CLEANSING 101 (PART 2: TYPES OF CLEANSERS)

Assalamualaikum everyone!

First and foremost,...

Selamat menjalani perintah kawalan pergerakan to all Malaysians, and PLEASE obey what our  PM say- which is to stay at home. This is not the time to travel atau menziarahi sanak saudara yawww.

And, here's the part 2 of Cleansing 101 post. As I mentioned in the previous post HERE, cleansing is really important. And It's the step to prep our skin for the next skincare step (toners, moisturizers, serums, night creams etc etc).

Which basically means, if you don't cleanse properly, even your expensive creams would not show a proper result. In this post, I'm going to share with you about types of cleansers and how / when to use them.

Let's start!

||     CLEANSING OIL                

As the name suggests, cleansing oil are basically oils, used to clean up your face. This type of cleanser is really great in removing waterproof makeups and sunscreens, as it works really efficiently but it doesn't strip off your skin's moisture.

Cleansing oil also contains anti-oxidants and anti-aging ingredients that also improve the texture and appearance of the skin, makes your skin glowing, and leave the skin soft and hydrated too. They are best for combination and oily skin but can be used for all skin types. Just like other cleansers and skincare products, find a cleansing oil that is made especially for your skin types.

How does it work?- Cleansing oil will combine with oils and impurities on skin (includes sebum, SPF, Foundation and more), and makes them easier to wash off.

- water-based products are not effective on removing oils and impurities from SPF and waterproof makeup.

- It's basically using good oil to remove bad oils from your skin.

How to use cleansing oil?
- Use it as the first step of double cleansing.
1. Take 1 to 2 pumps of cleansing oil, massage between your palms for a few seconds
2. Spread and rub it all over your dry face. Take your time rubbing, to make sure the oil has been absorbed to your skin.
3. Wet your hands a bit and continue rubbing your face until you feel that all makeup is off.
4. Wash with lukewarm water.

When to use cleansing oil?
- Don't use it in the morning
- To be used on evenings, especially to remove makeup and sunscreens.

Pros :
- Effectively removes dirt and makeup, without leaving skin dry and feeling tight
- Makes your skin glow
- Natural
- Contains anti-oxidant and anti-aging ingredients
- Hydrating and smoothing
- Easy to use

Cons :
- Not a final step of cleansing
- 1st step of double cleansing, which means you need to use other types of cleanser afterwards
- May lead to clogged pores if just done without 2nd step of double cleansing

||     LIQUID CLEANSER                

Liquid cleansers are the cleansers we normally use. If you do double cleansing, use liquid cleanser as the second step of it. There are 3 types of liquid cleansers, which are:

1. Gel cleanser
2. Milky cleanser
3. Foam cleanser

1. Gel Cleansers
- Clear Texture
- Deep cleansing
- Antiseptic & exfoliating properties
- Perfect for oily skin
- Can be used in the morning

2. Milky Cleansers
- Perfect for dry to normal skin types
- Gentle, does not produce bubbles. But it works!
- Contains Botanical oils

3. Foam Cleansers
- Best for oily & acne prone skin
- Good for teenager
- Can be a little harsh and dries out the skin
- Not suitable for dry skin

Pros :

- Can be used during day and night.
- Can be used without cleansing oils, if you are not aiming to remove SPF and waterproof makeups.
- Depending on the types of cleansers, can use the same cleansers to do double cleansing.

Pros :

- Can't remove waterproof makeup is used once.

||     MICELLAR WATER                

My skin type is dry and I looove micellar water. The main ingredients are water and micelles. It's perfect to use at the end of the day, as it removes makeup and sunscreen perfectly. BUT, you kinda have to wipe for a few times (gently), and let the micellar water to do its work on taking off makeup. This is because micellar water is gentle, unlike normal makeup remover.

Micellar water can also be used without washing it off, and it's great for sensitive skin as it's really gentle. Here's a recommendation - if you have some budget to spare, you can try Bioderma micellar water. But if you don't wanna spend too much, you can definitely try Simple Micellar water.

How to use micellar water:
- Wet cotton pad with micellar water
- For eye makeup, hold it over your eye for around 20secs or a minute for it to melt the makeup and attract the dirts to the cotton pad
- Gently massage your face with the cotton pad to remove makeup
- Proceed to clean your face with just water, or you can choose not to.

I'd advise you to proceed cleansing your face with water, especially people with sensitive skin.

Pros:
- generally suitable for all skin types
- Natural and gentler compared to normal makeup remover
- No need to wash off

Cons:
- Need to be used with cotton pads.

||     FACIAL WIPES                

Facial wipes is one of the most commonly used product especially for us who removes makeup on the go. Lagi-lagi bila time nak solat kat R&R kan, paling senang guna facial wipes as it's easy to carry and use.

Facial wipes is a wet cloth, soaked in makeup remover and oils. What they do is they break down the makeup and dirts that are stuck in your pores but doesn't completely remove it away and you need to cleanse your face afterwards. It also need to be used gently, and not rubbed harshly as it's not good for the skin.

Pros :
- Inexpensive
- Easier to use
- Convenient. No need to carry around cotton pads and separate bottle of makeup remover
Cons :
- Contains preservatives, which is bad for our skin. Preservatives are needed to prevent bacteria from growing on the wet tissue.
- Some wipes are too dry and make us rub our skin more than we should, which might cause low-gred inflammation.
- Pay attention to the types of tissue as some makeup wipes tissue material are not as gentle.

||     CLEANSING BALM                

Cleansing balm works like cleansing oil, but it's in a solid form instead of liquid. It's actually a bit heavier than cleansing oils, and it contains antioxidants. Cleansing balms are a really soft kind of balm, which will melt upon application to our skin. One of the cleansing balm that I like is Zero Cleansing Balm, and you can read the review HERE.

I personally used to love facial wipes as my to-go makeup remover, when I'm out shopping all day and want to solat at the mall, or solat at R&R when I'm on my way back to hometown. But honestly, I now prefer cleansing balm as it's gentler and easier to carry. I buy trial-sized balm as it's smaller and didn't eat up space in my handbag.

Here's why I love cleansing balm :
- Really great at removing heavy makeup, including waterproof makeup
- It cleanses your face while moisturizes and lather face with good oils
- Easy to scoop and you can choose how much cleansing balm you want to apply
- Just need to wash off afterwards, no need to find a dustbin to throw away the dirty facial wipes or cotton pad!
- Gentler to the skin.
- Perfect for dry skin, especially on winter time!

||     CLEANSING BAR SOAPS                

Okay bar soaps are like, a rising trend in beauty products. There are so many products that started to produce their on cleansing bar soap, and many still hesitate to use them.

Like, can you really use a bar soap on your face? How to use it? How to store it? Isn't bar soap is used on body, why use it on your face?

Cleansing bar soap, can be used on your face. In fact, there are many bar soaps that can be used on both face and body. Bar soaps are generally (not necessarily) cheaper than other facial cleansers and it last a lot longer than other cleansers too, so it's not a problem if you want to use it on your body too~ I mean, it won't strip off your budget yaw.

BUT..... do find a cleansing soap that is specially formulated for your face. Don't use the ones that are for the body on your face as it can be harsh and it strip off too much oils and moisture from your skin which will make your skin conditions worst.

Here's a #savingTips -  if the cleansing bar is as the normal size as the bathing soap bar, I would cut it to 2 or 3 pieces. And use 1 at a time. This is one of the saving money hack I learn when I stayed at the hostel during my secondary school hehe~

Pros:
- Price is usually (not necessarily) cheaper than liquid and oil cleansers

Cons:
- You need to prepare a zip lock pastic bag, or a small container to bring the soap travel (does not come with a container, like the other types of cleansers.

And, that's it! I hope this post helps you in determining the cleansers you are currently using or cleansers you are eyeing on. Remember, cleansing is just as important as other skincare steps and can worsen your skin condition if done wrong. Make sure you cleanse well, but not too much until damaging your skin (too much cleansing, using cleansers that does not suit skin types, etc.)

That's it for cleansing 101! I'm going to be back with more skincare reviews, since we can't go out due to the Covid-19 virus outbreak. Please stay safe and keep your safe distance with others ya! The whole world is in this together, and we are going to fight this together- at least what we can do if we don't work as the frontliner is stay at home.


Till then,
Thank you for reading this entry!hani shubie