Favorites: The cleanser edition

I have had a shocking number of clients over the years tell me that they don't use a cleanser, or even a bar of soap, to wash their face. "Just water." I think it was way back in middle school chemistry when I learned that water is a very ineffective cleansing agent. Let's explore the wonderful purification ritual that is cleansing. 

The surface of our skin, called the acid mantle (a combination of sweat, oil, and other goodies) is water and bacteria resistant. Combine our skin's natural tendency to repel water and water's natural surface tension, and you have a recipe for poor cleansing conditions. If that went in one ear and out the other, let me put it simply: you need a cleanser. That said, there are a few things to keep in mind when dealing with cleanser... If a cleanser works too well it can strip skin's natural moisture leaving it tight, itchy, dry, shiny, and too "squeaky clean". If it doesn't work well enough it can leave your skin feeling sticky, greasy, and as unwashed as before you started.

I personally prefer to avoid sulfates (sodium lauryl, sodium laureth) in my cleansers, so all of my favorite cleansers are sulfate-free. Although I don't subscribe to the idea that cleanser can also be a treatment product for skin conditions, I do think it's best to get a cleanser suited to your skin type.

• Dry Skin: Bioelements Moisture Positive Cleanser
• Oily Skin: Dermalogica Dermal Clay Cleanser
• Normal/Combination Skin: Osea Ocean Cleanser (this is my favorite overall), Zia Fresh Cleansing Gel
• Acne: Epicuren Discovery Medicated Acne Cleanser
• Rosacea/Eczema/Sensitive: Sonya Dakar Bergamot Wash, Being True Comforting Cream Cleanser

If you've got a cleanser that you like already, yay! The main thing that a cleanser should do is effectively cleanse without stripping the skin's natural moisture. There's a whole mess of people out there using Clarisonic brushes to apply their cleanser, which are sort of like a big, soft Sonicare toothbrush for your face. I don't have one so I can't speak about how well they work, but from what I hear they can spin an average cleanser into a 24kt gold cleanser. They cost almost as much as a small island nation, but it sounds kinda worth it.