Expert reveals common cleansing mistakes we make with micellar water Fashion Beauty Celebrity Health Life Relationships Horoscopes Food Interiors Travel Sign in Welcome!Log into your account Forgot your password? Password recovery Recover your password Search Sign in Welcome! Log into your account Forgot your password? Get help Password recovery Recover your password A password will be e-mailed to you. YOU Magazine Fashion Beauty Celebrity Health Life Relationships Horoscopes Food Interiors Travel Home Beauty An expert reveals the common cleansing mistakes we all make By Kanika Banwait - January 6, 2022 Despite all of the bad things that have happened since we entered a new decade, being in lockdown and rarely leaving our homes meant many of us started focussing on our skincare regimes much more. One of the skincare brands that has reached cult status over the past few years is CeraVe. In 2020, sales of the US brand were up a massive 321 per cent as people discovered the importance of cleansing, especially to avoid ‘maskne’ (acne caused by wearing a face mask). It only makes sense then, to see that for 2022 CeraVe has launched its first Micellar Cleansing Water, and it only costs £10, in-keeping with CeraVe’s purse-friendly prices. CeraVe Micellar Cleansing Water, £10, Look Fantastic According to data from L’Oréal via Google Trends, 42 per cent of people only use water to clean their face. A deeper, more efficient cleanse is key to protecting your skin’s natural barrier, but how do we know we’re doing it right and using the best products? To find out, we asked Dr Alexis Granite, CeraVe’s consultant dermatologist, to give us the lowdown on why we should be using a cleanser and how to avoid common cleansing mistakes. Why should we cleanse our skin ‘One of the biggest myths when it comes to cleansers is more is more. Your daily cleansing routine doesn’t need to be overly complicated or time-consuming,’ she starts. Quick and easy cleansing? Yes, please. Dr Alexis continues: ‘It can actually be more effective to keep your cleansing step super simple and leave the targeted treatments and ingredients for serums and moisturisers.’ Without cleansing, we don’t give our skin the chance to renew itself. ‘We’re essentially allowing build-up on the skin which can open up a whole range of issues,’ Dr Alexis says. ‘Even if you don’t wear makeup, you still need to remove other products which your skin comes into contact with, from moisturisers to SPF, as well as daily pollutants, dirt, oils and sweat. ‘Build-up of these toxins can result in everything from lack of luminosity to clogged pores, dry, irritated skin, breakouts and acne. Cleansing also ensures a fresh canvas on which to apply additional products, so they can penetrate more effectively.’ Getty Images How often should we be cleansing The expert said ‘one cleanse in the morning and one in the evening should be more than sufficient if you’re using the right products for your skin and cleansing thoroughly every time.’ We’re inclined to think the more we cleanse, the cleaner our skin and therefore the healthier it will be. However, cleansing too much can dry out and irritate skin. Rather than over-cleansing when it comes to removing make up properly, Dr Alexis suggests removing it with micellar water before your deep clean. What exactly is micellar water Micellar water contains small suspended surfactant molecules called ‘micelles’ that are designed to cleanse without the need to rinse. Micelles attract makeup, excess sebum and daily grime, rather than the natural oils from your skin. CeraVe’s Micellar Cleansing Water contains moisturising ceramides, niacinamide and Vitamin B3, which ‘has anti-inflammatory effects and works synergistically with ceramides to strengthen the skin barrier.’ Getty Images What type of cleanser should we use As you may have discovered, not all skincare products will work for you and your skin. It’s important to shop for products based on your skin type or if you have specific concerns. Dr Alexis suggests opting for a cream or lotion-based cleanser if you have dry and sensitive skin, to up the hydration. For normal or combination skin, a foaming or hot cloth cleanser will probably work better. But be sure to take notice of the ingredients in your cleanser – don’t let the big scientific-sounding words put you off. See our beauty director Edwina Ings-Chambers’ guide to the best cleansers here. Liquid exfoliants should be used more sparingly, like once or twice a week. ‘Those with very sensitive skin and with conditions such as rosacea and eczema are better off using mild cleansers rather than exfoliating products,’ says Dr Alexis. We can’t wait to try out our new self-care cleansing tips… READ MORE: CeraVe’s very first serum contains hyaluronic acid RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR You could get paid to test Liberty’ s Beauty Advent Calendar People are obsessed with this Revlon hair drying tool A new drop of Boots Star Gifts has landed for Christmas 2022 Popular in Beauty People are seriously impressed with Primark’ s £8 skinny curling tongs December 16, 2019 Boots is giving away free lipsticks to celebrate the launch of January 23, 2020 This long-lasting eyebrow product is getting rave reviews and is just June 21, 2021 These Liz Earle gift sets are on sale just in time March 5, 2020 WIN A Kiehl’ s skincare heroes bundle worth £104 July 24, 2020 Cult skincare brand Sunday Riley is branching out into hair products April 24, 2020 Superdrug is holding a huge BOGOF sale on all cosmetics for May 28, 2020 Your salon could charge you extra for overgrown roots and bad June 25, 2020 Facial steamers Why searches for this beauty gadget were up 400 July 10, 2020 Lush subscription boxes have arrived and they contain exclusive new products August 3, 2020 Popular CategoriesFood2704Life2496Fashion2240Beauty1738Celebrity1261Interiors684 Sign up for YOUMail Thanks for subscribing Please check your email to confirm (If you don't see the email, check the spam box) Fashion Beauty Celebrity Life Food Privacy & Cookies T&C Copyright 2022 - YOU Magazine. 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