It might seem weird to you that why am I even writing about how to wash the face. Washing face is a straightforward process and does not require any skills. We all know how to wash our faces and we have been washing faces for years.
But the question here is, are we washing our face correctly? Most of us are doing it in the wrong way which leads to many skin problems including acne, skin irritation, skin inflammation, and many such skin problems.
Let us get our basics right by understanding how to wash the face in the right way and what are the common mistakes that we make while doing it to avoid making our skin prone to acne or other skin-related issues and boost our skin health.
Steps To Wash Your Face Correctly:
How to wash the face correctly Step 1: Wash your hands
Before learning how to wash your face properly, the first and foremost step is to wash your hands. Our hands contain a lot of germs and bacteria. If your hands are not clean before washing your face then you might be transferring all the bacteria and germs onto your face. We need to make sure our hands are clean before we touch our face.
How to wash the face correctly Step 2: Remove your make-up
If you wear makeup then before proceeding with washing your face you must take your makeup off. You can use makeup removing wipe, micellar water, or oil-based makeup remover before you wash your face. Coconut oil is a great makeup remover.
How to wash the face correctly Step 3: Wet your face with lukewarm water
Always use luke warm water to wash your face. Most of us often go wrong here because we are either washing face with cold water or hot water.
Washing face with cold water will shrink your pores and cleaning would not be that effective in this case.
Washing face with hot water will dry out your skin causing you to lose all its moisture. So make it a point that you always use lukewarm water for cleansing your face.
How to wash the face correctly Step 4: Apply cleanser of your choice
Choosing a facial cleanser according to your skin type plays a vital role in your face cleansing routine. Select a gentle cleanser as per your skin type to avoid skin-related issues. Once you have the right cleanser take a small amount of cleanser, lather it a little, and gently start rubbing it on your face in circular motions.
Do not be harsh while rubbing. You just need to gently move your fingers in circular motions while rubbing. Make sure you clean your nose and forehead area well because that is where skin secretes excess oil and sebum. Do this step for at least 60 seconds to slough off dead skin cells and impurities on the skin.
How to wash the face properly Step 5: Rinse and dry
Splash lukewarm water on your face. Do not forget to be gentle with your skin. Gently pat dry your face with a towel. Do not rub the towel on your face as this will make your skin irritated and encourage wrinkles.
How to wash your face correctly Step 6: Apply toner
Skin pores open up after washing the face and become prone to collecting all the dust and dirt again. Toners maintain the pH balance of skin preventing bacteria and dust from entering your skin. Apply toner using a cotton ball.
How to wash your face properly Step 7: Apply Moisturizer
This is an important step. Do not miss out on this step. After washing your face your skin dries up and it gets essential to keep your skin moisturized. So applying moisturizer is a must after you wash your face.
How to wash your face properly: Some common mistakes that we make while washing our face
1. Skipping make-up remover:
We assume that our make-up will be removed while face cleansing. So we tend to rub hard or aggressively in order to remove our makeup. But makeup should be taken off with makeup remover or oil before you wash your face.
2. Using soap:
The biggest mistake that many people do is that they use soap for cleansing the face. Soap is a big no-no for the face. They are harsh for the face skin as the skin of the face is more sensitive as compared to other areas.
3. Using the incorrect cleanser:
Most of the skin issues occur due to using the wrong cleansers. There are different cleansers for different skin types. It is necessary to know your skin type and choose the correct cleanser or any other skin care products according to your skin type to avoid any skin problems.
4. Using hot or cold water:
We must only use lukewarm or normal room temperature water for washing the face. Washing your face with hot water will dry out your skin depleting the natural oil of your skin and if you are having oily skin then your skin will secrete excess oil in compensation considering oil depletion. On the other hand, washing face with cold water will shrink your pores making the cleansing procedure difficult.
5. Rubbing face aggressively:
Some people might think that rubbing aggressively will remove all the dirt and impurities from the face. Instead rubbing too hard or aggressively can lead to skin irritation. You should gently rub your face moving your fingers in circular motions.
6. Using harsh towels:
Rubbing your face with a towel or using a harsh towel can cause skin irritation and invite wrinkles. Just gently pat dry with a soft towel after you wash your face.
7. Skipping toner and moisturizer:
After you wash your face, skin dries up and its pores open up causing it to collect all the dust particles. So it is important to tone and moisturize your face right after face cleansing.
8. Over-washing:
Washing the face too often or over-cleansing can cause skin irritation and lack of moisture. It is recommended to wash your face twice a day you can do that in the morning and night.
9. Over-exfoliating:
Washing face for too long and that too if your cleanser contains exfoliating ingredients can lead to skin irritation and breakouts.
10. Using only makeup remover :
Some people assume that their face simply gets clean by using makeup remover and skip washing their face. However, it is a must to wash your face properly after using makeup wipes or any other make-up remover.
Following these steps to wash your face in your daily skin care routine will hardly take five minutes. And it is not that difficult to spare a little time to take care of your sensitive skin and make it more beautiful and more youthful.
Do follow these steps to wash your face and to boost your skin health and prevent all skin-related issues. Hope you liked this article on how to wash your face properly. Let me know in the comments below.