Reset Your Routine – The Best Cleansers of 2018
Make a clean start to the new year with a brand new squeaky clean cleansing routine!
The first rule with any skincare routine is to master the basics, and knowing how best to clean your skin properly is right up there at the top of the queue.
Taking the time to thoroughly clean your skin is one of the best things you can do for it. Not only does it remove the daily build-up of dirt and impurities, by doing so, it creates a clean base for the skincare products you apply next to take full effect. And that’s where your daily cleanser comes in.
Before you even think about eye creams, serums or moisturisers, your next step should be a gentle facial cleanser. But which type to go for? From cleansing tonics, gels, lotions and foams, there are a number of different styles of cleansers for a number of different skin types.
Best for sensitive skin: Ishga Active Cleansing Lotion
This star product is quick to remove traces of make-up and daily grime, leaving skin smooth, soft and radiant. Ideal for all skin types, it contains an abundance of skin-friendly natural ingredients such as jojoba oil which is anti-inflammatory and full of anti-oxidants, bergamot orange oil to calm, de-stress and encourage deep sleep, and the antiseptic properties of lemon rind to help fight infections and boost the immune system.
This gentle cleanser is tough on dirt and can even be used to remove traces of eye make-up. Simply massage onto the skin and remove with a damp cotton wool pad using upward and outward movements twice a day.
Best for oily skin: [ comfort zone ] Active Pureness Gel
With 3% gluconolactone (which is packed full of anti-ageing properties), this deeply exfoliating cleanser is great for hard working skin that is regularly exposed to external elements – especially those who work in dirty or humid environments.
The cooling gel’s purifying actives deeply clears the pores of daily dirt and grime, leaving the epidermis clean and clear, but doesn’t strip it of essential oils thanks to the presence of the exceedingly hydrating arginine and the anti-oxidant properties of mangosteen.
To use, simply massage delicately onto dry skin once a day for a few seconds, then rinse off carefully with cool water, avoiding the eye area. This cleanser can also be used as a body exfoliator for particularly rough patches.
Best for dry skin: Caudalie Gentle Cleansing Milk
This velvety formula by French brand Caudalie is tough on impurities but soft on skin, making it ideal for dry skin types.
Enriched with nourishing and soothing agents, it leaves the skin clean, soft and comfortable and as it’s designed to be non-comedogenic (ie, so it won’t block your pores), it creates an ideal canvas for an intensive moisturiser to be applied.
Its delicate formula is full of ingredients that are high in hydration, such as sweet almond oil (which also has great benefits for the length and strength of your eyelashes), grape seed oil which is rich in vitamin E and omega-6 fatty acid content, along with extracts of sunflower which help prevent free radical damage that can contribute to ageing, and oat which is a rich source of vitamins A, B, E, iron, zinc, manganese and calcium.
Use twice daily morning and evening, with or without rinsing.