The Art Of Cleansing

Picking the right cleanser for your skin can be tricky, especially when you're unaware of what your skin needs to thrive. This post should make it easier for you!

Cleansing is a Vital Part of Any Skincare Routine

The skin is the body's largest organ, and we need to use the correct products, to avoid compromising it. Cleansing is a vital part of any skincare regime because with incorrect use it causes an imbalance in the skin's acid mantle which leads to skin issues.

Let's Talk Skin!

On the skin’s surface, there is a fine and a slightly acidic film known as the acid mantle. The acid mantle is formed through the combination of epidermal lipids, sebum, water, urea and amino acids, giving the skin an acidic environment and a pH of 4.6-6. The acid mantle acts as a barrier to protect the skin from harmful bacteria and viruses. The acid mantle also retains water in the skin which supports hydration levels and gives us the dewy glow we all crave.

Why is pH Important?

For optimum skin health, the acid mantle needs to stay between a pH level 4.6-6, and your cleanser ideally should match it. Unfortunately, many cleansers are at pH levels 9-10 (more alkaline). Higher pH cleansers are still removing dirt and cleaning the skin, but they're also compromising the acid mantle's pH, therefore, making the skin susceptible to bacteria, resulting in acne, irritation, eczema, inflammation, and dehydration. The acid mantle can recover, but it's not in the skin's best interest to use high pH cleansers.

What Ingredient Should I Avoid?

The search for a cleanser’s pH can be a challenge in itself as it's not always stated, but we can look at ingredients, and one to avoid is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS). Cleansers should be free from SLS.

What is SLS?

SLS is a detergent and responsible for the lather and foam a cleanser produces and leaves the skin feeling squeaky clean. (Your skin should never feel squeaky clean.) SLS is commonly found in cleansers, body washes, and shampoos.

SLS, causes a cleanser to become overly alkaline, resulting in an unbalanced acid mantle and depletes the skin of its natural oils leading to irritated and inflamed skin. When the skin's natural oils are removed, the skin will start to overproduce oil to compensate for what SLS has stripped away, which explains why the skin goes into a cycle of oily to dry because the acid mantle is repeatedly being compromised and in a state of imbalance, resulting in persistent skin issues.

Thankfully the skin is smart and recovers when you give it the right tools.

Cleansing Ritual

Start with washing your hands first bef