You hit the alarm, go through the motions to get out of bed, and step in the shower for your morning grooming process to begin. Everyone has a personal little shower routine, and most people include face washing as part of that morning activity. But apparently, that is a major no, no according to most board-certified dermatologists.
Warm Shower
The warm water feels so good and hey, you may as well multi-task but you’re actually doing damage to your pretty skin. Hot water dissolves and washes away the natural oils on the skin, and the higher the temperature, the more damaging it is. It can also lead to hyperpigmentation. Still not convinced? Well, use time as a valuable commodity for reference. If you are washing your face in the shower, you are lingering in there and more exposure to hot water for longer periods of time can irritate your skin. Showers should be five to 10 minutes max, then you can skip over to the sink for your face cleansing.
Cold Face Wash
Now that you’re at the sink, you’ll want to use cold to lukewarm water to wash. It certainly isn’t as pleasant, but cold water actually improves circulation and adds to your overall glow. Although hot water has the ability to open up your pores for deep cleaning, hot water just sucks all the moisture out of your skin and leaves you high and dry.
Even when you are in the shower, you’ll want to keep your face away from the stream as much as possible, or just lower the temperature. And while you’re washing, don’t use the same bar of soap you used in the shower. It’s awful for your skin and throws off the pH balance which can lead to breakouts, inflammation, and more. Your gorgeous face needs extra special treatment and great face wash should be a staple of your product inventory.
Drying Your Face
Another no? Using your shower towel to dry your face. I mean, think about it, shower towels can harvest a lot of bacteria and it can prevent you from having your best skin. It can cause breakouts or make breakouts worse, so instead opt for a paper towel. This won’t be carrying any bacteria and you can just toss it in the trash when you are done.
What To Do
So back to the real issue – you’ve got to shake up your routine and move the face washing out of the shower. Then, the real life-changer is going to be the splash of cold water (especially first thing in the morning, yippee!) which will shock you into awake status. So how Antarctic does it need to be? Honestly, it’s not the polar plunge you think it will be, because if the water is too cold you will dilate your blood vessels and make you all red.
One handy tip, don’t keep your face wash in the shower. You aren’t washing your face in there anymore! Plus, you will avoid the temptation to go back to your old ways. Plus, face cleansers have different ingredients than those for your body and they can degrade in quality from being in a wet, bright environment.
And if you are curious as to whether you should wash your face before the shower or after, the best option is to shower first. The heat will open up your pores and when you wash in the sink, the cold water will help seal them up after a good cleanse.
And since we are on the top of face wash, we’d be remiss if we didn’t list some of our favorites.
Even the driest skin can drink this formula up, which contains Ceramide-3, Niacinamide, Glycerin, and La Roche-Posay Prebiotic Thermal Water. This gentle formula removes makeup, eye makeup, impurities, and dirt and your skin still feels baby soft afterward.
Five stars across the board, reviewers love how thoroughly this product cleans your skin without stripping it. It has a nice, milky texture, and those who are prone to red skin love that this eliminates the color. It also contains thermal water, which has been used to treat patients with many skin conditions, including eczema, rosacea, and psoriasis. This runs $14.99 on the La Roche-Posay website.
I’m not going to lie, I have a girl crush on Tatcha. Their products are phenomenal, and this comes from someone who has tried everything! This exfoliating gel formula contains natural fruit exfoliants that are really great at drawing out impurities and dirt from clogged pores.
And it’s oil-free but still works into a nice bubbly suds. Like all Tatcha products, it leaves skin feeling fabulous, soft, and smooth. There is a hint of a floral fragrance that comes from natural Japanese wild rose and Japanese leopard lily. Amino acids cleanse the skin, while fruit extracts gently exfoliate the skin. It kicks out dead skin cells, so your skin is ultra prepped for the toner, serum, moisturizer, etc. you are about to apply.
My sisters in Tatcha-hood all rave about the perfection of this product. Yes, it’s $38 and it’s worth every single cent!
Soap-free, oil-free, and pH-balanced to prevent dryness and irritation, this gentle cleanser is made up of witch hazel, salicylic acid, and glycolic acid—perfect for clogged pores and fighting any blemish building bacteria. If you are acne-prone, you’ve probably tried everything.
This one is more of cleansing milk is and comes in a tube that provides approximately 210 applications when used as directed. Users of this product are astonished at how quickly their blemishes disappear. As in its name, this was developed by dermatologists and frequently recommended by dermatologists. You can clean up the oil for $32 on the DermStore.
Brighten up dull skin with the power of Vitamin C. This is an essential nutrient required for the growth and repair of tissues in all parts of the body, including the skin, but we cannot produce it on our own. This face wash blends stimulating botanical extracts and oils to remove impurities as it illuminates your skin.
Antioxidant-rich acai and goji berry extracts fight free-radical damage while hyaluronic acid plumps your skin with lightweight moisture. Galactoarabinan extract boosts cell turnover as citrus-derived vitamin C protects collagen and elastin fibers and diminishes hyperpigmentation. You’ll begin experiencing the benefits immediately and the longer you use it the more drastic the improvement. You can snag this glow giver for just $40.
Conclusion
Yes, it feels heavenly to wash your face in the shower but as we’ve established, this is one habit you’re going to have to ditch. Coldwater is far more beneficial and once you get into a routine your skin will start looking healthier and brighter and you’ll feel so much better!
And now you can be that one that spreads the good word about not washing your face in the shower. Since you’re graduating to sink cleansing, treat yourself to one of our favorite face washes above and pat yourself on the back for taking good care of your skin.
