Best Face Wash for Women with Combination Skin
Finding the right skincare for women with combination skin is a very difficult and complex challenge. A face wash is the fundamental step of skincare and it needs to be chosen wisely in order to achieve a balanced skin texture. Combination skin has a dual nature existing at the same time.
It is because the T-zone of the face is oily and the U-zone is dry. Using a harsh cleanser for clearing the oil from T-zone could make the cheeks even more dry while using a heavy moisturising face wash could clog the pores of the T-zone and make it more oily.
The ideal face cleanser should be able to deliver dual functions. It should be able to control the excess oil from T-zone and moisturize the U-zone at same time. A gel cleanser or foaming cleanser could serve the purpose right.
For getting better results you need to opt for gentle cleansing active ingredients which clear excess sebum and moisturising and repairing active ingredients to moisture and repair the dry skin. It helps in getting a balanced skin overall without tight or oily skin.
What is the combination skin type?
A combination skin deals with two skin types at the same time. It happens due to varied oil production in different regions of the face. Somewhere in the face there is excess oil production and somewhere it is scarce. This leads to a dual natured dry and oily skin. Half the face appears dry and half appears excessively shiny. The face is divided into two regions.
One half is the T-zone consisting of the forehead, nose and chin. The other part is called U-zone. The T-zone is responsible for producing excess sebum. This happens because the sebaceous in this region are more active and dense. The U-zone consists of the cheeks and jawline region which has very less sebum production. This makes the skin excessively dry, flaky and tight.
Why don’t ordinary cleansers help?
Traditional cleansers are formulated with harsh surfactants that strip the oil completely from the skin. It might help in clearing the oily T-zone but it would make the cheeks extremely dry and damaged. It won’t be ideal for combination skin as it does not perform dual functions.
Also using a cream or lotion cleanser would not help for oily skin because it could hydrate the U-zone but it would make T-zone more oily and clog the pores of the skin. They require a dual cleansing face wash for their skin.
Ideal formulation type for combination skin
Gel formulation
Gel based face washes are lightweight and non-sticky as they are mostly water based. Gel formulations help in delivering active ingredients quickly to the skin along with providing a smooth cleanse. It helps in gently purifying the skin and producing a soft cleansing foam that works well for combination skin.
Foaming cleanser
Foaming cleansers begin with liquid or gel base at start and when applied on the face they generate rich airy lather. This lather when applied on the face works to lift off the excess oil and other impurities from the skin. This foam has great surface area and clears the impurities from the face effectively. It is soft and non-sticky textured foam.
Ingredients suitable for combination skin
| Category | Ingredient | Features |
|---|---|---|
| Cleansing agent | Salicylic acid | A beta hydroxy acid that can penetrate deep into the pores of the skin because of its oil soluble nature. This helps in clearing the excess oil from the pores. It dissolves the hard plugs of oil and other impurities. |
| Niacinamide | A vitamin B3 that works to regulate the secretion of sebum on the skin and clears surface oil. It helps in stimulating sebaceous glands to secrete normal levels of sebum. | |
| Enacapsulated charcoal | It is better than activated charcoal as it provides prolonged results and helps in pulling excess oil and impurities from the skin effectively. It helps in wiping surface oil properly. | |
| Hydrating agent | Ceramides | They help in replenishing the lost ceramides to repair the damaged barrier of the U-zone. It helps in moisturizing and protecting the barrier of the skin. |
| Hyaluronic acid | This ingredient works to pull the moisture into the skin and locks it in. It does not make the skin feel heavy. Instead it makes the skin feel plumpy and nourished. |
Combining these ingredients in a face wash makes it the best face wash for women.
Steps for better cleansing using a face wash
- Wash your hands firstly
- Wash your face with lukewarm water
- Take sufficient amount of face wash
- Apply it to the face by massaging it
- Target the T-zone and rub gently
- On the U-zone apply softly and let the foam sit for 30 seconds
- Rinse off with water
- Pat dry using a soft towel
- Apply lightweight hydrating moisturizer
Final thoughts
Combination skin in women could be quite complex and requires extra cautious care. You need a balanced approach in order to deal with the oily and dry skin regions of combination skin. A face wash that performs both roles would help in performing balanced cleanse for the skin and give better results. It must be ideal for regular use and in order to get proper results it should be used twice a day.
