Raise your hand if you were ever personally victimized by the thought process that you had to give yourself chemical burn or road rash by way of gritty exfoliants to have clean skin!
When I started having skin problems probably around 5th grade, I got addicted to Stridex wipes and wash. Apparently, these products are still around, but I have no idea if they’re any different than they were when I was younger, and frankly, I don’t care to find out. I was drying my skin out within an inch of its life, causing it to produce more oil and acne. I didn’t realize this vicious cycle I had myself in until my cousin explained it to me. I needed a gentle cleanser, as well as a moisturizer. I had literally never used a facial moisturizer until I was 18, which is insane to me now.
I also thought I needed to SCRUB any impurities away. Like… every day. The more harsh the physical exfoliants were, the better. This is not the way. Occasionally, maybe a couple of times a month, I’ll use the Summer Fridays OVERTIME MASK if I feel like my skin is looking especially dull or tired, but I mostly stick to AHA and BHA exfoliants now.
AHA stands for alpha hydroxy acid. BHA stands for beta hydroxy acid.
AHAs are water-soluble acids made from sugary fruits. They help peel away the surface of your skin so that new, more evenly pigmented skin cells may generate and take their place. After use, you’ll likely notice that your skin is smoother to the touch.
On the other hand, BHAs are oil-soluble. Unlike AHAs, BHAs can get deeper into the pores to remove dead skin cells and excess sebum.
Below are the cleansers I have in rotation. I genuinely cannot pick a favorite, although I will say that I only get the Kate Somerville when it’s on sale. And the Tarte, although a reasonable price point for quality skincare, I get that when they have their Custom Kit sales so I’ve never paid full price.
Do you have a favorite cleanser I should add to my list?
cloud bank milky cleanser||knockout daily exfoliating cleanser||ExfoliKate® Cleanser Daily Foaming Wash||Pink Cloud Rosewater + Squalane Makeup Removing Face Wash||Grapefruit Facial Cleanser
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