Top 3 Reasons Why Soap is Bad for your Face

Reason 1: Your Skin is Acidic, While Soap is Alkaline

Your skin’s pH is between 4.5-5.5 (acidic). Water has a pH of 7 (neutral). Anything above 7 is alkaline. Because soap is extremely alkaline, it disrupts your skin’s pH balance and acid mantle, making it easier for bacteria to grow and thrive.

Reason 2: Soap Makes your Skin Dry

Even if your skin is oily, this does not justify using soap on your face. Soap strips the skin of its natural oils and makes it tight and dry (If your skin is oily, this will cause your skin to produce even more oil!). Washing your face with soap is like washing it with dishwater liquid or detergent. I once had a client tell me her mother made her wash her oily skin with antibacterial hand soap. As a result, her skin actually cracked and bled!

Reason 3: Soap Leaves Residue on your Skin

Soap typically contains animal or vegetable fat. Because of this, soap can leave a film of residue on your face. This ultimately leads to a dull complexion.

When you use a face wash suited for your skin type, you can be sure that it contains ingredients that are required to keep your skin looking its best. While soap works perfectly well for the rest of your body, the skin on your face is much more delicate and can easily start looking damaged. So, ditch the soap and invest in a good quality facial cleanser instead.

Check out my facial cleanser recommendations!

Summer Skin Care Tips

Summer is upon us. What skin care concerns do you have during the summer months? Sunburn? Dry skin? Excess oil? Here are a few skin care tips for keeping your skin beautiful all summer long.

Sunburn: Avoid the sun until the skin has healed completely. Sunburned skin is more susceptible to subsequent burns. Soaking in a bath of cool or lukewarm water laced with a handful of baking soda will ease the burn. Afterward, gently pat on a topical over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream to help reduce swelling.

Dry skin: After swimming, rinse with fresh water to remove any salt or chlorine buildup, which can further dry out and irritate skin. Keep subsequent baths and showers short (no longer than 5 minutes) and use a mild cleanser and warm water. Gently use a loofah, washcloth, or exfoliating scrub to slough off dead cells. After bathing, towel-dry and moisturize immediately.

Oily skin: Avoid using bar soap to cleanse your face. The binders that hold a bar of soap together are very alkaline (high pH), which will strip all the water and natural oils out of the skin, causing the surface of the skin to dehydrate. Your skin will then be producing more oil to compensate for the lack of water. Using soap can also cause more break outs as the dehydrated cells being caused from the drying soap can cause a layer of dry skin cell buildup which can trap oil and keep them clogged in the pores. Use a gel-based cleanser instead.

Breakouts on your back, shoulders and chest:  Wash with a body cleanser that contains benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, ingredients that unblock pores and dry up excess oil. Also look for oil-free products that are labeled noncomedogenic, which means they won't clog pores.

COOL AS A CUCUMBER

Cucumber is rich in various vitamins and minerals, including vitamin E, magnesium, and silica. Vitamin E promotes healing and fortifies capillary walls. Silica helps to strengthen the body’s connective tissue, benefiting not only your skin, but also your hair, nails, and bones.  In fact, drinking cucumber juice on a regular basis hydrates your skin and supports your liver in cleansing.

Cucumber works well with all skin types, from oily to mature skin. Here are just some of the positive effects that cucumber has on your skin:

1. Hydrating: Since cucumbers mainly consist of water, they act as very good hydrating agents. After all, keeping your body hydrated is one of the most basic requirements for keeping your skin healthy.
2. Soothing: Cools and soothes inflammation associated with skin irritations, such as   sunburns and rashes.
3. Anti-Aging: Potassium and Vitamin E present in cucumber seeds aids in the reduction of wrinkles, fine lines, and dark spots.
4. Cleansing: Cucumber is also a great cleanser, especially for oily and problem skin types.

Try at Home Recipe:

 

Cucumber Mask

Ingredients:

3oz cucumber, very finely diced

3 tsp olive oil

2 tsp plain yogurt

Directions:
Mix ingredients into a fine paste. Spread a thin layer onto face. Allow to dry for about 15 minutes. Wash off with cool water. Skin feels soft, conditioned and clean.

Professional Product Spotlight:

Try the Cucumber Hydration Toner from Skin Script™, only at Fresh Faced Skin Care.