Health N Fitness

Whether your skin is normal, oily or dry, remember to cleanse the skin at night. This is even more important than washing the face in the morning. The make-up, dirt and pollutants that have collected on the skin must be removed at night, so that when you sleep, your skin can “breathe”.

Many of us like soap and water washing, because it has a refreshing effect. But, soap actually has an alkaline effect and makes the skin dry by removing natural oils and moisture. It can also disrupt the normal acid-alkaline balance. 

1 If you have a dry skin, soap can actually hasten premature aging by drying out the skin.

2 If you have dehydrated skin with sensitivity, in the form of rough, red, flaky patches, avoid soap altogether.

3 If you have an oily skin, avoid washing the face with soap and water more than twice a day. Rinse well with plenty of water. Frequent use of soap makes the skin too alkaline and leaves it vulnerable to bacterial attack.

Normal to dry skin: Use a rehydrant cleansing gel or cream, so that it provides emollients and keeps the skin lubricated and soft. After applying the cleanser, wipe it off with moist cotton wool, so that further moisture depletion is prevented.

For normal to oily and combination skin, use a cleansing milk. Soapless cleansers or face wash are also available. They are in the form of a cream, which has to be applied on the skin like soap and washed off with water. One can select the face wash according to skin type.

If you have a problem skin, with spots and pimples, choose a medicated cleanser or soap. They not only help to remove surface oils, but provide a fresh feeling.

Cleansing grains or facial scrubs are useful for deep cleansing the skin and are ideally suited to oily skin and clogged pores. If you have a tendency towards blackheads, grains will help. Scrubs are also grainy in texture and help to dermabraze the skin, removing dead epitheleal cells and unclogging the pores. They should be rubbed gently on the skin and then rinsed off with water.

Modern skin-care is based on individual needs. So, learn about your own skin and select your skin-care products according to the individual demands of your skin. It is the basis of a healthy skin.