Ok, so you have been washing your face by yourself since your Mom let you do it on your own – right? So maybe you might be a little insulted if someone told you that you were doing it wrong and that making a few changes to this simple routine could have great benefits if you are currently suffering from blemishes such as whiteheads and blackheads on your face!

This image from the BBC website shows bacteria under UV light which are invisible in normal daylight.

First of all, do you wash your hands before you begin your face washing routine? If not, just take a minute to consider that you could be transferring bacteria from your hands to your face, at the very time when you are trying to cleanse the facial skin as efficiently as possible.

So, before you start, wash your hands thoroughly with hot water and anti bacterial soap or cleanser. Then rinse the water out of the wash basin and dry your hands on a clean towel. Now you are ready to start washing your face!

Next thing, do not use hot water on your facial skin. If you want to open your pores before washing, you can do this by steaming and it is really easy to prepare your face for a really deep cleanse by this method but it is not something you should do every day – every other day maximum and probably once or twice a week is about right, especially if your skin is sensitive. Many people like to splash cold water on their skin after washing to help close the pores again and this is a good idea if you can bear it!

[easyazon-image align=”right” asin=”B00239YCXM” locale=”us” height=”250″ src=”http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51LJVgtYFeL.jpg” width=”250″]Use a mild cleanser rather than a soap bar on your facial skin (unless you are using one of the amazing African black soaps which are especially good for blemishes and spots). Massage the cleanser into your skin with your fingertips or a clean washcloth using gentle, circular motions and working upwards and outwards being very careful of the delicate areas around your eyes. Pay particular attention to the problem areas which tend to be the chin, the sides of the nose and across the brow above the eyebrows.

[easyazon-image align=”right” asin=”B004D2DQSY” locale=”us” height=”250″ src=”http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31m9b1t4RoL.jpg” width=”93″]After cleansing, if acne blemishes and whiteheads are a problem for you, apply a gentle exfoliating product a couple of times a week. You can apply this to damp skin right after cleansing. Follow the directions on the product you have chosen but be very sure not to overdo it and always to choose the gentlest product you can find. Neutrogena make a great range of facial scrubs which are brilliant for this purpose.

If it is not a day when you are going to exfoliate your skin, move straight to rinsing with fresh, clear, tepid water and when you are sure all traces of product have been removed, pat your skin dry on a fresh, clean towel.

[easyazon-image align=”right” asin=”B003BI08K0″ locale=”us” height=”250″ src=”http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31WRnrEIN8L.jpg” width=”250″]After thorough cleansing a toner suitable for your skin type is a great way to finish the routine as it closes pores and leaves skin feeling soft, smooth and refined. It also provides an ideal base for your moisturizer.

Even if your skin is really oily, do not skip the moisturizer step after cleansing. Choose a good oil-free moisturizer which will keep your skin hydrated and help to prevent the oil glands from trying to compensate for the fact you have washed a lot of the oil off your face, by producing even more!

I hope these tips on face washing and cleansing will help – if you are already following all the steps above, well done! If you are following them all and still have skin blemishes, you could be using the wrong products for your skin type so it would be worth checking this out and maybe changing to a hypoallergenic brand or one especially designed for sensitive skin if you are finding your face looks reddened or irritated after cleansing. If breakouts are getting worse, consult a dermatologist or cosmetologist because you could be doing everything right – except using the correct products to get back your clear skin!