Are you washing your face wrong?

You brush your teeth and floss daily, right?... Right? Of course you do! Well, my friends, the Esthetician in me needs to tell you that tending to your skin is just as important. That's right, I'm a licensed Esthetician. Bet ya didn't know that! Well, now you do!
In beauty school they started us off with the basics including how to wash your face. I know what you're thinking... "Come on, I know how to wash my face, Starr!" buuut I am sad to report that 8 out of 10 ladies don't know how to wash their face correctly. Yup, they're doing it wrong, wrong, all wrong! Many skin blunders can easily be avoided with the simple technique of washing your face correctly. So here are the steps to take to clean your face the correct way.

Step 1. Massage face with a cleanser and wash cloth for 60 seconds. That's right, you need more than just water and your hands. Unfortunately that's the BIGGEST mistake people make when tending to their face. Suds up with a face cleanser like Dermalogica or Cetaphil. If you don't use a wash cloth, you are missing tons of gunk. Don't believe me? Wash your face with your paws and then go back and rewash with a wash cloth and you'll be grossed out at what your digits missed. True story. That's why certain electronic scrubbers like the Clarasonic are being raved about..... not to mention the aid of a cloth or scrubber helps with exfoliation and leads to ridding dead skin, cell turn over, and ultimately smoother, healthier looking skin.

Step 2. After cleansing your mug. Pat dry and use a cotton ball and an astringent. This reduces any left over oils, retains moisture, and approves the skin's appearance and overall tone. Hence the name "Toner".  It's main function is to bring your skin back to it's natural PH balance, an important step for a healthy glow. My favorite is from Proactive.

Step 3. The final step is Moisturizer. This is a given for those with Dry skin but it's also essential for Combo as well as Oily skin types. Most ladies with these skin types skip this step thinking that it's going to make their face oilier. You couldn't be more wrong with this assumption. The purpose of a moisturizer is to hydrate the skin and essentially give it a drink. A moisturized face is very different from an oily face. In fact oily skin is often dehydrated because the skin tries to make up for water loss by producing more oil aka dirt and sebum. Think of it as refusing to put water in your mouth when you're severely parched... it doesn't make sense. If you were dying of thirst, you'd guzzle some water stat. Problematic skin, even those with cystic acne still need hydration. That being said, my favorite moisturizer is for sensitive skin and happens to be oil free, it's by Neutrogena.

So there you have it, girls. Follow these 3 easy steps and your face will be cleansed correctly and officially given the V.I.P. treatment! You glow, girl!