Cleansing is a very vital part of beauty and skin care. We are living in a very polluted environment, today. The dust, grime and impurities in the atmosphere play havoc with the skin. It is, therefore, extremely important to clean the skin, every night. An oily skin requires more cleaning than a dry skin because the open pores, on the oily skin become clogged with dirt and oil. If you do' not want to use the branded products available in the market, do the cleaning with home-based products. Take 2-teaspoons of cold milk, apply it on the face and wipe away with a moist cotton wool. For oily skin, add a little water to the milk. Follow it up with a toner.

Cleansing the face 4-5 times a day is adequate for normal skin. If your skin is oily a more frequent cleansing i.e. 5-7 times a day is necessary. If your skin is dry it is best to avoid frequent washing and you may have to use a suitable oil-based cosmetic cleanser instead of soap, which has a dry effect.

Skin Cleansing Tips

Cleansing removes the dirt, oil, makeup and dead cells that have accumulated on your skin during the day (but again, don't be overanxious- removing all the oil that protects the skin from losing needed moisture will only dry it out). It is so easy to do-you don't need a formula, or special circumstances or a lot of time.

Cleansing your body is something you do regularly each time you use soap in a shower or a bath. Cleansing your facial skin is at least as important, if not more so, and as easy. Cleansing your skin can also treat your skin, if done with the appropriate cleanser in the right manner.

Since most of us have so-called combination skin, the best cleanser to use is one that is water soluble and nondrying, a smooth cream that can be used with your hands, a face buff or a facial brush (you can buy a facial vibrator with attachments that are made for scrubbing and cleansing as well as increasing the circulation in your face).

How to cleanse your skin

First, be sure to wash your hands. Then use a gentle, nondrying makeup remover. Spread it on your face and neck, and stroke it with your fingertips or a face buff. Be sure to use a circular motion and alwaysmove upward (gravitywill pull your skindown soon enough). Then rinse off with warm water or a damp washcloth. (If you are going to take a shower, you can cleanse your face there either with a nonalkaline soap or with your cleanser.)

There are a couple of handy and effective cleansing tools on the market now. One is a rough towel that is used to cleanse and rub the skin on your body. It is a terrific skin reviver and helps remove dead cells. The loofah, a hard, spongelike "tool," is also effective in ridding your skin of the top layer of dead cells. For the face, there is a gentle face buff which helps in cleansing the pores and also in taking off dead cells. You can also buy a brush specifically designed to be used for cleansing facial skin.