I think we all know that cleansing is the first step towards healthy looking skin and toning will remove any residual dirt and oil, to leave our skin feeling clean and refreshed. No matter what your skin type or skin care concern, your complexion will be healthier, look younger and feel smoother if you cleanse and tone daily!
With such a huge range of cleansers and toners on the market, to suit all skin types (available as a milk, foaming wash, balm or oil) it can all get very confusing.
The Options…
Cleansing Milks – A cleansing milk is applied onto dry skin with fingers or a cotton pad and is usually removed with a toner. I personally like the feeling of water on my skin, so I always remove my cleansing milk with a splash of warm water, followed by a suitable toner. Cleansing milks are great for all skin types but as they’re less drying, usually recommended for normal to dry skin.
Foaming Cleansers – Foaming cleansers are exactly that, cleansing creams or gels that foam when in contact with wet skin. This type of cleanser is washed away with warm water. Again there are foaming cleansers for all skin types but as a rule (as they can be drying), they’re better suited to younger, oily or combination skin.
Cleansing Balms/ Oils – Cleansing balms usually come in pots and melt onto dry skin as they’re massaged onto the face, to become an oil. You then remove the oil with warm water, similar to a foaming cleanser. This type of cleanser is very effective and is suitable for normal to dry skin types.
Cleansing Bars/ Soaps – The original cleanser! Lets face it we all started with a good old soap and although the old fashioned soap of our youth was drying and not very nourishing, it did leave your skin clean and fresh. These days soaps or ‘cleansing bars’ are much kinder on our skin but just as effective in removing everyday dirt and pollution.
The Benefits
Cleansing will also ensure your skin is fully prepped to receive and take full advantage of any moisturisers or serum you go on to use. If I’m honest, as my skin type is pretty normal (although it can become dehydrated at certain times of the year) I tend to fluctuate from all of the above options. These are some of my cleansing and polishing heroes and are ALWAYS in my bathroom cupboard.
Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish
Clarins Cleansing Milk & Toning Lotion
E’Spa Cleansing Bar
REN Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial
Clarins Gentle Peeling (a weekly deep cleanse and polishing product)
For the best cleanse or maybe I should say ‘at home facial’ you should try this amazing Braun Face. It has a cleansing brush that’s designed to remove all traces of dirt and make-up, and cleanse impurities and claims to be 6x more effectively than manual cleansing. You use the brush with your regular cleanser, gel, lotion or even just water.
Giveaway!
Let’s ‘face’ it nothing can beat a full spa Facial! And the lovely people at Leisure Jobs have given me a day at a Bannatyne Spa for two to give away. To enter, simply follow the instructions below…
Thank you to Leisure Jobs for offering me this prize.
Great post I love beauty products , I get quite excited about them, but there is such a huge choice can be a bit overwhelming x
I love Liz Earle, I use all her products but love having a facial with other brands. This is a great giveaway, I will have to learn to enter properly ha! X
I love Liz Earle – and they’re a fab local company to me! If I won the spa day is take my mum. She always deserves a treat x
I would take my sister in law she has just had a baby and would love a bit of pampering.
What an amazing giveaway! Very exciting.
I have been using the Braun Face which I won on your lovely blog, love it! Great giveaway I can’t resist a bit of pampering xx
Author
And you deserve all the pampering in the world, lovely lady xx
I’d take my friend Claire Toplis, we’ve been promising ourselves a spa day together for the best part of a year. We live quite far apart so it’s a great chance to relax and catch up with each other.
As above I would take Jane Willis , we are great friends and SPA is what we both need and I love to catch up with Jane who is a great giggle
My eldest daughter. She has just started running and has booked her first run – a half marathon! I think she would really benefit from the Spa.
My sister – it’d be her birthday gift!
I’m so lazy with a cleansing routine! I use facial wipes from Wilko — 50p a pack — and some Neutrogena soap with a microfibre cloth! Oops. Perhaps I should be taking better care of my skin? That said, I do use a great moisturiser! 😉
Caro | http://www.thetwinklediaries.co.uk
Doh — should have said — I’d take my best friend to a spa day! We don’t get to spend too much time together these days! It would be nice to have a pampering day with her 🙂
Caro | http://www.thetwinklediaries.co.uk
my daughter because i love her so much and she deserves a treat x
My daughter, she’s my best friend
I’d take my best friend Kim 😀
Can blokes go? I’d take my husband, if so.
I’d take my sis in law Lynne who worka in a local hospice
I’d take my friend Joanne 🙂
I’d take my friend Nicky who I’ve been trying to win a spa day for, for ages
My little sister as we could have some real quality time together 🙂
my other half! x
for some much needed us time x
I would take my sister and spa buddy Tina because she treated me to a spa day recently so I would love to return the favour
My Godmother as I love her
I have a friend who I know would appreciate a few days away from her kids!
My hubby because he works hard and would appreciate a bit of pampering.
my daughter so we can pamper ourselves
with my girlfriend because she deserves a break
I think I’d take one of my good friends who is having a really hard time in work at the moment, she needs a day off and neither of us have ever been to a Spa so would be a lovely treat!
I love the Liz Earle cleanser and one of my friends recently introduced me to Espa which I am just loving! xx
I am a massive fan of a hot cloth cleanse and use Elemis exclusively for it. I just love the smell… however I will admit that I don’t do it nearly enough xxx
My friend and work mate, I know first hand how stressful her job is!
I would take my sister, she needs a little bit of me time after looking after her son and working full time!
I would take my lovely friend Joanne with me, we’ve both been so wrapped up in our busy little lives recently, we’ve not had chill time together. This would be bliss xxx
I would take my bestie with me; She has been through a rough few years, both personally and health wise…. Keeping it all crossed XxxX
I’d take my best friend, as shes done a lot for me over these past few months and deserves a treat!
my boyfriend because he is my best friend and i love spending time with him
I would take my mum because shes my mum and I love her to bits
I would take my sister as she has just had a baby and could do with some pampering
my mum as she deserves to relax
Need the pampering. Had a very difficult year so far
I’d take my sister – she loves being pampered!
My sister, she’d love it.
I’d take my sister as she loves a spa day.
my friend mandy because she deserves it
My lovely daughter who in March, gave me the most gorgeous grandson William
My wife. She could do with a nice pamper day.
I would take my husband as a birthday treat and for working so hard 🙂
My mum, because she’s my best friend and she deserves it
I would take my daughter as she is doing her finals and needs the unwind
my friend lucy, we havent had much time together since she come back from tavelling, would be nice to have some time with her whilst getting pampered.
My hubby – he needs a break!! xx
I’d take my hubby as he works so hard and deserves a relaxing day.
I would take my husband as he has been saying recently that we should go out together more (without our young son) and this would be the prefect way for us to experience our first ever spa day.
take my lovely wife
I would take my best friend, as its just been her birthday and mine is coming up, so its a win win present for both of us
I would take my husband as he was 40 this year and this would be a lovely treat, also with having 3 children it would be fab for the both of us!! Many thanks for running such a great competition!
My Husband, he takes care of me and doesn’t get enough pampering
My mum, she deserves a pamper!!
My little sister (Okay, so she’s 22 and not so little now!)
My Grand Daughter for her birthday
My partner because he works extremely hard and deserves a break!
My Mum – she is overworked and underpaid and deserves pampering more than anyone I know 🙂 <3 x
I’d take my mum – her little sister (my aunty) died recently and unexpectedly and she has been a bit down since so something like this might cheer her up
my friend Lorna – she is a single mother and teacher and the way she manages everything I am in ewe of her so would like to spoil her as well
My daughter Petra it would her birthday gift
My mum because she deserves a relaxing day out and a break from being a housewife!
I would take a school Mum friend, as shes been doing a lot for me lately (taking kids home etc) I owe her big time!
My Mum – she has done so much for me and my Daughters despite living 240 miles away.
my hubby!
My husband
Believe me or not. I would take my mother in law who is currently visiting us from Australia.
I would take my daughter , she works hard and loves a massage.
My lovely wife of course
I would take my mum as it is both of our birthdays next week and would be a lovely treat 🙂
I’d treat a friend who is having a hard time.
I’d take my mam, Jennifer. She could do with a treat x
My mum Vallery
My best friend she just got promoted at work and would be a great treat for her 😀
my hubby he looks after me and our four boys amazingly and we have had a rough few years x
I would take my sister who recently had a baby who would enjoy a spa day
my best friend
My sister as she deserves a treat
I would love to take my husband as that’s who I like spending time with the most
My Mum who could do with a nice massage
I would take my best friend, she works in a care home so deserves some pampering for herself as her life is spent caring for others
I would take my daughter just because I love spending time with her
my sister we fell out for over 2 years we are close again now so would take her
I’d take my girlfriend – our 1st anniversary