Facial cleansing: everything you need to know

Facial cleansing: the first step that teaches skin how to feel good

Every skin is different and tells its own story, but the first golden rule of any beauty routine is cleansing.

You don’t cleanse your skin only to remove impurities and makeup, but also to preserve its natural physiological balance over time.

It is the moment when the skin “takes a breath,” lets go of what it no longer needs, and prepares to receive what will help it feel better. A gesture that seems simple, yet is crucial for maintaining skin balance over time.

To truly understand the value of this daily ritual, it helps to look at what happens to the skin throughout the day.

In a single day, the skin works tirelessly: it produces sebum and comes into contact with smog, fine dust, makeup, and sunscreen. Everything settles on the skin, often invisibly.

If not properly removed, these elements can:

• alter the hydrolipidic film
• disrupt the skin’s pH
• weaken the barrier function
• promote impurities, redness, and imperfections

However, inadequate facial cleansing, whether insufficient or excessive, can be even more damaging than the buildup of dirt itself.

The key concept is simple: cleansing must be effective yet gentle, so that it does not become more harmful than the accumulation of sebum, sweat, corneocytes (cells of the stratum corneum of the epidermis, the outermost layer of the skin), and environmental pollutants.

Cleansing without stripping: choosing the right cleanser

It is precisely this balance that highlights the importance of carefully choosing a facial cleanser.

A cleanser that is too aggressive can be more damaging than the buildup of impurities, leaving the skin dry, reactive, or dehydrated. On the other hand, a gentle yet high-performing formula helps the skin maintain its natural balance, day after day.

For this reason, choosing the right facial cleanser is essential to achieve visible results while respecting the skin’s true needs.

The main variables to consider are:

• Facial cleanser texture: gels, foams, milks, creams, cleansing oils and makeup-removing balms, micellar waters, solid soaps/syndets, and cleansing powders to be activated with water.
• Specific function: makeup-removing, purifying, hydrating, exfoliating, soothing, rebalancing, antibacterial, gentle, sanitizing, etc.

The options are many, but this does not mean they are all suitable for the same skin type.

Excessive or incorrect use of products and active ingredients, often incompatible with one another, within the same routine can lead to skin overload, pH imbalances, and weakening of the skin barrier.

How to identify the most suitable cleanser

Once the general characteristics of cleansers are understood, the next step is learning how to choose the one that best meets your needs.

Choosing a cleanser is based on several factors. Beyond its stated function, it is important to carefully read the information on the packaging, which specifies the skin type for which the product is formulated.

Reading the INCI (International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients), the international system for naming cosmetic ingredients, which uniquely identifies the substances contained in a cosmetic product and is mandatory on labels) is especially important in cases of sensitive, reactive, or allergy-prone skin.

There is also an invisible detail that makes all the difference: the pH of facial skin.

Facial skin has a slightly acidic pH, between 4.5 and 5.5. This acts as a kind of “natural shield” that protects it from irritation, microbes, and external aggressors.

A facial cleanser that respects this balance helps prevent dryness, redness, and imperfections, making the skin more resilient and stable over time.

Male skin, which is often thicker and more sebaceous, also benefits from gentle yet effective cleansers that control excess sebum without altering the skin’s natural pH.

Since, as mentioned earlier, every skin type has its own structure, sensitivity, and way of responding, the first selection criterion is identifying the formula best suited to your skin type:

• normal
• dry, lipid-deficient, and dehydrated
• sensitive, hypersensitive, reactive, and couperose-prone
• oily, combination, or acne-prone
• mature

Cleansing therefore represents a daily opportunity to address the skin’s specific needs in a targeted way, without altering its physiological balance.

Facial cleansing morning and night: a daily ritual

Once the right cleanser has been chosen, it is just as important to understand how and when to use it.

The skin changes throughout the day, and with it, its needs change as well. That is why facial cleansing is recommended twice a day with a specific cleanser.

• In the morning, a single gentle cleanse is generally sufficient to remove sebum and overnight residue.
• In the evening, double cleansing is recommended and is essential to remove makeup, sunscreen, and impurities accumulated during the day.

Makeup-removing wipes can be useful in emergency situations, but they do not replace a complete facial cleansing routine.

Kris Beauty cleansing milk

To support these daily gestures, choosing the right product becomes essential.

Kris Beauty Gentle Cleansing and Makeup-Removing Milk is formulated to be compatible with all skin types and is suitable for both female and male skin, for daily cleansing and makeup removal.

In the presence of sensitive or reactive skin, it is still recommended to introduce it gradually into the routine, monitoring the skin’s response.

The gentle formula is enriched with Goji berries and Black Mulberry, ingredients known for their antioxidant and revitalizing properties, helping to counteract oxidative stress caused by free radicals, unstable molecules that accelerate skin aging and reduce radiance and vitality.

The creamy texture allows for effective yet respectful cleansing, even in the most delicate areas such as the eye contour.

The skin feels clean, soft, and hydrated, without any sensation of dryness or compromised comfort.

Key features of the formula:

• Free from paraffins, parabens, and petrolatum
• Gluten-free, eco-friendly, and vegan
• Hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic, and dermatologically tested
• Made in Italy

Why cleansing is so important 

At this point, it becomes clear that cleansing is not a secondary step.

Facial cleansing is often underestimated because it is considered a simple, almost automatic gesture. In reality, inadequate cleansing can promote the appearance of impurities and imperfections, especially on the sides of the face and the neck, where sebum and residues tend to accumulate.

On the other hand, proper cleansing helps keep the skin in optimal condition and improves its ability to absorb subsequent treatments such as serums, creams, masks, and peels.

The first step that makes a difference

This brings us back to the starting point: cleansing as the foundation of any routine.

Facial cleansing is the first step toward an effective and mindful skincare routine. Choosing the cleanser that best suits your skin type and using it correctly and consistently helps preserve skin balance, prevent imperfections, and enhance the absorption and effectiveness of subsequent treatment ingredients.

It is precisely through this daily gesture, simple yet essential, that healthy, radiant, and balanced skin is maintained over time.