a few months to disappear, I noticed how my cleanser nourished my skin, especially the parts unaffected by pimples. While the medication and treatment played a role in clearing my hormonal acne, I believe using a gentle, soap-free cleanser curbed inflammation and restored my skin’s pH balance. With time, my acne was reduced to the occasional one or two pimples. 

A couple of years later, I’m still hooked on mild cleansers. I found my go-to staple cleanser in Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser.   

How to Use Gentle Cleansers

The simple steps involve:

1. Washing your face twice a day with a soap-free and preferably fragrance-free cleanser

2. Using lukewarm water for rinsing

Still Doubtful, Are We? Double-cleanse with a Gentle Cleanser

If there is one thing Korean skincare has taught the world, it’s double-cleansing. You can use two different cleansers (oil-based cleanser followed by water-based cleanser) or simply use the same cleanser twice, as I do. The second cleanse effectively flushes out any residue left after the first wash. 

Be Gentle: Treat Your Skin Like a Baby!

It is always worth choosing a simple cleanser that need not cost you too much money. The formulation matters more. And, if you think gentle cleansers are only for sensitive and dry skin types, think again. Oily skin requires moisture too. Balance, remember?

Gentle cleansers have become indispensable in my ever-evolving skincare routine.

Ask yourself whether using strong foaming cleansers controlled excess oil and nourished your skin. If not, try going gentle, double cleanse, and see the results.