smartskin101

Some many months back, I began writing about the possible myth surrounding the need to wash one’s face in my blog post, But Mom Told Me So… Fom skin line/care representatives, to the women on television, to skincare articles and even to the experts – dermatologists, I always heard the same message being blasted: good skin care starts with the right cleanser, used twice daily.  I don’t know who started this rumor, but it caught on and we  all have accepted this as a truth.  Not so, I say, as do many of the people I consider walking proof that this is just a gimmick to sell more products.  Everyone has a different skin type, and therefore, what holds true for one person will not necessarily work for another.  This is why I prefer to share with you my stories – but at the same time – I strongly suggest you discover what the best solution is for your skin type and needs.

In the aforementioned blog, I already discussed how I came to discover that my roommates – Erin and Jennifer – never washed their faces with anything other than water while they took their showers; and curse them, they had poreless, pristine skin without a blemish to be spotted.  I was reminded of this story when one of my male colleagues was dared to use a Bioré® Deep Cleansing Pore Strip.  Not only did the strip come off without a single whitehead or blackhead attached, but he professed he never washes his face, outside of splashing it with water in the shower.   Sounds familiar.  (And as if all the female colleagues couldn’t possibly hate him more, he went to further reveal that he doesn’t wash his hair either.  Now you may think that’s repulsive and unsanitary, but I’ve known this guy a while and I would never have speculated as such.  This is, however, another revelation worth discussing another time.)  Coincidence?  Doubtful.

Over the years, I’ve been too eager to try product after product, looking for the next best thing, that I eventually forgot about how great my skin looked when I adopted the minimalist approach to cleansing to my skin.  After my colleague’s confession, I decided to go back to cleansing my skin only at night to remove my makeup.  What I use might make your jaw drop and deserves its own blog – so I’ll just tell you that it’s a gentle cleanser that requires no water.  By the end of the week, my skin is happier than it has been in a while with less blemishes and more clarity.  Now, if only I could work in that no washing my hair thing! ;-P

I will continue to discuss this issue in my upcoming posts.  I’ll share with you my own routine, including that jaw-dropping secret; I think you guys are going to be surprised!

Photo c/o xkcd.com.