We are accustomed to being taught to wash our face in the morning and before bed. If everything is clear with evening washing - the face needs to be cleansed of cosmetics and city dust, then what about morning?

Is it really important to wash off the sebum secreted overnight and will it harm the skin? Opinions for and against - read on!

Opinion "for"

Dermatologist Jennifer Seegar, whom many Hollywood stars go to, insists that cleansing in the morning is very important and you need to wash your face thoroughly using a special product.

“Cleansing morning and evening is very important. This is a key care mandatory for all skin types. This way you remove bacteria and dirt that accumulate during the night without damaging the skin or breaking the natural barrier. In addition, the pillowcase and pillow contain sweat and dust (unless, of course, you change one and the other daily). And washing your face also reminds you of your morning skin care ritual, because you shouldn’t apply cream to a dirty and greasy face?” Mrs. Seegar, a doctor of medical sciences and an experienced dermatologist, argued her answer.

Opinion "against"

Ava-Shamban, a dermatologist in California, says this one isn't necessary unless you're the kind of person who showers first thing in the morning. In addition, water, especially chlorinated and aggressive water, disrupts the lipid layer, dries the skin and provokes premature aging.

"If in the evenings you use night cream for the face, it simply cannot absorb dirt and dust overnight. Also, do not wash off the active ingredients of the cream that you applied before going to bed,” says the specialist.

Conclusion: If you have already dry skin, which, as a result of washing, becomes even more irritated and dries out (this especially often happens in the fall), there is no point in tormenting it in the morning, because it does not become particularly dirty and does not collect dust during the night. Well, if you still can’t live without washing your face in the morning, then know that you are washing away all the active ingredients that you applied to your face in the evening and they do not act throughout the day.

Is it necessary to wash your face with a cleansing gel in the morning, are surfactants harmful, do you need to wash off the micellar product, and why is it better to avoid sponges and washcloths for your face? Cosmetologist of the Beauty Time clinic Teona Tsertsvadze answered the question about how to wash your face in the morning and evening for BeautyHack.

Teona Tsertsvadze dermatocosmetologist at the aesthetic medicine clinic “Time of Beauty”

Do not exclude either morning or evening

There is a myth that you only need to wash your face with a cleanser in the evening, and in the morning it is enough to rinse your face with water. This is wrong!

In the evening we wash off makeup, dust and toxins. During the night, the skin exfoliates on its own and produces even more sebum and sweat than during the day. Theoretically, in the morning it is even dirtier - at night the skin actively worked and regenerated. Therefore, be sure to use a cleansing gel or foam twice a day.

Don't be afraid of surfactants

There is no need to be afraid of surfactants (surfactants) and look for products that do not contain them. Without surfactants, you will not be able to effectively cleanse your skin - cosmetic residues and pollution caused by the environment have a much worse effect than cleansing ingredients.

Do not keep cleanser on your skin

A cleanser is not a mask. If you lather your face and want your makeup to dissolve, do not leave the foam on for more than 20-30 seconds. Advice: it is better to lather the skin 2-3 times and wash it off immediately rather than leave it on for a long time.

Always rinse off with micellar water

All hydrophilic oils and micellar water must be washed off! And not just water, but cleansing foam.

If a certain product dissolves mascara and Foundation, imagine what it can do to your skin! Micelles are lipids (oily substances) that will not wash off without the help of foam or gel. A simple comparison: if you wipe a dirty plate vegetable oil, the food that has stuck to it will become soggy and come off, but the surface of the plate will still remain greasy. Same with skin!

Scrubbing - no more than 1-2 times a week

Be sure to exfoliate your skin - you should help it renew itself. But if you scrub or peel more often than 1-2 times a week, instead of removing dead scales, you can damage the top layer and protective barrier.

Cleansing sponges - absolutely not

I am strongly against sponges and sponges for the face - they are a breeding ground for bacteria, you will never be able to rinse them properly. The only option is to wash your face with a new sponge every time.

If you use a brush, boil the nozzle

Electric brushes like the Clarisonic are a good way to cleanse, replacing scrubs. I recommend using them no more than 1-2 times a week. But like sponges, brushes quickly become dirty - you can’t imagine how much bacteria remains between the bristles even after washing with soap. Therefore, my advice is to pour boiling water over the nozzle before each use.

After washing, use toner

Many girls believe that tonic is not a necessary step in their beauty routine. This is a big mistake. Tonic is the final step of your cleansing; it normalizes the Ph balance disturbed during the washing process. Also, after toner, you may not need moisturizer - it may be enough.

Text: Nino Takaishvili

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Proper cleansing of facial skin is the key to beautiful and healthy skin. Thorough, but at the same time gentle cleansing will rid the skin of excess sebum, residues cosmetics, dust and dirt that have accumulated during the day. The correct cleansing process will help get rid of clogged pores, pimples and blackheads, so you definitely can’t neglect it!

Quite often, girls choose regular soap as a facial cleanser. Typically, soap is the result of a chemical reaction between fat and lye. As a result of washing, such a product can disrupt the acid-base balance of the skin. This causes the skin to lose its natural defenses and become susceptible to attack by bacteria and infections.

Another reason why you should not wash your face with soap is that it disrupts the hydrolipid balance of the skin. As a result, the skin becomes dry, tight and more sensitive. Also, do not forget that soap most often contains aggressive surfactants that can cause irritation, dryness and allergies. And surfactants such as SLS and SLES can clog pores and lead to acne.

Read also

Since the soap was created primarily for cleansing the skin of the hands, it is quite logical that some of its ingredients are not at all suitable for cleansing the delicate skin of the face. As you already know, various oils are used to produce this product, including coconut oil. But this particular oil is one of the most comedogenic - it can expand, enlarge and clog pores.

Chemist and technologist-developer of cosmetics Yulia Gagarina comments on the situation:

If we talk about the importance of the cleansing stage, then it all comes down to the following... Inadequate or “hard” cleansing of the skin makes subsequent care largely pointless. Even an expensive and high-quality cream will then work anyhow, and not at full capacity. And all because if the cleanser violates the protective barrier of the skin (“washes until it’s squeaky”, the skin is dry, tight), then the cream begins to “patch holes in the protection” rather than “repair” deeper cellular damage.

Therefore, products such as soap (even supernatural) or washing gels on SLS / SLES are not the best choice for those who want to have healthy and beautiful skin.

For effective care for facial skin it is not enough just to choose good cosmetics for hydration and nutrition. It is important to know how to clean it and how to wash your face properly. After all, small scales that appear as a result of renewal of the upper layer of the epidermis, sweat, fat, and dust constantly accumulate on the skin surface. This means that an environment is created that is conducive to the proliferation of microbes. If you carry out a seemingly simple daily procedure incorrectly or do not wash your face with water at all, pores become clogged, inflammation, rashes, peeling occur, and the functioning of the secreting glands is disrupted.

But at the same time, you shouldn’t go to the other extreme. You should wash your face no more than twice a day: in the morning and in the evening before bed. Because you can overdo it and dry out your skin. Frequent washing does not allow the secreted protective layer of the skin to recover, and this leads to the predominance of pathogenic bacteria and the appearance of minor, but life-poisoning, troubles.

• What kind of water is used?

Tap water is suitable if there are good filters and it is not hard. Otherwise, it must be boiled and softened with ¼ tsp. soda per liter of water or acidify with ½ tsp. boric or citric acid. Untreated and untreated water contains impurities of harmful metals and chlorine. They can cause irritation, redness and dryness of the skin.

If you don’t have cleaning equipment and the desire to boil, you can make melt water. To do this, fill a plastic container (for example, a plastic bottle) with water and place it in the freezer. After freezing, take it out to defrost. We drain the first small amount of thawed water, as all harmful salts and metals collect in it. We leave the rest to thaw further and warm up to room temperature.

It’s good, if opportunities allow, to use mineral water. Not every product sold in bottles in the store is suitable for washing. It is necessary to pay attention to the presence of minerals in the composition, the location of extraction and the depth of the well.

Washing with mineral water makes the skin fresh, elastic, silky, and evens out the complexion well.

• What is your skin type?

It is difficult to identify a universal method of washing and a product suitable for everyone. In every specific case it is necessary to take into account inclinations and characteristics skin. After all, what is good for oily skin, then most often it is not suitable for dry. Therefore, it is important to know your type and select cleansers and optimal water temperature accordingly.

For normal and dry skin types, wash your face with slightly warm water. Hot cleanses well, but greatly degreases and dehydrates the skin, so it is only suitable for oily skin, and even then, not for an everyday procedure. Cold can be used in the warm season, mainly during the last rinse to improve blood circulation and tighten pores. Both hot and ice water are strictly contraindicated for aging skin. New wrinkles, sagging, and a bluish tint will be difficult to avoid.

• Are you allergic to anything?

If such problems exist, it is necessary to choose gentle solutions individually. detergents or do without them altogether, using folk recipes.

How to wash your face in the morning

For morning procedure Do not use soap, special commercial cleansers, washcloths, or brushes. It is enough to rinse several times with water at room temperature: filtered, melted, boiled or mineral. After washing, gently walk over your face with a tonic that does not contain alcohol. For dryness or a feeling of tightness, apply a thin layer of day cream. For oily skin types, it is better to use cosmetic ice. It will reduce sebaceous secretions, improve microcirculation in the capillaries and remove unpleasant shine on the face.

How to wash your face in the evening

Before going to bed, it is necessary to thoroughly cleanse the skin of impurities and natural secretions and prepare it for rest so that it can freely “breathe” and be enriched with oxygen. First you need to remove your makeup with a special milk or cream.

It is not recommended to use soap for these purposes, especially if it is dry and flaky. Since it creates an aggressive alkaline environment, it dries and impoverishes the skin surface. In some cases it causes allergies. Its use is justified for heavily soiled and very oily skin with rashes and blackheads. It is only advisable to choose children's or laundry soap, it is more gentle, does not contain dyes, preservatives and fragrances. Wash your face with it in the evening and not every day.

Store-bought cleansers

• Cleansing oil. Apply to a damp face with gentle massaging movements, excluding the eye area. Then rinse thoroughly. The oil dissolves well in water and does not remain on the skin. However, it is recommended for dry types.
• Detergent foam. Foams well and cleanses the skin perfectly. Suitable for any skin.
• Cleansing gel. There are two types of it. Non-greasy, easy for oily skin. A softening gel containing fatty ingredients for dry skin.

Folk remedies for washing

• Finely ground oat flakes. Soak a handful of chopped oatmeal in warm water, apply to a face cleansed of cosmetics, massage lightly and then rinse off. It nourishes the skin well. As an exfoliant, flakes exfoliate and remove dead particles. Ideal for any skin type.
• Milk. Daily washing with it is suitable for dry and sensitive skin. With increased fat content and existing inflammation, it is not advisable to use milk for washing, as it can intensify unpleasant processes due to the creation of a favorable environment for microbes.
• Rice water. It's easy to prepare. Soak the washed rice in warm boiled water 1/1 for several hours. Then wash with this tincture. It moisturizes, nourishes, makes the skin soft and velvety.
• Herbal decoctions. Herbs such as St. John's wort, chamomile, string, oak bark, mint, plantain are suitable for oily skin. For dry: linden, sage, raspberry and strawberry leaves. Any herb is brewed at the rate of 1 tbsp. spoon per glass of boiling water.

How not to wash your face. Common Mistakes

1. Wash with unfiltered running water. It contains substances harmful to the skin, salts, and chlorine.
2. After the procedure, immediately go outside, especially in frosty or windy weather. This leads to hypothermia of the skin, chapping and, as a result, premature aging.
3. Wash your face too often and use soap for this. The layer that protects from aggressive environmental influences is washed off. The skin becomes inflamed and dry.
4. Too cold water with prolonged daily exposure impairs blood circulation and skin nutrition, slows down metabolic processes.
5. Excessively thorough drying of the face with a towel from top to bottom. This leads to sagging, new wrinkles and early aging of the skin.
6. Using antibacterial soap. Not only pathogenic but beneficial bacteria are killed.

Carrying out proper care By keeping your skin clean, you can enjoy its beauty for many years and keep the secret of your true age.

How to wash your face correctly and is it necessary to do it at all? One of the most important questions and, well, what can we hide, the most asked. My practice shows that most people do not know and do not know how to wash themselves. The reasons are different; some don’t know how, some don’t understand why, some don’t use the products, and don’t understand how to choose new ones. So they walk around unwashed. Some people, on the contrary, try too hard and dry out the skin.

So why is this so important?

To do this, let's remember the school biology course. Sebaceous glands are exocrine glands located throughout the surface of the skin. They are divided into two types: connected to the hair follicle or independent. Their secret is sebum, fatty lubricant of the skin, its natural cream. In summer, sebum is more liquid and fluid, in winter it is thicker. (In the future, I will write in more detail about the sebaceous glands, their structure and features in detail). Sebum is always produced on the skin; it mixes with particles of skin, cosmetics and dust. One of the jobs of sebum is to protect the skin. It works like a filter, collecting all the dirt. Now our task is to cleanse from the face everything that has accumulated there during the day. Remove excess sebum without drying out the skin.

What do we use to wash ourselves with? Soap is the answer that most people usually give.

Soap, soap

Soap, soap

I washed myself endlessly

Wash off the wax too

And ink

From an unwashed face.

(Korney Chukovsky)

The entire former USSR washed itself with soap. Convenient, cheap and cheerful, and most importantly, there was nothing except soap, but soaps were also somewhat different then. Now it is written about the dangers of soap - it cannot be rewritten, it has been said - it cannot be retold. But the problem has not gone away! Dermatologists and cosmetologists are shouting from all corners and sides: “Citizens, (comrade, gentlemen and masters) do not wash your face with soap!” The gentlemen seem to agree not to wash with soap, but you need to wash with something. And then certified cosmetologists, dermatologists and other distinguished figures offer to wash your face... liquid soap! Well, just like the saying goes, it was a waste of time. Only here it’s soap and water.

Imagine, a patient comes to the doctor, who tells him:

Darling, you drink a lot of vodka, your liver is acting up, you can’t have vodka!

What should I drink then?

Well...maybe cognac.

It's the same here. The fact is that the composition of all soap-containing substances is very similar. And it equally irritates the skin and dries it out. As a result, the sebaceous glands will produce even more oil, leaving the skin dehydrated. In the evening we will hit the sebaceous glands with soap, and in order not to relax, we will also hit them in the morning. Particularly advanced beauty guardians suggest washing your face with liquid soap at lunchtime. One more, but very important point: soap is an alkali, it changes the acidity of the skin towards increase, i.e. alkalizes it. The skin loses its protection, it becomes susceptible to pathogenic flora. The result is that the skin is dry, flaky, and inflamed elements appear. Oily, dry skin. Oily, because we irritate the sebaceous glands, stimulating them to release fat, dry, because, trying to contain fat, we dry out the epidermis. But if you look at the table (thousands of them are now published in women's publications) defining skin type, then such skin will be considered oily. Therefore, it must be washed with soap! That's it, the circle is closed.

So what should we do?

Choose a good (correct) wash. But first, let's look at how to distinguish right from wrong.

Today, store shelves are bursting with an abundance of “washing” products. Foams, gels, milks, creams, emulsions and lotions. Everything is in beautiful jars and smells delicious. For any color and budget! It seemed to come, take it and use it. But how do you choose that one remedy? There is only one answer: reading the composition. On the back of the bottle there should be (if not, then categorically do not take it) a list of ingredients, what the manufacturer put there (or did not put).

What should not be in washing? Soaps, anionic surfactants (surfactants). These are synthetic compounds that dissociate in water to form a surface-active anion. They can be designated as: Sodium Laureth Sulfate; Ammonium Lauryl Sulfate; Sodium Lauryl Sulfate. Sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium lauryl sulfate, ammonium lauryl sulfate.

It should also be noted that not all surfactants are such malicious violators of the lipid barrier. Softer compounds Sodium Lauryl Sarcosinate, Trilaureth-4 Phosphate. But still, beware of lauryl sulfates. In fairness, it should be noted that laureth is softer than lauryl, but it is still detrimental to our skin.

There is a lot of research being done on the effects of lauryl sulfate on the skin. According to some data, after using L, the skin recovers within 30 minutes. Those interested can find the results of laboratory studies on anionic surfactants on the Internet.

So what should we do? Look for a cleanser that does not contain the above listed components. It is desirable that it contains saponified acids or saponified fats. Those with oily skin can recommend cosmetics with AHA acids. Pay more attention to the milk; manufacturers often make it more smoky.

For a complete wash, you need to buy “basic care” - a product for every evening, a toner according to your skin type (it’s easier to buy tonics) and a “go to the cosmetologist” product. A trip to a cosmetologist - this is what I call washing with AHA acids. ANA can be replaced with BNA (easier to find).

Tonic: if the skin is dry, then it is desirable that the tonic contains glycerin, dexopanthenol. Aloe and chamomile extract. Lactic acid, allantoin. All toners marked “Moisturizing” “For dry skin”

For vascular skin, it is better to buy a tonic with extracts of mallow, arnica, seaweed, and cornflower flowers. Tonics marked “Allergic skin”

Oily skin will ask for a toner with zinc, salicylic acid, extract tea tree, rosemary. All toners are marked “mattifying”. Tonics, the manufacturer of which calls them “for oily” skin, often dry out the skin, so it is better to apply them locally, on inflamed areas, pointwise with a cotton swab.

Now that we have finally chosen the means for washing, let's talk about the main thing: how to wash?

Evening wash.

The most important thing is to wash off makeup, remove excess sebum and dust from the surface of the skin, and prepare the skin for evening care.

Apply a small amount of “wash” (gel, milk, foam) to damp palms and, using the pads of your fingers, moving from the center to the periphery, carefully massage the skin without stretching it. Washing your face “like Heel” from the famous cartoon can contribute to the early appearance of wrinkles. When the product on your fingers begins to dry out, wet your hands with water; your fingers should glide.

1. From the center of the forehead to the temples
2. From the back of the nose to the temples
3. From the wings of the nose (we massage the wings of the nose especially carefully) to the center of the ear
4. From the corners of the lips to the earlobe
5. From chin to earlobe

The exception is the eyes: From the outer corner of the lower eyelid to the inner, further along the back of the nose we rise to the eyebrows and along the eyebrow we walk with our fingers to the outer corner of the lower eyelid.

Wash off with water. It is necessary. Some manufacturers, when labeling their products, write that it is possible to leave the cleansing emulsion on the skin. But no matter how soft and hypoallergenic it is, its task is to wash away dirt. Of all cleansers, you can (and should) leave a toner on your skin. Everything else should be washed off with water.

Water.

There is a lot of debate on this topic: what water should you wash with? My opinion is that you can wash off cosmetics with tap water; we still wash off dirt and residue from the cleanser. But after we have washed off the “wash,” we need to neutralize the remaining water with something. You can use tonic (which we chose, see above), or you can use pre-prepared water. This can be boiled water, cooled to room temperature, still mineral water, thermal water. The flight of fancy is great. Rinse your face and blot it dry with a napkin. That's it, we're washed!

Washing your face in the morning.

For some reason, many cosmetologists insist on washing their face with the main product in the morning. I don't understand this. We slept in a clean bed, washed ourselves well in the evening, sebum had not yet had time to be produced (there is data on the biological clock of the skin, it is believed that the peak of sebum production occurs at 13-15 hours of the day). Therefore, I recommend rinsing your face with water at room temperature and wiping with a cotton pad soaked in toner, without using your main wash.

Blot away any excess moisture, we've all washed ourselves!

Washing according to type, going to a cosmetologist.

Once every 7-10 days, during critical days in women (estrogen production decreases and androgens stimulate the sebaceous glands). It is better to purchase a face wash from a pharmacy series based on AHA acids. The acid content should not exceed 4-6%. This will be an at-home peel that will exfoliate and stimulate the skin.