Looking Good - July 30, 2018

*-- 5 Face-Washing Tricks for Glowing Skin --*
If you've been lathering up the same way for years, it's time for a clean slate. Use these tips to learn how. Upgrade your cleanser, tweak your routine, and reveal glowing skin.

1. Splash with care: Here's the cold, hard truth: Rinsing your face with icy water won't tighten your pores. And using hot water, though it may feel good, can dehydrate skin. Lukewarm is best, and if you have redness, try cool - not cold - water, to help constrict blood vessels. What can impact your skin is hard water (check your supply with a simple water-testing strip, available at the hardware store). Over time, it can cause skin irritation. Putting a purifier on your bathroom sink will filter out some of those harsh minerals.

If you've been lathering up the same way for years, it's time for a clean slate. Use these tips to learn how. Upgrade your cleanser, tweak your routine, and reveal glowing skin.



2. Figure out your skin type: Rinse your clean face with 10 splashes of lukewarm water, then pat it dry and wait 45 minutes. If your face feels tight or looks ashy, you probably have dry skin. If it's shiny all over, it's oily. If just your forehead, nose, and chin - the T-zone - are shiny, you likely have combination skin. And if your skin is easily irritated, that usually means it's sensitive.

3. Use the right cleanser: The drier your skin, the fewer skin-stripping suds you want while cleansing. Drugstore cleansers are just as good as pricier options. Non-foaming formulas (creams, milks, lotions, oils, and cold creams) are best for dry or combination skin because they have few surfactants, i.e., the stuff that lathers. Foaming, gel, and "deep cleaning" cleansers often contain the highest amount of surfactants, so they're ideal for oily types. For sensitive skin, look for soothing ingredients such as soy, feverfew, or green tea.

4. Stash wipes: For nights when you're too exhausted to wash your face, keep a box of pre-moistened face wipes in your bedside table.



5. You can skip washing your face every morning. So long as you cleanse before bed. But if you have breakouts, wash twice a day. Using a separate makeup remover. Your cleanser or face wipe will take off everything. The exception: heavy or waterproof eye makeup, which you should dissolve first with an oil-based makeup remover.

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