- There’s a lot you need to know when it comes to washing your face.
- Before determining how best to wash your face, it's important to figure out your skin type.
- Here's how you should be washing your face, according to your skin type.
Whether your skin is oily, dry, or a combination of the two, you need to know what skin type you have in order to best care for it.
Depending on your skin type, you might need to rethink how you’re washing your face. To better understand the most effective way to wash your face, based on your skin type, INSIDER turned to Dr. Caroline A. Chang, MD, FAAD, a dermatologist and a clinical assistant professor of dermatology at the Alpert Medical School of Brown University.
Chang told INSIDER that she advises that everyone wash their face in the morning and at night, but clarifies that what might work well for one person might not have the same effect for another.
"Find out what works best for you by testing out different face washes and routines," Chang said. Maybe that means switching up your cleanser, exfoliating more or less frequently, or avoiding certain ingredients.
If you have oily skin, wash more often.
If your skin is generally oily and would be categorized as such, it’s important to wash your face before some activities, such as a workout class or intramural game with friends, Chang said.
"People with oily skin should wash after those activities as well," she explained. "Usually most people will shower after an activity, so they don't need to do an additional wash at the gym if they are going right home to shower."
The cleanser you use and any additional products you choose to incorporate into your routine will vary, however, based on what works best for your skin. Because there aren’t really any strict rules about what you need to use, finding what you think works the best for you can take a bit of experimentation. Still, there are general guidelines that can help you determine if your cleanser is a good choice or not.
"I like cleansers that don't get too foamy because those tend to be ones that don't strip the oil from your face," Chang said. "Your face should feel clean, but not squeaky like a dish." Opting for something that’s gentle enough to be used on all skin types is typically a good way to go.
If you have dry skin, wash your face less often.
Dry skin, like oily skin, can have its own set of annoyances and issues. If you have dry skin, you need to be careful not to do things that will further cause your skin to dry out. Flakiness, pain, and more can all be an issue if you typically have dry skin.
"People with dry skin should minimize washing to avoid additional dryness," Chang said. "Wash morning and evening with a gentle face wash that cleanses but doesn't strip the skin of oil. Before activities, use a makeup remover wipe instead of washing."
Moisturizing is important for everyone — yes, even those who have oily skin — but the exact product you use to moisturize varies according to various skin types.
WebMD noted that a creamier moisturizer might be best for people with drier skin because it gives their skin the influx of moisture that it needs.
Combination skin requires special consideration.
Combination skin, in which you have some patches of oily skin and some patches of dry skin, needs to be treated carefully.
"They should wash morning and before bed and before activities as well," Chang said. Those with combination skin may have to pay extra attention to dry patches when moisturizing and extra attention to oily spots when washing, she added. Combination skin types require extra effort since not all of the skin on your face will need the same kind of care.
Keep your skin care simple if you have sensitive skin.
"People with sensitive skin should be cautious about using products with a lot of added scents or ones that are too abrasive like scrubs," Chang said.
Dr. Sonia Badreshia-Bansal, MD, a dermatologist, told WebMD that if you have sensitive skin, a good rule of thumb is to look for a moisturizer with fewer than 10 ingredients.
Additionally, introducing only one new product at a time can be helpful, as can spot testing a new product. Testing a product on your wrist can tell you if it might dry your skin out, cause redness or irritation, or anything else that you might not want to deal with on a larger scale.
Once you figure out a skincare routine that you think works well for you, you might think that you’re all set, but that’s not necessarily the case. Because your skincare needs might vary based on other circumstances, you might need to periodically reevaluate things.
"Remember that skincare routines often change depending on the season so what works for you in winter may not work the same in summer," Chang said.
You might need something heavier or creamier in the winter and something lighter in the summer. That being said, talking it over with your dermatologist can help you select the best products for your skin type, no matter the time of the year.
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