My Skincare Secrets: The Cleansing Edition

I have yet to meet a girl who says No to make up and I love makeup as much as every other girl. I love the pretty packaging, the beautiful array of colors, the alluring promise of a better look and the higher sense of self which comes with it. Yes, we all fall for it.

Inner Beauty

The best thing about getting older is the wisdom that you accumulate over the years, something we should all wear proudly as a badge of honor. You become more tolerant with your own self, more acceptant of your imperfections, you learn to live with the body that you were given the way it was given to you. I don’t believe in taking supplements that promise all sorts of miracles. I believe in taking good care of your mind and body, cultivating acceptance and self love, nourishing your body with good food, feeding your mind with positive thoughts, getting enough sleep, staying hydrated, keeping active. Nothing magical, nothing that’s unattainable, nothing difficult to do. No magic ingredients with names we can’t pronounce and don’t understand.

Surface Beauty

If my love affair with makeup was instantaneous, skincare was not something that I immediately warmed up to. Because I was always focused on covering my face under layers upon layers of makeup, I neglected to give my bare skin the attention and care it deserved. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I began exploring the vast realm of skincare and started understanding the various benefits that can be delivered to the skin. I now understand that great skincare can make a big difference in the overall look and appearance of my skin without makeup. It is equally important to cleanse and prep the skin as it is to keep it nourished and hydrated. A good skincare routine incorporates not only your serums and moisturizers, but also your cleansers and toners. I’ve shared with you my Datytime (see here) and Nighttime (see here) routines, now let’s talk about how I cleanse and prep my face prior to moisturizing. I am not a dermatologist or a skincare expert. I am simply sharing with you what I’ve been using currently and what’s worked for me. So here’s what graces my bathroom shelves, here comes the Cleansing Crew:

Ole Henriksen African Red Tea Foaming Cleanser

One of the best natural cleansers out there, in my opinion. Formulated without parabens, sulfates and phthalates, synthetic/fragrance/and soap free. All big ticket items in my beauty and skincare book. It is a creamy, foaming cleanser that gently cleanses and purifies the skin, without drying and stripping the skin of natural oils. It feels so luxurious and nourishing, the skin is left feeling pampered and reinvigorated. The cleanser is infused with African red tea which provides antioxidants to the skin, vitamin C to brighten and firm, borage seed oil to soothe and nourish, and extracts of grapefruit, orange and tangerine to purify and energize the skin. I use this cleanser two or three times a week. Side note: I don’t wash my face with water every day. Don’t judge. As I’ve said, growing up my skin used to be very fussy and it was suggested to me by my stepmom (she’s not a dermatologist, but she is a medical doctor) that I avoid washing my face every day as soap and water can throw off your skin’s PH balance. It is extremely important that I cleanse my skin every day in the AM and PM, and remove all traces of dirt, makeup and impurities, but I prefer other means such as micellar water and cleansing cloths.

Caudalie Micellar Water

I start my face cleansing routine with this product. Micellar water is a soap-free cleanser that uses molecules that work similar to magnets, to attract and lift dirt, oil and makeup from the face and eyes. There is no need to rub or tug on the skin, just a quick swipe on a cotton pad, and impurities are easily removed from the face. Since regular tap water never has to touch the face, the micellar water gently cleanses without drying the skin or affecting the skin’s PH levels. The Caudalie Micellar Water is formulated with organic grape water which hydrates and reduces skin sensitivity, organic chamomile extract to soothe the skin and plant glycerin to moisturize and soften. It’s free of parabens, sulfates and phthalates. This product alone does not remove all traces of makeup and impurities, so I like to use the Ole Henriksen wipes as an additional step in my cleansing routine.

Ole Henriksen The Clean Truth Cleansing Brightening Cloths

I reach for these after I finish cleansing my face with the Caudalie Miscellar Water. They are luxe, quilted cloths that cleanse, brighten and hydrate the skin in one step. They’re formulated with Vitamin C to boost skin radiance, mirco algae to firm skin and support natural collagen production and black currant seed oil, rich in essential fatty acids, to nourish and hydrate the skin. The cleansing cloths are so easy to use, perfect for travel or to carry around in your bag. I find that the cloths alone are not sufficient to sweep away all makeup and dirt residue, so I prefer to use them as a last cleansing step, after the micellar water.

Sephora Eye Makeup Remover

The one downside to wearing eye makeup is removing it. If you don’t wear eye make up every day, then this is a step in the daily cleansing routine that you can skip. But for those of you, who like me, enjoy a little bit a color on the lids along with winged eyeliner and some mascara on the lashes, then this is a necessary step. The eye area is extremely delicate, so it needs to be managed with care. It’s taken me years to find a suitable alternative that did a great job removing even the most stubborn traces of mascara, without tugging at my skin and without leaving any oily residue behind. The winner is and has been for years now, the Sephora Collection Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover. It is formulated without parabens, sulfates and phthalates, suitable for contact lens wearers and those with sensitive eyes. It contains a plant-derived ingredient exclusive to Sephora that leaves the undereye area feeling soft and comfortable, as well as a lash-strengthening complex rich in flavonoids and olive wood extracts. It doesn’t leave any oily film behind and it doesn’t irritate the eyes. It’s the best one I’ve ever tried! Sephora does carry different sizes of this product, including a smaller size perfect for traveling.

Caudalie Moisturizing Toner

Applying a toner is the very last step in my cleansing routine. A toner has become an indispensable element of any cleansing routine in general. Their mission is to balance the skin’s pH levels and kick-start the hydrating and moisturizing process. My pick, and the toner that I’ve been using for about 7 years on and off but mostly on, is the Caudalie Moisturizing Toner. Formulated without parabens, sulfates and phthalates, this toner is enriched with a Caudalie exclusive ingredient extracted from wine yeast that not only purifies and moisturizes the skin, but it also tones and provides hydration. The toner has a very refreshing scent that blends notes of citrus, watermelon and mint. It doesn’t dry or irritate the skin. It’s lightweight and refreshing. I use this toner in morning and in the evening prior to applying a serum.

So this post concludes My Skincare Secrets trilogy. Now you know how I prep and condition my skin, what products I use in the AM (see My Morning Skincare Routine here) and at night (see My Nighttime Skincare Routine here). What are some of the products you use as part of your daily skincare routine?