Skin watch: The best face washes and make-up removers

Get spring cleaning with the best face washes and make up removers for your skin type, says Rachel Marie Walsh.

Sat, 19 Mar, 2016 - 00:00

Rachel Marie Walsh

A gentle, effective cleanse is the first step to getting your best skin.

The ideal product removes makeup, excess oil and debris without leaving residue.

Both cleansing wipes and bar soaps tend to leave deposits on the skin.

These films might feel pleasant initially but can result in clogged pores and irritation, especially if the formula contains fragrance or, as with many bar soaps, drying detergents like sodium lauryl sulfate.

The alkaline pH of soaps can irritate skin and increase bacterial growth.

Using very hot or ice water with your face wash can also dry skin and cause inflammation, even broken capillaries.

Long baths are not great for skin, even if you use moisturising bubbles.

It seems odd that too much water can dry you out, but soaking actually breaks down skin’s lipid content and prevents it from retaining healthy substances like natural ceramides and cholesterol (this also means you benefit from your moisturiser less).

Grab a warm, damp washcloth if your makeup or SPF cream is very difficult to remove.

Cleansing brushes like Clarisonic’s are fine (used within the product’s time guidelines, not excessively) but facial scrubs, while capable of producing a similar brightness, generally employ abrasive extracts like walnut, apricot, salt or bamboo.

These scratchy little granules can wreak havoc on your skin’s vital hydrolipidic barrier.

Skin’s Moisture Barrier

The perfect cleanser respects skin’s outermost layers while it works.

You’ve probable heard of skin’s natural moisture (hydrolipidic) barrier, the mix of keratin, sebum and fats that keeps skin plump and moisture-protected.

Cleansing should be gentle enough not to upset its balance.

When the barrier is compromised, skin can appear dehydrated, dull and uneven in tone.

Impaired barrier function plays a role in the sensitivity experienced by rosacea sufferers and can prevent acne, red marks and age spots from healing.

Abrasive ingredients are to be avoided, as is cleansing with other potential irritants.

Irritating Ingredients

Ditch any cleanser that prompts redness, tightening or tingling.

Irritation is your skin in distress and should not be mistaken for a product “starting to work.”

It is sensitising and pro-ageing.

Detergent cleansing agents, or surfactants, are not all bad.

Most cleansers employ them - to degrease and emulsify oils and debris so they can be washed away - and they are often gentle and safe for all skin types.

Surfactants know to be drying and potentially irritating include sodium C14-16 olefin sulfonate, sodium hydroxide (in a high concentration), and sodium lauryl sulfate (though the sound-alike cleanser sodium laureth sulfate is fine).

Non-fatty alcohols and heavy fragrance (including fragrant natural extracts) are sensitising and very drying.

A sudden cold sensation prompted by menthol, camphor or some other member of of the mint family also counts as skin-bothering, and is not indicative of a more thorough cleanse.

Really, any product you apply to your skin should tip the balance in comfort’s favour.

Toners

Toner is not for removing residue or dirt your cleanser may have missed.

If either of those nasties need cleaning up, your cleanser is failing you!

Neither is toner a superfluous step in your skincare regime, however, especially if you have oily skin.

A gentle, well-formulated toner can provide a lightweight, oil-free layer of skin-soothing extracts and reparative antioxidants that you might be missing out on if you skip moisturiser and reach straight for the (hopefully SPF-enhanced) foundation.

The majority of toners on the Irish market are fragranced (some to the exclusion of any significant skincare benefits), unfortunately.

Alcohol is also something to be wary of in these watery products.

If you want to tone up, I recommend MAC Lightful C Marine-Bright Formula Softening Lotion, €34 and Clinique Mild Clarifying Lotion, €23.

Cleansing Costs

A rich cleanser can feel very comforting before bed and when you treat skincare as more of a ritual than a routine, luxury prices are par for the course.

If, like me, you find washing your face as dull but necessary as doing laundry, rest assured that the most expensive cleansers are not the best or even consistently better than their high-street competition.

Wash and wipe-off products spend mere minutes on your skin, so using a formula loaded with pricey ingredients is arguably throwing (or draining) money away.

Better to save on your cleanser than skimp on your serum, moisturiser or sun protection. There are great options at every price point, no matter what your skin type.

Best For...

Oily Skin

Clinique Anti Blemish Solutions Cleansing Gel, €25

Dior Instant Gentle Cleansing Oil, €33

Bioderma Sensibio H2O, €11.50

Simple Kind to Skin Micellar Cleansing Water, €5.99

Dry Skin

E45 Dermatological Emollient Wash Cream, €7.79

Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm, €29

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil, €14.52 at feel unique.com

First Aid Beauty Milk Oil Conditioning Cleanser, €25.74 at www.feelunique.com

Sensitive Skin