Cleansers come in many forms and should be used twice a day. (I dont necessarily advocate this, I think once a day, in the PM is enough, in the AM, just splash on some water, toner, treatment, and moisturizer and SPF.) Cleansers that rinse clean with water and are not too harsh are the best choices. Soap is not usually recommended, as it can leave a film on the skin and can be quite alkaline, causing dryness. Cleansers for all skin types and conditions come in three basic forms: face washes, lotions, and creams.
A
face wash is a detergent-type foaming cleanser with a neutral or slightly acidic pH. Many people are accustomed to the foaming type of bar soap and want that "squeaky clean" feeling. Face washes rinse off completely, leaving the skin feeling clean, but often a little tight. Clients with oily or combination skin like foamy cleansers. For acne-prone skin, an antimicrobial agent can be added to kill bacteria. Recommend these washes with caution because they can overdry the skin. This often leads to an overproduction of oil in the skin and can exacerbate acne.
A
cleansing lotion is a water-based emulsion for normal and combination skin. For dry skin, milky cleansers that contain more oils or emollients that soften the skin are recommended. Cleansing lotions can be applied with damp cotton pads or the hands and can be removed with a damp soft cloth, cotton, or sponges. Additional ingredients can be added to cleansing lotions to suit certain skin conditions such as sensitivity, dehydration, or capillary problems.
A
cleansing cream is an oil-based emulsion used primarily to dissolve makeup and dirt. It is suitable for basic skin cleansing twice a day on very dry and mature skin. Cleansing creams are considerably heavier than cleansing lotions. Cleansing cream should be used with a sponge or a soft cloth, otherwise there may be a residue left on the skin. Cleansing creams should be followed by a toner or another cleanser that is strong enough to remove any residue.
Cleanser Benefits
As a recap, cleanser benefits include the following:
- Cleaners dissolve makeup and dirt to unblock pores and prepare the skin for other products.
- Milky cleansers have emollients that soften dry skin.
- Cleansers contain ingredients to counteract various skin problems.
- Additional ingredients can help certain skin conditions such as sensitivity, dehydration, or capillary problems.
Exfoliants
The term
exfoliation refers to the peeling or sloughing of the horny (outer) layer of the skin, also known as the
corneum. An
exfoliant is an ingredient that assists in this process. Many different types of peeling and exfoliation treatments are available, ranging from brushing treatments and light enzyme peels to strong surgical peels that can be administered only by dermatologists and plastic surgeons. Alphahydroxy acids (AHAs), gentle scrubs, and peeling creams all exfoliate dead skin cells that clog pores. Removing cell layers from the surface of the skin can treat a variety of problems.
Exfoliation can cause irritation and damage to the skin and capillaries if overused or used incorrectly. Use caution when exfoliating the skin. It is important to note that the aesthetician's domain is the superficial epidermis, not treatments that involve the live layers of the skin below the epidermis.
There are two types of basic exfoliation treatments:
mechanical and
chemical.
Mechanical exfoliation is a method of physically rubbing (a bad choice of words, never
rub or
pull your skin) dead cells off of the skin. Examples of mechanical peeling treatments include granular scrubs, such as those made with almond meal or jojoba beads, or treatments that use a brushing machine. The movement of the brushes or scrubs removes cells from the surface of the corneum. Granular scrubs for normal to dry skin are usually recommended two times per week.
Exfoliation Benefits (Mechanical or Chemical)
The removal of dry, dead surface cells can help the skin in the following ways.
- It makes the skin smoother.
- It facilitates the extraction of matter that clogs pores.
- A faster cell turnover rate brings cells to the surface more rapidly.
- It improves the skin's ability to retain moisture.
- It helps product penetration and facilitates a more effective delivery of ingredients into the epidermis.
- The skin is smoother and not as rough, which makes the application of makeup easier.
- The mechanical treatment used in exfoliation stimulates blood flow.
Chemical Exfoliants
In chemical exfoliation, dead skin cells or the intercellular "glue" that holds them together is dissolved by chemical agents such as AHAs and enzymes. AHAs penetrate into the skin and dissolve the intercellular glue or cement. In contrast to AHAs, enzymes only digest the dead cells on the surface. Superficial enzyme peels are very gentle. You might consider using them when mechanical exfoliation is not appropriate.
Always a must!!!! and NO OVERTWEEZING doesn't hurt anyone 
I'm 23 and I still have breakouts, spots etc. from time to time, so I think that the main reason for good skin would be genetics and not the way you take care of your skin (but it's important as well, I'm sure). My mom has oily acne-prone skin and so do I 
But the most I could stay away from a cigarette was 2 days, it's really hard to quit, but I'm working on it and hopefully will quit soon 
