Even if you use the best face wash, there are some things you need to be careful about.
Cleansing is only one part of a healthy skincare routine.
Everything starts with your water.
Tap water strips away sebum, according to studies conducted at the University of Maryland.
It may be the chlorine and other chemicals commonly found in tap water, the temperature people tend to prefer when cleaning their faces or some other factor.
Regardless of the cause, it is important to remember that over-cleansing could be just as bad as poor hygiene.
Sebum is the skin's natural lubricant.
It helps to prevent friction from damaging the skin's outer layers, provides nourishment to them and has a slight degree of antibacterial activity.
When sebum becomes old and mixes with air, perspiration or dirt, it has an unpleasant odor.
Excessive sebum production is believed to play a role in acne.
Insufficient sebum production is a cause of dry skin.
Like topical moisturizers, sebum works to hold moisture in the skin's cells.
When the outer cells become dry, they are itchy and flaky.
So, your goal is to remove excessive sebum before it becomes smelly without over-stripping the skin.
The best face wash is one that is over-fatted.
Soap is a combination of fatty acids and an alkali, typically oil.
Non-alkali cleansers are available.
The extra amount of fat the cleansers contain help to reduce the risk of dryness, flakiness and itching.
Regular soap is very drying.
Bar soaps are usually the most drying, but there are some glycerin-based bar soaps that are less so.
Glycerin is a natural moisturizer.
Many beauty experts suggest using a showerhead filter to remove chlorine and other common chemicals found in tap water.
Some health experts recommend a chlorine filter, because of the long-term health risks associated with exposure to chlorine over the course of one's lifetime.
Even if you use the best face wash, you could still benefit from a showerhead filter and remember to keep the temperature warm.
Warm water will loosen dirt and help to unclog pores.
Hot water strips more sebum than cooler temperatures.
It is especially important in the wintertime to avoid stripping.
Otherwise you can end up with itchy dry skin all over your body.
Cold water tightens the pores, which is the reason many people suggest rinsing the face with colder water.
But if you use cold for washing, the best face wash can do nothing to help unclog the pores.
Either very hot or very cold water can cause redness, which sometimes becomes chronic.
Some experts recommend daily exfoliation in addition to regular washing.
The benefits of this recommendation are unclear.
Some of the ingredients commonly found in exfoliating cleansers cause tiny scratches on sensitive facial skin.
The scratches can become infected or inflamed.
Eventually, the inflammation could damage the skin's collagen fibers.
Finally, it is essential to use a moisturizer after cleansing, regardless of whether or not you use the best face wash.
Your next step should be to learn which moisturizers are the best.