I find that a lot of cleansers leave me feeling dried out,
but not washing my face at least two times a day makes my skin feel
grimy. Is there a certain kind of soap or scrub that’s less
harsh?
I have been known to stupefy friends with my “Don’t wash your face
with soap” dictum. Soap totally degrades the precious, silky, trace
lipids that seal your skin barrier. If you know any science jargon
about your skin, it should be two words: stratum corneum. This is
the top layer of the skin, the one you touch, the one you wash, the
one you scrub, exfoliate, pick, scratch, massage, and kiss. It also
repels environmental assaults, and soap destroys it. How does this
happen? Imagine red, tightly overlapping shingled roofs in China,
Spain, or Mexico, where layered tiles are sealed together with
mortar or glue as a simple waterproofing technique. The stratum
corneum is constructed similarly from deeper cells that mature
upward and outward, and, before they die, form a divine layer of
lamellated cells locked together with permanent bonds and sealed
with lipids. Now imagine that the roof mortar is defective. The
tiles weather, crack, split, and fall away. This is what happens
when you use harsh soaps on your skin: They seep in and
disintegrate the lipids holding the stratum cornea together. You
need to cherish your oils, rather than stripping them away twice,
three times a day in the name of hygiene. Warm water and a simple
wash cloth will remove 99 percent of the daily residue you detest.
If aromatherapy is essential to your routine, squeeze lemon or
ginger into a sink full of water before you splash, or make a
lovely pitcher of mint and strawberry water with a dash of honey
and use it anytime you feel the need for clean. New toners, which
possess less alcohol than those in the past, are a great way to
remove traces of mascara or makeup (but spare your cheeks whenever
possible). I even multitask my creamy moisturizer as a makeup
remover. Keep it simple, know your skin, learn, and be
gorgeous.
Ellen
Marmur, M.D., is the Chief of Dermatologic and Cosmetic Surgery
at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. A skin cancer
survivor herself, Marmur specializes in skin cancer surgery,
cosmetic surgery, and women’s health dermatology. She recently
published Simple Skin Beauty, a book that focuses on how to
maintain the health and beauty of your skin at every stage of
life.
Photo: Getty Images
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