Skin cleansing is the process of cleaning your skin to make it look clean, younger and fresh. Skin cleansing cleans the skin by removing dirt accumulated at the surface, make-up remaining impurities and other substances that causes the logging of pores of the skin. Therefore to maintain a healthy skin, regular cleansing should be done. If you have a normal skin, then it is advisable to do cleansing 2-3 times a day. But if your skin is exposed to dust particles and grime most of the time or if you have an oily skin, cleansing process should be done 4-5 times a day. The process of cleansing can be done using soap or some cleansing agent.
To know more about skin cleansing you should first understand about the skin and its composition.
Your skin is made up of three layers such as epidermis, dermis and the subcutaneous layer. The uppermost layer is the epidermis and it acts like a protective layer of the skin. The characteristic feature of this layer is that is sheds constantly. This process of shedding is considered as the skin's natural cleansing mechanism. What really happens during shedding is that the dead cells are disposed and replaced with new cells. The dermis layer is present below the epidermis layer. This dermis layer has a blood vessel that nourishes the skin. The nourishing activity is done through the sweat and oil glands that lubricates and moistens the skin. Below the dermis layer, subcutaneous layer which is made of fatty tissue is present. It actually determines the complexion of skin. Among these three layers, the epidermis has first visual impact of skin cleaning as it forms the external skin surface.
How to choose a cleanser?
The skin cleansing process is not common for all types of skin. Depending on the type of skin and its needs the cleansing process varies.
What are the different types of cleansing agent suitable for different skin types?
Oily Skin
If you have oily skin, which is susceptible of acquiring pimples and black heads, then the most suitable cleansing agent is the forming wash. The feature of this agent is that it doesn't wash-off the natural oils that give the nourishment.
Dry skin
On the other hand, if you have a skin that is of dry type, cleansing milk is more suitable for cleaning the skin. Also you must avoid cleaning the skin frequently as this could dry the skin even more. The important thing you should bear in mind is that you must avoid using soap for cleaning as it has the drying effect. The soap could be replaced by a suitable cosmetic cleanser which is oil based.
Combination skin
It is a type of skin that has a 'T zone' which is oily on the face. The skin in this part has number of pores that are open. The type of cleansing agent for this type of skin is the cleansing gel which cleanses the skin gently. The cleaner that is gel based usually do not have a drying effect.
Mature skin
Mature is the type of skin which has reduced elasticity. The surfaces of the mature skin are lined and this type of skin is always prone to become dry. The cleansing agent recommended for this type of skin is the cleansing cream or perhaps rich cleansing milk. This provides the skin nourishment and moisture.
Some Common Cleansing Agents:
1. Soaps:
Soaps are the common and most used cleansing agent. Soaps are not suitable for people with dry skin. Soaps, if not rinsed thoroughly can have negative effects on the skin. If not washed off properly, it could attract dirt, cause irritation to the skin and can possibly combine with magnesium and calcium salts to form scum which is quite hard to remove. The major disadvantage with soaps is that it washes off the natural oils of the skin which opposes the drying effect. Soaps are suitable for you if you have an oily skin. The various types of soaps and are moisturizing soaps, medicated soaps, PH soaps, super fatted soaps, transparent soaps, perfumed soaps, etc.
2. Cleansing Creams:
Cleansing creams are more suitable for you, if you have a dry skin. It is a mixture of oil, wax and water. These mixtures are suitably modified according to the demanding of a particular skin type. A wide variety of cleaning milk, foams, lotions, gels and oils come under the category of cleansing cream. They all are efficient in washing off dirt and makes the skin fresher and cleaner. The mechanical cleansing of the skin helps us to become aware of a concept called epidermabrasion.
What is epidermabrasion?
Epidermabrasion means the rubbing off the dead cells mechanically from the skin surface. Various materials for epidermabrasion are introduced into creams, soaps for removing dead cells. Some of the epidermabrasion materials are granules. Abrasive materials that are soluble, sand paper, cellulose obtained from luffa plant, hemp cloth, and sea sponges. Sponges that are man-made are also used. The man-made sponges are mostly obtained from the cellulose and polyurethane. For delicate level of epiderma brasion, woven webs are employed. A recent improvement in the technology of epidermabrasion is the usage of webs made of non-woven polyester. But the disadvantage is that it is not suitable for dry skinned people.
No comments:
Post a Comment