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.

Reducing Skin Pore Size

Do you suffer from large pores? Why do some people have large pores, while others have small pores? Genetics plays a big role in pore size. Also, certain areas of the body, such as the nose and forehead generally tend of have bigger pores both in men and women secreting more sebum (oil). At times, these openings become jammed with dirt and dead skin cells leading to the formation of blackheads and whiteheads; therefore making these openings appear even larger.

Unfortunately, there is no magic wand which can shrink these pores to the preferred size. However, there are a number of products and treatments available which can help you accomplish your goal of smaller looking pores.

• Schedule professional skin care treatments every 4-6 weeks: These treatments go beyond simple cleansing to remove oil and debris caught in the pores.
• Wash your face every night using an appropriate cleanser for your skin type.
• Apply a water-based moisturizer during the day and evening. The moisturizer will help balance the oil in the skin. 

Look for skin care products containing the following ingredients:

Retinol: A derivative of vitamin A to help reduce oil production in the glands and encourage skin exfoliation.

Salicylic Acid: Penetrates the follicle, reducing the number of pore blockages and breakouts in the skin.

Glycolic Acid: An Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) for skin exfoliation.

As always, consult your skin care professional for the best product recommendations.