How to Choose the Right Cleanser for Your Skin

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Most decisions in life are difficult enough without having to add finding the right cleanser for your skin type to the pile. With the millions of formulas and ingredients out there, how do you really know which one best suits your skin? And we all know that the proper cleansing routine is the foundation for a flawless complexion. To help you skip over the whole trial-and-error ordeal, we’ve put together an all-inclusive guide to finding “the one” that will keep your complexion clean and happy!


cleanser types
Dry Skin Cleansers
When it comes to your dry skin, you want to look for a cleansing formula that will help your complexion retain moisture — that’s why a creamy or oil-based wash like Lancôme Crème Douceur (cream-to-oil) or Garnier Skin Care Clean+ Nourishing Cleansing Oil is ideal for your skin type. An added bonus is a cleanser containing the hydrating properties of hyaluronic acid — as it can draw in water to lock in moisture for ultimate relief from dryness. And as much as you love to lather, avoid foaming washes as they can strip your skin of natural moisture and cause irritation.

Oily Skin Cleansers
Get rid of that slick by using a deep cleansing gel or foaming wash like Kiehl’s Calendula Deep Cleansing Foaming Face Wash to gently lift away dirt and oil without stripping your skin (which could cause it to kick into overdrive and produce more oil!). A soap-free cleansing foam like The Body Shop Seaweed Deep Cleansing Facial Wash is strong enough to eliminate all traces of makeup and leave skin feeling perfectly fresh, without the tight feeling left behind by harsher cleansers. Another great way to keep oil at bay is by introducing a Clarisonic into your cleansing routine and using it twice a day (or more if you exercise regularly).

Combination Skin Cleansers
So, your skin isn’t dry OR oily — it’s both! If you don’t want to use two different cleansers on separate facial areas (we don’t blame you!) there are gel cleansers that are gentle enough to treat dry skin and efficient enough to buff away impurities and unclog pores. Try an oil-free wash like L’Oréal Paris Ideal Clean All Skin Types Foaming Gel Cleanser or Garnier Skin Care Clean+ Purifying Foam Cleanser for a customized cleanse that works to balance skin without over drying!

Sensitive Skin Cleansers
Whether your concern is rosacea or your skin just turns red to the touch, a cleanser with non-irritating ingredients is what your complexion needs. Condition your skin with a non-lathery, cream cleanser containing mild plant oils like sweet almond, jojoba or soothing orange oil like the SkinCeuticals Gentle Cleanser. To calm sensitive skin, look for a paraben-free, fragrance-free cleanser that contains glycerin (we love Vichy Pureté Thermale 3-in-1 Cleansing Solution), which works to attract just the right amount of moisture to keep skin hydrated and refreshed.

Acne-Prone Skin Cleansers
You want a cleanser that will not only give your skin a deep clean, but also works to help treat the source of your problem — acne. Using a medicated cleanser like La Roche-Posay Effaclar Medicated Gel Cleanser with salicylic acid and lipo hydroxy acid will fight the production of excess oil to gently remove dirt and visibly clear acne breakouts. Try using the product twice daily for best results, or several times a week (using a mild cleanser daily) if your skin is sensitive.

What’s your skin type and your favorite daily cleanser? Share with the rest in the comments below!

5 Tips for Choosing the Right Sunscreen

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Back in the day, we didn’t even know what SPF meant. We’d smear ourselves with dark tanning oil that smelled deliciously like coconuts and the beach (or baby oil, in a pinch) before holding a foil-wrapped double album cover under our chins. The idea was to create the perfect bronze tan. It was only later, when we were bubbled with blisters, that we realized frying ourselves like an egg might be a bad idea. But then our tans would fade and we’d take our chances worshipping the sun all over again. No pain, no gain, right?

Remember the first incarnations of the stuff? It sat on our skin like grease refusing to absorb and smelled, well, not so yummy. It was a necessary evil, though. The research told us to slather on the goop to avoid further sun damage, burns, and worst of all, those dreaded wrinkles. And we listened.

Nowadays, we’re blessed with fantastic sunscreen options that will not only protect our skin from the sun but will absorb, moisturize, give us a glow, or go on shine-free – all depending on what you’re looking for. These formulations are made to be worn every day, no matter what we’re doing. Before you buy, though, remember to match the sunscreen to your skin and to your routine.

Here’s what to look for when you’re scanning the sunscreen racks, courtesy of Dermalogica Education Manager Holly Sherrard – plus a few of our favourite picks from Dermalogica.

1. CHOOSE BROAD SPECTRUM     

Look for a broad spectrum sunscreen with a minimum SPF 15 (the higher, the better). Keep in mind that UVA and UVB rays vary in length and one sunscreen ingredient may not cover the full spectrum. Make sure that the labelling tells you that the combinations of ingredients used allows for full spectrum protection.

2. PICK PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL       

If you’ve got sensitive skin, choose what is known as a physical sunscreen like Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide.  Physical sunscreen deflects the sun’s rays off the skin as opposed to chemical sunscreens which absorb the sun’s rays and change the energy into heat. Chemical sunscreens allow for a velvety, lightweight product which makes them ideal for an oily or acne-prone complexion. 

3. CONSIDER SKIN TYPE     

Ensure the SPF has appropriate ingredients for the type and condition of your skin. For oily skin, look for ingredients like niacinamide, yeast extract and horse chestnut – which help regulate oil production and soothe inflammation. For prematurely aging skin, look for peptides to stimulate collagen production and evening primrose to condition the skin.

4. THINK MOISTURE

Look for updated technologies like Safflower-derived oleosomes, which are sunscreen-filled capsules that provide enhanced moisturization while boosting SPF.  

5.  GET LAYERING       

You’ll want to layer SPF products to enhance protection so pick a sunscreen that’s non-greasy. Options for layering: Choose a moisturizer that includes SPF, top with a primer with SPF, finish off with an SPF foundation. As well, make sure that you’re using enough. Health Canada recommends one teaspoon of sunscreen for the face and neck (most people apply just half of that). 

Ultra-sensitive tint SPF30

Broad Spectrum sunscreen with tinted earth minerals helps guard skin against UV damage with antioxidants from soothing Grape Seed and Green Tea extracts, as physical sunscreens shield against skin-aging and irritating UV damage. Contains exclusive UltraCalmingTM Complex. 

Super sensitive shield SPF 30

Chemical-free, Broad Spectrum sunscreen helps protect and reinforce barrier lipids, which are often compromised in sensitized skin conditions. Contains exclusive UltraCalming™ Complex. 

Skin Perfect Primer (also part of the age smart line!)

Smooth away fine lines, brighten and prime for flawless skin, and to prep for makeup application. Velvety silicones create an instantly smooth surface. Pearl powder and natural earth minerals provide a neutral tint to help balance tone and enhance luminosity. Peptides and AGE Smart® actives help firm and shield against MMP and free radical damage, as sunscreens shield against sun damage. Formulated without artificial fragrances and colours.