Importance of cleansing, toning and moisturising products

Women who use make-up should follow a routine of cleansing, toning and moisturising their face before going to bed.

CLEANSING represents an operation of great importance for the right upkeep of the skin. Cleansing must be carried out each evening and morning and every time new make-up is applied in daytime. Cleansing removes dirt, bacteria and dead skin cells from the surface of the skin. Cleansing skin care is perhaps one of the most important things we can do to help keep our skin looking healthy and beautiful. Without cleansing, our faces would develop a build-up of materials that would make our faces dirty, shiny and dull. The bacteria and dirt on our face would also increase the risk of bacterial infections, leading to skin problems like acne.

The second step is TONING. Toning lotions are necessary even for dry complexions, as they stimulate the biologic functions of the skin and activate blood circulation, working simultaneously as a tonic on the facial muscles. Facial toning does a number of things to keep your skin looking healthy. Firstly, it removes traces of dirt and debris that are left after cleansing. It also restores the skin's natural pH balance.

Toning is very beneficial for the pores. It helps tighten them up so that there is less chance of infection and acne. A good toner can tone up the skin and make it appear smoother

After cleansing and toning the skin, it is necessary to nourish it. MOISTURIZING helps hydrate the skin and prevent it from further moisture loss. It can also provide a protective barrier to stop moisture from escaping from the skin. Water and many skin care products can strip the skin of moisture. Moisturizing lotion helps replace that loss moisture. It is very important for people with dry skin, who have less sebum (the skin's natural oil) on their skin.

However, before you start your skin care regimen, it is of utmost importance to determine your skin type and pick appropriate products accordingly. Five skin types can be found among women all over the world:

• Normal - Skin is velvety, with small pores, and no visible acne.
• Oily - Skin has enlarged pores with shiny patches. Frequent breakouts may occur on the face, back, arms, and possibly the chest.
• Dry - Skin has very small, invisible pores with possible dry and itchy patches. The cheeks, arms, legs, chest, and belly may be particularly dry.
• Combination - Skin is dry across the cheeks and oily on the forehead, chin, and nose. Arms may be dry and back may be oily. Sensitive- Skin is either oily or dry with irritated and itchy patches. Skin may also be blotchy and reddened with frequent breakouts.

If you're not sure what type of skin you have, ask your dermatologist or a skin care professional. Once your skin is classified, you should choose products formulated for your skin type and use them in your daily routine. We will now discuss the functions and benefits of cleansing, toning and moisturizing.

FUNCTIONS AND BENEFITS OF CLEANSING, TONING AND MOISTURISING

CLEANSING

Cleansing removes the old make up and the grime and dirt that have accumulated through out the day. Here is how the face should be cleansed:

• Remove mascara with a cotton bud that is dipped in eye-cleansing lotion.
• Remove eye shadow by wiping with a cotton ball dipped in eye-cleansing lotion.
• Pour face cleansing cream into your palm and apply generously over nose, chin, forehead and cheeks.
• Massage the cream into the skin, begin from under the throat and move to the top of your forehead with your fingertips.
• Remove cream from face with tissue pads. Begin from under the chin, and then move to the cheek and then to the forehead.
• Finish with a splash of cold water to close pores.

For the face, any type of soap works fine to remove dirt, but may not work as well to remove make-up. Instead, choose a facial cleansing agent in cream, water-based emulsion, lotion, or gel form that's formulated for your particular skin type. There are many different products on the market so you may want to try a few brands before you settle down on one that works best for you. Those with drier skin may want to choose cream or lotion products; those with oilier skin may want to use gel or water-based products. Those prone to breakouts may wish to use medicated soaps or lotions designed to reduce breakouts.

TONING

Follow-up your cleansing routine with a facial toner, which removes any residual greasiness still left on the skin from your make-up or your cleansing product. It also closes the pores, stimulates circulation, and gives the skin a porcelain-like quality. There are a variety of toners on the market so try to choose one that's formulated for your skin type. Apply the toner with a cotton ball, using the same gentle, upward strokes that you used to apply your cleanser.

Immediately after cleansing apply toner to the forehead and cheeks with a cotton pad. Apply toner to the crevices around the nose and chin.

MOISTURISING

Moisturizing ensures that the skin is smooth and supple. The skin on the face gets dry easily because of the weather. Moisturizing forms a film over the skin and helps in containing the natural moisture of the skin. With your fingertips dot moisturizing cream gently all over your face. Gently massage the cream into your face with your fingertips. Work gently around the eyes. Massage cream around the jaw line, chin and mouth with the middle finger of both hands. While massaging cream over the throat using alternate hands and upward strokes from the collarbone to the chin. Moisturisers protect the skin and hydrate it, creating a great base to work on for your make-up. Without moisture, the skin will not remain smooth and supple. The face is exposed to the drying effect of the weather, so moisturisers - which form a film over the skin - contain and augment the natural moisture.

All skin types, even oily skin, need a moisturizer everyday. But like toners and cleansers, there are different types of moisturizers for different types of skin. If you have dry skin you should choose a moisturizer containing oil (such as petrolatum); if you have oily skin you should choose water-based creams and oil-free formulations. You may also wish to choose different moisturizers for the face and body; facial moisturizers tend to be more expensive and complex for your most delicate skin.