The skincare market is flooded with cleansers which often leads to confusion when choosing the appropriate one for yourself. From rich soft oil cleansers, gentle cream cleansers, lightweight gel and airy foaming cleansers the right one for you depends on your skin type and skin concerns.
If chosen wrong the face won’t be beneficial for your skin, instead it would be more problematic for you and raise more skin concerns. This is why you need to properly match your cleansing product to your skin type to get better results.
All the cleansers have different purposes and different benefits for the skin. Understanding each cleanser type allows you to balance your cleansing routine with comfort.
Whether you need a refreshing cleanser, a gentle soothing cream cleanser, or a proper effective makeup removing cleanser. Understanding your skin would help in choosing the best cleanser for your skin type from gel, foam, oil or cream cleansers. But before choosing the cleanser you also need to understand how each of them works for your skin.
Understanding skin types
Before choosing a face wash you need to firstly understand your skin type and then based on that select the face wash.
Oily skin
When the skin appears excessively shiny all the time due to excess oil sitting up on the face, this skin type is referred to as oily skin. It results because of the hyperactive sebaceous glands which go overdrive and secrete excess oil. It makes the pores enlarged and more oil is produced. This is also affected by hormonal fluctuations.
Dry skin
The sebum production may reduce or become minimal in the body then it leads to dry skin. It happens when the sebaceous glands do not work properly as well as secrete low amounts of sebum. The skin starts appearing dry, flaky and itchy. It results in a damaged moisture barrier which lacks ceramides and other barrier supporting agents.
Combination skin
When two skin concerns co-exist at the same time it results in combination skin. It happens when the forehead, nose and chin areas (T-zone) start producing excess sebum and get oily and the cheeks and jawline area (U-zone) produces moderate or low sebum making it dry.
Sensitive skin
When the barrier of the skin gets compromised it leads to sensitive skin. The skin gets easily affected by skincare products, environmental factors, climatic changes or many other factors and leads to skin redness, inflammation and itching. The skin is very sensitive and gets triggered easily.
Acne prone skin
When acne breakouts happen frequently on the face making the skin acne prone as it gets easily triggered by many factors. It usually occurs due to many factors. Clogged pores and excessive oil production are one of them. Other major factors are hormonal imbalance or using unsuitable skincare ingredients.
Light foaming cleansers
These cleansers begin with a liquid base and when applied to the skin produce gentle airy lather. This soft and airy foam can penetrate the skin and helps in clearing out the impurities from the skin. It cuts down the oil from the surface and upon rinsing gives a matte and refreshed skin. It is a non comedogenic light textured formulation which is suitable for hot and humid weather conditions.
These cleansers are most suitable for-
- Oily skin type
- Combination skin
- Acne prone skin
Non-sticky gel cleansers
A water based and light textured formulation which does not feel sticky on the skin. They help in gently cleansing the skin and are not so harsh. These high performing cleansers for men and women assist in clearing the impurities from the skin. It does not strip the skin barrier layer.
It is mostly water based so it totally feels refreshing on the skin. It helps in lifting the surface impurities properly and does not clog the pores. It does not make skin feel dry or tight and formulated with the right ingredients. Ideal for beating summer heat.
Most suitable for-
- Normal skin
- Combination skin
- Slightly oily skin
Nourishing cream cleansers
These are thick lotion-like formulations which totally help in cleansing the skin without producing foam. They are enriched with emollients as well as mild cleansing agents. Most suitable choice for supporting the damaged skin barrier.
It helps in replenishing the natural skin lipids and prevents skin dryness by locking in the moisture and does not breach the skin. It actively helps in calming down skin redness and itching. It helps a lot in preventing excessive skin dryness during the winters.
Most suitable for-
Makeup cleansing oil face wash
Oil cleansers formulated with oil bases work on the theory of ‘like dissolves like’. It helps in breaking down the buildup of sebum, makeup and sunscreen without stripping the skin barrier. When used properly it does not leave behind any skin residue and helps in effectively cleansing the oil and other buildup from the face. It works by dissolving hard plugs of sebum.
Most suitable for
Final thoughts
All cleansers work very well in their own way whether it is a gel, foam, cream or an oil cleanser. But not all of them are very much suitable for every skin type. This is why you need to understand their cleansing action first. Alongside that you also need to pay attention to your skin type and understand what works best for your skin.
