5 K-Beauty Tips On How To Cleanse Your Face Properly During Hot Summer Months
Is it summer for you now? Are you wondering how to care for your skin as you combat the sweltering heat? If you are, today’s topic will definitely interest you.
For those based in Singapore like me or living near the equatorial belt, you don’t need summer to know that today’s topic is most relevant for us since we get roasted under the oppressive heat almost all year round.
Only thing is with the temperature burning hot throughout the year for us, we are probably unaware that it’s absolutely necessary for those living in countries with different seasons to spend more effort cleansing their skin during summer.
Why is that so?
Well, according to Dr Kang Seung Hun, a Korean dermatologist featured on Episode 21 of Get It Beauty, skin sebum and sweat production increase by 20 percent during summer. During this period, the skin also produces more dead skin cells to protect itself from UV rays.
To ensure that our skin stays in tip-top condition, we’ll need to switch up our cleansing routine when the temperature increases to prevent clogged pores, acne, and other possible skin issues under the warmer climate.
So how do we get our cleansing routine down pat in summer when the weather is hot and harsh for our skin? Here are five professional tips according to Dr Kang Seung Hun based on some common and interesting cleansing concerns.
1. Can you wash your face using only water if you don’t use makeup?
You should always wash your face with cleansing products except in the morning. Even if you stay at home all day long, you should use some cleansing products at night.
Reason? You’ll still have bodily wastes and sebum caused by sweat and dirt. Water alone can’t wash them off. So you’ll need to use cleansing products like oil cleansers, cream cleansers or gel cleansers to aid the cleansing.
2. Is it beneficial to use electronic facial cleansing brushes?
Facial cleansing brushes can do a good job of cleansing your skin thoroughly but it can also irritate your skin. Some women swear by their Clarisonic. Others reported skin allergies and rashes after using the brush. Why the difference?
According to Dr Kang, the key is in how you use the brush on your skin. You should never use strength to exert the brush on your face. Always be gentle to ensure the brush feels soft on your skin. Personally, I would say try not to use the brush daily especially if your skin is already quite dry.
3. Can men and women use similar cleansing products?
Since we’re talking about the face, is it all right for men and women to share their cleansing products? Are cleansing products between the sexes interchangeable?
Well, the answer is no and the reason is simple. Men have thicker skin and tend to secrete more sebum than women. Because of that, their cleansing products are formulated to be stronger and therefore harsher if used on women. So men should stick to cleansing products formulated for men while women should use cleansers for women.
4. Should facial cleansing oil be used on a wet or dry face?
Some women were told that using cleansing oil on wet skin is more effective but this is not true.
Cleansing oils are made to melt your makeup when your skin is dry. If you thin it out with water before use, it won’t thoroughly clean your skin. So if you’re using cleansing oil or cleansing balm, you should apply the oil or balm on dry skin first, then thin it out with water as you wash it off.
5. How should you cleanse if you only wear sunscreen and no makeup?
You should double cleanse even if you only wear sunscreen and no makeup. Dr Kang recommends using an oil-based cleanser before using a water-based foaming cleanser to wash off.
He reasons that the higher the SPF, the more sun protection ingredients the sunscreen contain so thorough washing is required.
In the case of physical sunscreens using zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide, these ingredients tend to stick fast to your skin and they don’t come off that easily without double cleansing. Also, as sunscreens are also water resistant, they get inside your pores and stay there until they’re properly washed out.
Dr Kang also mentioned that if you’ve re-applied sunscreen, it’s even harder to wash with just water so you should always double cleanse as recommended.
To add on to what Dr Kang had highlighted, I thought I’ll share some cleansing tips I’ve posted a few years ago specific to the type of sunscreens you’re using.
If you’re using a mineral-based sunscreen
If you’re using a mineral-based sunscreen containing zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide, such ingredients tend to sit on our skin as they’re supposed to reflect or scatter UV radiation before it reaches our skin.
The higher the amount of zinc oxide and/or titanium dioxide, the harder it is to wash them off with just water. You will definitely have to double cleanse. In fact, you should be worried if your mineral based sunscreen can be washed off relatively easily because it might not have withstood your perspiration and did not last as long as you’ve desired it to.
If you’re using a chemical-based sunscreen
On the other hand, if you’re using a chemical-based sunscreen, then such a product absorb the UV rays using chemical filters like mexoryl, tinosorb, oxybenzone, and avobenzone, amongst others.
Unlike the mineral-based sunscreens, such chemical sunscreens work from within your skin but they most likely also contain titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide to provide additional shield. In this case, it would mean you still have to double cleanse to ensure your skin is completely clean.
If you’re using a BB or CC cream, or a moisturizer with SPF
Even if you’re not using any sunscreen, your BB or CC cream or moisturizer with SPF protection may also contain some of the sun protection ingredients.
Additionally, the products you’re using could possibly contain silicones. Double cleansing would ensure that your skin is well cleansed and won’t be clogged. And a weekly exfoliation would also do your skin good in terms of keeping it primed to absorb the other skin care goodies you slather on.
Okay, I hope you’ve found those tips useful. I know I’ve been sharing K-beauty tips rather frequently of late but yes, it’s intentional. I really think their skin care tips work and I’m glad we have beauty shows like Get It Beauty to learn. In case you don’t know, you can also catch the version of Get It Beauty with English subtitles on Viu.com.
I’m not gonna recap every episode but I’ll share tips from interesting ones when I stumble upon them. Do let me know in the comments if you like them. And remember to share this post with your friends too. #k8SjZc9Dxk.#k8SjZc9Dxk
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i love love love them! in fact i’m always stalking your site to check if there’s any new K tips / products. LOL!
Haha…that’s good to know! ?
i was planing to buy an electrical facial cleansing brush for daily use, but i will take into account your opinion, because i have a very sensitive skin ? thank you very much for your tips and keep up the good work :*
Have you tried konjac sponge? It’s great for cleansing yet very gentle.
Hi Sesame! Thank you so much for korean beauty tip posts ? I LOVE them… really ? Unfortunately I haven’t got enough time to always check on their latest episode…but in this way I can always get my updates ? Thank you so much and PLEASE keep doing it!
Thanks Ãgi! I’m glad you like these…I’ll post them whenever I find interesting episodes. ?