Daily Facial Cleanser for Men

[BeatlesFan]

I don't have a specific product to recommend, but my general inclination is towards any high quality traditional soap. I don't like the liquid cleansers . . . I think they are drying. Whatever you use, take it easy (don't scrub and over-wash).

I also thought I'd pass along this very good article about dry skin and winter conditions. http://www.uihealthcare.com/topics/skin ... rskin.html

One interesting and important point it makes is that using very hot water can increase redness and dryness. Which is tricky for wet shavers, who require at least warm water for beard softening.

The article also suggests the following with regard to cleansers:

" Milder, less drying soaps include Dove, Neutrogena Dry Skin Formula (unscented), Aveeno Cleansing Bar for Dry Skin, Purpose, Basis, and Oil of Olay Sensitive Skin Soap. Cetaphil is a liquid cleanser that works as a gentle and effective soap substitute for some people. It is especially helpful for cleaning the face and hands."

Anyway, hope that information helps.

[bernards66]

BeatlesFan, Well, I've often urged members who complained of dry skin to back off of the very hot shower water and to stay in there less long. I've learned this from experiance. As far as their recommended list is concerned,well....it's the kind of thing that one often gets from dermatologists who will recommend Dove because they figure you're using Irish Spring. In other words, most of these folks don't even know what real quality soaps exist...they only think in terms of products available at any local Walgreens. Members have often run into the same sort of thing when asking for advice about shaving issues.
Regards,
Gordon

[rsp1202]

Another spot-on observation, Gordon. I've run into ineffective over-the-counter doctor recommendations a few times too many, also. Hate to say it, but a physician-recommended skin or hair-care product is something I'd generally shy away from -- unless it's from a SMF Board Certified doctor.

[Blue As A Jewel]

I've been using Lucky Tiger Premium Facial Scrub as well as Everbamboo charcoal soap for my face (I scrub 2-3x per week). Sharp's also has a very good scrub.

[SRD]

I just use good soap and warm water.

[infotech]

I quit using face washes altogether. If I used one in the shower before the shave, they had a negative effect on my shave. After I shaved it seemed like a waste of time because I just got finished lathering half of my face, splashing water over all of it - neck included, and using aftershave splash or balm. If I don't feel like shaving, or just feel like I need to I use Men-U face wash. I've been using a sample I bought about 3 years ago. My skin is healthier than it's ever been after 2 or 3 years of not using face wash.

[Lindy]

You could try the oil cleansing method. The theory behind it is that oil cleans oil. So here's what you need:

* 3 parts Olive Oil or Grapeseed Oil
* 1 part Castor Oil

You could add some Lavender essential oil if you like but only a drop or two.

So same as if you were going to shave, heat a towel up and place it on your face to open up the pores. I also recommend that you warm up the oil.

Now you're going to massage this gently onto your face and then leave it there for about 30 minutes. Then you're going to use a warm face cloth to "blot" the oils off your face, you don't want to scrub as this will damage the skin. The way I like to do it is to use warm water and then wring the cloth out well - I place the cloth on my face and let it absorb all the oils. Afterwards just pat dry.

Hope that helps.

Cheers

[BeatlesFan]

BeatlesFan, Well, I've often urged members who complained of dry skin to back off of the very hot shower water and to stay in there less long. I've learned this from experiance. As far as their recommended list is concerned,well....it's the kind of thing that one often gets from dermatologists who will recommend Dove because they figure you're using Irish Spring. In other words, most of these folks don't even know what real quality soaps exist...they only think in terms of products available at any local Walgreens. Members have often run into the same sort of thing when asking for advice about shaving issues.
Regards,
Gordon

The list mentions Cetaphil liquid, and I do find the Cetaphil extra mild bar (or whatever its exact name is) to be pretty much as specified -- i.e., extremely gentle and non-drying. I have to be very careful about redness and flaking, ESPECIALLY in the winter, so I'm mindful of what I do about face-washing.

Actually, though, my bottom line is that it's probably less about the soap you pick (within reason), and more about just plain taking it easy. Don't scrub and scrub, don't use scalding hot water, don't blast away for 15 minutes with a high-pressure shower.

[bernards66]

BeatlesFan, I entirely agree and, of course, the toiletries/cosmetics industry tries to make everyone so overly obsessed with 'cleanliness' and 'grooming' that it encourages many to make those very mistakes...very hot water, too long in the shower, scrubbing away fiendishly, harsh liquid cleansers, etc. Meanwhile, many of us here at SMF have learned that less is often more.
Regards,
Gordon

[gsgo]

Gordon - you unfairly blast away at "harsh liquid cleansers" yet there are many on the market that are gentle and extremely kind to sensitive or regular skin. There are many soaps that can be just brutal in stripping the natural oils of our faces that make our skin healthy, smooth and soft.

Soaps and facial cleansers are designed to more or less do the same thing, they do it with different properties but they are more similar than people are lead to understand. I have been using Cetaphil for well over 15 years and I have yet to find a better cleanser, soap, liquid or otherwise.

Let's face it there are horses for courses and courses for horses, in our terms "everyone's mileage will vary". Our facial skin varies greatly, this is why there is a rather large market for facial products and a wide variety of cleaning methods available. To constantly shirk one is unfair and misleading, while Cetaphil might not work for you, it does work, and works quite well for millions of other people.

Written with my full respect of your opinion and using Cetaphil only as an example (and one that I am really familiar with).

[95%]

[channeling Gordon] Harumph! [chuckle]

For myself, Gary, while I've had only occasional experience with liquid cleansers, I've never found them to be all that different from each other or from bar soaps. I think the point is that one should go easy on the skin when washing it and not try to strip it of all its natural oils.

[drmoss_ca]

I have no beef with those who can stand up to using a daily detergent on their faces, or even an exfoliating scrub of some kind. Good luck to you. My face don't stand for that sort of thing, with seborrhoea and incipient rosacea I have to be careful. There's also the increasingly obvious issue of sun damage, and actinic keratoses that I have to freeze off with liquid nitrogen.

So what I do is this. When I wash my hair I will use some of the lather on my face. Three nights a week that is with Selsun 2.5% (not the 1.25% Blue), and the other nights it is with Nancy Boy sweetgrass bath soap. Before bed I rub Trumper Skinfood in to my face - the coral is best for this job, markedly reducing redness and scaling. In the morning I generally use just hot water to soften the beard, rarely being inspired these days to use soap as well. Then I use a shaving soap and face lather with a brush. Two passes with a straight, using the minimum number of strokes to do the deed. Excess scraping leads to redness so I'm careful to be economical. Rinse in warm, then cold water. Apply either CF Pre-Shave, or more often these days, Eucris hair dressing - the paraffin oil doesn't seem to cause any blocked pores and seals and moisturises the skin nicely. I understand that both choices will seem bizarre to some, but until you try it, don't knock it. When I do it this way I can manage without applying any hydrocortisone for up to two weeks at a time.

Chris

[bernards66]

Gary, There are certainly bar soaps ( quite a few of them ) that I wouldn't use on my face, and a few liquid cleansers that I can get away with, Cetaphil being one of them. But, on the whole, I see no real need or purpose for seperate liquid 'facial washes'. Being detergent based, most that I have used were either too harsh and drying, or, if they added enough other 'stuff' to counter-balance that, left a slight film on my skin. I continue to believe that most gents would be better served just finding a quality soap that they can use for both bathing and face washing. But again, equally important, regardless of the product, is not to over do it, either in terms of the temperature of the water, the duration, or the frequency. Washing one's face four or five times a day is usually not a good idea, yet some gents do that.
Regards,
Gordon

[rsp1202]

A mild face wash, for me, is better, since adding excessive ingredients to combat oiliness (or any other skin condition, for that matter) 1) doesn't work. The extra stuff doesn't stay on the face long enough to do any good, and 2) it just increases oil production later on. That applies equally to the cheap OTC drugstore products and the more expensive designer washes available online and at the trendy specialty shops. I attribute my youthful good looks to my not-overdry condition, but it's also annoying as all get-out; I've yet to find a product that leaves me matte for the day. Trumper's Limes Skin Food or witch hazel helps a bit.

[gsgo]

But again, equally important, regardless of the product, is not to over do it, either in terms of the temperature of the water, the duration, or the frequency. Washing one's face four or five times a day is usually not a good idea, yet some gents do that.
Regards,
Gordon

Fully agreed on this matter but I do like to keep my face wash and body soap separate.

Cheers!

[JohnnyO_Jr]

I went to the mall went to the store "Sephora" and brought the Anthiony Logistics Algae Facial Cleanser for Normal to Dry Skin Fragrance Free and I read the ingredients and I found the word "METHYLPARABEN". I try to back off to not to use Paraben at all. I have been using the same facial cleanser twice in the past and now this my third times. I don't know if I can use it again. I woul really like to try different facial wash for daily, you know everyday.

Is this the Anthony Logistics Algae facial cleanser that is blue colored? http://www.anthony.com/store/product/al ... -cleanser/
If so, I received this cleanser as a gift several years ago and this face wash drastically dried up my skin. Horrible face wash!!! It has a very nice scent but my skin was flaking after 2 uses with this Anthony face wash. They must put a lot of alcohol in it to get that fragrance, and we all know alcohol dries up your skin.

I've been using this new face wash I got as a present from my wife and it's working very well. Try this new brand called TwinLuxe. Their stuff is expensive but their products seem to work extremely well. I've been using their Renewing Face Wash and Scrub http://www.twinluxe.com/shop/care/scrub/index.php for several months now and it's fantastic. The face wash is creamy in texture and has microbeads of varying sizes, and it's gentle enough for daily use. I've used many facial scrubs in the past and many have ripped up my face, but TwinLuxe's works very well for my skin.

Johnny_O