November 8, 2008

I've had high-maintenance skin for my entire life; in fact I don't think I've gone to bed without washing my face since I was 12 years old. So it isn't surprising that I can't get by with just one trusty facial cleanser. I love to try new skincare products, like those from the Victorian Cosmetic Institute, but there are certain products that are my favorites. I actually have a team of 5 cleansers that I rotate as needed, depending on what my skin is demanding that day.

• My favorite cleanser right now is Serious Skin Care's C-Clean. My biggest skin care concern is keeping my skin clean all the way to the bone in order to avoid breakouts, and C-Clean does that but not in a harsh way. It's made for over-40 skin, and leaves my skin feeling really clean but not ravaged. It has Vitamin C as the name would indicate, but also includes aloe vera, comfrey, chamomile and calendula.
  

  Serious Skin Care C Clean

• Serious Skin Care also makes a Glycolic Cleanser that used to be my #1 “go-to” cleanser, but it can be a touch too strong on some days for me now since I use a retinol product every night. I still use it, but only when my skin feels tough enough to take the super-duper cleansing that it offers. Let me give you one great tip about Serious Skin Care. They are awesome about putting together try-me kits of their products, and this is the best (most affordable) way to get started with their line. You can order their products directly from seriouskincare.com, but in my experience the best sampler kits are found through HSN.
  

  Serious Skin Care Glycolic Cleanser

• I also love the Warming Deep Pore Cleanser that Biore used to make. You know Biore; they're the folks who make the Deep Cleansing Pore Strips that clear all the clogs out of your pores. Well, you may not know that they also make cleansers. They've revamped the cleanser that I'm using, and it's now called Warming Anti-Blackhead Cream Cleanser. It's not a very pretty name, if you ask me, but I'll definitely give it a try once my bottle of the previous formula is gone. The warmth of the cleanser seems to help the product more effectively sweep away makeup and everything else that clings onto your skin during the day. This product is inexpensive, and widely available at drugstores and discount stores.
  

  Biore Warming Anti-Blackhead Cream Cleanser

• DHC is a skin care company that is based in Japan, and they have some great products and a very devoted following. My favorite of their cleansers is the Deep Cleansing Oil which is their #1 selling product worldwide. The main ingredient is olive oil, with Vitamin E and rosemary oil too. Since I have oily sensitive skin, I NEVER would have considered using an oil cleanser on it, but that just shows how our closed minds can keep us from experiencing things that are good! Like the Glycolic Cleanser, I can't use this every day because of my retinol product usage, but when I need a good deep cleansing and my skin isn't already irritated for some reason, this is an excellent product.

  I love the application process. You take a pump of the oil into your palm, and then massage the oil into your dry skin with your fingers. They say it can be used to remove eye-makeup, but I haven't tried that. Once the oil is thoroughly massaged in, only then do you add water and rinse it off. To make sure all traces of the oil are removed, I then use DHC Pure Soap and rinse thoroughly again. I can honestly say this tag-team duo makes my skin feel cleaner deep down than anything else I've ever used.

  

  DHC Deep Cleansing Oil

• Last of all, with all this deep cleansing, there are days when my skin needs a more delicate touch, and on those days I use CeraVe. My dermatologist recommended it to me last year when I had some laser treatments done (I need to post on THAT experience!). It's a hydrating gentle cleanser, but it's also non-comedogenic so it doesn't cause any breakout issues. It's too mild to be my daily cleanser, but on some days it's the perfect choice. It's a bonus that I can buy it just down the street at CVS.
  

  CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser

That's my facial cleanser team, and I haven't even gotten to scrubs and masks yet! I love that they are all affordable, and all very effective at what they do. Hey LilSis, you got lower-maintenance skin than I did, and I'm betting your cleansing routine is not as high-maintenance as mine. Is that an accurate assumption? Hmmm?

~BigSis