The importance of cleansing

Recent studies have shown that most women only spend about 20 seconds washing their face, which is not a lot considering how much time they spend on their hair and make-up. 20 seconds is not enough to get skin clean.

Due to the levels of pollutants in our environment, skin is actually dirtier now than it was in the past. This, together with cosmetic make-up and sunscreens, combines with the skin’s naturally sticky sebum secretions to form a thick, waxy coating.

A splash of water can’t penetrate this layer of oil-based debris and the result is skin that becomes congested and dull.

When we apply cleanser, we generally use a gel–based, foam or milky cleanser. These formulations contain surface active ingredients which provide the primary cleansing action by emulsifying the dirt and debris, allowing it to be rinsed away. This initial cleansing will only remove superficial debris and isn’t enough for a thorough cleansing. Therefore a double cleanse is always recommend to thoroughly remove oils, dirt and grime.

However most cleansers are water soluble so a double cleanse may not always be sufficient as there may still be oil–soluble substances remaining on the skin, particularly when your skin type is oily. We all know that water and oil don’t mix so to be most effective the double cleanse should begin with an oil-based first step. Environ’s AVST Pre-cleansing Oil  melts the layers of oil-based debris on the skin, allowing the second water soluble cleanser to penetrate even  further than before.

It is important that products used will clean the skin effectively without disturbing its natural barrier lipids. AVST Cleansing Lotion is a gentle cleansing lotion which effectively removes dirt and make-up. It doesn’t contain any harsh chemicals or detergents and so cleans the skin without stripping.

Cleansing is an important part of your skin care routine as your skin products will not be able to work efficiently if they are unable to penetrate properly due to debris barriers on the skin. It really does pay to look after your skin, then you’ll look and feel confident and gorgeous, with or without make-up!

Environ products are available from Euphoric Beauty and Skin Clinic. Book in for as consultation with one of our skin therapists to find out more or book one of our special one-to-one skin analysis events