Let’s get back to basics…… Step 1 - Cleansing!
Quite often in the clinic, when we are discussing your home regime at consultation stage, we discuss the basics. By basics, I mean your cleanse, serum, moisturise in the morning and double cleanse, serum moisturise at night. It’s a three-step regime, very simple and basic but hugely important to maintain a healthy skin.
AM Routine
Cleanse
Serum
Moisturise
PM Routine
Double Cleanse
Serum
Moisturise
“Double cleanse”, I hear you say…...Well yes, and here’s why.
Ensuring your skin is clean is probably the most under-rated step of everyone’s routine. Imagine applying your active serums on top of “dirty, blocked, make-up filled, oily” pores – sacrilege!!!!
Active serums by nature are designed to penetrate the skin at a deeper level than your moisturiser and make physical changes to your skin cells, depending on your specific condition & desired result. (serums are best chosen with the expertise of a skin therapist to ascertain what is best for your skin type). Applying these on top of unclean skin will ensure you drag dirt & debris deeper into your skin, aggravating congestion and adding to breakout & bacterial imbalances.
To ensure you have a clean skin, its imperative you double cleanse at night (triple if necessary) and then cleanse again in the morning. Creating a little am/pm ritual for cleansing will encourage you to do this daily and form a daily routine that becomes seconds nature to you. Like brushing your teeth. Telling yourself you don’t have time, quite frankly is a complete copout! It only takes 5 minutes of your time in the morning and 5 in the evening. Yes, that’s very do-able, right???
As you go about your day, apart from the make-up you probably applied in the morning, you come in contact with various pollutants, bacteria, dirt and grime that all sit on your skin, unknowns’ to you. Your first cleanse in the evening will remove the first layer of this debris. Micellaire water or pre cleansing oils are very common first cleanse choices. They are quick to use, and easily dissolve the product/debris for easy removal. Ideal substitutes for anyone (hopefully no one reading this!!!) who still use face wipes. (Did I mention facewipes are the devil when it comes to skincare?? Pop them in your kitchen cleaning cupboard instead and next time your oven needs cleaning whip them out. You’ll have it stripped of the oily residue in no time. Imagine what they do to your precious skin- OMG, it gives me the heebie-jeebies!).
Yonka Eau Micellaire is a fabulous first cleanse choice. Infused with sea lavender, rose and camomile that soothe, hydrate and refresh the skin instantly while expertly cleansing the skin quickly. Apply to a cotton pad and gently wipe the face to cleanse. Repeat until cotton pad is clean.
Yonka Eau Micellaire
Suitable for: All skin types
Next, your second cleanse will thoroughly remove any stubborn, remaining product/debris form your first cleanse that may have been trapped in your pores and ensure your skin is squeaky clean & ready for step 2, your serum.
Cleanser comes in many forms from, water, milk, lotion, cream to foaming gels. Again, your choice of cleanser should be decided at consultation stage to ensure you are choosing the correct one to treat your skin & skin concerns. Active cleanser can be introduced as a second cleanse. These not only help to exfoliate the skin but also tackle any specific skincare concern you may have, be it pigmentation, acne, sensitivity, dryness and much more. These should always be applied to a clean skin and massaged/worked into the skin for 60 seconds, then removed thoroughly.
IMAGE Ormedic balancing facial cleanser – This aloe vera based, daily gel cleanser helps balance ph levels in the skin. Leaves skin feeling clean and refreshed. It is suitable for all skin types and much loved by combination skin types.
Image Clear Cell Clarifying Gel Cleanser – This foaming salicylic based gel cleanser eliminates excess oil while lightly exfoliating dead skin cells and keeping the skin smooth, soft and shine free. It is ideal for oily/acne prone and teenage skins. Not suitable for anyone allergic to aspirin. Therapist guidance is needed when using this product.
IMAGE Ormedic Balancing Facial Cleanser
Suitable for: All skin types
IMAGE Clear Cell Clarifying Gel Cleanser
NB: Therapist advice recommended before use.
Suitable for: Oily/acne prone/problematic/teenage skin.
So why cleanse again in the morning? Did you know your skin heals and repairs itself at night while you sleep? During this active, hardworking process it naturally creates oil/sebum/fluids that can sit on the surface of your skin. You may even awake quite sluggish and puffy as a result. Again, to allow adequate product, specific ingredient penetration from your products it is advised to clean these fluids/oils from the skin and start your day with a fresh clean skin. You’ll even feel all the better for it as it will wake you up and aid your lymphatic drainage to reduce any puffiness in the skin.
Gentle cleansers like, Yonka Lait Nettoyant are ideal in the morning. This 2-1 milk will calm and cleanse your skin while efficiently removing all traces of makeup. With a purifying mixture of borneol and hydrating plant based cleansing agents, it creates balance for your skin’s natural oils. Great for dry or mature skin types.
Yonka Lait Nettoyant Cleansing Milk
Suitable for: All skin types/Dry Skin/ Mature Skin
If all this still has you questioning the power of a basic “double cleanse” cleansing routine, check out my “Cleanse Test” in the highlight section of our Instagram page. USERNAME: secretessence_birr
– it’s an eye opener!!
We have many cleansing options at Secret Essence. Choosing the right one for you is only one choice away. Book your skin consultation today so we can assess your skin and give you all the advice you need to make an informed decision which cleanser is best for you.