Beauty 101: a clean face!

The proper care

Clean your skin!

• Always wash your hands before washing your face.
• Some makeup removers use 2-in-1 cleansers that combine makeup removing and cleansing.
• Wash your face morning and night. In the morning, wash away the extra sebum secreted during the night. In the evening, you need to remove impurities that have accumulated on your skin and relieve your face from the day’s stress.
• Skin problems? Wash your face and change your pillowcase more often, particularly if you have one or two embarrassing pimples...
• Avoid products that are too irritating or contain alcohol.
• Wash your face with lukewarm water.
• Gently massage your face without rubbing it.
• Sponge off excess water after rinsing.

Exfoliate it!

Exfoliation rids the skin of dead skin cells that clog your pores and helps improve your skin texture. Beware! The frequency at which you exfoliate varies according to your skin type. Oily or thicker skin: once a week. For sensitive and dry skin: twice a month.

• With a good exfoliant, you’re giving your skin an in-depth cleansing and you will notice that it is smoother and more toned.
• Look for products with micro pearls, salt or sugar crystals, beads, granules or crushed seeds. Acid-based products or those made from fruit extracts have the advantage of coming from natural products that accelerate the exfoliating process.
• Test the product by applying a small quantity on your hand. If it itches, it is too aggressive for your face’s delicate skin.

Tone it!

• This step allows you to remove the last traces of dirt that could have held onto your skin. Toners tighten your pores, which will help your moisturizing cream penetrate deeper.
• Use a small quantity on a cosmetic pad and apply it by softly tapping your skin.
• Look for alcohol-free toners; they are less aggressive on your skin.

Moisturize it!

• All types of skin need to be moisturized, even the greasy ones! This is a very important step in your skin care routine.


• A good moisturizing lotion or cream will prevent the appearance of wrinkles and maintain your skin’s suppleness and natural glow.

Little problems, big solutions!

Greasy skin

• Washing greasy skin several times a day is not a solution. In fact, doing so will stimulate sebum secretion.
• Look for a soap-free cleanser! Products describing themselves as “normalizing”, “oil-free”, or “clarifying” are all good options to treat the excess sebum. Choose gels and foams rather than creams of cleansing milks. Remember to look for soap-free hypoallergenic cleansers.
• Avoid alcohol-based toners that activate sebum secretion.
• For moisturizing, choose a matifying lotion or extra light cream.
• Hint: having oily skin also has a bright side! Oily skin ages and wrinkles less quickly and handles the sun better.

Dry skin

• You must nourish your skin. Ideally, use a beauty milk or cream for cleansing.
• Choose only alcohol- and soap-free cleansers, which would only make your skin dryer.
• Hydrate your skin with a rich day cream.

Pimple alert!

• First of all, don’t touch it... even if it’s tempting.
• You can treat your pimple with a local acne treatment. Beware; use these products with parsimony because they dry your skin.

Redness alert!

• If you tend to have on and off redness on your face, you probably have very sensitive skin.
• Conceal redness with a concealer.
• In the future, remember to choose alcohol and perfume free products.

The mask of pregnancy

• Approximately 70% of pregnant women are affected by this mask of pregnancy, also called “chloasma”. The freckle-like spots usually appear between the 4th and 5th months of pregnancy.
• Brunettes are more vulnerable to chloasma. Some women taking oral contraceptives containing oestrogen and progesterone are also prone to developing these brown patches.
• We call this the “pregnancy” mask because the brown or grey discolorations appear on the face of pregnant women (mostly on the forehead, cheeks, nose and around the mouth).
• A hormonal upheaval - the increase in female hormone levels - increases the synthesis of melanin and causes hyperpigmentation as a result of sun exposure.
• Make sure to apply sunscreen (with a high SPF) year-round during all your outdoor activities. You can also find moisturizers with an SPF.

Cleansing wipes

What we love!
We love their hygienic aspect: no unnecessary handling, so there’s even less contact between your hands and the products! And on top of it, you just throw it out when you’re done!

Some wipes are also textured, creating a light massage when cleansing your face.

Tip
You can easily carry cleansing wipes in your handbag or leave a few at work. There are small packets that are no larger than a miniature packet of tissues.

Beware! If you wipe your lips with it, you might get an unpleasant taste afterwards if you drink or lick your lips. Rinse your lips thoroughly after cleansing or simple avoid going over your lips with the wipes. Some formulas are more aggressive than others and could leave you with a slight tingling feeling.

Exfoliants

What we love!
For a deep cleanse, nothing beats a gentle exfoliant. The grainytexture removes impurities that are lodged deeper into the skin.

Tip
Use only a few times a week to reduce the chances of irritating your skin. Choose a product for sensitive skin; you don’t want to peel your skin off, you simply want to cleanse it!

Gels and foams

What we love!
Bottles with a pump are very interesting because you avoid contamining of the product with your hands. It’s also ideal to prevent making a mess in the bathroom!

Tip
Opt for a gel or foam in the morning and alternate with a cream or milk in the evening. Certain bottles can also easily be carried in the shower.

Beware! With children around, it is definitively recommended to choose plastic containers over glass ones.

Milks and creams

What we love!
Their softness and creaminess: an ultra soft beauty treatment for your skin.

Tip
Often very soothing, we especially like use them in our evening ritual.

Toners

What we love!
To tighten pores, remove residual impurities and balance your skin’s normal pH.

Tip
Use an alcohol-free toner to prevent your skin from drying up.

Soap bars

What we love!
No doubt about it, soap bars are a classic. Many soap bars now have a rounder shape to better fit your hands.

Tip
Buy a soap box and mark it as you own personal soap bar!

Beware! Choose soap made for your face’s sensitive skin. Keep it clean and make sure it does not lay on counter tops (a bacterial nest!). Remember to wash your hands thoroughly before manipulating your soap bar.