Skin Cleaning products

Skin cleaning products include soaps, gels and liquids that are formulated to provide the right care to your skin and help it look glowing and healthy. The general purpose of skin cleaning products is to remove and clean soiling, excessive skin parts (skin sweat, scales, sebum), unwanted micro organisms and the existing residues of medicinal or cosmetic preparations from the surface of skin.

Cleansing skin care is one of the most important things that we can do to help keep our skin looking glowing, healthy and beautiful. Without cleansing, our faces may develop a build-up of materials, which would make our faces look dirty, shiny and dull. The buildup of bacteria and dirt on our face may also increase the risk of bacterial infections, which may lead to skin disorders, such as acne. Cleansing is especially important for people with oily skin, who have excess oil on their face that attracts dirt and debris.

A wide range of skin cleaning products is available in the industry that is formulated for different skin types, different functions and properties. It is important that people select the right kind of skin care product for their skin, as it will treat their problem areas and will prevent any further skin damage from occurring.

Types
Depending on the form, usage and application, the skin cleansing products can be broadly categorized into following five types -

• Toilet Soaps
• Face Wash
• Cleansing Milk
• Cleansing Cream
• Cleansing Lotion

Know Your Skin Type
For getting maximum benefit from your skin care regiment, it is important that you know your skin type. There are different types of skin and hence you should take care of your skin accordingly. The effective way to treat your skin is to know your skin type and what kind of nutrients the skin needs and act accordingly.

Skin can be divided into different types according to its texture. The different types of skin are -

• Normal skin
• Dry skin
• Oily skin
• Combination skin

A brief description of these different skin types is given below -

Normal Skin
A normal skin has fine texture with smooth and supple surface. This type of skin has a proper balance between the oil and moisture contents and hence it looks neither greasy nor dry. The skin looks clear and does not develop any spots or blemishes. The pores of the skin are fine and barely visible and reflect good health. A normal skin requires gentle treatment.

Dry Skin
This type of skin is dry parched in appearance and has a tendency to flake easily. The skin is prone to wrinkles and lines, which is due to its inability to retain moisture. Dry skin often supper problems in cold weather condition and ages faster than normal or oily skin. Constant care and protection of dry skin is very important. It needs a moisturizer during the day and a good cream at night.

Oily Skin
The over secretion of sebum, which makes the skin surface looks oily, can cause an oily skin condition. The excess oil on the skin surface attracts dirt and dust from the environment. This type of skin is also prone to black heads, white heads, spots and pimples. This type of skin requires thorough cleaning and extra care.

Combination Skin
Combination skin is very common and as the name suggests, it is a combination of both dry and oily skin, with certain parts of the body oils and rest dry. Generally there is a central greasy panel that consists of the forehead, nose and chin and a dry panel, which consists of the cheeks and the areas around the eyes and mouth. In a combination skin, the different parts of the body should be treated accordingly.

Cleansing Tips
Cleansing is an essential step in your daily skin care regimen. Given below are some general cleansing tips -

• Cleaning the face 2-3 times a day; is sufficient for normal skin.
• In the case the skin is oily, a more frequent cleansing should be done i.e. 4-5 times a day.
• For a dry skin condition, avoid frequent washing and you may have to use a suitable oil-based cosmetic cleanser instead of soap that have a drying effect
• There are various alternatives to soap and water cleansing. Cleansers come in different forms, such as creams, milks, lotions, gels and liquids. In general, all these products are a mixture of oil, wax and water that have been prepared and formulated to suit different skin types.
• The correct way to apply creams and cleansers on your face is in an upward and outward movement. Do not stretch, drag or pull your skin. Leave the cleanser on for a 1-2 minute so as to loosen the dirt and makeup. Remove it by either using a cotton wool or with a tissue paper. Finally rinse it with water.