Treating oily skin
The essential requirement of treating oily
skin is to remove excess surface sebum without total removal of the
skin lipids. Severe degreasing treatment can lead to an apparent worsening
of sebum secretion, which defeats the aim of the cleansing.
A method of cleansing this type of skin is to
wash with a solution of a very mild synthetic detergent (surfactant,
see below) containing no oils, waxes or any other lipid agent that could
aggravate the oily condition of the skin, sometimes combined with a
toning lotion. This kind of product eliminates the oily residue and
debris from the skin surface. Some cleansing products contain low concentrations
of hydroxy acids (see page 80), which
remove dead cells from the upper levels of the stratum corneum. They
must be used on a regular basis to work adequately. A light moisturizer
may be included in the product to counteract any drying effects of the
cleanser.
Cleansing Cloths:
An alternative form now available for facial cleansing is a lathering cloth. This
is a growing segment of the cleansing market. Some of the clothes are designed to
meet the specific needs of different skin types by delivering multiple skin benefits
in addition to excellent cleansing. Due to the form itself, the cloth can contain a
low level of surfactants making them mild to skin. These products are still able to
generate a generous lather via the cloth structure, which incorporates air as the
lather is generated. Being mild while also depositing conditioning agents directly
onto the skin helps to improve the skin's overall condition beyond basic cleansing.
Lastly, the different cloth textures allow for individualized, but gentle, exfoliation
that removes skin flakes for a more even skin surface. These combination of benefits
can eliminate the need of other specialty cleansing products, such as toners, make-up
removers and exfoliators.
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Surfactants and
the skin
When a cleanser, or any other surfactant product, is rinsed from the skin,
slight deposits of surfactant tend to remain. Even some of the less aggressive
surfactants can cause a temporary disruption of the keratin protein, eventually
leading to increased water loss from the stratum corneum. Repeated surfactant
exposure leads to increased water loss. Some surfactants can also damage
the lipid structures or even strip them out. This also interferes with
the barrier function of the skin so that significant amounts of water
may be lost, and the skin can become dry and even flaky.
People with sensitive, type I skins are particularly
vulnerable to irritation by harsh surfactants, particularly around the
delicate skin of the eyes.
People like this,
who have sensitive type I skins, may be particularly vulnerable to skin
irritations to surfactants.
Personal cleansing products are now formulated
by leading cosmetic manufacturers to be mild but still effective. They
are provided in forms that can be used at the sink or in the
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