When I was in my early twenties, I remember shuffling through the overwhelming amount of skin care products on the beauty store shelfs. Each product was marketed perfectly to make me believe this was the answer for my skin care needs and beyond. I suffered from oily problematic skin with break outs that seemed to last for months.  Once I discovered Sea Breeze, I thought I discovered gold for my skin! Although my skin was temporarily feeling better, little did I know, I was stripping my skin’s acid mantle and robbing it from all of the good nutrients. My skin became very dry and the cycle continued on, with more break outs coming and going. Does this sound familiar?

Fast forward a few years later, I tried an array of cleansers trying to keep my skin clean as my hormones raged one day after the next. Looking back, I  don’t think I ever fully understood the importance of cleansers. I even recall using soap on my face in the shower rushing to do the next important thing in my life.

Once I started diving deeper into finding answers for my skin while my love of skin care grew, I quickly found out just how important the cleansing step is for clear skin.

The first thing I discovered is that cleansers are just not meant to clean your skin.  In fact, there are cleansers for specific skin types: oily, dry, acne, sensitive or combination skin. Many of these cleansers are considered “treatment cleansers.” They are designed specifically to treat the condition of the skin. Glycolic or Lactic cleansers are amazing at exfoliating, turning the skin cells over and revealing clear and clean skin.

The next step I have learned is that cleansers are formulated in various consistencies. Gel cleansers are great for oily skin, cream cleansers are for dry skin and foaming cleansers are for more sensitive skin. I quickly realized through trying different cleansers, that the creamy cleansers were not appropriate for my skin type.

Also, who knew that there is a different cleanser for the change of seasons! This was such an important step that took me a long time to realize. Lighter products are great in the summer months as the skin is producing more oil during these months. However, heavier products are best in the winter months, as the skin requires a boost of hydration.  So make sure to choose the right cleanser for the season to avoid break outs or dryness.

I have learned the hard way that cleansing my skin was just as important as my actual new moisturizers. Through my love of skin care, I started purchasing serums and moisturizers, which at times were quite the investment. Clean skin from using a cleanser improved my barrier function and the difference was night and day for my moisturizers to penetrate deeper and be more effective! I noticed overtime that my skin tone changed, it was less red, and less inflamed.

Bottom line, use a cleanser for your skin type and condition. Proof is in the mirror!