Face Cleansers

Cleansing is the step people get wrong most often, and almost always in the same direction: too strong. Skin that feels squeaky after washing has lost more than it should have, and every product applied afterwards is working against that.

The format matters more than the marketing. Here is what each one is actually for.

Choose by format

• Gel — rinses clean, suits oily and combination skin. The CLARIVA™ Clarifying Gel Cleanser and the PURIVA™ Purifying Face Wash.
• Foam — a gel already aerated, so it spreads in one pass and is easy not to over-apply. The SPUMARIS™ Airy Cleansing Foam.
• Milk — low-foam, leaves a soft finish, made for dry and reactive skin. The LACTÉA™ Gentle Cleansing Milk.
• Oil to milk — dissolves oil-based makeup and sunscreen, then emulsifies and rinses. The OLEATIS™ Melting Cleanser.
• Micellar water — no rinse needed in principle, though rinsing after is more comfortable. The MICELIS™ Make-up Dissolving Water.
• Bi-phasic — two layers you shake together, for eye makeup and long-wear formulas. The DUALIS™ Bi-Phasic Make-up Remover, fragrance free.
• Radiance — a wash built around brightness rather than deep cleansing. The RADIVA™ Radiance Facial Wash.

Do you need to double cleanse?

Only if you are removing something a water-based cleanser cannot dissolve — mineral sunscreen, long-wear foundation, waterproof mascara. Oil or micellar first, then a gel or milk. On a day with none of that on your face, one cleanse is the whole routine, and a second one is just wear on your barrier.

The bit nobody mentions

Water temperature does more damage than most formulas. Lukewarm, always. And in the morning, if you cleansed properly the night before, plain water on the face is a legitimate choice.