Color Me Bonita - Take It Off

Daniela is back today answering a question that ties in nicely with one of my mini-resolutions (I'm checking in for May on Friday)

Question:  Sometimes the task of washing my face before bed seems like too much to tackle, so I use a cleansing wipe. Is that giving me the same benefits?

Answer :  Before I answer that, a very important point has to be made for everyone:

Rule of thumb when it comes to makeup removal :

Makeup removers are designed to remove synthetic materials, while cleansers are designed to remove non-synthetic materials.  Therefore, with the exception of a pure mineral makeup, a makeup remover should be used to remove all makeup before cleansing.  Mascara should always be removed by a mascara remover rather than soap, because inevitably, removing with soap involves wiping off leftovers with a towel, which often results in breakouts of either acne or milia.  Plus the constant scratchy rubbing leads to faster aging of the delicate eye area later.  Of course, there are cleansers that take care of both synthetic and non-synthetic materials, but then you're at the sink, not next to your bed. :)

So, whether you use a wipe or not can depend on your skin type and the wipe.  Let's break it down by skin type.  

Dry Skin and skin with no issues:  

Since you don't have an overabundance of oil and dead skin cells trying to make their way through a barrier of makeup, your pores don't get terribly clogged and impacted.  This would be true even if the quality of your makeup was not the highest.
  
Because foundation and powder are meant to sit on top of the skin and not penetrate, they can act as a sort of barrier.  I'm not suggestion that's a good thing, but it does leave you a bit of wiggle room when it comes to going to bed without cleansing.  The only possible danger here with using a wipe, is depending on what your cleansing cloth is made with, you could create some dehydration, such as if there are detergents or alcohols.  You'd hate that.  At the very least, since many of them have conditioners as well as cleaning agents, there can be film left, so you might not suffer that much.  Make sure you have your moisturizer on hand, too.  Surely it's better to perform a good skin care routine every night as well as every morning, but that's because of the benefits a good routine can bring, not so much because of the dangers of cleaning everything off with a wipe by your bedside.  Just remember, if your skin feels in any way tight after using the cloth and you feel like you have to rinse, this will explain ongoing dehydration you're suffering with.  More importantly, the reason why you perform a good skin care routine every night is so you don't miss out on all the good stuff ! :)

Oily and Acneic Skin :  

The type of cleanser typically needed for oily and acne skin types usually does not remove makeup.  So, if you use a wipe by your bedside rather than washing, you may not be removing excess oils and cellular debris that's so necessary to keep breakouts at bay.  If a wipe does not leave a film of conditioners and softeners designed tocounter the drying affects of the detergents needed, which are often pore clogging anyway, it will very likely dry the skin out.  Dehydration is very much a factor in breakouts, as it makes the skin stiff and tight so oils, waxes and dead skin cells get stuck inside pores.  Congestion like that is the cause of acne.  For this skin type, if you really cannot find a way to go through a skin care routine before bed, at least use mineral makeup so that it's not a big deal if you go to bed without cleansing.  But you may regret this either way - oily and acne skin needs diligence.  There simply is no way to skip a regular routine at night.  As an Acne Specialist, one of the biggest barriers to getting my clients' skin clear is non-compliance.  So, I would not recommend using wipes instead of a proper routine, regardless of the brand of wipe.

But you know what?  I have a much much better idea for everyone: Who says a nighttime routine has to be before bed??  Right when you get home from work and change out of your clothes before making dinner is a great time to perform a skin care routine !  Then all you have to do before bed is brush your teeth!

For more help with your individual skin care routine and skin issues, please fill out my online form for a free skin analysis.  CMS readers will get a discount code for10% off their first order when you fill in Color Me Styled in the "Referred by" field.

http://www.daniela.com/Eval_by_Email.html