In all things cleansing, aim for: just right.

Cleansing skin is a daily must for basic hygiene. But you can definitely do it wrong.

Some of the basics to keep in mind:

• Over cleansing can dry out the skin. Why this is awful for already-dry skin is obvious. But it can also impede effective acne therapy — when skin is dried out it tends to become more sensitive, making effective acne treatment difficult or impossible until the irritation goes away.
• Soap should never be used on the face because of its inherently high pH level (the skin’s natural pH is slightly acidic).
• For very dry or reacting skin, pure organic (not RBD) virgin coconut oil can be an excellent option to cleanse the skin. VCO is also great to use before cleansing to remove makeup and provide a soothing barrier to cleansing.
• Shaving isn’t cleansing. One removes hair, the other removes dirt.
• Cleansing brushes may be trendy but they can spread bacteria and cause milia (small, white cysts of keratin) or inflamed pores (leading to acne).

For more details on proper cleansing, check out CLEANSING 101: Quick Facts on Skintelligencenter.com.