The most common face washing mistakes

Washing your face seems like a fairly straightforward routine, doesn’t it? You use a face wash, scrub it well, rinse and pat dry. Unfortunately, this is not it, knowing the right way of washing your face can bring about a marked difference in your complexion and skin quality. We spoke to experts about the most common face-washing mistakes that people make and here is what they had to say.

Dirty hands: You’re probably wondering what possible difference could clean hands make, after all, they are going to get washed while you are washing your face, right? Wrong! Experts suggest washing your hands prior to washing your face means exposing your face to as little bacteria as possible; bacteria that will most likely cause breakouts and other skin problems. Even better is using a muslin cloth or any other kind of soft cloth to wash your face.

Using the wrong face wash: Choosing the right product for your face is perhaps one of the most important things when it comes to your skincare routine. What’s the big deal about this, you ask? Plenty, say dermatologists. If you choose the wrong product, chances are that the ones you use later on that are actually meant for your skin may not work as well as they were supposed to. For those who don’t know where to start, remember this – for normal to dry complexions, a hydrating, moisturising and minerally rich face wash is probably best while those with oily or combination skin should opt for a gel face wash that has an oil free formula for gentle cleansing.

Applying face wash incorrectly: Washing your face is more than just rubbing some cleanser on your face and rinsing it. For instance, if you are applying a foaming or gel, it’s best to apply it to a wet face so that it doesn’t dry out your skin. For acne control formulas, let the product stay on for a minute or two so that the active ingredients can deal with acne-causing bacteria. Cleansing lotions, on the other hand, should be applied to dry skin so that it can work with your skin’s natural oils and give good results.

Skipping the morning cleanse: While most of us remember to wash our face at night, some of us may forget to cleanse it in the morning. The morning cleanse is extremely important because it gets rid of the oil buildup overnight as well as any residue from products that you applied before hitting the sack. A good morning cleanse also ensures that the product you use afterwards penetrate the skin and work effectively.

Washing your face with hot water: Most of us are led to believe that washing your face with hot water is key to having great skin. That’s not entirely true – washing your face with warm water unclogs pores and loosens up impurities and enables the cleanser to get in there and do its job. However, you should finish washing with cold water because that tones and contracts the skin and closes pores so that impurities cannot make their way in.

Wiping your face dry: Instead of scrubbing your face dry with a towel, try using tissue paper and pat dry your skin. Face tugging and pulling at your skin only causes wrinkles.

Using wipes rather than washing your face: Cleansing wipes can come in handy sometimes but they can never be a substitute for face washing. In fact, sometimes they end up spreading dirt, oil and other impurities all over your face. It’s almost as you applied cleanser to your face and did not wash it off. Wipes should never be the norm for facial cleansing; they should be a once-in-blue-moon thing.

Washing your face too often: Those who have dry skin should just cleanse once a day while those with oily skin should do it twice a day at the most. Anything more and you are probably over drying your skin, causing it to produce more oil. If you are washing once a day, do it just at night so that you can get rid of the impurities you’ve collected on your face during the day.

Use moisturising face wash: Your cleansing routine should always be followed by a moisturizer. What best is that your face wash should have a moisturising formula that can lock in the hydration from the water.  In fact, such formulated face washes should only be applied on a wet face.