Every skin care routine starts with a cleansing step, the most important of which is washing your face. Currently on the market there are many types of face wash products with many different textures, uses and ingredients. Choosing a cleanser that is right for your skin is not easy, often it takes you a while to test many different products with the risk of irritation is very large. In order to choose a cleanser “made for you”, it is necessary to understand the characteristics and properties of different product textures. The following article will analyze 3 types of commonly found textures today: gel, milk, and foam cleansers.
Washing your face is the most important step in the cleansing process.
1. Gel cleanser
The gel cleanser has a light and airy texture, different from the properties of traditional foaming cleansers. Instead, they come in a thick gel form that creates a smaller amount of lather and cleans more gently.
Although gel cleansers provide milder cleansing properties than foaming products, this does not mean that the cleansing power is ineffective. Gel cleanser helps to clean skin without leaving a feeling of peeling, dryness. In general, they are recommended for people with combination or normal skin, but this depends on how your skin reacts to different formulations.
Identifying characteristics Types of gel cleanser products that are thick, soft and often transparent. Some types may have a pale color and colored massage beads or active ingredients. When used, the product creates little soft foam, the cleansing ability of the face wash is average compared to other forms.
Most suitable for : People who like a type moisturizing face wash mild, washes off completely, leaves skin fresh and has a deep and effective cleansing effect. Most gel cleansers easily remove light makeup and regular mascara.
Some recommended gel cleansers:
- Cosrx Low pH Good Morning Cleanser.
- Acwell Bubble Free pH Balancing Cleanser.
2. Milk/cream cleanser
Cream/milk cleansers avoid foaming agents altogether and instead offer a creamy formula that gently cleanses skin. They are for dry, more sensitive skin types and use natural oils and emulsifiers to cleanse the skin while helping to calm any redness and inflammation. These products are great for dry skin just like you would an oil cleanser, as this boosts its cleansing power, leaving you with fresh, hydrated skin.
Identifying characteristics: Cream cleansers are often thicker than gel ones, the thickest of all cleansers, may have scrub particles to help exfoliate. Milk form is usually liquid, both cream and milk forms are cloudy. Milk form is less common with cleaning products, but more commonly found in nourishing products such as lotion, emulsion, etc.
Best suited for: Those who want a cleanser with a moisturizing, silky texture that feels protective when washing and cleansing while leaving a moisturizing film after rinsing. These cleansers are capable of removing most makeup, but you may need a separate makeup remover for better products.
Some recommended cream cleansers
- Missha Near pH Balancing Cleansing Cream.
- Oribe/Oriss Facial Cleanser.
3. Foaming cleanser
Foaming cleansers are often recommended for oily and acne-prone skin types as they work to deep clean the skin by removing excess oil and sebum, as well as removing any trapped debris. in pores, helping to keep your skin clean, clear and refreshed.
These cleansers are often given bad reviews because a well-known ingredient called sodium lauryl sulfate tends to cause irritation, but if your skin doesn’t have a problem with this, you can still continue to use it. Continue using products containing this ingredient.
On the other hand, if your skin is irritated and left feeling dry and tight by surfactants, then you should try a different cleanser that has a different active ingredient panel that is gentle. than on the skin. If you’re afraid to use a foaming cleanser, there are other surfactants that can be used to provide a gentler lathering texture and avoid flaking.
Identifying characteristics: Foaming face wash products are usually in the form of a fairly liquid cream, when used, they will mix with a little water to create foam and then use foam to wash the face. Some brands make foam (pre-made foam) which will be convenient and time-saving for users, while optimizing foaming and increasing cleaning use.
Best suited for: Those who want a thorough cleanse, removing most makeup, rinsing and creating a cushion-like lather that leaves skin soft. Facial cleansers don’t have to be lather to clean the skin, but many people prefer a foamy feel.
Some recommended foaming cleanser products:
- Klairs Rich Moist Foaming Cleanser.
- Enature Marshmallow Cleansing Foam.
4. Some notes to choose the right facial cleanser
- Understanding skin: To choose the right face wash, you need to know your skin type. The classification of dry skin / oily skin / acne skin does not seem detailed enough compared to current needs. You need to take a close look at your skin at different times of the day and your work environment.
For example, in the morning, the skin often produces oil due to leftover skin care products from the night before, in the afternoon, the skin is often dry in the cheek area, or you often work in an air-conditioned room all day. The skin can also change its ability to secrete oil into different colors, for example, summer is often more oily and autumn-winter is often dry and more irritated. - Focus on cleaning ability: for a facial cleanser, the most important thing is to help clean the face effectively. Some products are advertised as having many attractive sounding uses such as: whitening, anti-aging, skin rejuvenation, etc.
However, these benefits in a cleanser are difficult to achieve because this is a wash-off product, the time on the skin is only about 2-3 minutes. Facial cleansers should have the effect of cleansing the skin without causing dryness and irritation, and can have an additional function of exfoliating with acids ( AHA, BHA PHA, …) or scrub particles.
- Pay attention to the pH Face wash products often face a condition that is too alkaline in pH, making the skin prone to dryness, irritation and damage to the skin’s protective lipid film. The best face wash should have a slightly acidic pH, ie between 5-6.5 so as not to affect the top epidermis of the skin. The pH can be stated on the label or you can mix a little product with water and dip the pH test paper and compare it to the sample pH scale. A pH of 5-6.5 will cause the pH paper to have a very light yellow-orange or greenish color.
5. Conclusion
Understanding the different textures of face wash products will help you make a preliminary judgment about a product, thereby shortening the testing process and choosing a suitable product.
However, besides the basic principles whether it is a gel, milk or foam cleanser, it is necessary to understand your skin and needs to be able to make the best choice for yourself.
