"Mastering the Skincare Basics: The Art of Properly Cleansing Your Skin"

`A basic skincare routine consists of "The Big Three"

1. Cleanse

2. Moisturize

3. Protect

Today we will discuss step one....cleansing your skin!

When it comes to cleaning the skin there is a dual edged sword. On the one hand, it is necessary for personal hygiene. This ensures that bacteria and other unfriendly microorganisms are not allowed to overtake and cause skin infections. On the other hand, too much cleaning can cause the removal of natural oils and healthy bacteria leading to dry, infection prone skin. According to Robert H. Shmerling, MD, in his article for Harvard Health, daily cleaning of the skin is more of an act of habit than it is necessary and that from a health perspective doing so several times a week is plenty for most people. Okay, so at the very least you should be cleaning your skin several times a week. However, how much is too much? According to this article from WebMD, for most people, daily cleaning is fine. Although, doing so more than daily could lead to excessive drying. For most of us, a daily is the general standard and is what I generally recommend. Now....How long should a shower last? According to this medically reviewed article from healthline.com, the average shower lasts about 8 minutes and the recommended maximum is 10 minutes.

Temperature:

The water used for cleaning the skin should be considered. Hot water ,while it may feel amazing, does lead to drier skin afterwards. Most dermatologists recommend lukewarm water to minimize stripping of the skin's natural oils. I generally take hot showers. While I know lukewarm water is a best practice, I intend to continue to take hot showers. I also take necessary measures to counteract this dryness by moisturizing immediately afterwards.

Special consideration for facial skin:

Washing your face twice per day using only your hands is the generally accepted guidance and not doing so can oftentimes be the cause of facial skin issues.

As a good general rule I recommend showers daily , lasting from 5 to 10 minutes, with a maximum of one shower lasting between 10 to 15 minutes (if any) per week. Be sure to take temperature into account and accommodate for its effects as well.

Now....what should you use to clean your skin?

This is generally where the balancing act begins. So to keep it short and sweet for todays subject.... it depends. On what might you ask? YOU! (That's a complete article subject in itself!) The CDC states that, generally speaking, mild non-antimicrobial mechanical cleansing soap is recommended for daily showers or bathing. Such as some of the unscented handcrafted all natural soaps I create. However, our skin is also not generally the same and so there are plenty of factors to consider. Just be sure that whatever products you use to clean your skin are for your specific skin type and concerns.