The major face-cleansing mistake most people make is to use the wrong product. The most frequent error is being overly aggressive and using a product that is too harsh for facial skin or for an individual's skin type. The most important thing to remember is to never use a product on the face that is intended for use on the body.
Although facial and body cleansers have many ingredients in common, there are significant differences in the type of active agent they contain. Facial cleansers are gentler on the skin because the surfactant they contain is milder than that of body cleansers. This difference in formulation explains why products for the face cost more than those for the body: milder surfactants are more expensive.
A general rule is to use a cleanser formulated for your skin type that removes surface dirt and residue without leaving your skin dry, tight or flaky.
• Do not use anything on the face that contains deodorant or fragrance.
• Foaming facial cleansers work up a lather, are rinsed off and generally leave the face refreshed.
• Non-foaming cleansers are the mildest available because they use very little surfactant and come as cream, lotion and milk.
• Scrubs and other exfoliating agents smooth the skin by removing dead skin cells. They should not be used on sensitive skin or more than once a week by anyone.
• Astringents are intended for use after cleansing to remove the last traces of makeup, removes bacteria and helps to re-balance the pH level of skin.