After breaking a sweat in the gym, you feel like taking a shower. Washing the salty film off your body makes you feel refreshed and energized. Is your face enjoying the same benefits?

While you exercise, sweat can mix with dirt and bacteria on your skin, clogging pores, and leading to inflammation. Paying special attention to cleansing your face is essential to avoiding unpleasant acne surprises.

When you are washing the sweat off your body, don't be tempted to use the same soap on your face. A facial cleanser can do a much better job.

Let's look a little closer at what the differences between a facial cleanser and soap are to help you make the right choice.

1. The Drying Factor

The main goal of soap is to get rid of the dirt without looking back at hydration. It removes natural oils from the skin and makes it feel very clean and very dry at the same time. While that may work for the rest of your body, the face is different.

The skin on your face is more delicate and sensitive. When you dry it out with harsh agents, the skin starts flaking. With time, your sebaceous glands begin producing more sebum (oil) to compensate for whatever the soap washes away. Eventually, you'll end up with oily and acne-prone skin.

Facial cleansers have a lower pH level than soaps do. While they can still do an excellent job cleansing your skin, they aren't as harsh as soaps.

2. The Horrific Shave

If you use regular (or worse, antibacterial) soap on your face, the pH balance falters, causing the skin to flake and itch. Such issues could lead to a painful and uncomfortable shave.

Since soap strips away important skin oils and leaves your face dry, shaving closely becomes a problem. You may experience frequent cuts and suffer from razor burn.

3. Continuous Inflammation

When you play around with the natural oil production and add some pH balance problems to the mix, your skin becomes a magnet for nasty stuff.

Since you strip away the natural protection with harsh chemicals, more dirt and bacteria make their way into your pores. Eventually, you may be facing acne, irritation, and inflammation.

As a "bonus", your skin will look either too dull or too shiny and more wrinkled than it should. Meanwhile, the facial cleanser can prevent wrinkles and hydrate your skin properly.

Washing Your Face After a Workout

The skin on your face is sensitive, and (let's be honest) you want it tool look good. That's why cleansing your face after a workout is a must-do.

If for some reason, you don't have immediate access to a facial cleanser and water, you can use cleansing wipes. However, don't make it a habit. Wipes are an emergency solution.

  • Wet your face with tepid water.
  • Apply cleanser.
  • Splash water on your face to remove the cleanser.
  • Use a soft towel to dry your face (try to pat instead of rubbing).

If all you have is a bar of soap, just use water to remove as much sweat as possible. Wash your face properly as soon as you have access to a cleanser.

Ideally, you should buy a cleanser suitable for your skin type. But that's another story.

Why You Should Never Wash Your Face with Soap

If you wash your face with soap, irritation, inflammation, cuts, wrinkles, and acne are virtually unavoidable.  

If you want to keep your face looking its best for a long time, consider using specialized products. The facial care industry has come a long way since the first bar of soap was invented. There is no reason why you shouldn't take full advantage of the innovations.

For more information about facial cleansers and how to use them, please don't hesitate to contact us at any convenient time.