The ESK blog
How to get the best out of your cleanser
22 March 2024
Dr Anne Thomson
Blog: How to get the best out of your cleanser
It’s not exactly earth-shattering news that cleansing is the first step in any skincare routine. It seems obvious, the research is pretty clear and yet…this deceptively simple practice has become quite complicated, with a crowded market of cleansers, cleansing tools and techniques, all with various claims. Hardly surprising then that many of us aren’t sure what to use or how, with one market research survey revealing nearly 80% of us make cleansing mistakes!
So, which cleanser is right for your skin type? What ingredients should you look for? How should you cleanse? What about double-cleansing? Aaargh, no wonder it’s easy to get it wrong!
Let’s take a closer look at this most basic of practices, including a peek under the hood of ESK’s two cleansers – the Calming Cleanse and the Hydroxy Cleanser – to help you work out which one is right for you and how to get the best out of it.
Why do we cleanse?
No matter your age, skin type or skin problem (ageing, acne, rosacea, eczema, you name it!) we all need to cleanse in order to:
- Remove dirt, sweat, excess sebum (oil), make-up, dead skin cells and bad bacteria
- Help maintain the skin’s moisture barrier and pH balance
- Improve the effectiveness of any skincare products applied after cleansing
What to look for in your cleanser
Most of the things we need to wash off our skin are not water-soluble, meaning they can’t be removed by using water alone. To breakdown and lift these off we need a surfactant. Surfactants (derived from the words “Surface active agent”) do just that, by reducing surface tension of the oils and dirt on our skin, allowing them to be washed away. And of the group of surfactants that are used for cleansing our face there are two main types– soap; and what’s known as synthetic detergents, aka syndets, found in soap-free cleansers.
Soap and syndets both remove dirt and other impurities from the skin. So far, so good. But soap also disrupts the delicate oil and protein layer that forms a healthy skin barrier, causing it to lose moisture and become irritated: hello dry, tight, flaky, red and itchy skin.
Soap is also very alkaline, with a pH of around 8-11. Our skin’s pH is more acidic, just under the 5 pH mark on average, and altering this too much also contributes to the breakdown of the skin barrier and overgrowth of bad bacteria.
Syndets (soap-free cleansers) on the other hand do not disrupt the skin barrier, have a pH of around 4.5 which mimics the skin’s natural pH and maintain, even improve, the skin’s hydration. They tend to wash off more effectively than soap too. Much better!
Other things (besides soap) you DON’T want in a cleanser
- Fragrance
- Physical exfoliators like micro-beads
- Astringents
- Toners
- Alcohol
- Camphor & menthol
Most of these can irritate the skin or cause allergies, particularly in sensitive skin or with eczema, rosacea and acne.
ESK Cleansers
No prizes for guessing both of ESK’s cleansers are soap-free!
Not only does Calming Cleanse contain gentle soap-free surfactants it also contains moisturisers like glycerin and some bonus soothing botanicals like aloe vera and lavender.
This is best suited to normal, dry or sensitive skin including skin prone to rosacea or eczema. It is gentle enough to use on young skin in the pre-teen years, and on the often moody skin of pregnancy, peri-menopause and menopause.
It can also be used as a make-up remover by applying it to a cotton ball and wiping gently over the eyes, lips and face.
Our Calming Cleanser is a non-foaming, coconut sugar-based formula with a gentle pH of 4.5-5, making it ideal for sensitive skin types, including those with eczema and rosacea. This creamy cleanser effectively removes impurities while preserving the skin’s natural hydration and pH balance. Its non-soap formula minimises irritation and dryness, providing a soothing cleanse without disrupting the skin barrier. Designed for sensitive skin, Calming Cleanser avoids harsh ingredients like astringents, camphor, and menthol, which can trigger irritation. Gentle yet thorough, it supports a healthy microbiome and barrier, leaving skin calm, soft, and ready for the next step in your routine. Featuring; A creamy soap-free cleanser for skin that needs a gentle, silky wash.
Calming Cleanse
Also with soap-free surfactants to lift off excess oil and bad bacteria, Hydroxy Cleanser, a lightly foaming cleanser, contains glycolic and lactic acids for gentle exfoliation, and some salicylic acid to combat inflammation. These can help manage the excess oil production and inflammation of acne-prone skin but are also suitable for normal skin looking for some anti-aging benefits, or oiler skin types such as in the teenage years and in men.
Our Hydroxy Cleanser is a soap-free, pH-balanced cleanser that provides gentle yet effective cleansing for your skin. Lightly foaming, it removes dirt, excess oils, and impurities without drying or irritating, making it perfect for maintaining a healthy skin barrier. Designed with a neutral to acidic pH, it’s ideal for sensitive skin types, including those with acne, aging skin and pigmentation. This cleanser helps preserve hydration, supports the skin’s microbiome, and normalises skin pH, creating the perfect base for your skincare routine. Free from harsh soaps, astringents, and irritants, Hydroxy Cleanser leaves skin feeling fresh, balanced, and ready for any treatment. Featuring Gentle, soap free syndets to leave your skin feeling clean and soft A pH of 4.5-5 to maintain the skin barrier Perfect for daily use for normal/oily skin
Hydroxy Cleanser
Almost all studies on cleansers recommend once or twice daily cleansing.
Wet your face with lukewarm water and use your fingertips to gently massage the cleanser into your face for around 20-30 seconds. Rinse it off then gently pat dry with a soft towel.
You can use your cleanser on your decolletage and back or shoulders if you like, particularly if you are prone to acne in these spots.
What NOT to do:
Don’t overcleanse. Twice a day should be plenty. You can skip the cleanser and just use water in the morning if your skin is feeling dry or irritated.
Don’t vigorously rub your face or tug at the skin and don’t use facecloths, sponges, cleaning brushes or any kind of physical scrub.
What about double-cleansing?
Double cleansing is a relatively new phenomenon, the idea being that you start with an oil-based cleanser to lift off things like heavy make-up or sunscreen and then follow with a gentle soap-free cleanser.
There aren’t any studies we could find for this specific technique, and dermatologist opinion seems mixed. The concern is that it may result in overcleansing, increasing the risk of damage to the skin barrier. If you’re using a good soap-free cleanser this extra step shouldn’t be necessary. You may want to consider it if you wear very heavy transfer-free make-up or a thick, waterproof sunscreen.
If you’re still not sure which cleanser is right for you, try ESK’s online skin survey. It only takes a few minutes and takes the guesswork out of which one is right for you.
Happy cleansing!
References
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ics.12879
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35335373/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21572782/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/14728695/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30130782/
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jocd.15519
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29642579/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4554394/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3047947/
https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-basics/care/face-washing-101