Beauty Tip: Choose Cleanser Wisely

If you’re a “soap and water” girl (or guy), you may want to rethink your cleansing strategy. Dermatologists say that one of the best beauty tips around is to use the gentlest cleanser you can find – and use it sparingly.

“While the temptation may be great to wash your face several times a day (or more if skin is oily), not only will over-cleansing not help you, if you’re using a harsh product — particularly soap — you could be harming your skin,” says Crutchfield.

Wash your face too often – more than twice a day – and you can damage the natural lipid barrier, the protective mantle of lubrication that keeps skin looking and feeling healthy.

“Once that protection is lost, and the integrity of the skin barrier disrupted, skin becomes dry – which means it can crack, peel, itch, burn, sting, or any combination,” says Crutchfield. It also means you can look older than your years.

The solution: Wash skin no more than twice a day and choose your cleanser wisely.

If you’re a “soap and water” girl (or guy), you…