I would like to share with you why cleansing your face, neck, and decollete is so important. When I meet a client for the first time I normally show them how to cleanse properly.

Let's have a look at the benefits:

In my cleansing routine, I loosen and remove debris, waste products, makeup and keratinised cells (dead skin cells) from the skin surface, thereby allowing the skin to function normally.

When you know how to properly cleanse your skin…

It improves the skin’s capacity to regulate normal sebaceous (oil) and pH balance.
It helps avoid skin congestion (blockages), such as comedones (blackheads), by softening the sebum and removing sebum from the pores.
It protects the skin by removing a certain amount of bacteria from the skin surface.
It increases desquamation (the natural process in which skin cells are created, sloughed away, and replaced).
It prepares the skin for the active ingredients applied after cleansing.
It improves the microcirculation in the skin, which leads to an improvement in texture and appearance of the skin if you are doing the cleansing every night, over time.
It can also loosen subcutaneous tissues, so that the skin moves more easily, relieving tension lines.
It can aid relaxation and relieves tension.
It aids the lymph circulation, which removes waste products (cleansing on a deeper level) Read the chapter on the Lymph system in my Journal

You can see why I am so passionate about cleansing with all these amazing benefits. So then naturally, my clients ask me about the best products to support their cleansing regimen.

When researching cleansing products, consider the following:

It needs to be suitable for your skin.
The texture must be easy to apply.
It must be easy to remove without pulling or rubbing too much.
Don’t use a cleanser that has perfumes or too many preservatives inside. Remember you are massaging the cleanser into your skin. You want the ingredients to be good quality.
The cleanser should not promote dehydration in the skin. The skin should not feel tight or dry after you have cleansed your skin.
Milky cleansers deep cleanse the skin without stripping the natural oils in the skin, and it removes make up well. A milky cleanser is suited for most skins.
Cleansing oils and balms gives you a deeper cleanse it breaks down heavy makeup and softens the skin.
Cleansing gels are great too, especially if they are not drying for the skin. I use cleansing gels during my first cleanse or in the morning. Cleansing with an alpha hydroxy acid cleanser which is soap free will not disturb the natural pH balance in the skin and will improve cell turnover.

How do I cleanse and when?

I recommend to cleanse in the evening before bed or when you get home. The skin regenerates at night time, so you want to make sure the circulation is improved and the skin is clean. You have make up, sebum, dirt and pollution on your skin from during the day, but by cleansing you are breaking it all down and removing it from the skin.

I recommend applying the cleanser all over dry skin onto the face, neck, and decollete. Start massaging the cleanser into the chest then the neck up onto the face until you feel the cleanser is seeping into the skin. By seeping into the skin the oils are breaking down all the dirt and sebum inside the pores. You take the cleanser off with a wet warm flannel. I normally cleanse twice, to make sure all the dirt, pollution, and makeup is removed. See my diagram, you can also watch my cleansing video which gives you step by step guidance