I Don’t Wash My Face
I don’t wash my face. There, I said it!
While you may be thinking I’m complete gross right now, it’s not quite what you’re expecting.
Let’s go back to how this became a topic of discussion.
My grandma, my mom and I met up at a coffee shop sipping and chatting over Chais when the discussion of skin care became our next topic of interest.
While discussing the many ways to keep our skin from breaking out during the summer and not looking so sweaty, my sweet mother turned to me and studied my face carefully as if she was looking for something that wasn’t there.
“Wow, Em, your skin is so clean and clear, you have no bumps at all. What do you put on your skin?
“Nothing,” I said, not feeling like it was much of a big deal. My mom has asked me this question many times, and each moment it's like she is seeing my skin for the first time.
Well, it’s true, I don’t do anything special to my skin because I don’t like the idea of using harsh chemicals and abrasive methods on my face in order to “cleanse” it.
Thanks to social media, I have seen the effects of skin routines that turned out to be a bad idea.
In 2017, TMZ reported that St. Ives faced a lawsuit filed by women claiming that the famous facial scrub ruined their face with the walnut shells that were included in the brand’s product.
Dermatologists research supports their claim that walnut shells to the face can cause inflammation leading to breakouts and accelerated aging.
I know that there are many cleansers and scrubs that people use that don’t have all the harsh additives and claim to be natural, but I am always concerned about what products are really “natural.”
The last time, I used something that was so-called natural, I ended up with redness of the skin, small bumps, and irritated skin. So, I avoid facial cleansers like the plague.
I do, however, rinse my face with warm water when I wake up in the morning and the same before I go to bed at night to wash away the toxins that accumulate throughout the day. I wear makeup on very special occasions, so I don’t need a complicated skincare routine.
While I don’t frown on people that use facial cleansers, I do think it is important to do diligent research on anything that you put on your face so that you can avoid disappointment.
For now, I will continue to use nothing on my face because, yes, natural is using nothing at all.
