As a former beauty consultant for several major cosmetic companies I ran into women with all ranges of beauty knowledge. From women who use no makeup or skincare products to women who are aware of all latest products and trends. But nothing surprised me more than the young even college educated women who use water and Vaseline as their skincare regimen.

Why You Need to Cleanse

C’mon ladies now I understand women of previous generations using Vaseline and water and even olive oil to maintain their skin. Back in the day there was little available for women of color to use and most of us couldn’t afford to use much more than what we already had on hand in our homes.

But times have changed. The environment is full of pollutants and with our fast paced lifestyles diets are poor and deficient in fresh fruits and vegetables. Not to mention with all the other drinks available to quench our thirst who drinks enough water? Especially the six to eight glasses recommended a day to purify our bodies and moisturize our skin.

Now I know some women who swear by Vaseline and granted it does aid in moisture retention in the skin. Heck I use it on my feet but never my face. Just imagine what it does or doesn’t do for your pores. Water is hardly enough to clean the dirt and debris of the day off of face much less to deeply cleanse your pores.

Picking A Cleanser

I don’t think a cleanser has to be expensive to be effective. Dove soap is a good cleanser because it’s formulated to clean yet provide moisture to the skin. Oh and by the way don’t use regular deodorant soap like the one you use on your body. These products have the tendency to contain synthetic detergents that may cause irritation.
Some simple and cost effective cleansers are Noxzema, Phisoderm or Cetaphil. Or even products made by Neutrogena and Clean & Clear.

Now if you can afford it consult with a beauty advisor at a cosmetic counter at your local department store. They should be able to help get you on the right track with a cleanser compatible with your skin type. But whatever you do find something to add to that water and about the Vaseline use that to moisturize your lips and feet and check Basic Skincare 2 for more information on how to properly cleanse your skin.