Skincare Week: Cleansers

I know....I disappear a lot. It's not on purpose! I'm not avoiding you, I swear.

Where have I been? Oh the usual...being smacked in the face by the arrival of autumn.  Really, how does it always get here so fast??  I've also been busy overhauling all my beauty. I'm talking all new skincare, all new makeup, all new...stuff!! Since my week long blog subjects seem to be on the popular side (and keep me more on track for you guys) I'm declaring this week...

SKINCARE WEEK!

Back in August, I made an adult-like decision to take better care of my skin and to also maybe get ahead of my dreaded Winter Skin Cycle. Which consists of 2 months of me combating all the eczema riddled dryness and patchy skin that my face becomes when the weather cools down, just to finally get it in order for the weather to change again.  Le sigh.

So through the power of the internet and studying The Skincare Bible, aka, Caroline Hiron's Blog for 2 weeks late at night when I should have been blogging (lo siento!), I have a whole knew skincare routine, backed with knowledge that has taken me from Bad Skin to Ok Skin in just weeks!!!!  This is beyond huge, people. Beyond.

I'm going to break all this info down by routine step. Starting today with CLEANSERS.

Before you go any further, in this blog post, in life itself, get yourself familiar with The Washcloth Face Washing Method that I've talked to you about HERE and HERE.

Learn this. Live this. If you change nothing else about your skincare in your lifetime, do this one thing. 

 ^^^^ THIS IS VITAL INFO^^^^

Things I learned from Caroline Hirons:

• You need to cleanse in the AM. To take away any dead skin, sweat, and to prep your face for makeup or SPF. 
• You MUST cleanse in the PM to remove makeup, dirt and other bad things from the day.
• You should have a different cleanser for these different reasons. Having only one cleanser is like having 1 pair of shoes, says Caroline.  Your AM cleanser should be something lighter, you aren't taking off SPF or makeup (or shouldn't be). Your PM cleanser should be something capable of taking off your makeup, SPF, etc. *Please note* if you can't afford 2 cleansers, then don't buy 2 cleansers. But do read on and make an informed decision about the 1 you do come home with.
• YOU MUST CLEANSE IN THE PM. - This was a hard one for me, but it's become actually really enjoyable and now I look forward to my nightly routine. Who am I??
• USE THE WASHCLOTH CLEANING METHOD.  Every. Time.  I've even been traveling with washcloths. I regret nothing. 
• Always apply cleanser to DRY skin.  It doesn't matter what the packaging 'says'. It 'says' a whole bunch....disregard. 
• Don't wash off with water....again...this is what the washcloth method is for.  
• Do NOT use cleansers that say 'foaming'.  'Foaming' agents strip your skin of everything it needs. Back in the day, soaps didn't lather and foam. They worked. But then people had to market things, so people added lathering and foaming agents to soap products to make for an 'experience'. Well that new 'experience' has lasted so long that now we think it's necessary. I assure you, it is not.  Save face. Skip the foaming. Pun intended. 
• Always Double Cleanse. If you don't have makeup or sunscreen on, like in the AM, you can do a single cleanse. SPF or makeup on....Double Cleanse. 

What I've Been Using:

A.M. Cleanser: Bare Minerals Purifying Facial Cleanser $20 for 6oz. 

I've been sticking to my Bare Minerals Purifying Facial Cleanser. This is easily one of my most favorite products of Bare Minerals. I love the fresh scent and the ease of this cleanser. You don't need much, but it works without being harsh, drying or foaming. 

This leaves my AM skin clean and refreshed and ready for any look I want to put on top.   

It's also so gentle that I can rub it into my eyes without worry of irritation at all, with or without contacts. It does a great job of eating through makeup and because I can put it over my eyes, it takes off my eye makeup without a separate remover!

That is...until Mac Feline came around. That stuff is no joke and though BM Cleanser means well, it is no match for it and I do have to use a remover to take off some after this cleaners.  

P.M. Cleanser: Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm $28.50 for 3.8 oz.

 

Caroline swears by a few trusted balm cleansers that she says is the best thing for nighttime cleansing. These balms are thick and oily and eat through makeup, dirt and oil. After much research into her favs and what was available here in the states, and in my budget, I decided to try out a cult classic.

I. Am. In. Love. 

From the very first try, I knew we were going to have a very long love affair. 

Caroline calls this the basics of all balm cleansers. It's the one every woman should have in their kit because it's a no nonsense get in, get out cleanser.  In fact, they should make a new word for cleanser for this because this is amazing.   

Lard-like.

The tub opens up to a milky white lard looking substance. It's not appealing. It's not enchanting or appetizing. It's not even scented. This is like the old no nonsense grandma of the cleanser world.  You scoop out a small amount with a finger and you see it comes up really easy. It's not like hard butter, but like really soft frosting. And the second it hits your face, it turns into oil. 

I know...that sounds gross. But trust me, it's not.  It's not a runny, thick or sticky. No, instead it's very slick, almost like butter, but smoother. The oil immediately pursues every trace of makeup on your face and eats through it in record time! Waterproof liners, mascaras...even Mac Feline....everything is GONE in about 2 seconds with this cleanser! 

There is no scent. There is no tingly feeling or minty after anything. But the slickness of the oil consistency this takes on makes it feel like you're giving yourself a facial massage every night! 

Then when you wipe it off with a hot washcloth, you're left with amazingly clean, yet still hydrated skin. This balm cleanser has actually made me get into a very strict nightly routine because i honestly enjoy using it so much.  And since I've started using this, I haven't touched a makeup remover. 

I can't believe I never used this before. But now I will never be without. 

If you're looking for something with a little more flash and scent, Caroline recommends the Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm. It's more than twice the price of the Clinique, but the tub is also much bigger, so it's up to you and your budget.  

The Body Shop also has a cleansing butter, which is on sale right now for UNDER $10! but Caroline did give a mention that this one might not be the best for people who tend to break out easily, so I skipped this and went straight for the Clinique which has resoundingly favorable reviews online, and for good reason. 

Honorable Mention:

Aveda Botanical Kinetics Purifying Creme Cleanser $21 for 5oz. 

I've got my hands on a trial supply of this and I've been really loving it. It's a very runny milky consistency that doesn't feel like it's doing much until you wipe it off. Then you realize just how refreshed your skin feels, yet also really soft. 

This actually feels like it's giving some moisture back into the skin.  

The smell wasn't my favorite when I got this. It reminds of  very old Indian cologne smell, which isn't my thing, but after a while of using this off and on, I've grown to like the smell of this.  However, this most certainly stings when it gets in your eyes. Which I always forget because my go to Bare Minerals doesn't give me that problem.  

Compared to the bare minerals purifying cleanser, Aveda is much more moisturizing, but Bare Minerals feels more clean and refreshed. I still use this on the mornings I'm feeling more dried out, but there isn't much left. I would definitely consider spending on my money on this for the winter months if i felt my skin needed a little more help. 

** Tune in tomorrow when I talk about toners. That's right, I said toners. And I'm not even joking!