Now I know that some people don’t even wash their face once a day, but I have been a faithful once a day face washer for years. Until recently. I’m one of those people who has to have a good reason for doing something routine and monotonous, and I understood why I needed to wash my face every day, so I did. However, I recently learned the reason for twice-a-day washing and, hallelujah! I have been converted!
I always washed my face in the morning because it was convenient to do it in the shower. What I never thought about were the renewing properties of sleep as applied to skin. I once read, “sleep is a gift from God.” The mental, emotional, and physical healing properties of sleep are well documented. Night time (or sleep time) is the time when your body and mind restore themselves and prepare anew for the new day.
You may be aware that your skin is your body’s largest organ…well, there is a lot of renewing and regenerating that goes on as you sleep. I can imagine how much harder it is for a face to renew and regenerate with leftover foundation, makeup, germs, and environmental toxins from the sun and pollutants sitting on top of it. It must be like trying to clean the inside of a window that is dirty on the outside!
Now, when I say things like “wash my face,” this may be a bit deceiving because I am by no means talking about lathering up with some soap and rinsing. (Eww!) I am talking about the 5 basic steps of skin care: cleanse, exfoliate, refresh, moisturize, and protect.
So, here I am. A twice-a-day face washer. Once at night to give my skin the greatest opportunity to repair and regenerate itself overnight. And once in the morning to remove any dead skin cells and start off my day with a fresh and clean outlook.
Don’t forget there are facial cleansing bars (not plain ol’ soap) that you can use and lather up if you like, and if it’s right for your skin type!