Journal

Struggling with acne and sensitive skin despite washing your face multiple times a day? Overwashing can damage your skin’s protective layers and worsen your problems. In this blog, we'll explain why over-washing is counterproductive and provide tips for a balanced skincare routine to help you achieve clearer, healthier skin.~Priya Daga

You have oily skin; someone tells you that it is essential to keep your face oil-free to prevent acne. Fearing the monster of acne, you started washing your face three times a day with a popular brightly packaged foamy anti-acne face wash. Behold, not only did you get acne despite washing your face 3x a day, but your skin also became sensitive and quickly got irritated or became red. You thought perhaps you are not washing your face enough, and now you start washing it five times a day. Voila, the frequency of acne breakout goes up, your skin becomes more sensitive, and you become more frustrated. Why, God, why??? 

Is this the story of your life or a loved one? You are in luck. Today, we will try and settle this issue once and for all. 

Don’t blame the universe, you are damaging your skin by over-washing it. There are three natural protective layers on our skin that provide microbiological, chemical, and physical protection against acne-causing bacteria, among other things.  If you use strong, alkaline cleansers and that too several times a day, the protective layers are damaged beyond repair, and the skin’s pH becomes alkaline. To make matters worse, most cleansers cannot wash the oil and dead skin, which is tightly packed in your pores.

So, by washing your face several times a day, you end up wiping off your skin’s natural protection and dehydrating your facial skin while your pores are still clogged with oil and dead skin. As a result, acne-causing bacteria are easily able to colonize your skin leading to more frequent breakouts. 

People who overwash their face often also complain of increased skin sensitivity over time, which is, in fact, damaged skin. Without the protective layers, pathogens and free radicals can easily enter our skin and cause rashes, irritation, and redness, which we perceive as sensitivity.

What should you do then?

To control acne and get rid of excess oil on your skin, especially for oily skin, you need to clean off the “excess” oil, dirt, dead skin cells, strengthen your protective layers, and most importantly, maintain an ideal skin pH level (4.5-5.5). We recommend the following regime to achieve all of the above.

1) Gently cleanse – Not more than twice a day

I feel the world can be divided into two kinds of people. First, who want foam in their cleansers, and second who don’t care so much about foam. 

Double Cleansing - If you are the first kind, I recommend double-cleansing. First, use the Melting Balm Cleanser,  which will help remove excess sebum or oil-based makeup from your skin, free up your pores, and then AHA Face Wash to wash away the loosened dead skin and other impurities.

Cream Cleansers - If you are the second kind and don’t care much about foam like me, I recommend using cream-based cleansers (try Aminu’s Cream Cleanser), which cleans excess sebum, oil, and water-based impurities while hydrating the skin. 

2) Hydrate – After every wash

If your skin is oily, it still needs hydration. Use a light-day moisturizer with deep hydrating agents and antioxidants to keep your skin hydrated, healthy, and protected but without making it feel sticky and greasy. In case you are looking for a multi-pronged light day moisturizer, you can check out Aminu’s Longevity Serum or the Nutrient Day Cream.

3) Exfoliate – Twice a week at night

Oily skin generates more dead cells than other skin types, and to remove them, we recommend you exfoliate 2x a week. The exfoliator does strain your protective layers but the six to eight hours of downtime at night is more than enough for them to regain strength. We recommend using a peel such as Aminu’s AHA Power Peel in case you have active acne. Check out our other blog on exfoliators to learn more about these unsung heroes of skincare.

4) Mask up - Twice a week

Using detoxifying and healing masks can also help regularise oil production in the skin and absorb excess oil from your facial skin. However, the important thing is to make sure the mask is not dehydrating your face. Both oil and water in the optimal amount are necessary for healthy skin. Aminu’s Marine Clay Mask contains a one-of-a-kind mud harvested from the Manicouagan Bay in Canada. The clay is unique in the sense that it absorbs excess oil but releases moisture and minerals in your skin - healing and hydrating it at the same time absorbs excess oil.

If you're the one who has gone through the same, you can always reach out to Aminu's skincare aesthetician team via live chat on the website or drop them an email at care@aminu.life, and their team will help you figure out what is a good skincare routine for you.