For the last few months, most people around the world have (hopefully) been social distancing, meaning they are staying home to help flatten the coronavirus curve. Consequently, there is likely less of an emphasis on keeping up day-to-day appearances. Like many others, you might not be wearing makeup as you normally would for a typical work day, and the number of times you go outside is less than before. So, you are probably wondering: does that mean you should still be washing your face every day?
The answer, according to the experts, is a resounding yes.
“You should definitely still be cleansing your skin as you normally would,” said celebrity aesthetician Toska Husted. Even though makeup and pollution might not be as big of a concern right now for many people, Husted says that there are still other factors that can impact our skin as we stay home. “For example, you might go for a morning walk, which exposes you to the sun and sweat, and the typical person touches their face 20 times each hour without even thinking about it. So while external factors aren’t impacting us as much right now, they still need to be taken into consideration.”
What Happens If You Avoid Washing Your Face Regularly?
According to Husted, not cleansing the skin regularly will result in clogged pores, increased breakouts, dehydration, imbalance, and a complexion that looks dull overall.
Remember, there are other factors to consider given the current circumstances that can impact your skin. You might be eating more (and less healthy) while at home more, and the stress of the situation can have a huge impact on your skin’s health. “When we are stressed out, it causes inflammation in our body that can cause a cascade of issues, but especially pesky hormonal breakouts,” said Alexandra Serron, Heyday‘s skincare educator. Translation: keeping up with your skin care right now is a must.
“Pandemic or not, we should be washing our face according to what is best suited for our skin type and conditions.”
“We should be aiming for overall health and well-being practices that directly affect our skin while being indoors” said Serron. “Think healthy meals, getting your sweat on with exercise, quality sleep, reduced screen time, and, of course, quality skin care, like mini at-home facials.”
How to Choose a Face Wash Based on Your Skin Type
“Pandemic or not, we should be washing our face according to what is best suited for our skin type and conditions,” said Serron. “It’s important that you are not over-stripping your skin, and helping to keep it as healthy as possible.”
If your skin is more dry, for example, she says you can definitely benefit from using a balm, oil cleanser, or cream cleanser in the morning and night to get the benefits of those hydrating ingredients. If your skin is more oily, you might be better suited for a gel cleanser to help refine pores and absorb excess oil.
The Final Verdict?
We might be spending much of our time inside these days, but we are still responsible of our bodies and should be aiming for overall health. Deciding which cleanser is right for you can be based off your specific skin type, but the fact remains: it’s important that you still do it.
