I realised something the other day: your skin isn’t as low-maintenance as you might assume. This might seem obvious to many, but I’m talking about the itsy-bitsy basics like washing your face. Your skin shares a lot of human-like tendencies in that it has needs and preferences that ought to be fulfilled.
While you might sizzle in the comfort of fiery-hot water or savour the chill of ice-cold water, your skin is the one that decides whether it approves or not; and if it doesn’t, you know the drill – breakouts, redness, irritation, inflammation, and whatnot. This is why we’re introducing your skin to 3 different temperature settings for face-washing, and assessing how it will take to each of them: toxic or not?
To Swipe Right Or Left? Here’s Speed-Dating Three Temperatures
Speed-Dating (Fiery)-Hot Water
While dermatologists might contest each other’s opinions on other subjects, they’re united in their belief that red-hot water is disruptive to the skin as it strips your face of (natural) hydrators, moisturisers, and oils – rendering it dry. Using hot water on your face also intensifies conditions like rosacea, dermatitis, and eczema. A commitment to fiery-hot water can instantly escalate to inflammation, burning, peeling, itching, and more.
Speed-Dating (Ice)-Cold Water
This setting might bring comfort to your skin courtesy of its expertise in soothing puffiness and treating acne-related irritation, and it can cause vasoconstriction too (wherein your blood vessels narrow, and endow your skin with a natural-looking glow – only for a while). But it doesn’t come without a list of side effects. This setting cannot kill bacteria or cleanse your skin of dirt and build-up as effectively. And it has a tendency to trigger your pores to constrict, and when your pores constrict, they trap oil and dirt in the process. This defeats the whole purpose of cleansing.
Speed-Dating Lukewarm Water
All the above reasons are why dermatologists agree that washing your face with lukewarm water is ideal. This is more like an in-between setting that compensates for the other two’s shortcomings: it rids your skin of bacteria and build-up without hurting your skin.
The Verdict
The bottom line is that lukewarm water is ideal. You can wash your face with cold water in the morning, or after you’re done washing your face with lukewarm water – to close your pores. If you’re living in a colder environment, or your skin is sensitive to colder temperatures, you might want to use warm water only. Remember to wash your face twice every day: morning and night.
A Line-Up Of Power-Packed Cleansers
What’s your choice of water temperature?
Featured Image: Pexels
