Cleansers: An Overview

Cleansers: A Guide on How to Choose a Cleanser

Posted by John ⋅ September 17, 2014 ⋅ 2 Comments

If you actually read through all FOUR previous sections and understood them, bravo to you! I’d imagine most people would skip RIGHT to the relevant part: how to choose a cleanser. Let’s not get in their way! There are several general aspects that need to be considered when choosing a cleanser: While I generally don’t … Continue reading →

Cleansers: Long-Term Effects

Posted by John ⋅ September 17, 2014 ⋅ 8 Comments

As the previous post inferred, using harsh cleansers on a regular basis will lead to dry skin. While that doesn’t sound TOO horrible, it does have further implications, which will be addressed in this post. Dryness from Over-Cleansing and/or Using Harsh Cleansers As stated before, dry skin is in essence the result of not having … Continue reading →

Cleansers: Short-Term Effects

Posted by John ⋅ May 29, 2014 ⋅ 2 Comments

Okay, we’ve familiarized ourselves with the different types of surfactants commonly used in cleansers. But how do they actually affect the skin? Let’s find out. Now, cleansers are typically in contact with the skin anywhere from 15-60 seconds, or longer if a “specialized” cleanser is used; such as a hydroxy acid-, benzoyl peroxide-, or sodium sulfacetamide-based one. During this … Continue reading →

Cleansers: Types of Surfactants

Posted by John ⋅ May 23, 2014 ⋅ 2 Comments

As discussed in the previous section about the types of cleansers and how they are characterized, true soaps exclusively use one family of surfactants: alkyl carboxylates, which are basically (alkali) salts of fatty acids. While the most common one is sodium stearate, there are many out there. In order to know which ingredient is a … Continue reading →

Cleansers: Types and Composition

Posted by John ⋅ May 19, 2014 ⋅ 16 Comments

Cleansers can be divided into two main categories: bar or solid cleansers and liquid cleansers. Within each category are several subcategories of cleansers. This article will briefly discuss each subcategory and what characteristics define them. Keep in mind that both categories of cleansers employ the same types of ingredients to do their bidding: emollients and … Continue reading →