Even if your face is covered up by a face mask, you still want your skin clean and healthy, right? So, how do you wash your face, and why is it different than washing the rest of your skin? Let’s dive right in and figure out how to tend to our smiling faces:
The skin on your face is different from the rest of your skin.
Facial skin is sensitive and needs special treatment and nourishment compared to other parts of the body. It is rich in sebaceous glands that secrete a natural lubrication oil (sebum) which can also trap dirt and dead skin cells, leading to skin blemishes. The cells of the face are finer than other places on the body and they are rich is pores making your face more prone to the environment and to water loss.
The skin on your face is also thinner than other areas of your body, and there are more hair follicles on your face. Not only for men, women too! On female faces, the hair is soft, fine, and you might not even notice it. For males, the hair is courser, and the pours are larger. Let’s face it, our faces of a lot of hair follicles!
This all amounts to the skin on your face being more delicate than the rest of your body and needs some TLC to keep it worthy of your glorious smile.
How should I wash my face?
Good question, and luckily there is a simple answer, courtesy of the AADA (American Academy of Dermatology Association):
Time needed: 5 minutes
- Use a gentle, non-abrasive cleanser.
Use one that’s alcohol-free. (We’ll talk more about this next, and why we recommend soap vs. detergent cleansers).
- Wet your face with lukewarm water and use your fingers to apply the cleanser.
Using anything else (like a washcloth, pouf, face wash pad, or rubbing a bar right on your face) can irritate your skin.
- Massage, don’t scrub.
Just massage the cleanser in with your fingertips. Scrubbing will irritate your skin.
- Rinse with lukewarm water and pat dry with a soft towel.
- Apply a moisturizer.
Use a small amount of moisturizer if your skin is dry or itchy after washing, which it shouldn’t be if you’re using the right bar of soap for your face.
- Limit washing to once or twice a day and after sweating.
Washing your face more than once in the morning & once at night can irritate your skin. Sweat can also irritate your facial skin, so it’s perfectly fine to add in an extra washing after a workout.
Notice a trend there? Don’t irritate your skin. And using the right cleanser will go a long way towards avoiding facial skin irritation.
Should I use face wash or soap?
Face wash is a pretty generic term, but it mostly applies to specialty products formulated for the skin on your face. They can be creams, gels, or solid bars. We are a huge advocate for the solid bar option as it’s the most sustainable with minimal packaging, no plastic needed, and the most sanitary.
The term “soap” is pretty generic too. According to the FDA, “soap” is anything that cleans your skin. You would never use laundry “soap” on your face, would you? Most body soaps are formulated for tough skin, and not faces. Facial soaps, however, are formulated for the more delicate skin on our faces.
Wondering what’s the difference between facial soap and body soap?
Let’s talk natural for a moment and explain why almost all of our handmade soaps are suitable for the delicate skin on your face.
Most commercially produced soaps are detergents (we call them “fake” soap). Natural soaps are made from natural ingredients, such as plant oils. Detergents are synthetic, man-made derivatives (and can be petroleum-based). Detergents are typically harsher on delicate skin than natural soap.
To make it more confounding, many commercial soap manufacturers (real soap, not detergent) extract the glycerin from the soap, and then press the left-over matter into bars. Sure, it cleans just fine, but it also leaves your skin (face to toes) dry and itchy.
You see, glycerin, which is a natural by-product of the saponification process, draws in moisture. All true handmade soaps retain their natural glycerin and are far more moisturizing than a commercial “soap” or detergent. This is especially important for that delicate facial skin!
So what’s the best soap to use for my face?
For sensitive and dry skin:
We recommend our Pure Oatmeal and Calendula bar. It’s fragrance-free, filled with oats & calendula, and will quickly become your favorite head-to-toe soap. The formula rinses well and leaves your skin moisturized and supple.
For oily skin that’s not as sensitive:
We recommend our Clear face and body detox bar. It’s going help remove excessive oil deposits and grime that can clog your pores, yet it won’t dry you out like commercial soaps and alcohol cleansers can.
For “normal” skin:
(those lucky individuals who never had the teenage pimply class photos… grrrrrrr you!) We recommend nearly any bar we make! There are a few exceptions though. We don’t recommend using our shampoos for facial soaps. They will tend to dry your face if used as a daily facial cleanser. You should also avoid using our utility bar, Katherine. She’s best suited for helping you wash the dishes!
Bonus on all of our signature soaps… they are vegan, zero-waste, all-natural, free of chemical colorants and artificial fragrances, and retain 100% of their natural glycerin!
However you wash your face, remember, don’t irritate your skin!
That means use your fingertips to wash your face. Just moisten your face with lukewarm water, lather up your bar, then give yourself a mini face massage! Rinse well, and pat dry.
If you have a few problem patches, or want to give your facial some extra special TLC, our facial mask powders will be your new BFF. Use weekly or monthly (depending on your skins preference) to moisturize and rejuvenate your skin.
Not sure what your skin type is? This post will help you help you figure it out.
If you’re curious about how all of these soapy things are made, check out this post to explore soaps, detergents, glycerin, and lye products used for cleaning skin… busting a few myths along the way too!