5 Steps to Properly Cleanse Your Face!

Step One: Wash your hands first. Do you ever stop to think about washing your hands before you wash your face? Our hands are carrying around billions of bacteria at any given time..and if you don’t wash your hands before you wash your face, you are transferring those germs directly to your face. Take a quick second to wash those paws before you wash that pretty face…cause baby, you’re worth it!

Step Two: Cleanse (in 2 parts!)

For clean and healthy skin, you will always want to do a “first cleanse” to remove the makeup, then do a “second cleanse” to clean the face. 

• First Cleanse: To remove makeup: I love my Foaming Cleanser to remove makeup and sunscreen as the gentle lather does help to effortlessly dissolve makeup off the skin. One key is to massage it on the skin for 30-60 seconds to ensure you are really removing the makeup from the skin.

• Second Cleanse: To clean the face: For my second cleanse, I love using my Gentle Cleanser and once again, massage it on the skin for 30-60 seconds. Once again, make sure you massage it on the skin long enough. Think about how you learn to sing the birthday song 3 times in your head while cleansing your hands after using the bathroom! It takes time to allow the cleanser to remove all dirt, grime, oil, and germs from the skin.

Bonus: One cleansing trick I personally use (because I have lash extensions and don’t want them wet every time I wash my face) is, I use fragrance-free baby wipes as a disposable “washcloths”. So, after massaging the cleanser on the skin, I will take a baby wipe, get it wet, wring it out and wipe the cleanser away. Then rinse the baby wipe and repeat!  Please keep in mind that makeup-removing wipes and facial cleansing cloths do have pore-clogging ingredients so stick with fragrance-free baby wipes! 

Step Three: Rinse with lukewarm water. Water that is too hot will strip and dry the skin. Too cold and your pores will tighten up trapping the debris inside.

Step Four: PAT your face dry with a towel…no rubbing allowed!

Step Five: Spritz your toner on a cotton round and gently wipe the face to remove any traces of residue and to bring your skin back to the correct pH balance (which is supremely important to get the most benefit from your skincare products.)

Now that your skin is properly cleansed, you will reap the maximum benefit of the rest of your skincare regimen! …And, as always, don’t forget your sunscreen!