By marty lelle

Choosing the perfect all-natural face cleanser

Have you ever had an experience like this? You have dry skin, so you buy a facial cleanser that claims to be for your skin type. You use it diligently as instructed on the label – but your dry skin just keeps getting worse! What is going on?

It may be that you haven’t looked closely enough at the ingredients in the product. Just because the label says it’s good for you doesn’t mean it is. For example, lots of skincare products contain alcohol – which dries and dehydrates skin!

So, how do you find a facial cleanser that will both clean and nourish your skin without damaging it in the long term?

Not too weak, not too harsh

Just like Goldilocks choosing porridge, finding the right facial cleanser is a quest for ‘just right’. If the cleanser is too gentle, it won’t remove enough dirt and excess oil. But if it’s overly harsh and gives you that ‘squeaky clean’ feeling, then it’s stripping away too much of your natural oils, leaving your skin exposed.

Use a washer

Everyone’s skin is unique and you may find it difficult to find a cleanser that works for you. Remember that you can always combine a very mild cleanser with a washcloth or face brush. This will help you get a deep clean without resorting to harsh chemicals.

Start checking the ingredients

Remember that the label on products is primarily a marketing tool, not a source of reliable information. Plenty of products advertised for dry skin contain alcohol and lots of cleansers “for sensitive skin” are packed with artificial fragrances.

The back of the label doesn’t lie though! Turn products over and see what they really contain before buying.

Learn what to avoid

Reading the ingredients won’t help much if you don’t know what to look for and what to avoid. Do some research on your phone while you shop or check out online guides like this one.

One of the most important things to look out for is sodium lauryl sulphate (SLS). This is the ingredient that gives many cleansers their foam and it makes your skin feel squeaky clean. The problem is SLS is actually corrosive to your skin and has been linked with serious health problems.

Understand your skin type

You need to understand your skin type before you can choose the right skincare products. Here are our tips for the most common skin types:

Tips for dry skin

For dry skin, gel cleaners or star ingredients like witch hazel and willow bark might be too strong and only dry it out more.

You want to opt for an all-natural facial cleanser that will remove dirt while moisturising and nourishing your skin. Look for ingredients like aloe and coconut oil, and stick to all-natural skincare companies like Okana Skincare.

Tips for oily skin

If your skin is oily, you want to avoid anything that will clog your pores – so avoid creamy cleanser or cleansers with added oils. Look for a natural facial cleanser that contains healthy acids to cut through excess oils and keep your acid mantle in balance.

Normal and combination skin

Most people’s skin is somewhere in the middle, either normal balanced skin or skin featuring oily areas. If your skin is like this, be sure to choose a pH-balanced cleanser that won’t throw your acid mantle off-kilter. Other than that, just avoid harmful chemicals and you should be okay.

Experiment and track results

Once you’ve found a cleanser that looks right for you on paper, it’s time to test it out. Start using the cleanser and pay attention to the results.

Ask questions like:

  • Is this drying out my skin?
  • Am I getting a deep clean?
  • Does my skin look better since I started using this cleanser?
  • Am I happy to include a washer in my routine?

This will help you decide if this is the right cleanser for you. If it works, great! If you’re still having issues try a new product or talk to a dermatologist to find out what will be best for you.